Aftermarket VS. OEM body panels, bumpers and skins
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Car: '90 RS
Engine: 377 LSX
Transmission: Magnum T56
Aftermarket VS. OEM body panels, bumpers and skins
In order to save some money I am going to be buying a whole new left side for my car. I wanted to know if I should stick with GM parts or go with aftermarket panels. Do the aftermarket panels fit as well? They are a lot cheaper and I would like to only get fiberglass pieces out of a junk yard to stay away from rotted stuff. Are the door skins crimped onto the door itself? Or does that bolt on like most other GFX'x and fenders?
Here is a quick shot of what I am going to be replacing.
Here is a quick shot of what I am going to be replacing.
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Car: 1987 Camaro Z28
Engine: 335 TPI Stroker
Transmission: Tremec TKO 500
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt / 3.42
I bought aftermarket quarters for my car from Auto Body Specialties. $120 a peice. My bodyman said they fit awesome.
check out my thread in this section.
check out my thread in this section.
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Car: '90 RS
Engine: 377 LSX
Transmission: Magnum T56
Originally posted by TunedPort 335
I bought aftermarket quarters for my car from Auto Body Specialties. $120 a peice. My bodyman said they fit awesome.
check out my thread in this section.
I bought aftermarket quarters for my car from Auto Body Specialties. $120 a peice. My bodyman said they fit awesome.
check out my thread in this section.
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Car: '90 RS
Engine: 377 LSX
Transmission: Magnum T56
Hey I checked out your thread and it looks awesome. I am really inspired now. I am soooo anxious to see how your fenders will look. I hear the aftermarket ones do not fit well. Are you going with aftermarket ones there as well? Where did you buy your quarters from?
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Car: 1987 Camaro Z28
Engine: 335 TPI Stroker
Transmission: Tremec TKO 500
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt / 3.42
Quarters I bought from AutoBody Specialties www.autobodyspecialt.com
Fenders I got from a guy on a Message board for $30, they are aftermarket also...those haven't been put on yet but I beleive they will still fit good. The old ones on my car were aftermarket and fit good, so I'm not too worried about it.
Fenders I got from a guy on a Message board for $30, they are aftermarket also...those haven't been put on yet but I beleive they will still fit good. The old ones on my car were aftermarket and fit good, so I'm not too worried about it.
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Car: '90 RS
Engine: 377 LSX
Transmission: Magnum T56
Originally posted by TunedPort 335
Quarters I bought from AutoBody Specialties www.autobodyspecialt.com
Fenders I got from a guy on a Message board for $30, they are aftermarket also...those haven't been put on yet but I beleive they will still fit good. The old ones on my car were aftermarket and fit good, so I'm not too worried about it.
Quarters I bought from AutoBody Specialties www.autobodyspecialt.com
Fenders I got from a guy on a Message board for $30, they are aftermarket also...those haven't been put on yet but I beleive they will still fit good. The old ones on my car were aftermarket and fit good, so I'm not too worried about it.
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Car: sc
Engine: 383carbed
Transmission: th400
Axle/Gears: 4.11 12 bolt
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#8
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Car: candy blue 85 z28
Engine: 305 tpi LB9
Transmission: 700r4 crazy beefed up one
Axle/Gears: ones with teeth
here is a pic post i did a while ago on these parts
Jeff
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...rmarket+vs+oem
Jeff
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...rmarket+vs+oem
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Car: sc
Engine: 383carbed
Transmission: th400
Axle/Gears: 4.11 12 bolt
interesting. my 88 v6 has another fender on the passenger side and everytime i open the door it makes a thud noise. dunno why its doing that,the front bumper is also from another car and its fitted in badly,the paint is chipping of its horrendeous,u can almost shred cheese with it. dunno about going with oem or aftermarket fenders and bumper?
http://www.autobodyspecialt.com/
http://www.autobodyspecialt.com/
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Car: 1987 Camaro Z28
Engine: 335 TPI Stroker
Transmission: Tremec TKO 500
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt / 3.42
Originally posted by rentacopper9mm
http://www.autobodyspecialt.com/
the reproductions are they fiber glass?
http://www.autobodyspecialt.com/
the reproductions are they fiber glass?
