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Rust came through my left front quarter panel last summer and I did what I could to hide it. I bondoed it and got a rattle can of paint that matched pretty well but it hasn't lasted. I'm thinking about getting a new panel and painting it myself. I have access to a paint booth but I think I'll still get rattle cans for paint. Can you recommend a good place to get the panel? It seems like a lot of them have fitment issues. Thanks.
Rust came through my left front quarter panel last summer and I did what I could to hide it. I bondoed it and got a rattle can of paint that matched pretty well but it hasn't lasted. I'm thinking about getting a new panel and painting it myself. I have access to a paint booth but I think I'll still get rattle cans for paint. Can you recommend a good place to get the panel? It seems like a lot of them have fitment issues. Thanks.
Junkyards should be a good place to find one. Not all of them are rusted out. Someone here might have one, what year is your truck?
There is no such creature as a front quarter panel. Are you talking about the fender?
I located a couple rust free OEM fenders from a junkyard. I don’t have any experience with the fit of aftermarket fenders. It looks like you are in California so it shouldn’t be too hard to find a used one. You might even be able to get one in your color.
There is no such creature as a front quarter panel. Are you talking about the fender?
I located a couple rust free OEM fenders from a junkyard. I don’t have any experience with the fit of aftermarket fenders. It looks like you are in California so it shouldn’t be too hard to find a used one. You might even be able to get one in your color.
I have heard that the imported body panels of whatever vehicle you select will not be 100% as the originals.
yes--LH front fender. i'm in northern new york so there's probably no chance I'll find a rust free one.. Also the one's i've looked at online don't have holes for moldings--is that all i'll find?
my molding is held on with the 3M 2 sided tape, or you talking about the chrome that goes around lip of fender, can hold chrome piece in place and drill each hole
Why would you rattle can that? If it's a fender that's off the truck, just buy the paint from an auto store that sells auto paint (some O'Reilly's do, as well as Auto Zone, and Napa or Carquest stores) Just for the qt or so, with reducer, isn't that expensive. Then have who ever owns that paint booth you can borrow either shoot the paint for you or show you how to do it. HVLP spray guns really aren't that hard to figure out, and always look better than rattle cans.
While I'll agree that DIY paint CAN look good, it'll likely be significantly cheaper to fit the fender to the truck, get it looking as good as you can,
and then drive it to your local friendly neighborhood body shop for paint. Especially if it's a metallic. ESPECIALLY if you have a friendly
shop that likes cash. Wink wink...
Right now, a quart of color, hardener, reducer, primer, primer hardener, etc etc etc costs me FAR more than the guys down on 203 charge to squirt a panel.
These are trucks, Panel fitment wasn't fabulous when they rolled out of Dearborn, Kansas or wherever, AND the trucks allow pretty
massive adjustment, so you run a decent chance of getting it 'pretty good' if not better...
Aftermarket parts are generally much thinner and fitment may be an issue. You can't go wrong picking up an original Ford part in a junk yard as sloopdog has recommended.
My sig pic has an aftermarket fender with backyard sprayed paint from an HVLP. It can look just fine. (Just don't remember which fender it was off the top of my head).
