1st Generation Specific (1979-1985) 1979-1985 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections

dinted wheel arch repair??

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Old 10-14-15, 06:41 AM
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dinted wheel arch repair??

whats the best way to sand the wheel arch back to shape??
have got it pretty close but want to define the body line a bit more.

picture is to show what im talking about, that's not my car!


Last edited by sandy_RE; 10-14-15 at 06:47 AM.
Old 10-14-15, 09:38 AM
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on the front fender? new ones are $100 from the dealership. i don't know how you value your time, but $100 = 1 hour of body work
Old 10-14-15, 10:24 AM
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I managed to crease one hitting a cat (unintentionally) late one night and the crease at the wheel arch was smoothed a bit by pulling forward on the front of the fender. It really depends on how much damage was done - and how - but you might try that as a first step. The crease was never really removed after that, and as the other poster mentioned, getting a new fender is your best bet if you don't mind the time/$ to have it primed, paint matched, etc.

That area of the fender is tough to get right once it's been damaged. In my story above, I had rolled the fenders to fit 205mm wide tires and I think that weakened the rolled edge just a bit, as it didn't have a 90deg bend it to support the arch anymore after I rolled the inner fender edge. Something to think about,
Old 10-14-15, 11:13 AM
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Originally Posted by j9fd3s
on the front fender? new ones are $100 from the dealership. i don't know how you value your time, but $100 = 1 hour of body work
My Dealer said they went to an entire new parts numbering system and can't look up older parts without a part #. If you have a part # that would be great! I know the new system Mazda uses has been discussed before when people went to source parts at the dealer. Thanks in advance.

Any chance 1/4's are still available anywhere? or patch panels?
Old 10-14-15, 12:23 PM
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Originally Posted by wahootee
My Dealer said they went to an entire new parts numbering system and can't look up older parts without a part #. If you have a part # that would be great! I know the new system Mazda uses has been discussed before when people went to source parts at the dealer. Thanks in advance.

Any chance 1/4's are still available anywhere? or patch panels?
the left 81-85 fender is FA01-52-211D and the right is FA01-52-111D. we used to yell at Mazda all the time, they have warehouses of parts that aren't in a parts catalog. how the hell do they expect to sell them if nobody can look them up?

btw the new catalog is web based, so its really slow, worse to use than the old microfische and is missing a bunch of cars! i'm sure they paid a lot for it because its "high tech", but really its inexcusably bad. typical 21st century product

for the rear quarters, i have the last NOS one, forget what side, i think the left.
Old 10-14-15, 01:46 PM
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Originally Posted by j9fd3s
on the front fender? new ones are $100 from the dealership. i don't know how you value your time, but $100 = 1 hour of body work
just trynna work with what I got but your right, the hours spent on body work do add up pretty quickly.

do they still sell new 79/80 SA rx7 panels ive got a few spares sets but none with the side marker hole
Old 10-15-15, 04:52 AM
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Originally Posted by LongDuck
I managed to crease one hitting a cat (unintentionally) late one night and the crease at the wheel arch was smoothed a bit by pulling forward on the front of the fender. It really depends on how much damage was done - and how - but you might try that as a first step. The crease was never really removed after that, and as the other poster mentioned, getting a new fender is your best bet if you don't mind the time/$ to have it primed, paint matched, etc.

That area of the fender is tough to get right once it's been damaged. In my story above, I had rolled the fenders to fit 205mm wide tires and I think that weakened the rolled edge just a bit, as it didn't have a 90deg bend it to support the arch anymore after I rolled the inner fender edge. Something to think about,
must of been one fat cat lol.
mine is sort of the same its a small creased highspot its not that big but big enough to not get the arch perfect when sanding.
im not sure how the damage was done i got the car like that.
the cars had a few paint jobs and before i sanded down the panel it looked like they just prepped and sprayed over the damage and never tried to knock it down or the damage just never cracked the paint.

im still building/painting the car so ill be doing the work myself.
it is pretty hard to get spot on iv spent ages on it.
i didnt know you could still get factory panels from mazda, is that for all older models or just rx7?? probably costs a bit to get it shipped here. ill call up mazda tomorrow and see what they say.

if i was a fan of fender flares i would put them on to hide it, but you cant beat the factory look on a 1st gen rx7.
Old 10-15-15, 05:03 AM
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Originally Posted by j9fd3s
the left 81-85 fender is FA01-52-211D and the right is FA01-52-111D. we used to yell at Mazda all the time, they have warehouses of parts that aren't in a parts catalog. how the hell do they expect to sell them if nobody can look them up?

btw the new catalog is web based, so its really slow, worse to use than the old microfische and is missing a bunch of cars! i'm sure they paid a lot for it because its "high tech", but really its inexcusably bad. typical 21st century product

for the rear quarters, i have the last NOS one, forget what side, i think the left.
everytime iv rang mazda they say they can still bits and pieces but never say exactly what they can still get.
they would make heaps more money if they just released something with all ongoing parts in it.

whats the website for the catalog?? or is it only for people at dealerships??
Old 10-15-15, 05:15 AM
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Originally Posted by wahootee
My Dealer said they went to an entire new parts numbering system and can't look up older parts without a part #. If you have a part # that would be great! I know the new system Mazda uses has been discussed before when people went to source parts at the dealer. Thanks in advance.

