Terrible fit on new fenders

[Richs'55]

Bolted together the new fenders to the old upper and lower grill panels and the old grill. What a terrible fit. I will be ordering new grill and upper and lower grill panels, as i think it will be better than dealing with the old panels and I want a chrome grill anyway.

But is this what is expected from reproduction parts?

........

Each side of the lower part of the grill has a 3/4" gap. My guess is t cut the ends of the lower panel and bring each fender in to fit? I will wait till i get the new parts and see if they are any better, but has anybody else seen such a problem and anybody have suggestion on how to fix this any better?

[Katrina/10]

That's awful! Don't know if cutting the bottom would help, looks like you would have to reshape the whole fender.

[dwcsr]

I can't imagine they would not have known that would happed if the fender was stamped wrong. All the fenders in that run would be wrong and someone would have said something in this day and age.

Ask the vendor you purchase from to see if they have had that issue, if its was a Key part or Dynacorn call them and send them pictures. You may have to get their lower valance to make it all work

[Northern lights]

I've heard of poor fitting panels before and have never really understood it. It seems to me that it would be just as easy to stamp the parts correctly as it would to make them wrong. There's no reason that I can think of why these repops should be anything other than a factory fit.

[Richs'55]

Well, like i said, I am planning on replacing all the front panels, so when I order the rest, i hope they all go together better than the original pieces. If not , I will just have to do some modifications to the lower panel.

[Sim6]

I'd be making a phone call to the vender, like dwcsr said. Just think, you order all their other parts and it may be worse!

[PDW HOTRODS]

Are you sure the rest of the parts you are bolting togather are the right parts for the truck, and in good shape? Was it all togather before? Sometimes the parts from a 2 ton truck look the same but are just a little different. The 55 and 56 big trucks have same cab, but the front parts are a little different. Same with other years.

[Softpatch]

I want to comment on this thread but couldn't say it any better then
CRGRS
.

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

Hate to hijack the thread. But on the repop panels, I think what everyone may forget to take into account is the numerous plants these trucks were built in (you never know if stamping dies were altered in one plant or another, and in how many different ways), and the sheer volume of these trucks that were built over the years (stamping dies will wear over time). What may fit with very little adjustment on one truck may need a lot of massaging to fit another.

!

[57ExtCab]

What was the MANUFACTURER OF THOSE REPOPS . You could save alot of others the same problem.

[Highsider]

Doesn't most new sheet come from only one or two manufacturers ?

I have been told what CRGRS 66 said is often the case, too.

[Richs'55]

Originally Posted by PDW HOTRODS

Are you sure the rest of the parts you are bolting togather are the right parts for the truck, and in good shape? Was it all togather before? Sometimes the parts from a 2 ton truck look the same but are just a little different. The 55 and 56 big trucks have same cab, but the front parts are a little different. Same with other years.

This could be the case. My truck had a GVWR of 19,000 #'s. Making it a like a 6 to 8 ton truck. But when i bought it it was on a 1/2 ton 1987 frame. I am going to buy all new parts for the front end. I just started with the fenders to mock up the front end for fitting the front clip to the new frame. Before everything is done, it will have all new panels for everything, which should make everything better (I hope).

[ratty 46]

I think I'd be searching for some repairable GM fenders this time ...

[tmoble]

are you sure you have the right lower grill mount?