[SS_Sean]

I forked out some serious money for a set of new front fenders for my '70. $300 bucks a piece. The fit was crap, and would take serious body work to get straightened out, if at all. The right fender is not correct for the '70 year, a one only year on this fender, with the front inner lip being different than a '71-2 year.

I'm so pissed right now, you wouldn't begin to understand!!! I had the fenders painted off the car, and then ran them home. It took four hours of trying to fit them with a friend and I, who's a pro body man, and we never could get it correct. The fenders are just a bad deal, all around!

Now I've got to have the originals media blasted, and fix the rust in the lower rear area (usual spot), then put them back on the car, and have it squirted (again). This has set the project back serveral weeks at the least....so much for driving my car this summer.

My suggestion to you good folks is to NOT buy aftermarket $hit. Get a set of good used fenders, fix the rust and life will be good. The old saying, "you get what you pay for" does not apply here!!

------------------
Sean Thomas
TC #907 ACES #4468
1970 SS 396
Photo Moderator-AmericanIron.net

 

[Gene Chas]

Sean, my paint man ( he does show work!) said it would cost me less in hours to get my orignal fenders right than to try and fit new repo ones on. I took his word, but, how do I know?

My buddy 509 Camaro just had his 68 done in black by the same guy since he was so impressed with the Chevelle. New Fenders, door skins, etc.

My car had 128 hours in it. Total strip to BB/CC.Metal patches in the fenders. His had 135 hours in it. Wasnt a total strip, but those damn repo's fenders.

Plus I get to say "all orignal skin". I guess I'm just damn glad this guy knows his stuff and I was led the right way. He was the only one who quoted the job w/o replacing the fenders. In hindsite, he knew his stuff better than the rest.

BTW same goes for repo 67 fenderwell mouldings. Dont even friggin bother.

Why is repo stuff such crap. Cant tell me manufacturing technology has gone backwards over the last 30 yrs!

Sorry for your hassle. I'd be a-fumin' too!I eman we pay good money for this repo stuff and the VAST majority of the time, it plain dont fit.

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Member #62 Gold/ACES 03112
67 SS396(427-3X2)
Be Big, Be a Builder



[This message has been edited by Gene Chas (edited 07-10-2001).]

 

[BB_Mike]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by gorbe:
. Get a set of good used fenders, fix the rust and life will be good.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

dually noted.

Spend $5k on motor when you don't really have a fixed income, only to have it SNAFU. That, my friend, will make you ask yourself some hobby-threatening questions!


------------------
71' 3880# with me. Big Block 402, TH400, 3.73 posi,
BEST 1/8th: 8.252 @ 84.56mph (1.855 sixty foot)
Last years previous best 1/4: 13.1sec @ 105 MPH (2.10 sixty foot)
Picture of me roasting the tires and other guy stuff
Video of me staging (smoke of course)

 

[ToocoolZ28]

Well, I hate to say I told you so, but....
Anyway, I have made MANY comments on here about these fenders after I used them on my 70. I AM a body man and I spent a good 2 weeks of hammering, bending and welding to get mine to fit, and i'm still not real pleased with them. If I had my old fenders I would have repaired them, no matter how bad they were.
Sorry, I know its a bummer.
Good luck with your old ones.
Ron

------------------
70 Chevelle SS396 (427)M21
66 Nova SS 327 M20
95 Z28 Convertible T56
Aces 3081, TC #54 Gold

 

[AdamLym]

Sean, could you e-mail me ([email protected]) and let me know where you purchased these from? The reason I ask is because my front drivers quarter was damaged beyond repair a couple of weeks ago. I need to buy a new panel, but would like to know where NOT to buy them. I would appreciate it very much.

Thanks!
Adam

------------------
1971 Chevelle Malibu - 406 sbc TH350

Pic of my car
another picture of my car
Picture of my 406
Picture of my and my buddy's '65 4-4-2
My site

 

[BAD415]

And I bet they were GM licensed to boot.
I bought some repops for my 68 Firebird from the GM dealership. It took a good 2 hours each side to get them to fit half arsed at the bodyshop, and they still were off on the body lines. Nothing like NOS or good used.
I'd rather have a patch panel than a crappy fit any day.

 

[406_70_velle]

how much do NOS fenders go for and how much is it (about) to have the old ones fixed? I need new front fenders on mine and theres already alot of bondo on them (bought that way) and wanted to do it right, but at this point what is right? what do you guys suggest? i dont know any body guys personally and cant afford a 20 ordeal at the shop either please help…

 

[SS_Sean]

I suggest you look at fixing the old ones!!! Have them media blasted (I'm told walnut shells are very good) and this will expose everything that will have to be fixed. If they are beyond help, find a doner car. If they aren't, fix 'em!!!

AdamLym: It doesn't matter where you get them from, after market is $hit. Go to the swap meets, find a doner car, whatever it takes.

