On a trip to the local Pick-A-Part (with directions from a fellow member of the IFSJA.org), I grabbed a front right fender and some inner door panels, plus some other odds and ends like a vanity roof rack, door switches, and a headlight bezel. First, I tackled the door panels. My originals were adequate, but the PAP ones were cleaner and more structurally sound (they're not much more than a particle board/cardboard hybrid with vinyl over the top). The replacements had more clips to hold them on and weren't quite so beat up. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pics of this because I did it with the older kids. Here's a "final product" shot.
Why I'm replacing it. The previous owner must've hit something rather firmly. It wasn't a functionality issue. I just got tired of scraping my side on it as I walked through the garage. Plus, the new one was only fifty bucks at the PAP in San Bernardino.
Here's the run through. To remove it, there are about seventeen bolts (give or take). Six or so along the top, four between the passenger door and the body (very awkward to get to), two on and two in front of the rocker panel, and three behind the headlight and signal light up where the fender meets the front valance. Plus one on a metal rod that holds rigid the lower front portion of the fender just in front of the tire.
A pic of it off. That pile of dirt and leaves to the left of/behind the tire (notice the clean floor in the above pic) was trapped up in the fender well. No rust though, which is nice. California car.
Putting the new one on was a bit of a challenge. The biggest bite was trying to get the front valance forward enough to meet up with the newer fender. I tried heat, hammers, and a pair of floor jacks and some 4"x4" cutoffs, but I couldn't get it done. C'est la vie. While I was in there, I took care of the new headlight bezel, as well. But that's another post.
Here's the final result. I put back most of the bolts, leaving off one inside the door jamb. A little black RTV between the fender and the body at the door jamb helped keep things water tight in the cabin.
