Help working with wheel arch replacement

[Lazste15]

I have purchased two wheel arches from a company in PA. Well they are not even close to fitting/aligning on the bottom of the side bed. Who is the best supplier for sheet metal replacement wheel arch for a 1977 Chevy C-10 long bed. Please help. New to do sheet metal work. I know I have two of the same parts I ordered from the same supplier and they are not the same part. The one that fits has a cut out for the lower support rod in my wheel arch, one doesn't. Who can I buy from and make sure I will not have a problem.
Steve

 

[idahovette]

AMD.....Help him @TotalyHucked ,Zach

 

[TotalyHucked]

Hey Steve, throw up some pictures to help explain what you're running into. I work at Auto Metal Direct and have our wheel arch trim on my '85. Other than a small amount of massaging by hand to get a nice tight fit (they're soft aluminum, easy to manipulate), they fall on the truck.

 

[idahovette]

Atta boy Zach @TotalyHucked !!!!!!!!!!

 

[legopnuematic]

Are you talking about the wheel arch trim or steel patch panels for the wheel arches for the bed itself?

 

[Drauka99]

Hey Steve, throw up some pictures to help explain what you're running into. I work at Auto Metal Direct and have our wheel arch trim on my '85. Other than a small amount of massaging by hand to get a nice tight fit (they're soft aluminum, easy to manipulate), they fall on the truck.

I had to replace one arch trim on my build and the LMC one fit with just a little massaging like yours. I started in the middle and worked each way

 

[TotalyHucked]

Are you talking about the wheel arch trim or steel patch panels for the wheel arches for the bed itself?

Ohhhh I went back to re-read and see what he's saying.

OP, I assume you're working with one of these? (this is for a Blazer, we don't sell one for a truck)

Extended Wheel Arch Bedside Repair Panel - LH - 73-91 Chevy GMC Full Size Blazer Jimmy

Wheel opening repair panel for 73-91 Chevrolet / GMC Blazer & Jimmy. This large patch replaces the entire wheel opening as well as a portion of the bedside / quarter panel. Each patch is stamped from heavy gauge steel and arrives EDP coated to protect against rust and corrosion. LH = Driver...

www.autometaldirect.com

Unfortunately, when talking about these kinds of patches, especially large ones like that, you're going to be hard pressed to find something that is super accurate/nice and just drops right on. From a manufacturing standpoint, patches are much more difficult to make nice/accurate than whole panels. Plus the profit margins are much slimmer, so there's alot less incentive for the factory to improve/spend the time to make them nice. Unfortunately what you already have is about as good as you're going to get no matter where you go.

This is nothing against you or personal, I hope you don't take it that way. But sheet metal work is not for the faint of heart, there's ALOT of skill involved. That kind of patch is a rough one for a first time. I would suggest watching all the videos you can and pick up some of the body dolly/hammer tools and take your time learning and just know you're going to make mistakes. Or you can find someone nearby with more experience to farm it out to. Nothing wrong with that either. We all have our own skill sets, precision metal work and body work are not mine lol