Need A Body experts. !!

[nodemon]

Put lower 1/4 patches on my Demon.. RH patch from AMD and LH came from Goodmark ( AMD discontinued the LH ).. Went to put my bumper on and it's hitting on the LH Goodmark panel not allowing correct fitment causing major line gap on that side between bumper and tail panel. Then I compared sides and they are clearly different. I called Summit, where I got the Goodmark panel, and sent pictures. They called Goodmark who said that even though the panel fits, that panel is designed for 73 and up due to bumper difference..?? First, I thought they were interchangeable...secondly, if you can't use that panel on a 72, WHY DO YOU SELL IT for a 72..??
So, cam someone tell me if there's a difference in the bumper area between the years..?
The LH panel with the black circle is where my bumper is hitting.. You can even see a whitish spot in center of circle where bumper is hitting..

 

[lilfontleroy]

it sounds like they were BSing you because they effed up the bumper notch, IIRC the 72 & 73 are the same, I see a die grinder and some "touch up" paint in your near future

 

[Super-Cuda]

Hi Nodemon,

Unfortunately you are probably dealing with a situation where most of the grooves and contours are present but the patch has to be modified according to year. AMD sheetmetal is usually very accurate as I have used a lot of their panels., I can't speak to Goodmark as I have never used them.

No matter where you go looking for panels the one thing you have to remember that all these manufacturers are only going to make these panels for the most popular vehicles and only as long as they are in demand. After that they are discontinued for good.

 

[Treblig]

Were they even made in the USA?????

 

[nodemon]

it sounds like they were BSing you because they effed up the bumper notch, IIRC the 72 & 73 are the same, I see a die grinder and some "touch up" paint in your near future

Now what Goodmark is saying is that the 70 and 71 is different from 72 and up... that the one I was sold was marked incorrectly by Summit Racing...that they don't make just a lower patch for 72 and up and you have to buy full quarter to get correct contour there...but, as we were on the phone, I looked at their website and right there listed was a 72 lower panel.. I pointed that out and that's when the "frustration" set in on his part.. getting all defensive and trying to justify everything to keep them from being "wrong"... I've had nothing but issues with this build... So many parts being sent out defective, wrong or delayed..not to mention people lying about condition of parts I've bought from individuals, including a couple members here.. To end, I guess by what the Goodmark customer rep is saying if I put a 71 bumper on, I should be good to go... We'll see.

 

[nodemon]

Were they even made in the USA?

They say they are...and Goodmark says they get from same place as AMD

 

[lilfontleroy]

Now what Goodmark is saying is that the 70 and 71 is different from 72 and up... that the one I was sold was marked incorrectly by Summit Racing...that they don't make just a lower patch for 72 and up and you have to buy full quarter to get correct contour there...but, as we were on the phone, I looked at their website and right there listed was a 72 lower panel.. I pointed that out and that's when the "frustration" set in on his part.. getting all defensive and trying to justify everything to keep them from being "wrong"... I've had nothing but issues with this build... So many parts being sent out defective, wrong or delayed..not to mention people lying about condition of parts I've bought from individuals, including a couple members here.. To end, I guess by what the Goodmark customer rep is saying if I put a 71 bumper on, I should be good to go... We'll see.

 

[67Dart440GT]

I'd ask who checked the parts before installing, and who pre fit the bumper before welding them in.

 

[nodemon]

I'd ask who checked the parts before installing, and who pre fit the bumper before welding them in.

I did... That question was avoided... I was told I may need to shim it until I get it right and make adjustments... Not sure what shiming would do or even where I'd shim.. This guy does great work.. I've seen several of his restorations, but this had me wondering... Maybe it's not as big a deal as I'm thinking.. Maybe he can fix easily...but yeah, bumper left off... I had to put wax compound on the welds and patches myself..and a few other things that had me scratching my head... although, he did do extra stuff at no extra cost...so it's hard to come down on him too much.. This may have me selling, taking my loss and be done with it... F'ing headache with this whole experience..albeit fun...lol

 

[HemiSSDart]

Yes, I will pile on. Whoever did your bodywork should know to pre-fit all body parts BEFORE painting, that is just the way it is done! This is on your body man or the body shop who welded the quarters on...

 

[lilfontleroy]

I did... That question was avoided... I was told I may need to shim it until I get it right and make adjustments... Not sure what shiming would do or even where I'd shim.. This guy does great work.. I've seen several of his restorations, but this had me wondering... Maybe it's not as big a deal as I'm thinking.. Maybe he can fix easily...but yeah, bumper left off... I had to put wax compound on the welds and patches myself..and a few other things that had me scratching my head... although, he did do extra stuff at no extra cost...so it's hard to come down on him too much.. This may have me selling, taking my loss and be done with it... F'ing headache with this whole experience..albeit fun...lol

It can be fixed. Talk to your body guy and agree on a repair price, he needs to fess up to his part of this and suck it up some. Put a wanted ad on here for the correct piece, someone will have it. Or find a good fabricator. It sucks a lot, but it is repairable. Don't give up on the car.

 

[Mtrhead]

Super easy fix...I know you shouldn't have to but hey it's not baad... it really could have been avoided by the paint guy

 

[MoparMike1974]

Any replacement panel will need to be test and adjusted several times. AMD panels included, although they usually require much less work than a cheaper panel. In the end its cheaper to buy the more expensive panel VS all the time to make a cheap panel fit.
I agree, body guy should have identified this problem before paint.

