Ok, I'll admit it...I got anxious and got in a hurry and did not take enough time. At least it is fixable. The pot metal fender extension on the driver's side fit great so I went to the passenger side and screwed that one down without really checking the fit and heard a crack. Where it overlays the part near the grill it was over a bit too far and was not seated. Pot metal is not easily fixed but I am pretty sure I can fix the crack with some JB Weld and smooth it down and then take the part back to the shop for repainting. They told me they still had paint left if I needed anything fixed up.
Well, at least when I put all the lights back on everything worked. That had me a little worried.

 

JB Weld is perfect for a pot metal crack. You will forget about it once it's fixed. We're all impatient sometimes. Are you using a torque wrench?

CP

 

I'd move on to something else and get another one. Cracks have a knack of returning. Those pieces are on ebay all the time, why patch something when a solid one can be had for a few bucks. You have to have it painted anyway.

 

Part of my "keeping it original" fetish. But you make a good point. I think I'll see if I can find another "original" (not a repop) and still repair the real original and then get them both painted. If the repair cracks I can always switch them out.

 

My fender extensions are held together by washers and luck. Those parts are crap!

 

ouch, but its ok, I've had my fair share of boo-boo's during reassembly

 

when my car was being towed form my house to the shop where i work on it, we broke the quarter extension with the tow hook, just the other day i started to fix it, with some pot metal rod, i would heat the metal to approx 320Deg F then bend it to where it belonged, add some filler, grind it down and repeat, and it was going ok, untill i got lazy and decided to use some non sandable epoxy.... oops

anyway if you are handy with a torch, buy something called alladin rod, and you may be able to repair yours and still be orignal, minus the jb weld.

 

Can I use a hand held torch for that...the kind of torch I use to sweat copper plumbing joints?

 

i used a propane torch, on a medium setting with the subject right inside the outer cone, not touching the center cone

mapp torch could also work but further away from subject, and risk melting everything

oxy/acet w/ a little less then pure acet. with hardly any oxygen will work better than propane as far as control goes

i used aladdin rod #33 low melt rod for pewter3
described here
http://www.aladdin3in1.com

and i am having a hard time finding a link for online purchase anywhere
i bought it at a local place called roberts oxygen, if you live in a metropolitan area there should be a place that carries it.

 

65/66 front extensions and head light doors are just poorly designed...
Your mishap has been duplicated many times over the years, even by pros

Although JB weld is a good repair product, cracks always will sneak up on you soon or later.

Good luck though...