Started my front inner fender replacement...

[WadmalawJoe]

The front passenger side inner fender was rusted away under the battery tray (much worse than I thought) and the back corner had been chopped off, maybe for bigger tires at some point in its life. I picked up a new fender at a car show over the weekend. If you need new parts that's the way to do it, no shipping cost plus parts are discounted even more.
I was unprepared to start the project, but itching to start just the same. My jack was at a job on the other side of town so I couldn't jack the truck up and remove the wheel so that made getting to the bolts a little tougher. My grinder was also over at that job. As I removed the bolts the little nut clips that are on the inside of the outer fender all broke and therefore just spun around as I tried to remove the bolts, this is when I realized my grinder was elsewhere, would've been nice just to chop off the bolts and drop the fender but nooooooo. I had to get double jointed and get vice grips up inside to hold the nut clip from spinning. Next I discovered the front part attached to the back of the radiator wall? was 99% gone along with part of that wall. The whole radiator wall piece is in excellent shape, looks like new in fact, except that back edge by the fender.
Does anyone have a picture of what that area is supposed to look like? I'm going to have to fabricate something to attach the new fender to, I surely don't want to replace the whole wall because of that.
Also, if the picture could include the front body mount that's in that area as well, mine doesn't have any rubber there at all, its gone.... the driver's side is missing the rubber piece as well, the bolt that passes through is just flopping around. The driver's side in that location just has a little surface rust thank goodness, I can wire brush it and paint it and it will be good as new.
The next issue I discovered was my heater core had started leaking. I'm going to be installing a aftermarket A/C, probably Vintage Air, soon so I went ahead and ripped all that out, found the usual mouse nest inside there, no wonder the fan didn't blow all that good....
I will post up some pictures later, I need to figure out how to do that while on my to smart for me phone, I always forget to email them to myself so I can save them on my laptop and move them from there.
Anyways, if anyone has those pictures and has the chance to post for me I would greatly appreciate it!

Joe

[PanelDeland]

Should have picked up a fender bolt kit when you got the inner.The part that is rusted on your core support is repoed as a replacement panel.A heater core is about $30 so if you're not doing the AC install soon,you may want to replace it.I'm not sure about the other but be aware,the radiator support mounts differ from 67-8 and later.Hope some of this helps.

[biohazardbill]

See if these work for you... to bad you didnt post this a week ago before I replace it lol...

[WadmalawJoe]

Originally Posted by PanelDeland

Should have picked up a fender bolt kit when you got the inner.The part that is rusted on your core support is repoed as a replacement panel.A heater core is about $30 so if you're not doing the AC install soon,you may want to replace it.I'm not sure about the other but be aware,the radiator support mounts differ from 67-8 and later.Hope some of this helps.

Yeah....should'a, could'a, would'a on the fender bolt package
Are you saying you can get that bottom section of the core support as a patch panel?
Thanks for the heads up on the heater core.


Thanks for the pictures BiohazardBill!
Do you have one that shows the thickness of the mount piece?
I have the pictures on my laptop now, so I will post them shortly.

[WadmalawJoe]

Here is the picture of what is left;




Never mind on another picture with the mount thickness Biohazard, your picture has it, just a different angle. There doesn't seem to be anything in between the radiator wall support and the frame. The bolt on the drivers side of mine is really loose like something is missing. So I thought maybe a rubber body mount type bushing went there.

[WadmalawJoe]

Actually, is there a spacer or something where I marked on your picture?