Replacement panels quality

[Mike M]

Sorry if this has been covered, kinda new here... I am looking for a Square Body to use as a hauling truck / restoration in progress. In my area (Louisville,KY metro) it is just about impossible to find trucks without the usual rust problems. I have a line on a truck, but it will need rockers, floors, bedsides. What brand of replacement body parts or vendor/website do you recommend ? Don't post "go to a junkyard" or "look for good used"--I've looked for used items locally, really nothing on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace that isn't already smashed or rusted. The trucks in the local junkyards have been picked clean and squarebodies are getting a bit hard to find in the local yards. Thanks in advace for your thoughts and what parts have worked for your restoration.

 

[Charlie]

 

[The88]

For the extent of the parts have you checked out copart? You may be able to find a donor near you that would cut a lot of cost.

But if you are dead set on aftermarket I haven't tried anything on a square but Keystone used to have some pretty well fitting aftermarket body panels for 90s 00s vehicles.

 

[MylesNT]

LMC has the new Premium front fenders.

From the description "Premium parts are produced using 18 gauge, OE quality steel for strength and durability to outperform current collision damage quality parts."

At $200 each they are more expensive than the others, but we need a guinea pig.

 

[Wi chevvy guy]

What about lmc truck

 

[trukman1]

I went with Key Parts from FixMyRust. All the body guys I talked to each said they fit the best and were the correct thickness and steel. They told me, to a man, they cut down the time they had to spend making panels fit which lowered their estimates when I agreed to buy the parts made by Key Parts. YMMV.

 

[ali_c20]

Stay away from the cheap stuff, it took me ages to fit the crap parts and it's still far of the original gaps and fitment.
6 years ago no premium stuff was available.

 

[Johnny Mac]

So out of Goodmark, Sherman Parts, Auto Metal Direct (AMD) (easily accessible through summit...) what is thought of as decent quality panels?

OR is Key parts thought of as the best avail?

I'm in OH....quality OE or NOS panels are not easily had, and the ones that are are quadruple price of what Goodmarks go for.

 

[Preston]

Welcome to GMSB from Virginia

 

[kenn]

plus 1 on fixmyrust, heard they are better than most. I got mine from LMC and they sucked thin steel, fit was crap and to beat it all not cheap in price at all

 

[Remo76C15]

Amazon has some square body panels as well. Shipping was way cheaper than LMC as well.

 

[Papa John]

What about usa1industries ,has anyone tried them ? They boost about there quality compared to others.As you can see I need to replace the whole left side. Semi driver fell asleep at the wheel and side swiped the truck.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[idahovette]

That's not really too bad for gettin whacked by a semi, seems like it coulda been a lot worse!!

 

[Papa John]

I looked on fixmyrust they dont have full door or full bed panels for a 82 fleet side.I emailed them cause in the pictures there is a part number but not in the list.

 

[RoryH19]

I used AMD for most of the replacement panels on my k5.
Inner and outer rockers, kick panels and front floor panels.
Used goodmark for the rear floor section just behind the front seats.
No complaints on the panels.
Good quality. Of course they all need a little massaging to fit. You can see the work on my k5 build thread.