Are all fenders the same?...

[jprastrullo]

whether it is early vs. late? coupe/sedan/vert/wagon?

I need to get a new/used drivers side fender and want to clarify this before I go hunting for one!

[nando]

verts are different, early/late are slightly different but they can be made to work.

[jprastrullo]

verts are different, early/late are slightly different but they can be made to work.

Do you know what is different about them? Would the outer appearance be the same?

[MR 325]

I've never found anything different between early and late fenders besides the fender trim.

I've interchanged without issue.

[KMOSES]

There is a difference between the early cars that were carpeted where the kick panel speakers are and cars that had the plastic kick panels. The outer shell that the fenders cover had only a small bulge where the speaker is located but the later car bulges out a additional 1/4". The bolt holes for the fender are the same but the stiffing rib that runs from the top of the fender to the bottom has less relief on the 84-85 for the speaker bulge than the 86 up. I pulled two front fenders from a 85 and tried to bolt them on a 86 eta with no luck. But by removing the 1/4" from the stiffing rib at the speaker location on each fender, they fit great.

[MR 325]

There is a difference between the early cars that were carpeted where the kick panel speakers are and cars that had the plastic kick panels. The outer shell that the fenders cover had only a small bulge where the speaker is located but the later car bulges out a additional 1/4". The bolt holes for the fender are the same but the stiffing rib that runs from the top of the fender to the bottom has less relief on the 84-85 for the speaker bulge than the 86 up. I pulled two front fenders from a 85 and tried to bolt them on a 86 eta with no luck. But by removing the 1/4" from the stiffing rib at the speaker location on each fender, they fit great.

Not sure what issue you had but the fenders are the same.

Same part number for 84 through 91.

[nando]

stiffening ribs? huh?

sounds like you may have had an aftermarket fender.

[KMOSES]

Yes stiffening rib and the fenders that I removed from the early model E30 had factory seam sealer at the A pillar base to fender junction (I have never seen a repair that look like the factory applied sealer).

Photo of fender stiffening rib and plasma torch guide used to modify early E30 fender. The early fender notch is very shallow and needed to be about 5/16" for the fender to fit my '87 properly. The plasma torch would remove nothing from this late model fender.

[Silver Wagon]

according to realoem they are the same. if someone could verify either way that would be helpful as i am going ot be buying a fender soon and only have access to early models and i have a late model.

[KMOSES]

Just look at the fender above. If the notch on your fender at this location is 1/4 - 5/16 inch deep you are good, if it looks like it is almost straight across, break out the Dremmal cutoff disk! A little trimming is all that is needed to make it fit. My point is at one time I think the fenders were different on early E30s.