Does anyone still sell replacement sheet metal for 83 - 86 T-Birds? I am going to eventually look for front fenders for my 86. I don't need NOS just decent aftermarket is fine.
So far in my searches here at work there isn't ANY aftermarket fenders available. I still looking/contacting our sources. You may have to search for good used ones or if yours isn't too bad, repair them.
Found these fenders for ya. http://www.npdlink.com/crash/catalog/1977_1997_Thunderbird_Collision_Repair_Parts-9102-3.html
Thats good to see. Thanks for sharing 1BadBird. I would rather replace, at least the one fender, rather than fix it.
Yes those fenders are available and their is no choice because the OE is not making them any more. But the fit and finish is NOT SO GOOD!!! To say the least!!! But you can work around that and better prep them correctly as they rust like crazy. We use KEYSTONE as prescribed by the insurance companies and the quality is just JUNK. They never fit correctly but this is how it is. Well those fenders are better than nothing i guess. But they normally take some doing to get them to fit and they are sometimes not straight to say the least. Good luck and happy sanding and blocking!!!
I wonder what happens to the original dies.
That wouldn't surprise me if it took some work to make them right. The aftermarket seems to be full of mediocre parts. $82 is pretty cheap. I haven't really looked around yet but thought I would just ask here. At least there is something available.
I wondered if Keystone was still in business. I used to see their trucks a lot when I was still working in a dealership.
Yeah, I wonder what happened to the OEM dies too.
There are still some cars left in the salvage yards out west.... find haystack on here and see if he can find you some panels.
I searched almost 3 years, and he found the parts within a week for me...rust and dent free
I think there were some cars in texas too...I remember a post a couple months back, but don't remember who started it
It's funny you should mention Keystone Tom. We have to use them, LKQ and a couple others. You're right they're junk. The website above I posted is the only ones that I've been able to find fenders at. ALL the others that we use don't list or carry them.
Damiac, I have been blessed with parts out here. Not all cars here are rustfree, but we have quite a few that imigrate frome places like arizona and new mexico. That is where I would look for rust free parts.
I have a nack for finding rarer and hard to find parts, as well as getting them. I could probably make a killing selling parts full time if I could establish a market for it.
I don't mind helping people out when I can,but from my techsupport and computer repair days, I have decided to never mix work and pleasure again. I still never have had a fully functional computer since that job. Nothing wrong with making money on the side, ad helping people out when I can though.
I just cringe now everytime I think about how many good cars I have let go and not pursued or maintained properly, seeing how dificult it is for others out there.
I still come across an occasional T-Bird with good parts but it is getting harder to find decent body parts that aren't abused or rusted here in PA. Several weeks ago I found an 86 T-Bird with a 5.0 at a salvage yard and got most of the small stuff I need to do my 5.0 swap. The body and interior was pretty beat. It looked like it was sitting for a while. I will probably look around and try and find a good used fender first when the time comes. If that fails then I will purchase a new one.
Haystack I am with ya. I hate to see good parts or cars go to waste but I guess we can't save them all.
How bad is the rust damage? It might be possible to have a patch panel welded in.
It isn't rust that is the problem. The right front fender is pushed in at the body line & moulding behind the front wheel. I believe it would be a difficult fix. The edge of the wheel opening is flattened somewhat also. I think it would be best to find another fender to use. I am considering removing the mouldings between the wheel openings when I finally paint the car. I am still on the fence about it.
That seems (without a picture) like it should be something that a body shop can easily fix. Personally I would try to reuse the fender as it's of better quality than any aftermarket replacement part.
A good body man could probably get it out. I am just weighing my options. You are right the factory fender is definitely of better quality.