I had been warned, and I'm a damned fool for not listening. Now I'm out almost a thousand fwcking dollars because I'm an idiot!!!



------------------
Sean Thomas
TC #907 ACES #4468
1970 SS 396
Photo Moderator-AmericanIron.net

 

[Narti]

Strange, my Goodmark fenders fit perfect. What brand are yours?

------------------
Nick P.
Team Chevelle Gold #36
http://people.ne.mediaone.net/nicpal/home.htm www.chevelles.com/showroom/Nick's1970ChevelleSS396.jpg

 

[cortez]

Sean, I was told from Goodmark that they were re tooling their fenders and they would be ready in late july, did you just buy these? were they part of the new batch? I would like to know becouse I to am thinking of buying new fenders but if this are them then forget it.

 

[SS_Sean]

I bought these through the Chevy Store in Portland, OR., on Stark St. All the locals know what I'm talking about. They sell crap, including crap cars. I'll do some checking and find out who they bought from. They're just a store front, but I have never bought anything decent from those folks.

 

[deejay]

Ditto to what Cortez said. I was told by Goodmark that they are in the retooling process and NOT to buy any of their fenders that are now availible.(they have had too many of them returned). I was told to expect them in 3 to 4 mos.

 

[Bomber '67]

Almost two years ago, when I had first gotten my Bomber, I travelled up to the desert town of Hesperia to check out Sloan's '64 to '72, a Chevelle restoration supply.

Nice people who gladly spent quite a bit of time with me (and man did they have some nice Chevelle projects underway!). While I was there I mentioned that I was going to need a lot of mouldings and said that I would probably buy a bunch of repop stuff. Sloan said "really, if you do I'll buy all your old dented mouldings". I asked why he would want my old junk, and he proceeded to tell me that he would much rather restore original parts than use the lower quality repops, which often times don't fit well, or require even more work to make right.

It then came to me in an instant: I'll bet they've never seen a Chevelle in the Chinese factories that make a lot of this repop stuff. What do you wanna bet that many of these factory workers think that anyone keeping a relatively common 30+ year old car on the road does not have much money to spend on exact fit - instead thinking that we crave cheap "close to original" parts.

------------------
"Bomber" '67 El Camino, Beater comes back to life.
Was 350/TH350 14.90 @ 93mph, 360,000+ miles on car
Now 406 roller, 340rwhp, more hp coming, 3.08 gears
Street radials, left in drive, 13.20 [email protected] mph

 

[elky1476]

I found the repo stuff I bought at a catalog with 3 letters beginning in the middle of the alphabet was pretty good (located in MI, NC, FL and CA). However anything I bought from a restoration supplier with 3 letters begining with a letter one after the company mentioned above (they are located in California, hint) was TOTAL JUNK!

For example, I paid extra for the stainless steel fuel line for small-block to Qjet which only barely fit WHEN THERE WASN'T A WATER PUMP OR ALTERNATOR MOUNTED! And the time I bought the Radiator Support Body Bushing Kit ("These reproductions feature upper and lower support bushings and is available with original steel washers and bolts" - quote from the catalog) the bolts and washers were direct from the cheapest hardware store bin! The bolts weren't even close to original and the washers were about half as thick and not even the correct diameter! Talk about junk! I sent them back with a nasty letter and got a refund! Then I had to go through my trash to find the original bolts and washers, clean them up, and use them!

I laugh every time I see their catalogs and they advertise "we manufacture these parts ourselves".

 

[70_chevelle]

Why arent names being mentioned? I would love to hear truths about companies so I wont reapeat the same mistakes!

Lee

 

[ToocoolZ28]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 70_chevelle:
Why arent names being mentioned? I would love to hear truths about companies so I wont reapeat the same mistakes!

Lee<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

There is a policy here about NO supplier bashing.
Ron

 

[1224]

Lee,
We have a policy against supplier bashing, that why we don't mention names. I'm sure you'd understand given the current wave of "Lets sue everyone" thats going on in this country. It would be a shame to lose this site. If you want particulars, email Al and he will explain it to you.

 

[sneal46]

WOW!!! I am sure glad this topic was posted. I am just about to send my car in for paint and the fenders were "ify". I will try my best to have them repaired (usual rust area) with a patch panel instead of buying reproductions. TC comes through again.

 

[Maynard]

Most all after market parts do not fit very well with out some ajustments. My advice to all is to trial fit all parts before painting or final assembly. And I mean every part don't ever take it for granted that new or for that matter used parts are a perfect fit.
We all learn the hard way, a little experience goes a long way.

Maynard

 

[70_chevelle]

Tino - toolcoolz28 / I agree that bashing is bad, but I still believe in freedom of speech and as long as you tell the truth there is nothing anyone can do about it! If there is good news about the products we all share them as we should, the same should go with the bad.

If it's a sponsor of this board, then shame on them, it does no one justice to sell bad/inferior products!

Lee