# 69 GTO Endura Install



## DanC (Mar 20, 2013)

Can anyone tell me if there is a rubber gasket installed between the front fenders and Endura front end? This was on there when I removed it but only to cover a huge gap. I'm ot sure if it belongs there.


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

No gasket.

And the bumper does not attach to the fender in any way if that was your next question.

And yes, they are a total bitch to align. Did I miss anything? :lol: 

Grab a couple of friends there OP to help you is the best advice I can give. :cheers


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## DanC (Mar 20, 2013)

*69 Endura molding*

Thanks for your help ALKYGTO, I appreciate it. Any hints to aligning it, as in the order that I should tightent the brackets (bottom 2 first, then middle, then top 2 sides, etc.)?


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Just have lots of friends and alcohol on hand, because you're in for an ordeal. The problem comes mostly from the way those "ram horn" brackets attach to the frame via those slotted holes. You'll probably find that when you get the bumper up "tight" to the fenders, it will be either too high or too low. When you get it lined up with the tops of the fenders, the gaps will be way off. I fought mine for *three solid days* before I finally figured out that I had the placement of the rubber biscuits that hold on the radiator core support wrong, and the core support (and fenders) were just a tad lower than they were supposed to be. If you'll spend some time with just one of those ram horn brackets, paying attention to those slotted bolt holes and how they interact with each other, you'll see what I mean. Those slots give you the illusion of having lots of adjustability because after all, they're slotted right? But since the slots run in crossing directions from each other they actually force the bumper to move in a very definite path and you can't change the height without also changing the "depth". More than once I threatened to take my die grinder to those slots and hog them out to give myself more room to work with, but I didn't. Still, it's something to consider.


Bear


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## DanC (Mar 20, 2013)

You da man BEAR! You've helped me a few times now and I appreciate it. Thanks to all my GTO brethren. Always easier learning from other people's experience and pain.


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## jimchevy (Dec 29, 2011)

I agree with you Dan, Bear and Alky are always helpul and willing to share their knowledge! I'm dreading this job when I do my hideaway conversion.


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

BearGFR said:


> Just have lots of friends and alcohol on hand, because you're in for an ordeal. The problem comes mostly from the way those "ram horn" brackets attach to the frame via those slotted holes. You'll probably find that when you get the bumper up "tight" to the fenders, it will be either too high or too low. When you get it lined up with the tops of the fenders, the gaps will be way off. I fought mine for *three solid days* before I finally figured out that I had the placement of the rubber biscuits that hold on the radiator core support wrong, and the core support (and fenders) were just a tad lower than they were supposed to be. If you'll spend some time with just one of those ram horn brackets, paying attention to those slotted bolt holes and how they interact with each other, you'll see what I mean. Those slots give you the illusion of having lots of adjustability because after all, they're slotted right? But since the slots run in crossing directions from each other they actually force the bumper to move in a very definite path and you can't change the height without also changing the "depth". More than once I threatened to take my die grinder to those slots and hog them out to give myself more room to work with, but I didn't. Still, it's something to consider.
> 
> 
> Bear


Ha ha, I put mine in the "perfect" position and then "adjusted" the holes to fit . Mine isn't neccasarily a "concourse" resto either and honestly the only person who will ever see it is the next guy to take it apart. A good fit is extremely difficult to achieve and I've never seen one with modern OEM fit quality because I do pay attention at shows. 

I met a fellow once at a show who commented on how well my endura fit and I told him of the time it took and how many times I had it on and off the car. He told me that he had worked at the Sacramento plant where they built them and that there was a guy on the line with a body grinder that would make the enduras "fit" and then they would finish them and paint. I do know that both my front fenders are originals (but not to this car) and both 69 fenders but they have different "contours" when checked with a contour gauge one has about 3/16" more curve to it than the other. I finished my endura on the bench and hung it on the car the first tim and it was way off and had to grind it down to match on both sides basically to make it match the fender contours.

