Who is making the best sheetmetal now days?

[Sparks67]

We have never used AMD, but NOS is the best as far as I am concerned. I seen lot of hours put in fitting of aftermarket sheetmetal on other cars. My 67 Camaro had all NOS sheet metal, besides the floor pans. So, if you can find NOS or used sheet metal, then use that first.

Jeff

[T_Raven]

Originally Posted by Sparks67

We have never used AMD, but NOS is the best as far as I am concerned. I seen lot of hours put in fitting of aftermarket sheetmetal on other cars. My 67 Camaro had all NOS sheet metal, besides the floor pans. So, if you can find NOS or used sheet metal, then use that first.

Jeff

I don't do body work for a living, but for what it's worth, I've seen posts where guys who do have spent thousands on NOS panels and they still need as much work as anything else.

One theory was that the more the tooling was used the less precise the parts were coming out of it. Then there's the fact that production methods weren't as good as they are now so panel fitment from car to car was probably slightly off. Plus anything from 60s and 70s has probably has probably twisted, settled, tweaked, etc over the years.

[Sparks67]

Originally Posted by T_Raven

I don't do body work for a living, but for what it's worth, I've seen posts where guys who do have spent thousands on NOS panels and they still need as much work as anything else.

We did do lot of measuring to see if the car has been hit in the past. That is most common thing among first generation Camaro's. Jack (friend's dad) has been doing body work for over 57 years, and he recommends that people buy NOS or used sheet metal that he can rework. He has done a few cars for people with aftermarket sheetmetal and it is lot more hours than buying NOS. Most people don't seem to realize that cost per hour can get more expensive, by buying an aftermarket panel than NOS. (Shop rates are usually around $50 to $90 an hour) Costs start to add up, when you add that labor rate into the equation.

The 67 Chevelle that a customer brought him with aftermarket sheet metal. I saw the door to fender gap, and it looked 5/8" wide. He had do lot of hours on the car to make it acceptable. 68 Firebird with aftermarket panels had lot of hours in the fitting of them. Then my 67 RS camaro has NOS parts, and it took a little work, but not as much as the other cars. My gaps are rather a shade under 3/16". Jack's 69 Z28 has NOS parts, and gaps are 3/16".

Originally Posted by T_Raven

One theory was that the more the tooling was used the less precise the parts were coming out of it. Then there's the fact that production methods weren't as good as they are now so panel fitment from car to car was probably slightly off. Plus anything from 60s and 70s has probably has probably twisted, settled, tweaked, etc over the years.

I worked in Tool & Die in the late 1980's, and we built dies for the automotive industry. A die does wear in time, but we supplied the customers with check gauges. So, the Big 3 could check the part to keep the production process within the tolerances.

The problem that I seen and hear with aftermarket sheet metal parts is inconsistency with the aftermarket parts in reqards to fit. I suspect that the production operator is not checking the quality of the parts. So, this might explain the inconsistency of the production process. You start moving your production lines out of the USA might save on labor costs, but you do lose quality. Most NOS sheet metal was produced up to early 90's. I bought my NOS RS fenders from Chevrolet in 1985 for only $189. Cowl hood was $239. I later bought my quarter panels from Camaro Specialities, but I should have bought some quarter panels in the 80's. The cost was rather low in the past.

Jeff

[StCustoms]

From experience, AMD is good for sure but I would check with Dynacorn. We really have never had fitment issues with their parts.

[Rick D]

Originally Posted by StCustoms

From experience, AMD is good for sure but I would check with Dynacorn. We really have never had fitment issues with their parts.

Really???? Man I wish I could say that. I can say that I've never NOT had some kind of fitment issue with Dynacorn sheet metal.

[DOOM]

Originally Posted by Rick D

Really???? Man I wish I could say that. I can say that I've never NOT had some kind of fitment issue with Dynacorn sheet metal.

X2!!!! I stand by my original comments its all SH^T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!

[Amituk]

I have never used dynacorn, but did a lot of research before choosing AMD for my car.

The consensus was AMD rocks, dynacorn not so much. Also there complete shells also vary in quality.

[Amituk]

Check my build thread in my sig.

AMD all the way. I am practically building my car from scratch using their panels

Amit