Body repair after accident....

[Mike85Silverado]

Hey guys, I'm new to the site. I sold my street bike 3 weeks ago and bought an 85 short bed silverado because I've always wanted one and finally talked the wife into it. Problem is I got in my first accident a week after buying it, I was devastated, and insurance isn't covering it(long story). Basically I just need to replace my left front fender and drivers side door shell.
I have ZERO experience with this kind of stuff so any advice would be appreciated. I found a guy parting out a 77 on craigslist but the side marker looks different on the fender and I read something about the inside panels being different sizes?
I was thinking about just buying both fenders so side markers will match and possibly both doors so door panels will match, but it seems kind of like a waste? Any thoughts?
Thanks guys

[Mike85Silverado]

Oh ps, what are these "shims" I keep reading about to get the fenders lined up and fitted right? Sorry if that's super dumb to ask haha, like I said, zero experience

[zieg85]

Post a picture, may be better finding a 1981 or newer fender/door in a salvage yard.  Fenders are 81 on up and doors to match is 77 or newer.

[Blazin]

Welcome to the site from New Hampshaa, and to owning the best trucks ever built!
In order to use the 77 fenders you would need the fenders, inner fenders, hood, radiator support, bumper, and winshield wiper stubs.
The shims are to align the fenders yes.

[Mike85Silverado]

Wow, ok I won't get a fender and door from anything older than 81, sounds like too much work. What are shims though and where do I get them, how do they work?

[HAULIN IT]

What are shims though and where do I get them, how do they work?

Here you go. They are used at the mounting points of the fender, ect. in various thicknesses to aim in making the panels line up with one another. They are used to make up for the variation in the manufacturing tolerances. Lorne
http://www.summitracing.com/search/Part-Type/Body-Panel-Shims/
 

[Elpresidente]

Is the bodyline on the fender crunched/shifted from the accident? If not I'd recommend replacing the door first, using the bodylines on the fender and box as a guide to line it up straight.
Also don't buy the cheap aftermarket doors that sell for about $120. They are complete garbage, I brought mine back because they didn't even fit the contour of my cab.

[Mike85Silverado]

Thanks for the link on shims ya the fender and door got crunched, my door barely shuts. I found a guy on Craigslist that will sell me his fender and door from an 85 for $150 if I take them off or $200 if he takes them off. Is that a good deal? I looked at them and they're straight, they just have a little surface rust. What do you guys think?

[81_Chevy]

looks like a good deal to me, not a bad price. if you want you could take them off that way you know how to do it yourself, as well as putting them on your new truck.

p.s. Welcome from SE South Dakota

[Blazin]

That sounds like a great deal to me.
A set of basic 3/8th drive hand tools, 1/2, 9/16 sockets for the most part, few extensions, phillips, and torx screw drivers etc. should be all you need. Something to prop the hood open as you will be removing the hood spring. If you roll the window down the doors are manageable to remove by your self. If the front bumper is still on the truck the fender comes off easier after the door.

[Mike85Silverado]

Ok cool, thank you guys for all the advice! I'm gonna try to go pick them up this weekend. I took my truck to the shop yesterday because I think the control arm was bent on my drivers side front tire... And it won't go into park since the accident. I'm really hoping its nothing expensive cuz I'm broke...

[Mike85Silverado]

So I know this isn't body related but I have a question. I took my truck to a mechanic after my accident because I thought the control arm was bent. Turns out I had a bent rim. He said to replace both upper control arm bushings and do an alignment it's $420. He said its mostly labor because he has to shim the alignment because I had a real bad negative camber issue. Which seemed right because the wires are showing through on the insides of both front tires.
Does that sound like a fair price?

[Blazin]

Thats sounds about average maybe even better then average price for my neck of the woods. As far as the not going into park it sounds like maybe your cab shifted a bit on the frame when it got hit. I would check the cab mount area and see if there is evidence of movement. It could also be that your transmission mount is broken, and the motor / trans combo shifted a bit.

[Mike85Silverado]

Woooo!! I got y truck back today! $518 for upper control arm bushings and to shim up the front alignment. And mount my new tires. All I need to do now is put onto new fender and door I got off Craigslist. $125 for both

[Mike85Silverado]

Oh and they said the not going onto park thing was just something with the linkage? They fixed it for free and works perfect again