80 front sheet metal needed

[PRattenbury]

So, my truck has been sitting around for a while since he motor is hurt and I really just got tired of tending to something every moment of free time I had... but I am on vacation for a whole week and decided I'd dedicate some quality time to it. So I pulled the front clip off, and will have the engine out tomorrow. I'm gonna swap all my good parts over to my 350 4 bolt block, so the engine problem(s) will go away. But my battery tray is completely FUBAR. So is my right fender, right inner fender, and the coresupport is toast where the inner fender attaches. Any advice as to where to score some decent sheet metal? Do they make patch panels for core supports???

[S10Fan]

I'm not aware of any core support patch panels. Sheet metal.....I think the quality would be equal among any of the board vendors. If you're off this coming week I'd go with the closest vendor so you can get the parts quickly.

[PRattenbury]

Welp, LMC Truck is in Kansas. Not too far away. I ordered a RH inner fender, Rh fender, a core support, a body mount kit, and a cowl hood. And forgot to order a battery tray. Dangit! I hate when I do that!

[bigblock73]

Wish you were closer, I have everything you need. I won't ship however, too big and too far away.

[PRattenbury]

Yeah, lots of big stuff. I forgot about the windshield, too! Stoopid, stoopid, stoopid!

[S10Fan]

Check your local Chevy dealer on the battery tray.

[PRattenbury]

Good plan. I'll check it out. I've had pieces of wood and sheet rock screws under the battery since I got the truck a year and a half ago. And I had the battery tied down to that with coat hanger wire. Redneck engineering all the way!

[lilpoindexter]

I'd check a salvage yard...Arkansas should be relatively rust free, right?

[THE "10" SILVERADO]

Originally Posted by lilpoindexter

I'd check a salvage yard...Arkansas should be relatively rust free, right?

Yeah but right side core support and where they inner fenders attach are usually eaten up by batteries leaking acid....at least from what I've seen on mine and others...but there is always a chance!

[PRattenbury]

I haven't had much luck at the salvage yard with that particular problem. As posted above, they are usually eaten up by the battery. Seems like these trucks have a few problems that the majority of them suffered, and you can't find replacement parts on another old, worn-out donor in a scrap yard. But trips to the scrap yards are still worth it.

[tucsonjwt]

I got a battery tray from LMC years ago for my second battery and it was close to OEM quality, but pricey. I always like to shop the net for stuff like this. Too bad you can't buy a whole roller truck in NM or AZ because there are a lot of rust free trucks with everything you need for cheap.

[PRattenbury]

I agree about the rust free in AZ. I must say, though, these trucks were seriously prone to rust. And the spot I really had a problem with was not due so much to environment, but more with battery acid. Fortunately for us, though, the replacement sheet metal is available. I've had a few projects where the aftermarket parts were not available. That was no fun.