Body Panels for 1997 Celica Convertible..., Are The Available??? Options

[FrankB2]

I scraped the very bottom of the passenger side front fender on Thanksgiving. My wife had to have Starbucks, and I heard a grinding noise as I pulled alongside the curb! A mechanic friend told me that Japanese cars rust easily and quickly, so I slapped some beeswax on the area until I feel like taking it to a body shop (probably tomorrow).

In the meantime, I've been looking at various parts suppliers for fenders and rear quarter panels. They're listed as "available, except for convertible". I don't see why the front fender would be any different on a convertible, but... Anyway, am I stuck with junkyard body panels for a convertible? There don't seem to have been very many 1997 verts made, so junkyards could be tough as well. I dunno......

This post has been edited by FrankB2: Dec 5, 2012 - 2:52 PM

[Special_Edy]

Some facts-
The front fenders are the same, in fact everything on the front end of any version of the 6gc is interchangable.
The GT4 has different floorpans from the firewall back and the rear sheetmetal is different on the coupe/convertible from the liftback models
The rear quarter panels should be the same for the convertible as the coupe, though the pillars and roof are missing of course.
The convertible is actually a coupe that was modified by an independent company.




There is a white 96 'vert near me if you need any parts, as well as 2 coupes.

This post has been edited by Special_Edy: Dec 5, 2012 - 3:19 PM

[FrankB2]

Thanks Edy! The scrape on the front fender is along the very bottom, and I would have normally slapped on some Bondo and paint (it's black, so that easy), but we love this car too much. A friend of the family has a body shop, and I called him the day after it happened. He told me to lightly apply whatever I had, and bring it in when I was ready. I've been second guessing myself on this car since we bought it in early October, but in 34 years of driving, I've never need any sort of body panel.

I decided to check the rest of the body panels as closely as possible, and found zero rust. Of course the trunk has access panels, but I loosened the wheel well liners enough to get a good look in the areas that you'd expect to find rust, and the car is pretty clean! My mechanic friend insisted that if the fender was dented, it would rust from the inside out within two months. The dent is about 3/16" deep, and 3 inches long. It begins just in front of the wheel well lip, so I could see the paint on the inside of the fender hadn't been chipped or cracked. I'll be sure to check it in two months ($100 bet we made ).

[Special_Edy]

Actually from what Ive seen our toyotas dont rust much. My celica has had a ding on the hood that had rust the day I bought the car, and it doesnt look any worse two years later. My rear quarter panel(got smashed before I bought it) has some bare metal where the bondo fell cracked off that has been exposed for 2+ years as well and has only now developed slight surface rust.

Bare metal on our cars will develop surface rust with a few months exposure, and pockmarked rust within a couple of years.

Of course I live in Texas so there is no salt, no snow and very little rain.


The rear quarter panel at the bottom behind the rear wheels is a common rust spot on the liftbacks, as well as the area around the hatch hinges on the roof. Not sure about coupes though.

[FrankB2]

I got out to the parking lot just in time to see my Celica in the sunset. That car looks GREAT! I also had time to take a pic of the scratch/dent with my cell phone:



Like I said before, I'd normally put a bit of Bondo and paint on something like that. My body shop friend wants the car for two days, and I can't live that long without it....LOL! The amber color in the pic is the beeswax, not rust.

[Sid]

Edy, who has the 96 Vert near you? I am in TX too, on the other side of Dallas!

[zfjohnson07]

Don't think anyone has a very except Lisa lister in Houston ,

[Special_Edy]

Edy, who has the 96 Vert near you? I am in TX too, on the other side of Dallas!

I meant in the junkyard.
But there is a lavender colored convertible that lives off the same exit as me, but I have yet to stalk the lady to find out where her celi lives.

[richee3]

I'm pretty sure the vert takes a different front fender than the coupe/hatch. Something to do with the way the body is shaped on the bottom by the door.

[NOVAKx17]

correct Richee.... i have yet to take my fenders off yet , but they have different mounting points IIRC...

[FrankB2]

Hmmmm...... I guess I should be careful with rust and fender benders. Fortunately, rust is not an issue with this car right now, but other drivers are beyond my control.

[Ssgmoe]

Coupe/hatchback has mounting points on the bottom of the car... verts mounting point is on the side, covered by a side skirt that coupes/hatchbacks don't have. Why? Who knows.