who makes best quality repop body panels

[Dave Garon]

I'm looking for some reproduction body panels for our 56 chevy truck. Front fenders in particular. I've bought other pieces from various suppliers, but they all sell the same off shore brand. All have required some rework, which I'd expect but some are not even close. I recently found out about Golden Leaf here in Canada, who is sells Dynacorn. Anyone used Dynacorn stuff? Happy with it?

[MARTINSR]

I don't have an answer for you but my first suggestion is to do everything you can to use the original parts. If you don't have them, they are out there, take your time, find something else to do on the truck and find originals.

In my opinion reproduction parts are limited to plastic and rubber pieces that don't hold up over the years. But even in that case there are NOS ones out there. But honestly, using reproduction sheetmetal, OMG that is the LAST RESORT!


Just an opinion from a career autobody man who has done a lot of restoration work.


Brian

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by Dave Garon

I'm looking for some reproduction body panels for our 56 chevy truck. Front fenders in particular. I've bought other pieces from various suppliers, but they all sell the same off shore brand. All have required some rework, which I'd expect but some are not even close. I recently found out about Golden Leaf here in Canada, who is sells Dynacorn. Anyone used Dynacorn stuff? Happy with it?

Dynacorn is pretty much all we use unless they don't have it or make it.
Don't be surprised if you by a Dynacorn part and it has a triplus or Key part label and key parts may have Dynacorn labels

[vintovka]

I know this is about specific panels but given the quality of repop parts be warned. Repair what you have or find a fixable original or make custom make what you need. I will NEVER buy a replacement, panel, fender or door again. Not only looks bad the cost of the part plus horrendous shipping make it completely cost ineffective.

[62lwbc10]

Agreed with what everyone is saying but I have had good luck with dynacorn parts. For bed parts nothing tops Mar-K

[Dave Garon]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I know you cant beat original, but someone made quite a mess patching these in the past. Sounds like I'll either keep working these, or find some NOS fenders.

[59chev]

Golden Leaf Automotive is the Canadian arm of Dynacorn International.

http://www.goldenleafautomotive.com/...?make=chevy_pu

[Dave Garon]

Neat truck. Im at work right now, but id like to check out your build on the site.
Happy with the fit and quality? Did ya happen to buy front fenders?

[59chev]

I haven't bought any yet, but my front fenders have a ton of bondo on them, I've been debating whether it is cheaper to buy a good set of repops vs bodyworking the ones I have.

Have you looked on the KMS Tools site yet? They stock alot of parts for our trucks. The fenders they carry is the Counterpart stuff. I don't have any experience with the fenders but the floor pans i bought from them where pretty good.

https://www.kmstools.com/c-a-r-parts...t-gm-30010000/

[vics stuff]

I have to agree with all the above. The aftermarket parts are great for some beater or off road truck for fit. I live in Alaska and I can attest that shipping is a killer. Will spend the money on real nice used parts then spend the same amount of or more money , then have to do a bunch of body work to new parts to make them fit. Have seen many of my friends buy new and end up fixing the old parts and using them.
Keep scouring the classifieds and bite the bullet on good used ones.
Vic

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

I don't have an answer for you but my first suggestion is to do everything you can to use the original parts. If you don't have them, they are out there, take your time, find something else to do on the truck and find originals.

In my opinion reproduction parts are limited to plastic and rubber pieces that don't hold up over the years. But even in that case there are NOS ones out there. But honestly, using reproduction sheetmetal, OMG that is the LAST RESORT!


Just an opinion from a career autobody man who has done a lot of restoration work.


Brian

What about his one, new sheet metal or find short tree stump and a few good round rock and hammer it out?

Cab soccer isn't a victimless crime!!!!

[paulspickupparts]

Just had a Custom Shop that bought a pair of used 55-57 Chevy Front Fenders. Said he had tried to get the repos to fit but could not . Other than start cutting on them. There is an article on your tube that shows how and where to cut the repos to make them it. He also returned a 55-56 repo grille.

[Dave Garon]

Ouch. Are ya sure it was a 55, 56, 57 truck. Could have been a 49 Olds.....

Who'd you trick into playing in goal?

[vintovka]

Didn't see this mentioned but after market fenders often have visible seams in wrong places. Means bodywork more time and $ and will never look right.

[my56chevytruck]

[QUOTE=MARTINSR;7974771]I don't have an answer for you but my first suggestion is to do everything you can to use the original parts. If you don't have them, they are out there, take your time, find something else to do on the truck and find originals.

In my opinion reproduction parts are limited to plastic and rubber pieces that don't hold up over the years. But even in that case there are NOS ones out there. But honestly, using reproduction sheetmetal, OMG that is the LAST RESORT!

Martinsr is dead on, bad beat up originals are always better than repops. Seams aren't always straight, holes are offline, etc. Never bought from Dynacorn but I've heard nothing but good things. I'm not as experienced as others on this forum, but I learned from trial and error to salvage the originals when ever possible.

[dwcsr]

I'll count my self fortunate that we are the only ones that get the good panels. I've not experienced any of these issue mentioned when we do a restoration here, Today on an AD we replaced a floor and back panel and did no shaping, trimming or cutting, I couldn't be happier with the fit. Bear in mind we do 3 or 4 a month so that may have something to do with it but I never see the problems most have stated.

