Fitz24 Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 Need advice on best place to source replacement front fenders for '80 Bronco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 junk yard. every replacement fender i have run across for years now has been an import. poorly packaged and shipped, bent dented or dinged in the process and worst of all dont fit well in their best condition. nothing fits like originals. i repair far more then i replace. for a daily driver its not so much of an issue but for a restoration fitment is key. we had a pair and a tailgate delivered to the shop last month and the fitment is horrible and the tailgate has at least three dents by the time it arrived. its funny how they can get an 84"flat screen across the world perfectly but a tailgate gets folded up in a single layer of recycled corrugate and dropped off a dock. vent over! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitz24 Posted June 16, 2022 Author Share Posted June 16, 2022 junk yard. every replacement fender i have run across for years now has been an import. poorly packaged and shipped, bent dented or dinged in the process and worst of all dont fit well in their best condition. nothing fits like originals. i repair far more then i replace. for a daily driver its not so much of an issue but for a restoration fitment is key. we had a pair and a tailgate delivered to the shop last month and the fitment is horrible and the tailgate has at least three dents by the time it arrived. its funny how they can get an 84"flat screen across the world perfectly but a tailgate gets folded up in a single layer of recycled corrugate and dropped off a dock. vent over! Well, that's not very encouraging. It is amazing how they assume a new fender can just be thrown in a box and shipping without any protection. I guess I'll try to repair the existing before I spend money on new ones that need to be fixed:nabble_smiley_thinking: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBrother-84 Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 Here in the Salted Roads Kingdom, finding a well preserved fender in a junk yard is just impossible. I bought two new front fenders and had no problem with the shipping. But Matt is right about the quality of the shape: the left one has the upper rounded corner not shaped exactly as the original, leaving a space bit too wide above the left sealed beam, just beside the hood. Nobody sees it… but I do. I bought them from LKQ (a used and new parts seller), not sure about the manufacturer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 Well, that's not very encouraging. It is amazing how they assume a new fender can just be thrown in a box and shipping without any protection. I guess I'll try to repair the existing before I spend money on new ones that need to be fixed:nabble_smiley_thinking: what part of the country are you in? i understand in the rust belt that finding a good 40 year old fender is a challenge. better in the south for sure. on a good note , you do have six years range to work from . all 80-86 are the same stamping. there may be some minor variations depending on whether they were canadian made or here in the states but even then i doubt you would be able to tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBrother-84 Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 what part of the country are you in? i understand in the rust belt that finding a good 40 year old fender is a challenge. better in the south for sure. on a good note , you do have six years range to work from . all 80-86 are the same stamping. there may be some minor variations depending on whether they were canadian made or here in the states but even then i doubt you would be able to tell. I’m in Quebec, 60miles North of Montreal. Restored Big Brother will never see a salted road for the future, just sleep quietly in its garage and get out to play in clean white snow on the farm once a month, towing the manure trailer to the backyard deposit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 I’m in Quebec, 60miles North of Montreal. Restored Big Brother will never see a salted road for the future, just sleep quietly in its garage and get out to play in clean white snow on the farm once a month, towing the manure trailer to the backyard deposit. sure, but where is the op from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitz24 Posted June 17, 2022 Author Share Posted June 17, 2022 I'm in SE TX. Not a lot of availability in junk yards close due to hurricane floods. The yards that were close have been cleared out and sit empty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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