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Hey Folks. Im sure I allready know the answer to this but just wanted to check with the pros. My son bought a 1970 Olds 98 LS and it needs a front fender, bumper and headlight cowl. I found a donnor car but its a 1971, The grill looks the same and so does the fender, but Im sure I read somewhere that the body style changed in 1971, so Im sure this wont be a car that I can swap body parts from. Please let me know if I am wrong
I thought that any sheet metal from 65-70 would work. I have 2 other cars lined up as donor cars, but the 71 was in great condition. Im in Ontario Canada, so these cars are hard to find due to the salt we over use during the winter months.
I thought that any sheet metal from 65-70 would work. I have 2 other cars lined up as donor cars, but the 71 was in great condition. Im in Ontario Canada, so these cars are hard to find due to the salt we over use during the winter months.
Sheet metal is different every year and won't typically interchange across years. Look at photos in Google Images to satisfy yourself.
well this hunt for a front fender just got harder, Id get someone to reform it, but it allready has bondo on it, so not sure how much damage there has allready been done to it
Body work being so expensive might rule out having a body shop rework the damaged fender. You might consider taking an evening auto body class at a local votech school and repairing it yourself. That's how I repainted my 71 98.
People hand-form new bodies from flat sheet metal, so yes it is salvageable. The question is, can it be fixed economically? Unfortunately there are few shops today who have the skills to repair that type of damage, since most either bolt on new panels or trowel on bondo. There will be a lot of hours required to properly straighten and metal finish that panel, and the result is probably a number you won't like. Unfortunately if you can't find a good replacement fender, that will be your only option. As others have noted above, try the yards in the desert southwest.
DVAP, referenced in #3 above, has a driver's side for $325 USD. You need the passenger side, but some potential donors are depicted. From this information, it appears that you would have $325 plus shipping and import fees in a nice donor.
Im from Ontario Canada, I think the shipping expense would be the cost of a new panel
New panels haven't been available since December 1990 when GM discontinued them.
Sheetmetal panels are not being re-produced for full size cars. Unlike the F-85/Cutlass /442's.
Be aware that their were two different fenders used in 98 models.
One with cornering lamps and one without cornering lamps
. I noticed that your car has cornering lamps .
Perhaps if you own a pickup truck, you could take a road trip to visit the Grand Canyon.
Then stop by Desert Valley Auto Parts on the way home.
Here is a donor right front fender with the cornering light option. West Coast Sheet Metal routinely crates and ships sheet metal. They also have a donor front bumper. I did not look for the header panel that you need.
emailed Larry, waiting for reply. I have 2 donor cars lined up here but the wrecking yards wont bother to confirm their model year, so it could be just wasted time driving to go find out over the christmas break, thanks for all the help folks. My son wants this car on the road for June and doesnt need much for safety. shocks, breaks and a seatbelt in the back.
one of the lap belts does not latch in the back because of rust, the rear window had been leaking and caused a bit of damage. to get your plates in Ontario all OEM safety equipment has to work
Well, this may or may not help you but would be cheaper to ship if it did. I've got a factory replacement fender that was stored in the rafters of a barn. I'm guessing the bird droppings over the years rusted the top ridge out. The lower front of the fender looks good. So it might be something I could cut off and you could use as a patch to splice into your fender? How far back does the bondo go?
I also have this one, but it would also need some work. Cracks in the paint over the wheel well make me think it has bondo there. And there's a dent between the wheel well and the door. I do have a couple nose pieces but the bumpers I have would need straightened and replated, which may cost the same as fixing your bumper. I don't have the cornering lights on either of these fenders.
I've got a pair of 1970 Olds 98 convertible project cars. My thoughts were to use parts from the 4 door on them. Your car looks pretty nice so you may not need anything else beyond the sheet metal, but the 4 door does have a black interior if that would help you as well.
went and looked at the cars that the local wreckers had, not compatible. There is one tht is a couple 100 kms away, I cant seem to get a price from the lad.
The local donor cars turned out to be incompatible. There is one a few 100 kms away that I cant seem to get a price on. We are going to focus on getting the car road worthy first before dealing with the cosmetics. Have the new rotors out to a buddy getting machined so we can replace the breaks
The good thing is most the rust damage on those fenders is probably behind the wheel. So, if you can find a rusty old fender and use your clean rear section and repair the rusty one. So when you are looking don't dismiss a rusty one. That looks like a nice car! Good luck.
Update, we were finally able to make a trip to get the new fender for my sons car, It unfortunately in one without the lamp on the front corner, but we will have to make due. We were also able to salvage the headlight grill to replace the one that is damaged on his car. Now the boy will learn to sand and paint these pieces to match his car. Its going to look like a Johny Cash car tho since the fenders do not match. haha