[55dude]

i was in contact with a builder a few years back on a AD built using all new panels and was told they spent 90 hours getting hood fitment acceptable! this was a very high dollar build but man hours were insane!

[vintovka]

Originally Posted by 55dude

i was in contact with a builder a few years back on a AD built using all new panels and was told they spent 90 hours getting hood fitment acceptable! this was a very high dollar build but man hours were insane!

too true. reminds me of a reproduction Brown Bess musket made in japan. The model got damaged in shipment to Japan and they copied it exactly, damage and all. Every one of the 10,000 repro muskets bears same deformities.

I have easily a weeks shop time in my pass side fender plus another 10 hours of my own. It will never be right and as you can tell wiill always regret spending the near $500 on the crap part in the first place. Do not waste your $. Thinking of asking seller for a refund.

[paulspickupparts]

Originally Posted by dwcsr

I'll count my self fortunate that we are the only ones that get the good panels. I've not experienced any of these issue mentioned when we do a restoration here, Today on an AD we replaced a floor and back panel and did no shaping, trimming or cutting, I couldn't be happier with the fit. Bear in mind we do 3 or 4 a month so that may have something to do with it but I never see the problems most have stated.

Do you have pics or input on intalling the 55-57 or 47-63 front fenders ? Or is it just the rear cab panels that fit ok?

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by paulspickupparts

Do you have pics or input on intalling the 55-57 or 47-63 front fenders ? Or is it just the rear cab panels that fit ok?

I haven had much trouble with fenders either 47-59, Hoods are a PIA. with the complex curves and it doesn't take but one hard drop off the back of the delivery truck to distort one. I have seen fenders for 67-72 that just don't line up right but that was sometime ago. several years ago and I think it was a particular production run. same with 67-71 doors, Some just were put together wrong. There was also a run of 55-59 doors a few years ago that the lower hinge bolt pad was in the wrong place.

Installing is best when you have your cab set to the correct height off the frame. I don't ever lock down any sheet metal till its all on.

I've watched guys take the fenders and hood off a AD and could not get them lined up again so they purchased a new hood and it didn't fit right either then they decide to start cutting on the cab to make it fit. You may have also seen this one on TV, If it came off and looked ok on, and can't get it back on and fitting correctly then its how you installed it.

Other issues are your cab is twisted or torqued, possible after 60 years,
The cab wasn't support when you changed panels and now you unintentionally torqued the cab and nothing fit right,

Set your cab on the frame and get it to the correct dimension as per the assembly manual, put in the mounts and spacers and bolt it down so it doesn't move.

On large panels, roof, back panels, floors, we clamp them up for 2 - 5 days so they relax and conform to the existing structures. Makes life much easier afterwards

[Dave Garon]

Thanks for the reply. I'm hoping to get back on the truck in the next few weeks. Too much other stuff going on.........You've given me something to think about. I wasn't happy with how I mounted the cab on the mockup frame when we welded in the other panels. Now it's on the correct chassis with good solid mounts. Sorry, but I'm new to the forum. What is "AD"?

[mongocanfly]

AD stands for advanced design...designates the 47 thru 55.1 trucks
TF stands for task force...designates 55.2 thru 59 trucks...
Your 56 is a task force or TF..

[Dave Garon]

That's right. I forgot the first few months of 1955 still used the old body style. Thanks for enlightening me.

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by paulspickupparts

Do you have pics or input on intalling the 55-57 or 47-63 front fenders ? Or is it just the rear cab panels that fit ok?

After thinking more about it, The hood actually determines how everything else sets up. On AD and TF trucks if the hood has good fit lines you can start mounting other parts to locate off the hood. Specifically on the AD's the hood curves and has a V in the back center. If all the gaps at the back and the curve look really good then you can line the fenders up to the hood. then tweak from there. If you have the radiator support and the latch in place you can adjust the hood so it all looks right.

The green arrows show the cowl /Hood line. This gap should be 1/8 (0.120 +/- 0.60) 1/16". If the hood is gapped the same all the way side to side then its square to the cab. 1/16" off from side to side will point your hood nose up front to one side or the other by a lot. If the hood is tilted up in the front then the gap at the cure will be bigger than the cowl V. If the cowl V is bigger than the curve then its pointing down in the front. Yu may need to adjust the cab mounts as well, If the cab is to low problems in fit also show up but you may think its the fender

Lets say you have a 1/8 gap on the DR side and the V is good but the curve is larger and all looks very good on the passenger side then the hood will be pointing up and to the passenger side. If you lined up your fenders by that you would never get it adjusted and looking good.

Get the hood on. Get the rad support and latch on, Get the hood adjusted properly gap wise and get the hinges adjusted properly, then start assembling from there.

Here is a very good write up on the process of hood and front sheet metal alignment
Hood Alingment

[Dave Garon]

Wow. Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed response. It makes sense and thats the process I'll follow when I get back into the shop. My next step is to modify the 2005 rad frame to fit inside the 56 sheetmetal. Then I can make the rad support fit and go from there.