NO SUCH THING as a "GOOD" after market part!!!

[race57]

I just need to vent, We all have watched Graveyard Cars. They praise AMD parts. All I can say is AMD must be sending them the very best parts they have in stock, because everything I get is crap. Flanges are not bent to 90 degree, some flanges have to be straighten out and re-formed to make the parts fit. When the parts are correct they have dents from packing (no damage of the box). So try Classic industries, sorry , they buy AMD parts put them in another box and send them to you. On the positive side, I received a front left fender with the corner rolled under where it meets the door and called them about the damage and got 20 percent of the price refunded. I hope it is not like this for everyone, but just be prepared to work on your new parts. Thanks for viewing.

 

[Cranky]

Just about anyone who has been in the body shop business has dealt with that sort of thing. Not taking up for AMD but stampings are just that and they do vary because when the stamping dies wear, they have to be rebuilt. Now factory dies are probably as close to tolerance as possible but even those can vary as much as a 1/4"!! If you think our old cars were built equally, guess again. I've had many body parts that were right out of the box from the dealership and did not fix without tweaking it not to mention dents. So, who are you going to get better parts from? Most of the replacement parts for this stuff is coming from China too so....if it wasn't for them being available, you're pretty much out of luck.....you just have to pull up your boot straps and go for it. At least the stuff isn't rusty!

 

[super-bee_ski]

So sorry to hear that "race57",
I personally have had very good luck with Auto Metal Direct (AMD) panels.
I used 2 for the 63 Polara I'm slowly building.
A Trunk Pan and their Front Valence.

 

[2quick]

I don't have that problem AMD make almost nothing for a 66-67 B body, so I guess I don't have to worry about the quality of parts that don't exist! Just sayin could be worse.

 

[GetX'd]

I have pretty good luck with AMD. Their parts aren't perfect but they're within a reasonable margin of error. Don't know where I could have gotten better in today's market,

 

[dvw]

One sees treasure the other sees junk. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Factory panels aren't straight. Aftermarket is generally even worse. There are exceptions. The thing I think of is this. If I were making a replacement part would I make it look good and fit? Many times the aftermarket answer is no.
Doug

 

[Cranky]

One sees treasure the other sees junk. Beauty is in the eye of the beerholder. Factory panels aren't straight. Aftermarket is generally even worse. There are exceptions. The thing I think of is this. If I were making a replacement part would I make it look good and fit? Many times the aftermarket answer is no.
Doug

Corrected that for ya :grin:

 

[race57]

You are all correct, I was just thinking that there should be some better quality control,(in a perfect world) but if your the only one making them why bother, Right? But at the very least packing the parts better for protecting during transport should be a priority.

 

[Timmayy]

One company to avoid is Unlimited. I bought a Hemi Dart fiberglass hood for my 69 Dart and got crap. I had to do major work and it still isn't right.

 

[ir3333]

...pretty normal to have to massage re-pop parts.I remember getting 3 fenders for
my '71 'Cuda back in '72 from the factory before i got one that was acceptable...and it needed work.
I try to re-use as many original parts as possible for obvious reasons.
...but be thankful this stuff is available!

 

[Budnicks]

You have to usually massage OE, fenders, hoods, trunk lids, qtrs., floors,
trunk floors, grills, doors, roofs etc. off of a different car to fit to, your car too...

no such thing as a true bolt on parts even from OE stuff
it'd be just shithouse luck to not have to massage any of the panels

I'll be the devils advocate...
"Not all Aftermarket parts are crap" {or No such thing as good aftermarket parts}...
Don't fall for the Mark Worman line of BS, about aftermarket stuff being junk...
Plenty of quality cars are restored with AMD & other aftermarket panels to a
very/extremely hi std., even out of his shop... {don't fall for that BS line}
some far better than orig. {fit} than from the factory too, depending on who does the
work/massaging...

IMO we're lucky we have what restoration parts we got now,
IMO it's also a hind sight/far better than, it was 10-20 years ago for parts...

 

[Cranky]

One company to avoid is Unlimited. I bought a Hemi Dart fiberglass hood for my 69 Dart and got crap. I had to do major work and it still isn't right.

Basically, we're talking about steel replacement sheet metal but I agree with you on Unlimited fiberglass. I have a hood for my 66 Belvedere from them and it was a pos when I got it 25 years ago!

 

[Hemirunner]

I just need to vent, We all have watched Graveyard Cars. They praise AMD parts. All I can say is AMD must be sending them the very best parts they have in stock, because everything I get is crap. Flanges are not bent to 90 degree, some flanges have to be straighten out and re-formed to make the parts fit. When the parts are correct they have dents from packing (no damage of the box). So try Classic industries, sorry , they buy AMD parts put them in another box and send them to you. On the positive side, I received a front left fender with the corner rolled under where it meets the door and called them about the damage and got 20 percent of the price refunded. I hope it is not like this for everyone, but just be prepared to work on your new parts. Thanks for viewing.

The worst AMD part is miles better than the rusted up crap we used to scrounge up back in the day. Be thankful you actually have a reproduction part to whine about.

 

[barbee6043]

long quarters especially have problems in manu and shipping. so much more repoppats than it was like he said 20 yrs back. yes, go find any 50 yr old sheetmeat for patches! ha

BUT, the qtr patches I got ( not AMD) were so poor, ..... $$ spent on a English wheel, small metal brake, and $20 worth of 18 ga metal would have yielded me a VAST improvement over the hand fabed thin as paper pile of ch** stuff I got, I knew it would be that way when I paid my hard come by $$ for it though, BUT so is the life of working on a 66-7 B Body!!!! ha

anyone that thinks any repop sheetmetal will not require plenty of tweaking is living in never land?? sorta like repop carpet, they give you extra and you trim!!!! ha

 

[OldFolksMopar]

Corrected that for ya :grin:

That's the way I've always seen it Cranky!!