Guys, need new 1/4 on my '78 monte, found at auto body specialties new, old stamping they said for $200.... Also called arizona junkyard and for full 1/4 AND wheel housing $495.... I would hope these are rust free coming from AZ... What's been anyone's experience with aftermarket panels for any year vs. cut offs from a real car? Thanks
Aftermarket vs junkyard panel experiences?
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The best advice I can give you is to buy the real stuff and not waste your time, and money, on aftermarket panels.
I have an aftermarket hood on my El Camino. It's metal is thinner, so, it's not as strong. It bends and dents easily. I'd replace it with an OEM hood but, then, I'd have to repaint the whole car. Not gonna do it. As I've read in other posts, the body lines and creases are not as sharp or crisp. And, they never seem to fit correctly, adding more work and frustration. So, overall, it's just not worth it.
I have an aftermarket hood on my El Camino. It's metal is thinner, so, it's not as strong. It bends and dents easily. I'd replace it with an OEM hood but, then, I'd have to repaint the whole car. Not gonna do it. As I've read in other posts, the body lines and creases are not as sharp or crisp. And, they never seem to fit correctly, adding more work and frustration. So, overall, it's just not worth it.
Not a gbody but my girl bought a 02 trailblazer a while back which had been involved in a fender bender, low mileage, has really been low maintenance and very dependable.... any ways the passenger side fender didn't look right as well further inspection revealed it was a aftermarket unit very weak and I could literally could push it in! so now i'm going to send it back to the body shop to get it repaired properly picked up a OE unit and the quality is way better then the certifit crap!
Not trying to steer you away from aftermarket panels (many of them are still good) but working in a bodyshop, I can tell you that a lot of aftermarket panels (especially foreign made ones) are made of thinner gauge metal than OEM specs and also do not meet rust proofing requirements. The fit is usually not perfect but do-able with a little persuasion. For panels like full quarters I'd probably go OEM, but things like quarter panel patches or rocker panels I would probably use aftermarket.
Ok, what I expected to hear, thanks... The junkyard in AZ say they will do a full 1/4 cut vs that skin I was considering... Do I have them take some pics and send them before I give my CC? I'm in Chicago so I'd be going on their say it's in great shape. Thanks again
The panels from AZ are $495 for a reason OEM can be much better than aftermarket patches. Be sure to only buy something based on pictures of the real item. Just because something died in AZ or TX doesn't mean it lived there it's whole life. If you're buying from that I-10 junkyard (forget what it's called) you should be alright. Other forum members have bought on there before.
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