If you’re diving headfirst into your first bout with Mopar bodywork, it can be time-consuming, tedious, and tumultuous without the proper know-how. Lucky for you, great companies like Auto Metal Direct (AMD) and Classic Muscle Metal (CMM) are just a phone call away for top-of-the-line parts and service. CMM, the retail side of the AMD Installation Center, can not only provide AMD products at a great price, but can also give you installation tips based on years of installation experience.

In a recent Auto Metal Direct Tech Tip video, Craig Hopkins went over proper fender alignment technique on a 1968 Charger. Even though it seems simple enough to bolt a new fender on, details like mounting hardware and alignment “control points” are sometimes overlooked or unknown. “Your first tip is to always have the correct hardware. [It] makes your life so much simpler,” Craig explains. For most applications, AMD has a complete front fender bolt kit available so you don’t have to go scrounging through swap meets to find the right stuff. It includes J-nuts, studs, large washer nuts, and dog-point bolts.

The first steps are to verify front end squareness and loosely install all of the hardware. After that, Craig starts with the front dedicated bolt, then works his way back to the cowl/top of the door alignment, finishing at the bottom of the fender where it aligns flush with the rocker panel. “Just control it at the top of the door. After that, solve the bottom. It’s really pretty straightforward.”