on some of these aftermarket web sites they offer body panels with orignal tooling or new tooling the price is a little different new toling is a little cheaper but which one will fit better? price dosen't matter if you going to spend another 20 hours getting a panel right. but i've herd that orignal tooling is wore out and the lines in the pannel aren't as crisp what have you guys found out?

It's impossible to make a generalization ... you'll have to go specific company, specific tooling. Take specific examples of the panel you want, and find out who has the best tooling ... you're right panel price is in-significant compared to body work prices.

Original tooling can be wore out to produce junk, or can be re-welded to produce a good part. New tooling can be designed to produce a perfect part, or just to produce junk.

Neal

When I bought the trunk pans for my 1969 chevelle ss, the groves toward the front of the trunk matched up, but there was four or five on the back end, where the ribs were several inches off.

As far as crisp lines, I don't know about that, but having those grooves way off, it does add extra time to do them.

This older experienced body man came over and taught me how to change the grooves, actually, it's not that hard.

On my web site theres a couple of pictures on how we did it, and you would never be able to tell it, you just have to work with it.

Anyway, wherever you get them, I would ask if all the major lines and grooves will match up.

Rob