Fiberglass body ?

[Daron65]

My son is gaining more interest in the truck. He likes the power and the sound. He hates the body work done by the previous owner. He has decided that fiberglass replacement body panels is the way to go.
Im still on the fence. I do plan on giving him the truck as a wedding present in a few years. So, can I please have your advice and experience with fiberglass. If possible, who do you recommend as a supplier? Can you please post pictures of trucks with fiberglass panels,hoods etc.

Thank you, Daron

[special-K]

Just tell your son he is wrong in his thinking fiberglass is the way to go. It obviously is not and that is why you don't see a bunch of fiberglass trucks or even trucks with fiberglass pieces like hoods or doors. Fiberglass parts for these trucks have been available for a long time and those who explored that route gave the rest of us reason to steer clear. These trucks are not flawed. They are the thing to have today due to what they were when new, very well designed trucks with tons of obvious foresight engineered in.

[Daron65]

Ok. So who would you recommend for bedsides and fenders in steel?

[Sheepdip]

Originally Posted by special-K

Just tell your son he is wrong in his thinking fiberglass is the way to go. It obviously is not and that is why you don't see a bunch of fiberglass trucks or even trucks with fiberglass pieces like hoods or doors. Fiberglass parts for these trucks have been available for a long time and those who explored that route gave the rest of us reason to steer clear. These trucks are not flawed. They are the thing to have today due to what they were when new, very well designed trucks with tons of obvious foresight engineered in.

^^^^^^^^^^Could not have said it better myself^^^^^^^^^^^^

[special-K]

As far as I know, unless things have changed, Woodall Industries produces the bedsides everyone sells. The fenders I have not used lately so don't know if they have been improved. The last '68 repro Chevy fenders I used were not made properly and that was from the better mfgr. This has been 8-10 years so maybe they are a better tooling now, same as doors and 67/68 hoods.

[jocko]

Your best bet is finding some good replacement originals and treat it as an opportunity for your son to learn some minor body work skills. You'd have to paint fiberglass or repop steel ones, so clearly you all aint skeered.

[rockyrivermark]

I bought Red Dot bedsides.
Fit great and seems oem gauge steel.
No one makes a good fitting doors.
Doors and tailgates are tough to find oem.
I see original nice fender quiet often though here near Cleveland.

[RustyBucket]

http://www.usbody.com/

Has anybody seen any of this company's products? I saw their display at a Super Chevy Show years ago. Their '55 Chevy sedan body was pretty nicely turned out. The body was sitting on the grass and they'd written "KICK ME" in marker all over it... Very solid, like kicking a good fiberglass boat. According to their site they make a LOT of '67-72 stuff, both light weight parts and a heavier grade. Don't know if they're good, bad or otherwise. They used to be near Gainesville Fl. & it looks like they've moved over near Tampa. Their products ain't cheap.. heavier thickness body either large or small window is $7000. Interesting website with lots of pictures.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by RustyBucket

http://www.usbody.com/

Has anybody seen any of this company's products? I saw their display at a Super Chevy Show years ago. Their '55 Chevy sedan body was pretty nicely turned out. The body was sitting on the grass and they'd written "KICK ME" in marker all over it... Very solid, like kicking a good fiberglass boat. According to their site they make a LOT of '67-72 stuff, both light weight parts and a heavier grade. Don't know if they're good, bad or otherwise. They used to be near Gainesville Fl. & it looks like they've moved over near Tampa. Their products ain't cheap.. heavier thickness body either large or small window is $7000. Interesting website with lots of pictures.

They're not great.

I have several pieces on my Chevelle (bolt on flat hood; lift off cowl hood; glass front bumper).

None of them fit well without a bunch of massaging, and the glass (and paint) crack over time.

The good thing about US Body Source is that they make a lot of different stuff and - if they don't make it - they will make it for you off an original.

So there's that....

K

[LuckyScott]

Fiberglass stuff is great if you are building a race car. But if you can go steel it will last better, look better, and be nicer. I have a 66 nova with a fiberglass one piece front end, fiberglass doors, trunk lid and rear bumper. Its light.
But for a truck or a street vehicle "Steel is real"

[Ironangel]

Tri-Plus in steel replacement panels.

[special-K]

US Body Source has been around a long time. I think of them as race car parts, which is what I think of for all fiberglass body parts. To make them stronger for road vibration, bumps, and general use they add reinforcement and more laminations making the parts as heavy or heavier than steel. What I would look at are repairs. I don't know any body shop that likes to repair Vettes. repainting is also no fun on 'glass. Fiberglass repair is a niche skill and expect to pay dearly. and I would expect repairs of cracks to be par for the course