Very few single elements can separate a rod from a custom, but one item tops the list of making a custom a custom, and the element that most screams "custom" has to be a pair of fender skirts. Back in the '40s and '50s, skirts were readily available at local auto parts stores, but today original skirts have skyrocketed in price and have become nearly impossible to find for the early models. Customizers from the very beginning have mixed pieces from different makes and models to enhance the lines and looks of their rides, so of course just popping on a set of original skirts would be out of the question. Early customizers preferred the sweeping bubble skirts from high-end models like Lincolns, Buicks, and Chryslers, and later the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser skirt became a must-have item.
The 1936 Ford has always been a favorite fodder of customizers, and the skirt of choice was the graceful teardrop-shaped bubble skirt used on Lincoln Zephyrs from the same period. This style of skirt has long been on the "unobtanium" list, so making a pair from scratch has become the best answer to achieving custom nirvana.
We followed along as a pair of Zephyr-style skirts were made for a '36 Ford and we were surprised how relatively easy the project was given the stunning results. Note that the technique used is close to the same process used when reskinning a vehicle door, and the tools required are the same ones found in the shops of most do-it-yourself customizers.
After transferring the fender...
After transferring the fender opening to the cardboard, 1 inch was added to the pattern to account for overlapping the skirt over the fender and to give enough metal to be folded over the inner panel.
On the back edge of the pattern,...
On the back edge of the pattern, the desired shape of the skirt was drawn freehand on to the construction board and then the pattern was cut out of the heavy construction board. The shape of the cardboard template was then transferred to a piece of half-inch plywood.
A jigsaw was then used to...
A jigsaw was then used to cut out the plywood form, which was then refined to the perfect shape with a disc sander.
Because the skirts use a compound...
Because the skirts use a compound curve that extends both vertically and horizontally, a vehicle roof makes a perfect sheetmetal donor. In this case, a '79-93 Ford Mustang roof worked out perfectly.
The sheetmetal should extend...
The sheetmetal should extend past the plywood form approximately 3/8-inch to allow a body hammer to form it over the plywood, providing a 90-degree bend all around the skirt.
Just as you should measure...
Just as you should measure twice and cut once, we test-fit the plywood form to the fender as we shaped it to make sure we were headed in the right direction.
After trimming the donor piece...
After trimming the donor piece to the desired shape, the bottom edge was folded 90 degrees in a sheetmetal break. The skirt was then secured to the plywood form to start the forming process.
The 90-degree bend along the...
The 90-degree bend along the bottom needed to run through a metal shrinker to give it back some of the contour it lost (when it was bent) to match the fender.
The outer edge of the skirt...
The outer edge of the skirt (the part that overlaps the fender) will get an inner sheetmetal piece to add some strength and give something to weld a mounting framework to. We reused the original cardboard template and trimmed out the wheel opening. The outer band was then transferred to a piece of sheetmetal to form the inner panel.
A doorskin tool from Eastwood...
A doorskin tool from Eastwood was then used to fold the outer lip of the skirt over the inner piece.
A body hammer finished off...
A body hammer finished off the folding process.
An inner frame built from...
An inner frame built from conduit will give the skirt some more strength and a way to attach to the inner lip of the fender. We started shaping the conduit using a conduit bender and checking it against our template we traced in the first step.
The inner conduit frame was...
The inner conduit frame was then tacked to the inner panel of the skirt. Here you can see the piece of conduit that was tacked to the 90-degree lower edge of the skirt and where the lower edge was cut and folded over the inner panel.
The outer edge of the skirt...
The outer edge of the skirt was then given a final tune-up with a body file.
Through careful fitting and...
Through careful fitting and shaping, the finished skirt exactly matched the contour of the fender. From the inside it's easy to see how the skirt's contour matches the fender.