Just need to vent a bit.

I just finished installing the 2 main dust sheild for the inner fenders. What a total pain in the butt!!! Their is no easy way to bend those stupid staples. Wound up putting a couple of scratches in the nice perfect paint.

I still need to get a couple more of them as the so called kit I bought didn't have all of them.

I heard there a real pain.
I have yet to do mine.

gave up on mine

I guess I should leave my originals on. They're a little tattered, but functional.

When I change the inner fenders I'll be sure to put the shields on first.

Have done several sets. Factory used a special gun for this. It's best to use a more pliable wire that looks like the staples.

I used my son to hold a hammer on the back side as I bent mine....no problem...no problem bending the staples, re used the old , took them out, re-shaped them ,stuck back in ,bent them...maybe 15 minutes...ea side

Bjorn, these were installed into new NOS fenders, so their were no holes to start with.

I like Jim's idea of looking for a more pliable wire. The ones that come with the kit are VERY stiff.

Very stiff and the part you are supposed to bend is very short. Barely sticks through!

Ok Catalina, I re-used my original fender....

so Vikki, get the hint!?!

I have a pair of very clean original '69 wells up on the shelf, no undercoating and no cut for blower motor access. Next time the fenders come off they will go in.

I don't think they have the shields installed, I'll have to check. If they are such a pain, I should install them before I need them.

I have some extra stiff ones that came with my kit if you want them CAT. I only replaced the inner on the battery side so re-used the ones on the drivers side.

I did mine last week and had to pre-drill holes. I drilled one, test installed one side of the staple, and made a mark to drill for the other side. Bending them was a pain for sure, I used a pin punch and a small hammer to knock them over, then a couple of taps with the same punch at the bend to knock em flat.

Dave, thanks for the offer, but I am going to try and find some more pliable wire. I still have a couple extra staples.

I also predrilled with a tiny drill bit and bent the staples over with a punch. Well, actually a drift pin, but same concept.

I think what we in aviation call "safety wire" might work for this application. Comes in .032 (strong but very pliable) and .040 (very strong, less pliable) thicknesses. Good hardware stores carry this stuff in rolls. You can pre-cut into pieces that match or exceed the length of the old staples, then bend into shape as you install.

Just finished installing the other two long skinny ones on the inners. Using Jim's suggesting, it took less than 1/3 of the time. I highly recommend doing it this way. 16 gauge galvanized bailing/ saftey wire seemed to do the trick nicely.

Now, does anyone know where the 5th piece goes????

Post a photo of the 5th piece.

Would stainless .035 MIG wire work for this, or would it crack when you tried to crimp it over? I've been wondering about these staples, but that's way off in the future for me.

I would think the mig wire would be a good alternative.

Here's a pic of the piece.