D Car — July 2004

…there is no problem. But when the car is lowered, the tire-to-fender gap disappears, and the sidewall comes right up to—or even inside—the fender. The lip must be rolled to prevent contact. If you leave it as is, the tire can even blow out. Folding the lip is easy enough, but doing it aggressively can crack the paint along the bend, so great care is needed. Our team followed the process at Prison #8, a low-Euro specialist, where they generously demonstrated a technique that could be called a trade secret.

Bodywork

OWERING TECHNIQUE

Bulge the fender and fold the lip flat This is the ultimate “cover-over” look!

Part 06

Prevent damage from tire-to-fender contact Inside the fender, a strip of sheet metal about 2 cm tall stands nearly vertically. This is the “lip.” Because it is bare metal, its edge is sharp. On a stock car, the tire sits far enough away that…

Fender-lip rolling

Fender rolling bends the inner lip away from the tire sidewall with a roller. Prison #8’s technique, revealed!

The key to a clean finish is…

…bending it while heating it!!

A wide tire sits tucked under the rolled fender. The inner lip has been folded flat.

Prison #8

Live demonstration: fender-lip rolling

4. Heat the area to be rolled

To finish cleanly without peeling the paint…

…heat the body slowly and fold the lip a little at a time. 1. Stock condition

The fender lip is fully exposed. The hub will need to move later, so jack up the car, put the transmission in neutral, and release the parking brake.

Careful work creates the full, rounded fender shape. The hidden inner section is treated too, which is why the finished result looks so good.

Ordinary automotive paint is brittle when bent. Heating it with a heater helps prevent the paint from cracking and peeling at the fold. 5. Crush the lip with the roller

2. The fender-rolling tool

Place the roller against the lip and press it down firmly, working it back and forth. Do not do it all at once; proceed a little at a time.

The fender covers almost all of the tire’s upper sidewall with this aggressive tuck.

You can see where the lip has been folded around the middle of the wheel arch. The lower part does not contact the tire, so it does not need to be rolled.

This is the special roller used to fold fender lips. It is a sturdy tool made for bodywork.

SHOP DATA

With thanks to: Prison #8 Address: 680-62 Obata, Ibaraki-cho, Higashiibaraki-gun, Ibaraki

The basic rule is to roll the lip when the car is being repainted.

Summary

680-62 Obata

…showed us the technique.

Bolt the roller to the hub. If you are not using the roller, work against a backing plate with a plastic hammer.

3. Set the tool on the hub

6. The lip is folded!

Heat, fold, heat, fold—the process is repeated until finished. The paint stayed intact, the lip folded neatly, and the sharp edge was eliminated.

This shop is known for its low-Euro builds and sells plenty of accessories for low-Euro enthusiasts.

TEL:029-240-7110

KODA, the mechanic who demonstrated the technique, owns the blacked-out Civic Coupe. He discovered that using heat makes the paint less likely to peel. He is skilled at both roller-based and hand-rolled fender work. “Even with heat, the paint can still peel. It is best to roll the fenders when the car is being repainted,” he says.

Mechanic

Mr. KODA The mechanic, whose black Civic Coupe is his pride and joy.

Ask KON, a trusted advisor, anything you like.

…and ask away.

D Car — July 2004

About this issue

Page 68 — English draft translation