First welcome to the site. Hope you find the information and assistance helpful in your restoration focused endeavours
Where and when was your car built? Sometimes the details depend on when and where the car was assembled so the correct answer for one car might be different from another.
Many, you will find include this information in their profile/signature at the bottom of there post so they don't have to type it every time they ask a question. Since it you don' that will be the first response to your question
Guessing your describing the bolts and J clips that are in the headlight recess of the front fender to the L shaped (well sort of) bracket spot welded to the forward inner fender panel
Most likely the bolts were inserted from the wheel well side from a worker in the pit and the J clips were installed before that in the edge of the fender in those location. There is a possibility of the reverse for what appears to be one plant for a period of time.