Thread: To use hideum or not?

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I have seen some 32, 33, 30, & 31 Fords which use hideum between the fenders, splash aprons, and etc. What is the actual reason to use this? Some of the show cars I've seen have NOT used this. Would you strictly use this hideum if the body panels do not line up perfectly so you hide that? I'm trying to decide as to whether or not to use it, but I would like to know the reasoning behind its useage.

I believe the correct name is fender webbing ...
at least for what I think you are talking about.

I always use it ... Ford did ..
Volkswagen did too on the Beetles ...

It keeps the two metal parts from rubbing each other
... becuase they do FIT GOOD ...

Just my nickel

The correcy name is fender welt. If you have excellent bodywork skills, and can match all the mating surfaces perfectly, there is no real "need" to use it. It was used on mass produced vehicles to cut down on the time required to match all the mating surfaces perfectly on assembly line produced vehicles.

If part of your concern is the contrast in color, you can paint the welt to match.

Bob my first concern was WHY do they use it. Since everything matches up like a tight fitting glove on my Brookville (after considerable massaging) I was contemplating on NOT using it. So with the mating surfaces matching excellent I am leaning towards not using it. My only concern was even with the mating surfaces matching excellent would I run into rubbing issues which would long term issues? I hate the thought of ruining a high dollar paint job. Thanks for everyone's input and advice.

We built a few VW bugs for my Son years ago, and the welt was always a pain to get installed right. I would have to notch the mounting holes a little, and tap it down with a mallet while tightening the bolts, and even then it would want to pop out a little.

I've always thought it was a squeek preventer, and eliminated metal to metal contact.


The guys have already corrected the name of this stuff to welt, but just for informational purposes, hideum is the stuff upholsterers use when they need to put an edge on some upholstery. The lips open up so you can put a nail or screw into the interior of it, and then they close up to "hide" the fastner, and all you see is a nicely upholstered strip.

Don

Upholsters call it "welt cord". Is this "fender welt" the same thing GM called "anti sweak Material" on my AD truck?

At the NSRA York, PA SR Nationals there were 2 Brookville 30-31 roadsters and neither had fender or running board welt. Both fit up well and looked great. My intent is to cut the actual rounded welt off of mine and just use the web portion for anti squeek as my fenders and RB's fit just fine - and about the only parts on my POS body that do - probably because the front fenders are Wescott's and the rears are Albrecht's with the RB's and splash shields being Lobecks.

Just a note - Brookville had a primed '32 and a primed '30-'31 body at York. The '32 was fair and the '30-'31 had most of the same hills and valleys that mine has, with the trunk lid again being the worst piece. My guess is that if you were to buy one of their bodies unprimed, you will get better workmanship as they can't hide their visually obvious mistakes under a load of their cheap primer.