Most affordable shipping for body panels?

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ChuckN

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Mostly looking at inner fenders for more wheel clearance (mine is an ‘81, going to the 73-79 version) but most places I look, the shipping is horrendously expensive. For the inner fenders, the cost for shipping is about the cost of the item itself.

I did find a set from eBay motors that someone is selling for a set for $187 with shipping included, can’t imagine the quality will be high but they just have to do the job. I expect to have to paint/coat to my liking.

I’ve tried to look locally, even to drive a couple hours but any good take-offs are gone by the time I get there, or turn out to be rotted near the battery tray.

Mostly I’m asking now because also in the future, I’ll need a couple doors, rockers and I’d like to replace my hood too (just did that but the white color hid all kinds of dents), and I figured someone would have some input about how to go about it. I’m expecting to pay, just trying to minimize.

The two body shops I spoke with specifically requested I didn’t bring in old OEM doors from a part-out because of hidden problems they keep running into.

Thanks in advance, over and out.
 

TotalyHucked

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Summit Racing has the best shipping prices of anyone I know of, but larger Truck Freight stuff still isn't cheap. Unfortunately there's not really a way around it, the trucking lines have us by the cahones with their freight rates
 

fast 99

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Jegs as well. LMC quoted me about $1,200 to ship an 8 foot bed floor that cost $900. I got it from Jegs for $1,000, shipped for $178. Definitely check around.
That's exactly where I got one a month ago, best price. Floor was damaged but not too bad. After all it is a bed already crinkled everywhere.
 

Rickf

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A few ago I had doors and a nose/grille section for my '37 shipped by greyhound bus from CA to MA. I had to pick them up at the terminal. Don't recall how much the shipping was, but must have been cheap (because I am).
 

Camar068

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Mostly looking at inner fenders for more wheel clearance (mine is an ‘81, going to the 73-79 version) but most places I look, the shipping is horrendously expensive. For the inner fenders, the cost for shipping is about the cost of the item itself.

I did find a set from eBay motors that someone is selling for a set for $187 with shipping included, can’t imagine the quality will be high but they just have to do the job. I expect to have to paint/coat to my liking.

I’ve tried to look locally, even to drive a couple hours but any good take-offs are gone by the time I get there, or turn out to be rotted near the battery tray.

Mostly I’m asking now because also in the future, I’ll need a couple doors, rockers and I’d like to replace my hood too (just did that but the white color hid all kinds of dents), and I figured someone would have some input about how to go about it. I’m expecting to pay, just trying to minimize.

The two body shops I spoke with specifically requested I didn’t bring in old OEM doors from a part-out because of hidden problems they keep running into.

Thanks in advance, over and out.
We have a guy that I found on Craigslist. He supplies the body shops as well as the DIY'selfer. You'd be surprised, check craigslist to see if you have someone in your area that does the same.

His prices are 5-10% higher than online (before shipping) and he delivers free to our local Hardee's parking lot. He also only sells quality parts and lets you verify before he completes the sale.
 

Grit dog

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Chad or Chuck, unless you’re looking for slosh tubs, old oe inner fenders and sheetmetal is the way to go. I’d advise the opposite and go with old takeoff OE parts over most aftermarket sheetmetal.
You should be able to find everything you need up here imo.
Not like the poor folk who live in the rust belt and have to buy aftermarket panels. JMO.
 

JamesSam

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A few ago I had doors and a nose/grille section for my '37 shipped by greyhound bus from CA to MA. I had to pick them up at the terminal. Don't recall how much the shipping was, but must have been cheap (because I am).
Dude, you got a 1937??? Let's see some pics pleeeease!
 

GTX63

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You can also try hitting the car and truck shows over the summer. Many times at the larger events, you can find the dealers at a booth with a bunch of the catalog items on site. For the cost of admittance and some county fair food you can load up your truck bed with parts without paying the shipping. And you get to see a bunch of really cool old cruisers too.
 

