Today I was gonna put all 4 pcs new fender opening trim I've had since 1997 on. Each one has a few short washer head sheet metal screws in a bag, #6.

Well, I found that the right front one had oval holes that were located where the screws holding my fender liners were, but the oval holes were a bit big and the washer head screws actually didn't secure them too well. I got the rt frt on, took a pic, and decided to revisit after I look for more better fasteners. I think I'll maybe add a few screws through round drilled holes. I debated whether to try putting the trim between the body and the plastic liner, but today I put the trim over top of the plastic so the plastic liner was captured between the trim's mount lip and the fender lip.

Anyway, I zipped the screws out and put the trim back in the box with the other three until I get screws I want .... and I'll decide if I for sure want them on the truck. The set was $84.95 in 1997, so not a recent purchase.

 

The good think is chrome upholsty screws are cheap.

 

Why didn't I think of them. Upholstery screws with washers, they come in chrome and stainless steel. My liners are black (under minor paint spatter) from past paint jobs, I could even just paint washers black.

I meant to ask if anyone with the trim from factory on a '77-'79 knew if the full plastic tub like front fender splash shields were sandwiched between the trim and the fender ... or ... if the trim was between the splash shield and the fender?

I also notice the ends of the trim have some folds, might be aftermarket even though they have Ford part numbers on little stickers on them.

 

I need some fo my shifter boots.

 

I've got the trim pinching the liner, with washer head screws.

 

Thank You Sir!

I did take all the screws out of the liner to try inserting the lip of the trim in between it and the fender, but then the trim seemed a little shorter from end to end ..... but it does fit better as you describe it, I guess since it is a slightly tighter arc.

I am still recalling screws I bought just for this, but I guess I misplaced them.

05-03-26 .... Well, we did go out Sunday afternoon to grab some bananas, blue berries, grapes, creamer, etc. I walked into HF next door, bought a couple of those boxed sets of various washers and various sheet metal screws, so I'm set. I may get back from Dr early enough Monday to work on them, or I'll hit it Wednesday.

 

well if anyone has an extra Drivers side quarter panel wheel well trim piece for a 73 F250 Campr Spl I can use it . DC has them for $69 but hit you with $39 oversize shipping cost,,,which is a deal breaker for me for sure.....

 

Each?

 

yupper,,,,

 

Well, they are done, or should I say ..... "I'm done with them".

Got my screws, driver, etc all together, got that one back on the right front like I had it, using nice screws and some washers as needed, it was looking good. I turned the truck around to do the left front, was gonna do the rears this evening / last. Got the left front partially on, and darn it, there's two soft indentations at the top of the arch on the face side that look like hell.

Then I go get those two rear ones to look close outside of the plastic sleeves, both of them have minor dents in the same face area where would be seen and one is also kinked. Until today, three had not been out of the clear plastic sleeves, and those three were damaged to some degree. Then looking closer at the first one, the whole face where is rounded lightly on the other three, looks pancaked. Looking at how they were arranged in the box, I think somebody put a heavier box on top of a stack, in 1997. Ever since I've had them, they have stood against a wall, safely. I had looked at them but never had pulled them from the sleeves. I noted that the aluminum is extremely soft too, not like the ones I recall "back in the day".

Anyway, had I been in a rush to use them, they'd have been on the truck 30 years ago. Besides, Wife says looks as good without them, and so there is that.

Eating supper, thinking, I think I can massage the soft dents out using fingers or padded something from the back side, the aluminum is that soft. As can see in first post, that right front piece looks passable. If I can fix the kink in one, might try it again.

 

I don't really enjoy wishy washy thought processes, though it must seem so.

As it sits now, only the front fender lips have holes, those required for the black plastic OEM fender liners, and there's really no way for water / mud / etc to get on the upper side to the threads or to lay and start rust. Besides paint, the lips even have a coating of "Iron Armor" bed liner on the top side. I don't mud bog or drive river beds either.

Back at the rear, we put my long stored new bed sides on, new inner arches too that span from bed side to inner bed side which are solid themselves. After we did so, I used cardboard funnels I made to pour a pint of "Iron Armor" bed liner down the middle standard hole where it ran down to the welded & 3M bonded joint along between the arch and inside of the bed side top of fender lip. I had also reached up with brush and mirror to spread it whole length of joint and cover the arch top surface. I reused the original plastic inner splash shields after finding dis-satisfying fit of those long held J C W plastic tubs. The bed rails are covered which includes the standard holes. There are NO holes in the rear fender lips, so there are not likely any rust concerns.

Besides, inside the bed, the floor, etc, not likely I'll ever see rust issues there either as metal is under multiple paint and brushed bed liner and a newish undamaged under lip drop in liner, plus has added drains as some water can get under the drop in back there at the tail gate.

05-11-2026 update:
Yep, likely I'll just hold off on using the trim. No need to create issues.

In other news, due to the soft thin aluminum or my own brute strength, I did mash out those soft indentations by hand, fixed the kink too. It all looks good in the hand. It still surprises me just how soft they are, and if I were to put them on, just a bump by a padded cart would dent one. If I decide to try some trim to protect a fender lip's paint from a chip, etc .... "stick on" will work as well or better & I even have a full roll of it bought for a trike we had but that I never used.


In any event, they didn't cost enough way back when ... to make me feel like I must use them now, the trim nor the plastic rear fender well bucket liners.

 

Was in the early years that I thought fender trim and those plastic liners were a great idea and that I bought them then. Was in 2022 we put new arches in with bed sides, and they are well weather proofed now. It was in 2022 that I attempted to install these liners and bright trim the first time, but I never got a good start, didn't even take the trim out of packaging then.



Looking at the last picture, had I seen it so well shown, would not have bought those tubs. In 2022 was still go9nna use them in place and not use the OEM ones but by then knew the OEM plastic flaps were really a good fit with the metal arches. I had previously viewed the metal arches as just support for the bed side, but really they serve as great splash protection for the bed sides hidden side too, and mine also have bed liner on them, over any paint.

As to trim to protect the lip from maybe tire thrown gravel, etc ..... I spied this below today. It looks like a plausible alternative.


If I find a flexible L section material, with just a short lip and a long lip, the long lip horizontal across the fender lip and the short lip just covering the bend of the body fender lip metal to prevent chips. Anyway, it's something to think on as I do occasionally drive on a gravel road.


Maybe helps someone else to see.