ckessel
Well-Known Member
The best stuff to get for the restoration is going to be the oe parts. Unfortunately, these may be the most expensive either used or new. Aftermarket/reproduction parts, even though they are supposed to be for the given application, don't always fit or function well. One thing I've seen over the years is that our expectations of fit and finish is much higher now than when our cars were new. Body panel fit ups, gaps, contours etc etc were atrocious back in the day especially compared to what we buy off the lots currently. What I'm getting at is that when you but a body panel, light housing, headers or other items is that you will have to be prepared to make them fit. You will be extremely lucky if some of your purchases fit without issues or do the job intended for them and not come apart. One car I've been working on at my place of employment is a 67 Camaro that the owner has spent a ton on getting sheet metal replaced, painted, box after box of reproduction parts. The hood does not fit (sits high with no further adjustment possible), wiper/cowl panel has large gaps (can't be redone), door glass lift channels don't stay put (material is thinner/softer than original so does not have the grip to hold it to the glass), rh door glass has too much curvature/arc to it so it will never seal to quarter window (full glass package from AMD) and it goes on and on. He purchased these items through Classic, Year One and some Camaro specialty companies with OPG being one of the main brands that were sold through these other companies plus some smaller brands. The vast majority of this stuff was made overseas and it's very cheap junk. The above mentioned window lift channels were thinner and softer than the originals but unfortunately I only had one of the stockers that was useable. These channels pinch onto the bottom of the glass with a rubber strip and that's all that holds them so there is not much room for error as if they let go, the glass comes out. On his front and back glass moldings, same thing. Thinner, softer plus the added benefit of the contours being off. When I slapped them into place with the palm of my hand, some of them dented. Oe trim fits and does not dent unless you place it with a mallet. On the door glass, I discovered the arc being off after he brought the car back in to see if I could improve the fit on the glass so it could be more air/water tight. Can't fix that unless the glass gets replaced. When I managed a production body shop several years ago, the insurance companies liked to push us to get aftermarket body parts as they were cheaper for them. We stayed away from that stuff like the plague because that stuff would not fit/bolt on/attach unless you made it to do so. Kind of hard to stretch or shrink something to make it fit. Of course the labor times don't allow for it either so I would put if off to the insurer to pony up for us to make it fit. Always ended up with the oe parts like we wanted to begin with. Panels would not line up with bumpers, lights, other panels etc.