ChuckN

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Chad or Chuck, unless you’re looking for slosh tubs, old oe inner fenders and sheetmetal is the way to go. I’d advise the opposite and go with old takeoff OE parts over most aftermarket sheetmetal.
You should be able to find everything you need up here imo.
Not like the poor folk who live in the rust belt and have to buy aftermarket panels. JMO.
Hey bud, that’s my preference. I keep trying, but either they’re already gone or sold before I get there, or they’re rusted because of the battery tray on the drinkers side. There’s a guy down in Sultan, posts as Kenny Whitman on the facespace, and he has square stuff all the time but never seems to have inners from an earlier truck. And doesn’t seem like it would matter that much since all of these things are more than a couple decades old, but the 81-87 style are much easier to find. I’ll keep looking though, I might get lucky. I check locally every day or every other day.

I’ll answer to Chad or Chuck. My name is Chad, ChuckN simply ended up my username since the day I registered, and my buddy and I had been slinging Chuck Norris jokes and was in the front of my brain that day, haha.
 

ChuckN

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You can also try hitting the car and truck shows over the summer. Many times at the larger events, you can find the dealers at a booth with a bunch of the catalog items on site. For the cost of admittance and some county fair food you can load up your truck bed with parts without paying the shipping. And you get to see a bunch of really cool old cruisers too.
Good call, I was going to try to hit the Monroe swap meet this year but ended up working on Saturday when all the action happens. Was the same last year but went on the Sunday and it wasn’t worth a damn. Seems like there’s much more activity down towards the Seattle/Olympia/Puyallup area than up here in the upper left corner. Just have to have the stars and planets line up so I have the time to drive a few hours south.
 

ChuckN

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We have a guy that I found on Craigslist. He supplies the body shops as well as the DIY'selfer. You'd be surprised, check craigslist to see if you have someone in your area that does the same.

His prices are 5-10% higher than online (before shipping) and he delivers free to our local Hardee's parking lot. He also only sells quality parts and lets you verify before he completes the sale.
That’s cool that those guys are still doing that. About thirty years ago, I was looking for a hatchback for my ‘76 Nova when I had thought I would salvage it, and had a parts hunter bring be one up from the south. I paid a good price because he had a ton of other (really cool) parts in the trailer he had already gotten for other buyers.
 

GTX63

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I was at the C10 Nationals last year for just one example- the suppliers were there with motors, body panels, trim, interior parts, wheels, tires, trim, etc. Then the used part sellers were set up selling NOS, whatever. Lots of times you can get deals from the folks showing cars, trying to move extra pieces.
 

ChuckN

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I was at the C10 Nationals last year for just one example- the suppliers were there with motors, body panels, trim, interior parts, wheels, tires, trim, etc. Then the used part sellers were set up selling NOS, whatever. Lots of times you can get deals from the folks showing cars, trying to move extra pieces.
Cool! Sounds like I need to redouble my efforts to get down to C10s on the Capital this summer.
 

Grit dog

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Hey bud, that’s my preference. I keep trying, but either they’re already gone or sold before I get there, or they’re rusted because of the battery tray on the drinkers side. There’s a guy down in Sultan, posts as Kenny Whitman on the facespace, and he has square stuff all the time but never seems to have inners from an earlier truck. And doesn’t seem like it would matter that much since all of these things are more than a couple decades old, but the 81-87 style are much easier to find. I’ll keep looking though, I might get lucky. I check locally every day or every other day.

I’ll answer to Chad or Chuck. My name is Chad, ChuckN simply ended up my username since the day I registered, and my buddy and I had been slinging Chuck Norris jokes and was in the front of my brain that day, haha.
I never noticed your name didn’t match your handle until yesterday. Lol
Agree drivers inner fender prolly more than not rotted. I’ll keep my eyes peeled. What are you looking for in all? You mentioned hood and doors.
Rockers and patch panel stuff just buy new. Even if someone cuts out good used it’s way more work to unweld just to re weld.
What kinda dents in the hood? If it’s not rusted or creased I’d just fix the dings. If it’s tin canning that’s tougher. It’s like hitting a moving target when sanding. Lol
There is a guy down here. Said he was getting out of parting out a couple years ago when I bought stuff from him. But I’ll pm you his number and you can see if he’s got parts. He not far from one of my projects that I go to once a week or so. In Tacoma
 

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