Fender covers for engine work
 

What are you guys using?

What are some good ones you've seen or used?

TIA

ZZ

Towels & Blankets:driving:

From my experience and watching others, fender covers work very well the first few times you use them. Then they get dirty on the fender side and start doing more damage than using nothing at all. Since the outer surface is plastic, you can't wash them and cleaning by hand is a PITA. YMMV

A good coat of wax and some clothes that won't scratch paint have worked well for me. For those rare occasions when I feel the need to use a cover, I'll grab a soft blanket out of the closet and throw it in the washer when done.

Harbor freight moving blankets.
They're $4 on sale. Dirty ones get repurposed to dog beds.


Kirk B.

I took my fenders off because I'm doing extensive work. You could use Glad Press and Seal for protection.

Painter's tape would work as well.

I'm just being careful around my exposed fenders. They will get a nice compound and polish once the car is running again. Fender covers get dirty too quickly from what I've seen - I would definitely never want a shop to use them unless they are brand new.

Thanks for the input guys. Consensus is not to use them. There are some that are washable. I'll invest in some large microfiber towels.

Be careful about which uf towels you get. Some use thread for the hem that can scratch paint. Plenty of recommended brands in the Detailing / Washing / Waxing / Cosmetic Maintenance and Repair section.

Cotton Is Your Friend:tiphat:

+1 Been using Harbor Freight moving blankets for years when working on my Z I just cut them to fit over the 370Z fender it works very well.

I use VERY THICK blankets! The ulnar bone in the forearm is VERY sharp when rotated so when you lean on the fenders in any fashion with even the least amount of weight pressing downward, you can and will likely cause unwanted body waves in those areas on top of the fenders! I can buff scratches out, but dents don't buff out!!:icon14::eek:

Just FYI. Never wear a belt and wear a soft long T-shirt. :tup:

Rusty, Zingston, and especially Spooler swear by only wearing speedos while working on their Zs. #thoughtstoconsider.

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Scratches to clear coat WILL happen if any dust particle is being rubbed against the clear coat. Doesn’t matter if the blanket/towel is thin or soft or thick or edgeless, you lightly rub the softest towel against a panel with dust, you will scratch the clear coat, no if and but about that.

Your best bet is something that clings onto the panel and not move/rub against it, even if you are leaning on it. Saran Wrap works amazingly well in this regard, especially with a little water (it won’t protect the panel from dents however). A better looking alternative but doesn’t cling as well would be the below

Making sure the panel is clear of dust and dirt is always a good start, whatever you decide to cover it up with.