I will need to get patch panel for the rear of the front fenders. Has anyone ordered from YearOne or OPGI and which panels are better or are they the same? Thanks!


-Earle

 

They're all stamped in China and quality wise they all leave something to be desired. You can find the same panels for less money from vendors like Auto Body Specialties, Sherman, and Tabco.

 

I had gotten a fender patch from Tabco and they are not really good enough to use. I had noticed the quarters from OPGI at least look like they will fit a conv while the others are for a HT only and the body line is all wrong at the top. I was wondering if YearOne might be better than OPGI or about the same for the patch panels.

 

I don't know how to do bodywork, but a guy I know that does will fabricate his own. He'll take an old hood or something and cut out a piece, work it until it has the right shape and weld it in. His comment is that since the patch panel need to be worked he'd rather start from scratch. My 2 cents, or at least his two cents!

 

Again, these vendors do not stamp their own panels. They all come from the same one or two Chinese stamping plants.

 

I just replaced both lowers on my 1970 442 . Alot of metal work has to be completed to replicate the original fit. This job is not for beginners.

 

I just finished one of my lower fenders and used a donor roof off of a Ford in the junkyard for my patch panel. They gave it to me for free. If the fenders only need a small patch, that would be the way to go. If the whole lower part of the fender is gone, then you will need to buy one of those preformed patch panels or get a better fender. Make sure the fender brace is not rusted out as well because you will need to fix that too. Like others have pointed out, this is a job for a welder with experience. Hope that helps.