How do you fix this??Repo body parts.

[jbgroby]

I just went through the same fit issue on the OEM rad support and an Aftermarket new inner fender, The inner fender is PRESS incorrect it is shapped sloping inward. ther is no way to correct. I'm going to use oem inner fenders.

[rustbucket66]

Finally, the thing is in the paint booth. Lots of messing, and trying to adjust, getting things to line up. Major grief again. Finally got it pretty good, and yes there is bondo in my truck. My poor bodyman has endured a lot of pain. I think we have it as good as can be, considering what we are working with. Will posty more after it is painted.

[rustbucket66]

Forgot to post the pictures.

[piratexpress1369a]

where did you get the parts from ??which company ..i think i missed that some where

[rustbucket66]

Mine were from TriPlus, but I haven't heard many good things about any others either. There is nothing like what the General made, the real thing.

[LostMy65]

I would think the best route is to buy original - even if needing work - and then use aftermarket patch panels to repair the originals.
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[BigDan3131]

Even original sheet metal might not have fit perfectly. I had heard from the old timers that some parts were made just for that truck on the line or series of production it came from. As far as aftermarket goes it pays to spend a little more so we don't have to fiddle with them so much. But...some bodymen don't know how to make things fit properly because these days if it isn't a true bolt on they go nuts because they lack the skills some of us have at reworking parts.

For instance we had a 55 Bel Air in our shop and they[as in another shop] hammered the cowl vent closed and used filler over it. My "modern" body guy co worker wanted to throw it away or use it as is because we couldn't find one. I on the other hand, sandblasted it clean then hand re-formed each louver to its correct shape and curve to match the rest of them.

[rustbucket66]

Yes, buy original, and use the aftermarket pieces to patch them. The outside skins of these pieces are not all that bad. Where the biggest problem lies is where the mounting brackets and reinforcements behind the panels are located. Most are not even close, and have to be relocated. This involves drilling out spotwelds, and a lot of welding and grinding. I don't expect everything to be perfect and bolt on easily, but you shouldn't have to spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars on a brand new body panel. This stuff won't bolt together AT ALL. Try putting the front clip together on the floor, can't be done. I wonder if their factory has ever tried to put this stuff together. They are not cheap to buy either.

[DoubleL]

Not much consolation but thanks for saving me (and maybe a few others) all that hassle. I was debating repro, patch panels or just finding rust free stuff for my truck. You took one choice out of the equation. Thanks for posting this !!!

[LostMy65]

I've also heard stories from oldtimers, but I think they are talking about vehicles from the 50's and older.

I've never read anywhere in these forums of original parts not fitting correctly for our generation truck.

I've read over and over in these forums to Buy original 1960's American Steel then patch and repair.
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[rustbucket66]

The saga continues. Got the thing home from the bodyshop, after painstaking efforts to try and get the panels to align reasonably close. I tried to mount the grill and headlight buckets onto the header panel, and suprisingly (kidding), the holes won't line up. The headlight buckets are OEM, and the holes don't line up, as you can see in the pictures. The first pic is the pass side, and the top mounting hole is quite a ways off. The second pic is the drivers side, and the bottom hole is further off. I had to open up all the holes with a die grinder to get the bolts to start. Also, the inside bolt happens to be in line with where I had to move the mounting brackets, as shown earlier in this thread. There isn't room for the head of a bolt, as the hole is right near the edge of the mounting bracket on the header panel. An allen key bolt might work, but there is no room for a washer. I put a rivnut ( like a rivet with threads inside) in from the front, and ground the square nut off the inside mount of the headlight bucket. The bolt will have to install from the front, instead of in from the inner side like the OEM header panel would. The rivnut is the shiny silver fastener sticking through inside the header panel. The last pic is the grill finally on. Just one more headache with aftermarket body panels. Be warned.