And could they have made them any heavier? :shutme I remember once I scored a set of the honeycomb Pontiac wheels and didn't know about "polycast". I had always thought they were aluminum. Those had to be some of the heaviest wheels ever made and they actually made my car handle worse.


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## rlslavik (Jun 21, 2014)

I know I'm late to the game on this thread but that is exactly where I am at right now.
Installing my original endura bumper and aligning to a set of NEW fenders.
I WISH 3 days seemed possible...

Just for starters the back of the fenders sat nearly one full inch too high with no shims when I began.

All level now but this whole job has gone that way.

I will be considering some of the rubber "epoxies" on the market after I get this thing as close as possible without it.
The idea of bulding up the rubber to meet the fenders and grinding down for smoothness - as they did at the factory- makes sense but I'm sure it will be a
pain in the posi...


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

On my car I mentioned I had front fenders from two different cars so neither was original to my car. Amazing how different the actual curvature to the fender was and neither were damaged from a wreck. 

Another difference was that one sat "high" and one set perfect. You could see where it was actually spot welded "off" from the aligning holes from the fender to the inner structure that actually bolts to the firewall. I had to cut and section out a piece to make it sit right. :banghead:


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## rlslavik (Jun 21, 2014)

These came from Muscle Car Metal. Sold as Goodmark, arrived labeled as Sherman with 1 dented up. They sent a new one free of charge and did not want the other one back. Great service at least.
I've heard all fenders are made at the same factory these days so "brand" shouldn't matter - assuming this is true.

I bent/grinded/rebent the long mounting surface under the top rear of each fender until I lowered them sufficiently. They look nice at this point.

Ever tried the rubberized epoxy to patch/build up the endura bumper?
It SOUNDS simple but Murphy is a real good friend of mine.

I don't see the likelihood of taking the upper fender points down to meet the bumper, but I'm not done bolting the bumper up yet...


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

The stuff I used to do body work on my endura was 3M Flexible Body Filler. Not an easy product to use as it requires adhesion promoters and special primers but it's the only way I've found to repair the endura bumper.

If anyone else out there has any experience with this I'm sure they'll chime in.


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## bondobill (Oct 24, 2011)

rlslavik said:


> These came from Muscle Car Metal. Sold as Goodmark, arrived labeled as Sherman with 1 dented up. They sent a new one free of charge and did not want the other one back. Great service at least.
> I've heard all fenders are made at the same factory these days so "brand" shouldn't matter - assuming this is true.
> 
> I bent/grinded/rebent the long mounting surface under the top rear of each fender until I lowered them sufficiently. They look nice at this point.
> ...


We used Lord Fusor extreme bumper repair on my sons 68 bumper. We had spots we built up as much as 3/8" with the stuff.
I'll get you the exact part # when I get to the shop.
We fitted the bumper to the car as best we could with aligning the brackets. Once we had the brackets to the frame where we wanted them we tightened down the bolts with a 1/2" drive and never removed them from the frame again. We then removed the bumper by way of removing the bracket bolts at the bumper and added, subtracted material to the bumper as needed.
I wouldn't even dare guess how many times I had that bumper on and off the car before we where finally happy with its fit to the fenders and the hood.

By leaving the brackets on the frame and removing the bumper via the bracket bolts at the bumper it easily becomes a one man operation. Altho I have to agree with Bear.....you still need mass quantities of alcohol readily available :lol:

Bill


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## rlslavik (Jun 21, 2014)

yep,
I've seen several different brands out there and I'm sure it will be as much fun as Murphy's Law will allow.
Trying to decide on the bracket's final resting place right now.

I wish there was a better way to secure the bottom front of the fenders.
I can "push" them down 1/2" or better to align the outer points but securing them there is another story.


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## jmt455 (Mar 26, 2012)

I used Evercoat Maxim "Mulit-Fix Plastic Repair".
Evercoat part #100898.

Evercoat

It worked GREAT and sets up very quickly.

Been on the car for 2 years; no cracks...yet.


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