Reproduction Sheet Metal

[Troy.Blackburn]

After 23 years I am once again the happy owner of a 68 Chevy Stepside. The first one which I bought in 1978 was a 68 C10 Shortbed Stepside in great condition with no rust and very few dents. At the time you could still get genuine GM sheet metal replacment pieces from the dealer. I had the truck for 10 years before it was stolen.

This time it's a 68 C30 Longbed Stepside with plenty of rust (cab corners are gone), plenty of dents (nearly every panel), but the frame, suspension and drive train are in great shape. I'm going to convert it to a shortbed, I know it would have just been easier to buy a shortbed C10, but I wanted the heavier duty frame of a C30 because I want to build it up to have some serious towing and hauling capacity.

So to the subject of replacement sheet metal. I would appreciate some info from those with experience regarding where to source replacement panels. I'm familiar with LMC, Classic Trucks, Year One and some of the other vendors, but have no hands on experience with any of their replacement sheet metal. I'm not interested in skimping in this area. I'd like to get nothing but the best quality panels available. I'll probably try to find good condition original panels when I can, but when I have to use reprodution panels, I'd like to get panels of such quality that they could pass for original. I read the the builder of "YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN" (the post on this forum, not the movie) was disappointed with the replacement cab corners from LMC and found a much better product elsewhere.

I'm in the Navy and currently deployed to the Middle East, but I'll post pictures after I get home and am able to get started.

Thank You
Troy

[drewskiren]

Originally Posted by Troy.Blackburn

After 23 years I am once again the happy owner of a 68 Chevy Stepside. The first one which I bought in 1978 was a 68 C10 Shortbed Stepside in great condition with no rust and very few dents. At the time you could still get genuine GM sheet metal replacment pieces from the dealer. I had the truck for 10 years before it was stolen.

This time it's a 68 C30 Longbed Stepside with plenty of rust (cab corners are gone), plenty of dents (nearly every panel), but the frame, suspension and drive train are in great shape. I'm going to convert it to a shortbed, I know it would have just been easier to buy a shortbed C10, but I wanted the heavier duty frame of a C30 because I want to build it up to have some serious towing and hauling capacity.

So to the subject of replacement sheet metal. I would appreciate some info from those with experience regarding where to source replacement panels. I'm familiar with LMC, Classic Trucks, Year One and some of the other vendors, but have no hands on experience with any of their replacement sheet metal. I'm not interested in skimping in this area. I'd like to get nothing but the best quality panels available. I'll probably try to find good condition original panels when I can, but when I have to use reprodution panels, I'd like to get panels of such quality that they could pass for original. I read the the builder of "YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN" (the post on this forum, not the movie) was disappointed with the replacement cab corners from LMC and found a much better product elsewhere.

I'm in the Navy and currently deployed to the Middle East, but I'll post pictures after I get home and am able to get started.

Thank You
Troy

Hey, it's Drew - Young Frankenstein - I got my Counterpart brand panels from The Truck Shop in Orange, CA. Very good fit and thicker metal than the other brand I received first.