front wheel axle is smashed

Well that really depends. You need to take a very good look at the axle housing, particularly the steering knuckle, ball joint and struts. Compare this to the other side of the car. It should be a mirror image. If the cast iron is bent then basically you have two options. the first is to go with an offset balljoint but cast iron is very brittle and will become extremely weak if it is fractured, cracked or bent beyond the original casting. You will need to be concerned with structural integrity. Your second option is to go and find a front axle. The dealership might find you a brand new one but you will be calling quite a few junk yards if you don't want to invest 5,000 right off the bat. If the frame is bent you will need to straighten it with a powerful hydraulic ram or some cutting and welding. If all these checks are ok and just the front fender is smahed then you can try fixing it but your time is better spent buying a new fender and having it painted. They usually range around $400 with only primer.