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Car: 1991 Z28 clone & 1985 Fiero 2M4
Engine: 305 TPI (In Progress, Camaro) & 2.5L 4 cyl soon to be 3.4
Transmission: 700R4 (Camaro) & Isuzu 5 speed (Fiero)
Remember aftermarket panels are thinner and not as high quality as GM stuff.
#12
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What I've seen, they fit up well, but require extra work to get straight. Seems like all the panels I've seen had a wave or dip in it somewhere. Not a big deal and even if not quite up to GM standards, they should outlast the rest of the body. Note that sometimes factory panels, if available, are not much more expensive than the Taiwan parts.
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Car: 1987 GTA
Engine: LT1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 3.70 posi
Either buy new GM or goto a boneyard and pickup what you need. I replaced the passenger fender, hood and front bumper with aftermarket on my Firebird, and it was crap. The paint didn't even stick to it too well, plus the hood wasn't even welded on the front where the skin rolled to the underside.
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Car: '82 Z28
Engine: 350
Transmission: TH400 4,000 stall
Axle/Gears: Currie 9", 4.56 gears
GM parts are the only thing I'd use. I got a new front bumper that was a GM part and it fit perfect, the front ground fx on the other hand didn't. GM didn't stock any of those so it's an aftermarket POS. Might have to find one at the bone yard to get it looking right again.
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Car: 89 Iroc
Engine: lb9
Transmission: wc t-5
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt 3.08 posi
persoanlly i'd just go to a junkyard and get the panels you needs, or get oem ones
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Car: '86 Berlinetta
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700R4
Originally posted by aerosmithr0cker
Remember aftermarket panels are thinner and not as high quality as GM stuff.
Remember aftermarket panels are thinner and not as high quality as GM stuff.
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Car: 89 Firebird Formula(Totalled), 91 C
Engine: Mild 350
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73 :-(
I did my whole car recently, and replaced the front end with a fiberglass harwood hood, aftermarket fenders and an aftermarket front bumper cover. The fenders and hood fit great, the hood took a little work to fit, The bumper is crap. sides bulge out from the fenders. I think the aftermarket fenders are ok, but Don't spring for a aftermarket front bumper go for the real thing. On another note, use a high quailty aftermaket supplier such as Keystone, some of these hole in the wall aftermaket places Do have absolute crap.
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Car: 89 IROC-Z
Engine: L98 - Stock
Transmission: 700R4
Thanks for the info Abird4u2nv1, has anyone here used a fiberglass setup? On the link below, there's a fiberglass front (both fenders and front clip). $695. Being all one piece interests me in weight savings...but if I crack up the left side again...I'm out $695.
http://www.showcars-bodyparts.com/8292cam.html
Also, here's a picture from their site - Photoshoped so you can actually see it.
http://www.showcars-bodyparts.com/8292cam.html
Also, here's a picture from their site - Photoshoped so you can actually see it.
#19
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I'd rather get good OEM junkyard parts than new aftermarket parts. My father owns a body shop and I've seen first-hand that most aftermarket parts are poor fitting, and sometimes the poor fitment can't be corrected (for example, I've seen a lot of fenders that don't accurately follow the contour of the door. Unless you want to weld and grind, there's no way to fix that.
The problem with aftermarket parts is that their quality control tends not to be nearly as good. Some will fit, some won't, and most fall somewhere in the middle.
The problem with aftermarket parts is that their quality control tends not to be nearly as good. Some will fit, some won't, and most fall somewhere in the middle.
#20
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Car: 1987 Camaro Z28 IROC-Z
Engine: 5.7L TPI
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3.42:1
If you are on a budget, used oem is the only way to go. It just fits right without having to screw with it. That, and they are thicker which will be more dent resistent.
