Motorcycle fenders look great on traditional roadsters. Popularized in the 1950s on East Coast highboys, they served a practical purpose (complying with fender laws and avoiding getting soaked on wet roads), and they provided a third option to the no-fenders or full-fenders decision. They also happen to be mandatory equipment on a Model T roadster pickup currently under construction at Hollywood Hot Rods. It's not a legal issue-the T in question is being built as a precise, fullsize replica of the Black Widow model kit sold by Monogram in the early 1960s.
HHR owner Troy Ladd's unusual challenge has been to build parts that not only look good, fit right, and work correctly, but that look just like the parts on a plastic 1:24-scale model kit from almost 50 years ago. When it was time to build the front fenders, Troy found the right raw material on eBay. Fourteen- and 16-gauge steel motorcycle rear fender blanks are plentiful online, in the local trader papers, and at swap meets-and you can probably find them for less than the price of a tank of gas.
Transforming them from bike fenders into rod fenders takes a little measuring, cutting, welding, and finishing-and some basic sheetmetal tools. Following Troy's procedure, you're probably looking at a one-weekend job. You may not be building your own Black Widow replica, but the metalwork that went into building these fenders can be applied to any highboy project.
