Early vs late fenders

[moe30]

Hello all, this morning my passenger fender got messed up. I'm needing to know if the fenders are different between late and early models. Valances are different and I have noticed the side trim and a tad different as well.

[SA E30]

I've got early fenders on my car and I don't see a difference. Then again I am in South Africa we did have euro body panels.

[Jonsku]

Pre-facelift models have rear fenders higher than on facelift models. All the touring and cabrio models have always "facelift fenders". The front ones are always the same (different on cabrio, though).

[JasonC]

Pre-facelift models have rear fenders higher than on facelift models. All the touring and cabrio models have always "facelift fenders". The front ones are always the same (different on cabrio, though).

You're talking about the 1/4 panels. OP is asking about the front fenders. The fenders are the same, its the little trim piece that from 1988 and on that is different. 88+ is black where 87 back has the chrome strip.

[Van Westervelt]

There are some slight differences on the holes used to mount up the front valences from early to late, but you can make your own, and they are hidden by the bumper anyway. But all fenders are identical other than that, save for convertibles.

[StereoInstaller1]

There is a significant difference between early (1986 in this case) and later.

The shape of the panel that attaches to the inner fender is different. You can trim it easily with tin snips, took me about 2 minutes.

You can't see it with the fender on the car, but sometime in late '86/early '87 it changed.

You cannot use late model fender liners on an early car without modifications, either.

This is first hand info here, not some internet conjecture.

Luke

[Blackangusinc]

Does anyone have pictures? I'm going to be using late model fenders on an '85 eta.

[TimKninja]

using late model Fenders on my 85 ETA. Works fine, needs alignment. And the Trim peice needs to be re-attached.