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Car: 88 iroc-z/28
Engine: 408 lsx
Transmission: 5800 stall
Axle/Gears: 4.71
id go boneyard shopping before i did flimsy aftermarket, IMO.
some of the higher quality yards have metal saws or plasma cutters, and they will sell you a rear panel no problem.
good luck
some of the higher quality yards have metal saws or plasma cutters, and they will sell you a rear panel no problem.
good luck
#22
Originally posted by tom3
Note that sometimes factory panels, if available, are not much more expensive than the Taiwan parts.
Note that sometimes factory panels, if available, are not much more expensive than the Taiwan parts.
- 89_IROC
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Car: '90 RS
Engine: 377 LSX
Transmission: Magnum T56
Thanks for all the tips and hints and heads up guys. This is my first attempt at body work so it will be a huge learning experience for me. I will fork over the bills for new GM parts if I cannot find clean ones in a yard. The yards here in ohio seem to be useless so far. Has anyone every bought parts from www.newgmparts.com? They sell new stuff as well for pretty decent prices.
#24
I have no personal experience here, but my reading suggests that the "cheap" online places (gmpartsdirect, newgmparts, etc.) make up for their low prices via shipping costs. It surely can't hurt to check 'em out, though.
- 89_IROC
- 89_IROC
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Car: '90 RS
Engine: 377 LSX
Transmission: Magnum T56
Originally posted by 89_IROC_98U
I have no personal experience here, but my reading suggests that the "cheap" online places (gmpartsdirect, newgmparts, etc.) make up for their low prices via shipping costs. It surely can't hurt to check 'em out, though.
- 89_IROC
I have no personal experience here, but my reading suggests that the "cheap" online places (gmpartsdirect, newgmparts, etc.) make up for their low prices via shipping costs. It surely can't hurt to check 'em out, though.
- 89_IROC
#26
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Originally posted by ShiftyCapone
Yea I was afraid of that. GMpartsdirect is notorious for that and I am sure this place will be no exception.
Yea I was afraid of that. GMpartsdirect is notorious for that and I am sure this place will be no exception.
Here's an example tho. The shifter boot for my '01 T/A console directly from the dealer is $36.47.. P/N 10271369.
GMPartsdirect lists it at $21.73 but shipping is an additional $7.95. Altogether thats still 31.20 plus I get to wait 2+ weeks for it to arrive.
Another example: The little compartment at the front of the console: P/N 10411278. From dealer: 14.42.
From GMPartsDirect, $8.61 + $7.95 again. Now you pay a total of $16.56 for something you can get at the dealer in 2 days for only $14.42 plus tax.
PLUS, no discounts for shipping more than one item. ARGH.
#27
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gmpartsdirect.com isn't so much a scam as it is a victim of current shipping prices.
their prices are the same that body shops & mechanics get through the local GM dealer. Their prices are what I pay at the counter locally. But... they aren't going to eat the shipping costs.
their prices are the same that body shops & mechanics get through the local GM dealer. Their prices are what I pay at the counter locally. But... they aren't going to eat the shipping costs.
#28
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Originally posted by Jim85IROC
gmpartsdirect.com isn't so much a scam as it is a victim of current shipping prices.
their prices are the same that body shops & mechanics get through the local GM dealer. Their prices are what I pay at the counter locally. But... they aren't going to eat the shipping costs.
gmpartsdirect.com isn't so much a scam as it is a victim of current shipping prices.
their prices are the same that body shops & mechanics get through the local GM dealer. Their prices are what I pay at the counter locally. But... they aren't going to eat the shipping costs.
I bought a PROM chip from them for my '93 Beretta GTZ a few years back. Shipping was $12 or so and the part and box together weighed less than 1 pound and was overall packaged in a box smaller than 5"x5". I ship stuff through UPS all the time and it is always reasonable.
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