Should I pull the fenders off my Challenger to repaint the engine compartment?

[e-tek]

Personally I have never had any trouble removing or reinstalling fenders on my Challenger or my cudas and realigning them wasn't difficult either and I didn't drill any alignment holes. Maybe I'm just lucky. But for me removing and installing engines and transmissions is a lot easier to do without having the fenders on because I don't have to reach over them.

Well, You're either LUCKY, damned good - or both!! I've had alignment issues with most fenders (and doors!!) I've removed. It's also how picky you are, I guess. A little high here or wide there....like the factory did it.... might be OK for some, but if you want them dead on - or if they are already dead on and you can avoid it...I would! Plus the possibility of scratching ....

[KillerBee]

Thanks for all the responses and opinions.
The possibility of body/paint damage and scratches is one of the main reasons I am thinking of pulling the fenders.
The engine has to come out, the engine compartment has to be disassembled, stripped of it's current paint, painted, then the engine has to go back in.
It is a fresh, and modified 440 Sixpack engine so I will doing a cam break in and probably a fair amount of adjusting and tuning of the Sixpack carbs.
Lots of leaning over the fenders to sand, paint, and wrench will be going on if they stay on the car.
The fenders are currently very well aligned on the car.
Isn't there a way to mark the fenders' current location, (like drilling some very small locating holes) so that putting the fenders back on will be much easier?

[wally426ci]

why dont you just cover them with moving blankets.... I think Dayley did that or someone here when they dropped the engine in. Maybe it was troutstream....  but it worked.

[KillerBee]

why dont you just cover them with moving blankets.... I think Dayley did that or someone here when they dropped the engine in. Maybe it was troutstream....  but it worked.

If it was just a quick engine swap I wouldn't think about pulling the fenders.
I would just cover them up and work around them.
Once the current engine and trany are pulled, the body man is going to have to spend some serious time inside the the engine compartment stripping the current paint and getting it ready for new paint. Then painting it.
I then need to re-install a fresh engine/tranny and get it tuned which might mean spending a lot of time leaning over the fenders adjusting the Sixpack carbs, valves, setting the timing, chasing leaks, etc.

The hood, grill, bumper, and front valance are already off the car, the fenders don't seem like that big of a deal

[e-tek]

Oooh - Oooh!! Now that I read the part about it being a new break in and needing lotsa tuning time, I have another idea!!

Why not put it on an engine test stand and run it up first out of the car? You can buy then,but I built one in a few hours and it's AMAZING! You can get it tuned up, check for leaks and make sure it's tickidy-boo BEFORE putting it in. Not only will you LOVE this, but it minimizes the "over the fender" time too!



How I built mine was, I bought a $40.00 engine stand, then welded a frame around it to hold the battery, gauges and gas can. Throw a couple cheapy mufflers on it and you're good to go!