Any chance 1/4's are still available anywhere? or patch panels?
1/4's pop up on ebay here and there.

you could just find a wreck with good 1/4's, measure and cut then weld in the straight 1/4 to your car, would be a bit of hard work but it is do-able.

Last edited by sandy_RE; 10-15-15 at 06:54 AM.
Old 10-15-15, 09:17 AM
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Originally Posted by sandy_RE
everytime iv rang mazda they say they can still bits and pieces but never say exactly what they can still get.
they would make heaps more money if they just released something with all ongoing parts in it.
they used to, its about 6" thick. if they tried to sell it it would probably be like $100!

the RHD cars take a F041-52-211A/F041-52-111A

the US catalog is password protected, and it sucks so much i don't even know the link. i've been using this, which is for the US stuff, exactly the same as the older US catalog. MAZDA it is Ukrainian, so when the Russians attack it goes down.
Old 10-15-15, 02:55 PM
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Originally Posted by j9fd3s
they used to, its about 6" thick. if they tried to sell it it would probably be like $100!

the RHD cars take a F041-52-211A/F041-52-111A

the US catalog is password protected, and it sucks so much i don't even know the link. i've been using this, which is for the US stuff, exactly the same as the older US catalog. MAZDA it is Ukrainian, so when the Russians attack it goes down.

yea it would be expensive, or they should have a computer at every dealership that customers can use to search parts for there older rotarys.

would be alright if I knew how to read Ukrainian haha.

thanks for the info J9FD3S!
Old 10-15-15, 03:30 PM
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Originally Posted by sandy_RE
yea it would be expensive, or they should have a computer at every dealership that customers can use to search parts for there older rotarys.

would be alright if I knew how to read Ukrainian haha.

thanks for the info J9FD3S!
On the drop menu of the MAZDA catalog, look for the words CWA, but the "W" will look a little weird. That is the "USA" in Cyrillic alphabet. Click on that and then follow the pictures. No problem and no need to know Ukrainian.
Old 10-16-15, 02:10 AM
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Originally Posted by wahootee
On the drop menu of the MAZDA catalog, look for the words CWA, but the "W" will look a little weird. That is the "USA" in Cyrillic alphabet. Click on that and then follow the pictures. No problem and no need to know Ukrainian.
that's better thanks wahootee.
ill have a look and see what they got.

how do you go aboyt ordering the parts or do i just get the part number and call a dealership in my area??

Last edited by sandy_RE; 10-16-15 at 03:05 AM.
Old 10-16-15, 03:10 AM
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id still rather try and fix the panel I have,
does anyone else out there know how to sand the arch back to shape??
Old 10-16-15, 08:14 AM
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Sort of a sidetrack, but are 79-80 fenders still available from Mazda?
Old 10-16-15, 09:46 AM
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Originally Posted by TheRX7Project
Sort of a sidetrack, but are 79-80 fenders still available from Mazda?
nope, i've got an NOS one
Old 10-16-15, 09:49 AM
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Originally Posted by wahootee
On the drop menu of the MAZDA catalog, look for the words CWA, but the "W" will look a little weird. That is the "USA" in Cyrillic alphabet. Click on that and then follow the pictures. No problem and no need to know Ukrainian.
google chrome will transrate for you. you might have it translate Japanese to english, and then click on backwards R nonth backwards R, which is how they spell Japan. then click on savanna Rx7, and you want the 9/83 one at the bottom. its only the 84/85's but its something

Last edited by j9fd3s; 10-16-15 at 09:52 AM.
Old 10-16-15, 11:02 AM
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Originally Posted by j9fd3s
nope, i've got an NOS one
Lucky. I could use a passenger fender but don't want to pay the outrageous shipping to get one. Maybe one day.
Old 10-16-15, 12:20 PM
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Originally Posted by TheRX7Project
Lucky. I could use a passenger fender but don't want to pay the outrageous shipping to get one. Maybe one day.
i'm not sure what side i have! the good news is that i've had it for like 20 years, so its apparently not going anywhere.
Old 10-16-15, 06:34 PM
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Originally Posted by TheRX7Project
Sort of a sidetrack, but are 79-80 fenders still available from Mazda?
79/80 is what i got, the picture was to show what I was talking about.

Last edited by sandy_RE; 10-16-15 at 09:58 PM.
Old 10-18-15, 06:09 AM
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called mazda and those part numbers didn't come up in there system...looks like ill have to use the fender iv got.

anyone know how to get the arch back to shape??
Old 10-19-15, 10:37 PM
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A good body shop guy should be able to pound the fender back into perfection. But it will cost $$$
Old 10-20-15, 01:28 AM
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Originally Posted by Qingdao
A good body shop guy should be able to pound the fender back into perfection. But it will cost $$$

im trying to do the bodywork myself. it doesn't look to bad,
but when you run your hand across it you can feel that its not right.
ill try get a photo up a bit later on.
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