<VV> Fender panel sealing

[Robert Hawley]

Howdy All,

 

When my 1963 Spyder convertible was painted the lower front fender sections just in front of the doors were replaced on both sides. The original lower panel sections removed had part of a strip of black foam rubber-like material attached to them. The problem is that after the repair and removal of the original section there is now a gap left where the rubber material is missing on both sides.  The gap is an inch high, two inches deep and four inches long inside the wheel well area between the outer fender and the inner wheel well (near the extreme bottom of the wheel well right where the rocker panel starts). This gap area is just in front of the front drain holes for the cowl and is roughly parallel to the ground where the EM lower fender "rolls under" to meet the long front-to-back seam along both sides of the car.

 

The area above the gap (where the original fenders are still in place) is filled with what appears to be a piece of foam rubber in a continuous vertically oriented strip that is two inches inside and roughly follows the contour of the front wheel lip and continues from the lower fender area to just behind (aft) of the gas door pocket. Its purpose seems to be to attach and seal the outer fenders to the inner wheel wells (so water cannot be thrown into the door hinge area?). I can feel the rubber "gasket" inside the wheel well area that is still present above the repair as it is still pliable and sandwiched between the panels. Both sides are the same, except (of course) that there is no gas pocket on the right side. 

 

I am trying to replace the portion of the seal that was removed during fender replacements with an appropriate material as the gaps at the bottom of the new fender sections are exposed to the debris that will be thrown from the tire. The gap seems to be too wide and deep for standard caulk rope or backer rod. Does anyone have recommendations on what product to use to fill this gap or IF it needs to be filled? Thanks in advance, Bob Hawley

 

(Sorry, I have no available pic of the area in question)