J5 GTX
Well-Known Member
I thought I should relate my recent experience with reproduction patch panels.
While I'm looking for a B body project car, I've been working on my 1975 D100 Dodge truck. I know this isn't a truck forum but, the information might prove useful anyway.
Both rear wheel arches have rust through. I ordered left and right arch patch panels from Raybuck Auto Parts. Far as I know AMD does not have Dodge truck panels or I would have ordered them. The Raybuck panels arrived. Eventually, I got around to actually measuring them and getting ready to make the cuts.
I really began to notice the difference between the new panels and original.
I expect some variation with a repro, but the body lines wouldn't match up.
I called Raybuck. Told them the situation. They said:
"you are the only person that has complained about these panels"
"are sure it's a 1975 truck?"
"did you buy [the truck] new?"
I told them not only do the lines not match correctly, they just don't have the correct contour. I sent them a photo. They said they couldn't make anything of it. I made profile cards of my truck and sent them along with the new panels. When they got the panels and checked them with my gauge; the response was:
"the fit is not too bad"
I guess that's their standard of quality. They also said that their panels are:
"the best you can get. The Taiwanese panels are the best there are"
I"ve had experience with some of these overseas repro panels before. I'm sure a lot of you have also. Years ago, I got a repop quarter panel for '70 Challenger.
As you know the body line running the length of a Challenger quarter is a fairly crisp edge. Some of the repop panels are made on soft metal (cheap) dies. The first 100 or so look decent but soon the dies start to deform and you get vague and rounded contours. Raybuck said the dies for my truck cost $250,000.0 They wouldn't budge on their opinion, I wouldn't on mine.
I've being doing sheetmetal as part of my job for over 20 years.
Soooo, I ordered an arch panel from Ebay seller ammuscle. His business name is American Muscle Car.
These panels are stamped in Akron, OH by Schott Metal Products.
I am very pleased with new panel. The contour is very close to original. And the metal gauge is slightly heavier than the repop from Raybuck(Taiwan).
I told Raybuck about the other panel that is being shipped to me and his response was: "you go ahead and get that panel but, you'll be coming back to us [to buy our parts].
I don't think so.
While I'm looking for a B body project car, I've been working on my 1975 D100 Dodge truck. I know this isn't a truck forum but, the information might prove useful anyway.
Both rear wheel arches have rust through. I ordered left and right arch patch panels from Raybuck Auto Parts. Far as I know AMD does not have Dodge truck panels or I would have ordered them. The Raybuck panels arrived. Eventually, I got around to actually measuring them and getting ready to make the cuts.
I really began to notice the difference between the new panels and original.
I expect some variation with a repro, but the body lines wouldn't match up.
I called Raybuck. Told them the situation. They said:
"you are the only person that has complained about these panels"
"are sure it's a 1975 truck?"
"did you buy [the truck] new?"
I told them not only do the lines not match correctly, they just don't have the correct contour. I sent them a photo. They said they couldn't make anything of it. I made profile cards of my truck and sent them along with the new panels. When they got the panels and checked them with my gauge; the response was:
"the fit is not too bad"
I guess that's their standard of quality. They also said that their panels are:
"the best you can get. The Taiwanese panels are the best there are"
I"ve had experience with some of these overseas repro panels before. I'm sure a lot of you have also. Years ago, I got a repop quarter panel for '70 Challenger.
As you know the body line running the length of a Challenger quarter is a fairly crisp edge. Some of the repop panels are made on soft metal (cheap) dies. The first 100 or so look decent but soon the dies start to deform and you get vague and rounded contours. Raybuck said the dies for my truck cost $250,000.0 They wouldn't budge on their opinion, I wouldn't on mine.
I've being doing sheetmetal as part of my job for over 20 years.
Soooo, I ordered an arch panel from Ebay seller ammuscle. His business name is American Muscle Car.
These panels are stamped in Akron, OH by Schott Metal Products.
I am very pleased with new panel. The contour is very close to original. And the metal gauge is slightly heavier than the repop from Raybuck(Taiwan).
I told Raybuck about the other panel that is being shipped to me and his response was: "you go ahead and get that panel but, you'll be coming back to us [to buy our parts].
I don't think so.
