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Discussion starter · #21 ·
Fenders from (aftermarket) NH parts arrived Friday and Monday. True to his word, I brought the one home Friday and it fit perfectly on my 68 2000. So I proceeded to drill holes to mount the hazard/warning light and tool box for left fender. Cut the slot for the light conduit (3/8") in fender bracket and installed tubing to bottom of fender. However when I attempted to form swage joint at bottom of this tubing with a punch type swage tool, I messed up the tubing and will have to replace the tubing today. Joints in tubing will be formed by inserting a short piece of 1/4" tubing inside the 3/8" tubing and holding in place at the joints with "121 gutter sealer" (super tack and remains flexible). In the meantime 2nd fender arrived yesterday and fit/sat perfectly on tractor axle. Totally impressed with quality/gauge/sizing and workmanship of these fenders with the originals to compare to and also the poorly/cheaply made 1st set I returned.

Original equipment rear lights were definitely sold with tubing protecting wiring to rear fenders from the firewall area.

Painting scheduled for this weekend.

I hope lessons learned in this process so far will aid and inspire others to conserve their working tractor (this is) if not restore these older machines.
 
Discussion starter · #22 ·
Finally FEDEX has let me have both fenders. They are great, good quality and workmanship, fit well , and stand straight. Have trial fitted both. On left fender have mounted toolbox, drilled holes for hazard/warning light and wire feed through, and installed 3/8" tubing in fender to the feed through. Looking good and now after removing tool box, both fenders ready for paint.
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Discussion starter · #23 ·
A quick update on the fender project: Fenders now out to the paint shop....feels good to have my work done. I feel the preps to mount the hazard/warning light, running the tubing to carry the hot wire, and mounting the toolbox (will have 5 bolts holding it) went well. Should have the fenders back by Monday. Next step after reinstalling light and toolbox is to continue conduit to the firewall.
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
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At the moment, really tired of kneeling at the back of this tractor fussing with the fenders. Thinking of placing votive candles on the draw bar bracket and at least use the time wisely. Painter fell down on the painting this time, a lot of orange peel on the left fender. Later I will attempt a combination of color wet sanding and rubbing it out or repaint. But for the time being, it's time to move on with installing tubing to carry hot wire down the left side of tractor to the fender mounted hazard/warning light
 
Discussion starter · #26 ·
Thanks pogobill. Just waiting on sunny days to get it out of the shed to add the light and run the conduit to the firewall.
 
Discussion starter · #27 ·
Ok, painter is going to redo the fender paint job this coming weekend and I had decided not to run wiring conduit from the fender up along the side of the rear end housing and transmission case until the paint on the fenders is "right". In the meantime I saw a video of a 2000 with remnants of the conduit sort of still in place on the side of the transmission housing.
 
FYI electrical supply companies have a flexible, flat, plastic product that sticks onto walls etc. that you can run wire through. It's called something like; InstaConduit???? might look good and could be painted. We used a lot of it to retro fit hard wired 120 volt smoke detectors. It could go on the 'tire' side of the fender.
 
Discussion starter · #29 ·
Thanks for the idea deerhide. I've already installed the conduit in the fender and drilled the mounting holes and access hole through the fender into the conduit (it will end up being hidden under the mount). It goes from the light down into the top of the rear bracket and comes out near the axle. Actually, I forgot it shows in the photos above. Shown clearly with the fender still in red primer and a little harder to see after gray paint. I have a smaller diameter tubing that fits inside this to make up the joints and will use 121 gutter adhesive to secure the joints.
 
Discussion starter · #30 ·
Ok another lesson learned. I had been relying on an "afterhours" painter to do my painting. He had performed adequately until now. When he painted these new fenders his texture and coverage varied and was not overall a satisfactory job. He offered to redo them free of charge and in fact insisted to also buy the paint from NH. However after 2 weeks sitting in the shop, I gave up and picked up the fenders (he gave me the paint). I took them to the body/paint shop that has kept my autos looking good and they agreed to take on the job (costing just a bit more than the part timer, but also had to clean up the mess left by the part timer). I saw the fenders at the shop yesterday and they are fantastic. Shop owner recommended I pick them up after lunch today so the paint could cure. Once home, I will let them cure another day and install them tomorrow. Looking forward to running the conduit for the light from the fender forward to the firewall.
 
Discussion starter · #31 ·
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Ok site working better. Got the fenders home this afternoon. NH paint is still a bit tender so am letting them cure in the sun and an occasional cold water bath as advised by the body shop.
 
Discussion starter · #32 ·
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Got fenders home Thursday, mounted them Friday and added light and toolbox on Saturday. Conduit and wiring in progress. Meanwhile the light switch failed sometime in the past few months while the fenders were off. Waiting for new switch.
 
Discussion starter · #33 ·
Got the electrical conduit to the fender light installed today. Learning to use the tubing bender was an uphill battle, but I think I'm pleased with the result Hood Blue Motor vehicle Automotive exterior Vehicle
 
Discussion starter · #34 ·
I learned a lot about the theory of "what can go wrong usually will" in this project.
 
oh was just reading this if you run into an area of metal that wants to keep rusting there is a way to stop it. I learned this a long time ago working on metal used for knives and stuff. if before you paint the area get a buffer and a drop or 2 of really good high temp oil, flaxseed is what I found to do best and buff that into the areas that are prone to rust hopefully you've got a high-speed buffer as you'll need to buff it till the metal dis-colors doesn't take as long as you think. If you do this and then paint it with a good metal primer then paint it with a good paint it won't start rusting from there again or at least I've never seen any unless it gets water under the paint somehow. As long as it is sealed good it doesn't start to rust anymore
 
just trying to help return a little of all the help you all have given
 
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Discussion starter · #38 ·
I do appreciate that Eddie. I am probably more dependent on tradesmen than most guys on here. I consider myself fortunate though in that I found a small independent tractor repair shop for mechanical work I can't handle, an auto body shop for spray painting I can't handle, and a machine shop for the odd bit of fabrication or sand blasting. All with older owners who for some reason like to see my 50+ year old Ford preserved. Also a diligent guy at the parts counters of my CNH dealer and NAPA. The guys at the used parts place I told you about have come up with used oem external parts that were well worth refinishing. I'm using oem paint obtained from the CNH dealer. Even the auto repair shop I've used for 20+years has helped by ordering and mounting both front and rear tires (and recommending the tractor mechanic).
 
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