240 280 front fenders

[xtce]

Just passed the California smog test yesterday (woo hoo!). The Nox reading was high (borderline passed) but everything else was low. I have a 77 280z 2+2 and someone has the left and right front fenders from a stripped out 240z. He says they will fit on my car and the only difference is the size of the side lights. I' was told to replace the 240 fender with my original lights and there shouldn't be a problem. I'm just curious if anyone has done this? I have rust on both fenders right below the emblems. The 240 fenders are rust free and I figured this would be easier than having to weld some metal on them. Here's a pic of one of the rusted fenders. Any opinions appreciated.

[MikeW]

As far as I know the front fenders were the same from 70 to 78.

[Arne]

The 240Z fenders will work fine. The holes to mount the emblems may be slightly different. The marker lights you now have will fit fine.

But I suspect that the rust you see in the fender itself is not the end of the issue. There is almost certainly matching rust in the rocker panel extension behind the fender. Replacing the fenders alone is only going to hide the main problem, not fix it.

[SteveInOakland]

Agree with Mike. To me the lights don't even look different. See attachments. Possibly the area under the bumper differs, but the rubber on your larger 280 bumper will cover up any minor alteration (drilling) that might possibly be needed.

[sblake01]

The is no difference. Same part numbers from 70 thru 78.

[EScanlon]

Stephen is correct.

The lower valances are different, and that's the area where the turn signals/ front marker lights get mounted to. Side markers are the same.

However, from the picture of your fenders, you have got the typical Cowl Drain Detritus Dump Rot.

That rust you see is the result of years of debris being flushed out of the cowl by the cowl drain hose and being dumped into the space between the fender and body rocker panel. You may be looking at a major problem once you can get a look at the rocker panel below the fender.

Get that fender off, check the condition of your rocker panel, and if everything is okay there, BEFORE you mount the new fenders, do the Cowl Drain Tube Extension I have pictured in my gallery. This was just recently discussed here:

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24649

HTH

E

[Carl Beck]

You can put a 280Z front fender on a 240-Z {the part numbers may all be the same now for that reason}. When you try to put a real 240-Z front fender on a 280Z you will find that the additional strengthening done to hold the larger 280Z bumpers and pass the higher front impact requirements - resulted in a 1/4" flange (where two pieces of sheetmetal are sandwiched together) right at the intersection of the headlight bucket and front fender.

The 280Z front fender has a notch cut out - so it sits down over that flange - the 240-Z front fender does not. You will have to notch that area out on the 240-Z front fender... if you want to sit down where it should, and line up the hood...

FWIW,

Carl B.

[xtce]

thanks for the quick replies. I'm hoping the rust isn't too bad behind there. thanks for Cowl Drain Tube Extension link. So much to learn here.