Front non-flare fender panels are very difficult to get at wreckers

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My spare fender had a layer of rock guard on it. Not sure if it helped, but will be applying some anyways as it nice and thick. I think it came like that from the factory. My “original” fender did not have any, but my whole front end was replaced about ten years ago with all OEM parts after hitting a tree. Just goes to show that in 10 years, a brand new fender had rusted out at the bottom.
 
I should mention I live near Canada’s capital city Ottawa where they use plenty of salt during the winter.
 
Is it possible to stop rust developing at those locations?

Not reliably over the long term

BTDT in the past. Even if you do your absolute best to treat and neutralise rust, it's very difficult to stop it in its tracks completely. Any crevice, it any not quite perfect paint coating and you'll end up with moisture trapped in it under filler, and rust will continue doing what rust does

I'll never take on another car knowing it has rust
 
Is it possible to stop rust developing at those locations?
You mean inside or outside of the panel? Where the flares attach?
 
Here are the fender panels yesterday after removing the old fibreglass TJM flare pieces that have been on it ever since it was originally a Telstra-owned vehicle from new.





En guard - https://www.flickr.com/photos/bondagoo/52463716953/

The left side one is not repairable with that massive rust hole. the right one isn't original but at least doesn't have any rust holes.
 
I guess anything can be repaired given sufficient time, money, tools, and requisite skills. That hole could certainly be properly repaired with new metal. Is it worth it - only you know the answer.
 
Here are the fender panels yesterday after removing the old fibreglass TJM flare pieces that have been on it ever since it was originally a Telstra-owned vehicle from new.





En guard - https://www.flickr.com/photos/bondagoo/52463716953/

The left side one is not repairable with that massive rust hole. the right one isn't original but at least doesn't have any rust holes.

That hole us
I guess anything can be repaired given sufficient time, money, tools, and requisite skills. That hole could certainly be properly repaired with new metal. Is it worth it - only you know the answer.
i would patch that hole also, it would actually be pretty straight forward repair.

Being in that location I would cut it out, flange the opening and bond a flush patch in, no welding and a straight forward repair with a few inexpensive tools.
 
I'm going to replace the left guard as I have a good used non-flare one, For the right side one, as the existing one doesn't have any rusted holes but does have factory flare block holes plus some other holes that I have no idea about their reason for existing I might be able to re-use it. I don't have any welding gear or experience with welding sheet steel so how much would be involved if I asked someone to fill in the holes via welded-in pieces? Is there a better option?

I do have a spare right side one as a backup though it has an original safari snorkel attached so has holes made for that.

A$850 each is the Amayama price quote for new ones (if toyota even really has any) - 53801-60141 RH and 53802-60151 for LH.
 
It shouldn't be too hard to find decent panels here in Australia... I have 5 80 series cruisers and none of them have any rust anywhere on them, so kinda shocked to see the condition of that panel. I mean totally makes sense in regions where they salt the roads or if you live right on the coast, but should be pretty easy to find 80 series panels with no rust in them...
 
What length stainless snorkel did you buy? If it's a long entry, you might get lucky with having to cut up to or even past the safari entry.
I'd have to try and measure. It's a custom 100 mm pipe one from Extreme Zilla in Sydney.
 
It shouldn't be too hard to find decent panels here in Australia... I have 5 80 series cruisers and none of them have any rust anywhere on them, so kinda shocked to see the condition of that panel. I mean totally makes sense in regions where they salt the roads or if you live right on the coast, but should be pretty easy to find 80 series panels with no rust in them...
The hole shocked me when I actually found it. TBH it's one of those things you never expect but having found rust at the rear wheel arches when the flare pieces came off there I wasn't fully surprised. 30 yrs of aftermarket fibreglass flare fitment is going to cause/hide rust that occurs.
 
Went for a walk this morning via a different route and less than 500 m from where I live on a side street is an 80 with no flares but it's a complete vehicle that looks like it's still used. Never seen it before. But all the panels are in good condition. Hmmm.
 
After a lot of work to release the broken plastic captive nut assemblies (I had to hacksaw and grind most of them around the outer lip) the old LHS outer front guard aka fender is off. And I note that the metal has only ever had undercoat no final coat. Now the old panel is off I can work on fitting the replacement enough to make the vehicle drivable to work. It will have to come off again for all the mess shown in the pic to be cleaned up and fixed properly.



The old panel has a lot of rust in the most lowest part where it was bolted to the body behind the left front wheel which I couldn't see until getting it off.

------

Fitting the replacement panel was actually quite easy and I've replaced all the old bolts with nice stainless ones. Even managed to get the two long ones out right at the bottom without breaking them off.
 
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Oceania has officially taken over the 80 series section of MUD.

70 series won’t be too far behind it.

😂😂
Landcruisers are probably akin to a 'cult' here in Oz. Esp the 40's 60's 7x's and 80's.
 
Landcruisers are probably akin to a 'cult' here in Oz. Esp the 40's 60's 7x's and 80's.

Nah, it's truly a cult in USA.

In Aus they are just run of the mill, daily normal, utilitarian vehicle all around the country, with a side helping of fan boys.

In USA those that know it's not a jeep go nutty when they see another cruiser on the road.

There's loads of 'spotted' stalker threads spread across mud. Every time another cruiser is seen, USA members post pics


:rofl:
 
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