Of all the vendors selling reproduction sheet metal parts, Who has the best selection, pricing? does anyone manufacture their own or is anyone better than the other? Is there anyone to stay away from? Do they all get the product from Taiwan? Goodmark, Golden star. AMD, auto body specialties, Keystone, Sherman etc... the list goes on

 

Much like the vendors that sell complete replacement bodies, most if not all of the sheet metal pieces come from one supplier and are bought by wholesalers for the retail market. It costs a bunch of money to make the press dies that form the sheet metal into parts and very few retailers will be willing to spend the money to make the dies. The only difference is some retailers want heavier gage metal and special order runs for their sales. Finding these vendors might be what you are looking for.

 

Thx that's would be exactly what I would want to know. Like you said its hard to believe there is more than one manufacturer for such a relatively small market.

 

I have nothing to back this up but I am almost sure there are two different suppliers for the 70-72 quarters. I had a set that I cut the wheel lips out of and at the same time a friend got a set for his project. His were not near as good as the ones I had and the wheel lips were not the same. Mine were Goodmark I believe but not 100% sure. I only looked at the wheel lips because that is all I needed, not sure about the rest of the panel.

 

Thx for the input. If anybody can verify or add to this it is appreciated.

 

For my 1970 Rallye 350 I bought Goodmark quarters and outer wheel houses, which were good quality, not quite as thick as original though. The trunk floor drop offs all come from the same manufacturer and are not great, but better than making your own.

If you need inner wheel houses or partial ones don't waste your money on the patch pieces, they are terrible and only mildly resemble the real ones. The auto metal direct inners are very good and look stock.

I don't know for sure but I think there may be only one maker of the quarters. Mine had been replaced previously and the ones I put on had the same rough upper cut line. It is a shame they do not make full quarters.

I am finishing up my body shell now and just went though all that.

Good luck!

Pat

 

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...ter+panel,1416

 

Thanks guys, according to Rock auto's website Goodmark and Sherman offer same thing although Sherman seems to be out of stock on some stuff. It makes me think Goodmark and Sherman each offer their own, so there must be a difference?

 

Be aware that some parts now have two sources. For example, the front fender patches for the 70-72 cars have been horrible. A few years ago a second source started producing these patch panels with new tooling and thicker metal (nearly the same as OEM thickness). Shape is much closer to original also. I got mine from Autobody Specialties, but AMD sells them also. Same thing with the floor pan patches. The new ones have near OEM thickness and much crisper stamping patterns that closely match the OEM floor pan. In both cases the better ones were about 50% more expensive than the poor ones. Well worth the money.

 

Ok so do you think Autobody specialties has the better sheet metal product all around? or do they rep both sources? Im looking to buy one of those new lower fender patches you speak of and I have seen the lower door panel patch rather than replacing the whole thing. I think Sherman has that piece but dont know the quality? If it is similar to the new lower fender patch then I would be interested in that also but not sure. Anybody have any info on that?
I wish there was just one tried and true source for the good stuff rather than hoping on good quality and fit. I dont mind paying a little more if that is the case.

 

Autobody Specialties just sells the same stuff everyone else does. I've seen vendors offering both the new and old style floorpans in the same catalog, for example. The newer parts made from the better tooling are typically labeled as such in ads. Most parts offered are still the older crappy ones. I can't speak to the current door patches, but I have an older one and it's horrible. I ended up not using it.

 

That sucks

 

I stick with auto body specialty since it's only a 30 minute ride and can put hands on what I need and no shipping and return. One of the only benefits of living in CT the way I see it.

 

I agree, I live in MA and it is about 1-1/2 hr drive. I called them when I wanted to put a big order together and drive down to save on shipping and was told they dont stock a lot and a lot of parts are drop shipped. Have yo been there? What is it like?

 

I've been there a few times. Show room is about 20x30. Warehouse looks pretty large in back. I have gotten stuff that they didn't stock. If you time it right they do a stock order monthly and just place your order with the stock order and pick up once in and you'll save the shipping. He's done it for me that way a few times. Don't quote me but he didn't even make me pre-pay or put a deposit down but once my parts are in I'm there within a day or two. If i waited and let stuff hang around I"m sure he'd change his policy and make me pre-pay Your pretty close to Fusik as well being in MA.