Inner fender removal for weight reduction?

Weight reduction, it's a waste of time IMO. They weigh very little and provide a lot of structure to the front end.

Clearance, yes. Take them out and replace with bars.

If you take them out and do nothing, measure the flex in the front end with them installed and removed. Jack up the front off K frame. Measure how high the lower rad cradle gets when the front wheels lift off the ground in both configurations. Most all that energy gets transferred to the short area of the floor pan and trans X-member spot welds when the inners are gone.