Front Fender Strut for stock 46 fender

[Sidehacker]

After going thru all the trouble of buying every repop three piece fender on the market . I decided to go stock on one bike and repop on one bike.
I sent the origional fender which was a 45 front fender and had the struts changed to big twin struts. I sent this fender to a person I know who has rebuilt at least a hundred of these. The sheet metal is perfect and the struts are wonderful as far as the fit is concerned but he put a 1/8th in gap between the strut and the side of the fender. When I questioned this he said he did it intentionally because on some of these the vibration wears thru either the strut or the inside, side of fender. My question, is this a standard practice and would points be deducted for this. He said he would change it if I couldn't live with it. He also sent me pictures of other fenders with the same gap. He rebuilt both my front and rear fenders. He takes them all the way apart and puts them back together exactly like they are suppose to taking a picture of every step of the operation so you know exactly what was done to your fender. I was very impressed all the way around. He even sent me pictures of all the jigs and fixtures that he made to rebuild these fenders. I don't want to ask him to change it unless I'm sure it's a definite points issue or it's just not right.
All information would be appreciated on this subject. Thanks
FNA

[1950Panhead]

I have seen them both ways, my guess is fender and brace met from the factory, if you want to change push brace in, bend fender a smidge.
Who makes three piece reproduction other then vtwin?
Any difference from original?

[Sidehacker]

L&W makes one that is said to be American made. I know it's basically an older gentleman and his wife who I think does the shipping and paperwork . I'm not sure where the sheet metal top and sides come from but he puts them together and they fit between the legs on a springer although they are a little rough as far as dimples around the rivets and where the sides are tack welded together. But it's actually very little bodywork in respects to how much work goes in to some of those vtwin fenders to get them to where they look and fit perfect.
Depending on how soon you need this fender there is also someone who is in the final stages of reperducing both front and rear fenders as close to perfect as he can get but I bother him quite a bit as I want a set from his first run and he's run into a few problems but should be done this year sometime. I've been calling him every couple of months for three years so I know how close he truly is. I will ask him if I can put his name on this web site if your interested. But if you need it now go L&W.
As far as braces on the front fender I want to know if you get points off if it's got a gap and there is a little more to it then just bending the braces and the sides of the fender, but I understand what you are saying. I've seen them both ways also. Which is correct, and which is accepted ..
Thanks
FNA

[1950Panhead]

L&W fender is better then vtwin but you have hopes replicant will be perfect.
Some original fenders have flush rivets, other originals have a dimple under the rivet.
The factory must have had a jig when smashing the rivet but there is variation.

[Sidehacker]

I should not have used the word perfect because there is always someone looking at wording instead of content . I meant he will be offering , hopefully, all the different variations of front and rear fenders concerning sheet metal, braces, and the holes drilled in the sheet metal. So you don't have to buy a general fender with no holes drilled in it and try to make it unique for the year that you need. . There is nothing in the universe that is man made and perfect. Plus I believed I said close to perfect as he can get. I truly believe they will be as close to perfect as he can get. I hope I have cleared that up however no one has still offered me the information about the gap between my braces and the sides of my stock 46 front fender.

[Chris Haynes]

I have never seen a fender bracket wear a hole in a fender.

[1950Panhead]

however no one has still offered me the information about the gap between my braces and the sides of my stock 46 front fender.

Touching, page 824, 832, 842, 854, 860, 871, 872, 896, 899, last two are 46, same for all years.

[Sidehacker]

Thanks Chris,
That was my reply when I first heard the explanation I was given. Have you ever seen a groove worn in a strut by the edge of a fender, the other way around?
1950 Panhead , I've seen all those pictures and the only one that is absolutely clear is 824, and by my vision on the one side that is visible it does show a small gap. But that's not what I'm saying either . Most of the factory fenders I have seen are touching. Weather it's from years of built up paint or they came that way. But I have seen some with the gap. Now is the gap acceptable and if it is how much of a gap or do we get points off for it or is this a judges call . U can't view a fender from the outside in a picture and tell. You have to view from the underside. Since I have had this brought to my attention I have been looking at a lot of fenders.