Plastic Inner Fender Wells
 

This may sound like a crazy question, but I would like some

advice on what models, if any, of Chevrolets (Camaro's, Chevelle's, Monte Carlo's) during the late 60's

and early 70's came with plastic inner fender wells. Or even when

they may have first appeared????? [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/dunno.gif[/img]

Thanks for your time &amp; expertise.

DH [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif[/img]

Re: Plastic Inner Fender Wells
 

I can only speak for the 1970 Chevelles as most of them if not all of them built from the Oshawa Canada plant came with plastic inner fenders.
I have also seen some USA plants use them but not many times. I have also seen unrestored original cars have one Metal and One Plastic under the hood as a miss match on some USA built cars.
I guess it was a matter of what was in stock for these USA Plants that the plastic would be used or miss matched like noted above. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: Plastic Inner Fender Wells
 

My March of 72 Kansas built Chevelle had them.

Re: Plastic Inner Fender Wells
 

my 69 chevelle had them

Re: Plastic Inner Fender Wells
 

My 5th week of July '69 Chevelle has them.

Re: Plastic Inner Fender Wells
 

I have seen 69 chevelles use them but not on 68 or earlier chevelles.

Re: Plastic Inner Fender Wells
 

Thanks to all for confirming my question. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/youguysrock.gif[/img]

Dicky [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif[/img]

Re: Plastic Inner Fender Wells
 

My Baltimore built 70 Malibu vert has them.

Re: Plastic Inner Fender Wells
 

I'm not sure where I read this, but I'm pretty sure the plastic inner fenders started in 69 as a corrosion preventive measure. I'll try to dig up the literature on that.

In Ohio at least, unprotected (not rustproofed) sheet-metal would usually rust through in as few as 3 years if the cars were driven through the winters. The inners probably even quicker since the metal was so thin. We actually mine salt from under Lake Erie and the northern cities never hesitated to use it on icy roads. It was a never ending battle with rust back in the day.

Phil Woj.

Re: Plastic Inner Fender Wells
 

----Way back in Classic Motors days (1976/1985) we had a 1969 SS Chevelle come in with one plastic and one metal inner fender. Once we noticed it we went all over the front end and not a bolt we could find had ever been out.......Bill S

Re: Plastic Inner Fender Wells
 

There have been a few cars documented over the years as coming from the factory with one plastic and one metal inner fender.

My 1/69 KC built Chevelle has both plastic ones.

Re: Plastic Inner Fender Wells
 

I had no idea that GM used them on what appears to
be mostly mid-size intermediate cars, Chevelles and
Monte's. When I worked at a Chevy dealer in the late 60's-
late 70's (in Montana) I was not aware of any plastic inners.

However at that young age I'm sure my focus was not entirely
on cars. Maybe if I had worked in the body shop??????

Thanks for all the replies.
Dicky [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif[/img]

Re: Plastic Inner Fender Wells
 

The red plastic inner fenders were first developed by Pontiac in 1965, and were used on 1966 A-bodies under option code 522. The creator was Pontiac materials engineer Josh Madden, who also developed the cast polyurethane-enforced Endura bumper (introduced in 1968) and the thermoplastic front grilles (1966 GTO). The red inner fender liners were not popular at the time, but were definitely eye-catching. They were available with any body color.

In 1967, Oldsmobile borrowed Pontiac's idea and created injection molded red inner fenders (not just liners, but entire inner fenders) for the front wheelewells of their 1967 W-30 442.

Re: Plastic Inner Fender Wells
 

My black 69' W-30 442 came with red plastic inner fenders ... looked awesome! Ordered in Vietnam and picked up at Bob White Olds in Green Bay.

Re: Plastic Inner Fender Wells
 

Plymouth also offered red liners as an option on the 67 Formula S barracuda.