Aftermarket front clip. How do they fit.

[Richard8971]

Originally Posted by Premium72

all aftermarket sheetmetal needs a lil finagleing..but should be okay if you go with a decent company.

Not to second guess anyones comments here, but honestly? After 20 years in the auto-body collision/restoration business I have come to realize that even factory sheet metal you have to trim at times.

I will say that when re-pop stuff first starting making the scene about 15-20 years ago, most of it was crap. But now, I can't honestly say that anymore. I have found that 80% of it is as good of quality as OEM parts. That being said means one of two things. Either 1) The A/M companies are getting better at what they make, or 2) the OEM products are crap now. I think maybe a little of both...

Take this for an example. I had a customer come in with a mid 90's burb and it was rear-ended and got pushed into another vehicle. He insisted that I use all OEM parts. When it came time to order the headlamps (he needed both right and left), I got them from GM. They were $190.00 each retail, about $80 more apiece than A/M Depot lights.

When the parts arrived I was pissed to see that GM had ordered Depot lights and had slapped a GM sticker on the box!!! (By the way, they fit perfectly and looked awesome.)

I look at re-pop parts much differently now, knowing that more and more of the companies that make A/M parts are producing replacement parts for the OEM market. The front bumper for my truck is re-pop, cost me 100 bucks and bolted right up without a problem and looks fantastic!

Something to think about.

Besides, need a fender for your '67? Call GM... or better yet, find a good one in the salvage yards. I'll take the re-pop stuff any day! Fits as good as the factory stuff did back in '67!!! Or were all the shims that I found in my truck added later??? Not to mention, spraying a quick coat of Slick Sand and sanding it smooth on re-pop parts is much easier than dealing with 40 year old paint and rust on used parts!!!

One more thing, gotta remember guys that when they made our trucks way back when, they didn't really care if the jambs lined up perfectly or not. They didnt roll a ball bearing down the jambs to make sure everything was perfect. That is only a recent thing, really. They made our trucks for work and they were not perfect from the factory, period. Yes they can be made that way now, but only after spending $$$ paying someone to get everything to fit just so. As long as nothing rubs when I open the door, I'm good.

Don