Can't believe I'm asking this...aftermarket Chinese fenders ?

[Tx Firefighter]

I'm getting in a time bind and need some fenders for my roundeye truck soon so I can get it done. I have been looking for some for awhile and there's not any to be found. My options seem to be aftermarket fenders or do a square eye front clip as those things are laying on every corner around here. I really prefer the early look that I have now though.

I can get new fenders from Certifit locally for cheap. I know they are made in China . But my question is, how bad are they really ? A little shimming here and there, some hole slotting etc I expect, but are they even good enough to mess with or just give up and go 81-87 clip instead ?

[3r!c84]

edited by moderator

[old Rusty C10]

I would buy repros from someone like our site vendors as they are pretty good. Ive used the ones from Tri Pro Automotive and they fit nice and finished well. I did some undercoat on them and they have not rusted yet

[joe231]

I installed what I believe was a certi-fit fender on my '80 (came with the truck) it fit fine but was super thin. Just be easy with it

[Tx Firefighter]

I appreciate the responses fellas.

[joe231]

we have a certi-fit up here in OKC.
I'm 99% sure that is where it came from. I think the re-pops are all made the same regardless of where you buy them.....

[78 Chevyrado]

The fenders you can get away with using the cheapies fairly well if you have patience. Just don't even try to use a cheapy door.

[Tx Firefighter]

I think I'll ease on over there and get a pair this week.

I've got a line on some used doors. A pair of sortafit fenders and a new cowl induction hood and I should be all set. I need to get some stuff on and aligned then cut in the backsides with paint.

[spudz]

Come on man, you live in texas. You dont even have rust out there. There has GOT to be a load of older used fenders in the junk yards.. If I had the choice, I would take a used OEM fender over a new chinese one. I got a set of chinese doors, fenders and inner fenders with a truck I bought to part out a couple years ago and they were really thin compaired to stock.. BUT IF ITS ALL U CAN GET. I guess you can make em work.

[Tx Firefighter]

Spudz, believe it or not, even lacking rust in this region, they're just not out there for the picking anymore. Local junkyards cater to late model stuff around here.

[DetroitDan]

thanks to cash for clunkers there isnt anything in the junkyards anymore. Combine that with high scrap metal prices. Metal yards here have a line waiting when they open at 7am, all the scrappers towing in all manner of vehicles for scrap weight, getting $300-$400 a whack now. Seen some good parts trucks go to the crusher. But I must note that most of the beatup old junker trucks pulling the beatup old car trailers with no lights, brakes or safe tie-downs are old Chevys. Still earning their keep.

X2 on the doors comment, I'd use a rusted dented door and never get around to fixing it before buying an aftermarket door. I've seen them with such huge gaps the wind whistles right through, door seal weatherstrip wont even fill the gap. And door dings in a parking lot? Forget it, the door will fold right up. The tooling is sold to China once it's so far worn out of spec that it cant produce good parts anymore. Then China reassembles the tooling with Chinese tools and labor, runs Chinese sheetmetal through it, and produces a product that looks kind of like a door.

Bet a front fender would be ok to use,, it really only has to line up right on the top and back, meaning the open fenderwell side would always look fine.

I will say this though. The Chinese aftermarket doors can't be any thinner than the garbage coming out of Detroit (Mexico) nowadays. Brand new trucks getting hoods replaced because if you shut them too hard your finger tips will dent the sheetmetal.

[RandyP]

Aftermarket fenders, just need a few extra things and they'll be fine. We do have better luck with the older vehicles and aftermarket parts though.

[N2TRUX]

Kevin- I know its not what you asked, but I can tell you the Goodmark fenders seem to be really nice. I bought one and it was as heavy as a stock fender if not more. I haven't installed it yet, but from what I hear they fit very nicely.

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by spudz

Come on man, you live in texas. You dont even have rust out there. There has GOT to be a load of older used fenders in the junk yards....

Its not hard to find clean drivers side fenders. Passenger sides are another thing. Between the battery leaking up front and the a/c dripping in back most passenger side fenders are not very good.

[texasfunk]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

Kevin- I know its not what you asked, but I can tell you the Goodmark fenders seem to be really nice. I bought one and it was as heavy as a stock fender if not more. I haven't installed it yet, but from what I hear they fit very nicely.

i agree, i got a set from keystone (our LKQ parts vendor) as they have recently added goodmark products to their catalog, bought one and it was top notch, and great fit!

[Colesnsty68]

Sorry i dont mean to hijack, but does classic indutries make good fenders?

[1BadSS]

I went with LMC fenders and love them. Surprised me with how thick they are.

[Jonboy]

I used the Goodmark fenders on my '73 also. They are from overseas, but fit pretty decent.

[f.monroe]

I wish you were closer . I have a pair that could be used . If you are building a NICE truck you would probably want new ones but I bought a pair in Brady, Tx a couple years back that are solid but not as nice as the seller made them out to be . As to aftermarket fenders, I used some years ago and they were OK. The newer Goodmark fenders are suppose to be even better and comparable to OEM in some cases .
Frank

[Tx Firefighter]

I'm seeing the Goodmark fenders for a price I can live with, but everyone truck ships them and that adds about 100 bucks to a pair's price. My swapmeet guy (Kenny's Trucks) that I have bought from for 16 years has decided to get out of the business so I can't pick up a pair at a swapmeet and save shipping anymore.

Maybe I can contact that guy from Outback Truck Parts to get some. I think he's still making all the Texas swap meets.

[RandyP]

Got a local body shop that you can order them from? These days, we do just about anything to make a buck, even if it means ordering a part in and only marking it up 15% or something. All it takes is the shop a few moments to order and collect your money.
I do stuff like that for people just so they can avoid the 15 minute drive to Tulsa (ok, I lie, to avoid the highway construction that makes the drive a hour long).
I'd cringe at the thought of having them drop shipped to me, no matter the vendor. I know the frequency of freight damaged sheet metal parts, and I'd rather go get them or have them delivered by Keystone so I can open them on the spot and accept or reject without having to worry about how I was going to ship them back myself.

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

....
Maybe I can contact that guy from Outback Truck Parts to get some. I think he's still making all the Texas swap meets.

How soon do you need them?

[bagged70]

I worked for Midstate then LKQ in tulsa after we got bought out buy LKQ. I found the best fitting brand in the aftermarket parts was the Gordan (brand) that was capa certified.I worked for them about 5 years total. I know alittle about the aftermarket parts, And yes everyone that sales aftermarket sheet metal gets it from the same place from LKQ to certi-fit to keystone. There are about 6 companys in china that make them I use to be able to name them all. Just some info the keystone platinum plus line is nothing but a reboxed capa certified part they do that as a sales gimmick.

[83GMCK2500]

How much $ do you want to spend? Not mine, just saw them and remembered your thread: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/79-Ch...item2eb1f903a7

[3r!c84]

hahaha ^ was it dipped in gold or somthing