 

[72bluNblu]

At the bumper cut out those panels are the same ‘70 through ‘73 because the bumper was the same ‘70-‘73. The only difference in that body panel over that year range would be the marker lights starting for ‘72+.

Heck even my ‘74 doesn’t look like that right hand panel. The ‘74+ cars with the shock mount bumpers have the same notch for the bumper, they’re just missing that flange below the cut out to hide the gap between the body and the bumper. I know this because I converted my ‘74 to the earlier style bumper (‘70-‘73).

Looking at it, I don’t even think you can blame Goodmark for that. It looks more like a bodywork issue to me than a panel issue. And that’s not a small difference, even if the replacement panel was like that the shop should have caught a difference in the contour that big. That is 100% on the shop in my opinion.

 

[nodemon]

Super easy fix...I know you shouldn't have to but hey it's not baad... it really could have been avoided by the paint guy

Super easy..? I'm not a body guy so it all looks impossible to me..lol
So, just grind where the bumper is hitting to the same contour as RH side..?

 

[Mtrhead]

Correct!!!!

 

[72bluNblu]

Super easy..? I'm not a body guy so it all looks impossible to me..lol
So, just grind where the bumper is hitting to the same contour as RH side..?

Correct!!!!

I dunno about “super easy”. Depending on the panel and how it was attached grinding that corner off could open up a hole. In fact it should, it would be a triangular hole between the quarter and tail panels that would then have to be welded up. Unless maybe that’s just a big old wad of bondo the paint guy left on the bottom of the panel.

Technically not difficult, but you’re going to lose more than a little paint to do it right.

 

[K.O. SWINGER]

I totally get you man! I just went through that with my 70 340 swinger and the body and paint that I had done last winter. My body guy kept encouraging me to get new panels, valances etc to save time and get a perfect part , lesson learned aftermarket parts will never fit like original pieces never. Small differences and fitment problems are going to be a deal. Any real restore / paint body man will know that, but a lot of these gun men can lay paint but aren't worth two cents when it comes to Restoration. When I accepted my car after it was almost 3 months late it's paint job the paint was beautiful. But the fitment work had a lot to be desired.

 

[nodemon]

I dunno about “super easy”. Depending on the panel and how it was attached grinding that corner off could open up a hole. In fact it should, it would be a triangular hole between the quarter and tail panels that would then have to be welded up. Unless maybe that’s just a big old wad of bondo the paint guy left on the bottom of the panel.

Technically not difficult, but you’re going to lose more than a little paint to do it right.

I totally get you man! I just went through that with my 70 340 swinger and the body and paint that I had done last winter. My body guy kept encouraging me to get new panels, valances etc to save time and get a perfect part , lesson learned aftermarket parts will never fit like original pieces never. Small differences and fitment problems are going to be a deal. Any real restore / paint body man will know that, but a lot of these gun men can lay paint but aren't worth two cents when it comes to Restoration. When I accepted my car after it was almost 3 months late it's paint job the paint was beautiful. But the fitment work had a lot to be desired.

I hear ya..! "My" body guy though is really, really good.. I've seen several of his restorations and they were top notch.. and the work he did on mine is phenomenal...except this bumper fitment issue...that's what has me scratching my head.. I guess the true test with a lot of bodywork won't be seen for years and how things hold up.

 

[Dartswinger70]

The bane of the body man.Aftermarket patch panels. See post 2. Test fit, modify test fit some more...

 

[CrusherCuda]

Instead of grinding the bumper or reshaping the panel, could you just tweak the bumper a little? Is the bumper straight? I know on my cars, we have had to bend and tweak bumpers, fenders, doors, and so on to get the gaps right. We have even sent a straight bumper out for chrome and got it back tweaked. Paint and chrome can get expensive, but a properly positioned persuader can make everything fit better. Just a thought. Don't give up on the car. Hope it works out.

 

[H22A4]

I hear ya..! "My" body guy though is really, really good.. I've seen several of his restorations and they were too notch.. and the work he did on mine is phenomenal...except this bumper fitment issue...that's what has me scratching my head.. I guess the true test with a lot of bodywork won't be seen for years and how things hold up.

You bring up a great secondary point here. How the car looks in 2 to 7 years will be proof of how good a restoration job was done. Butt weld vs lap weld and type of materials (filler and paint) used are key. When it’s fresh out of the shop it might look great but Mother Nature over time will prove how good a job was actually done.

Chalk the bumper issue up as a learning experience and continue on with the build. It looks like you might almost be at the finish line?

 

[Dartswinger70]

Dremel tool may be able to cut small and precise in that area...tack weld or fill whatever little hole may be there...touch up and go.

 

[nodemon]

Instead of grinding the bumper or reshaping the panel, could you just tweak the bumper a little? Is the bumper straight? I know on my cars, we have had to bend and tweak bumpers, fenders, doors, and so on to get the gaps right. We have even sent a straight bumper out for chrome and got it back tweaked. Paint and chrome can get expensive, but a properly positioned persuader can make everything fit better. Just a thought. Don't give up on the car. Hope it works out.

Bumper is new from AMD and straight. I had it on the car before body was done and it fit great.

 

[CrusherCuda]

Bumper is new from AMD and straight. I had it on the car before body was done and it fit great. View attachment 1715756430

Well, if the bumper is straight, then your only option is to grind off the paint and replace or reshape that area of the quarter. Maybe there is just some filler there. Hard to really tell until you get in there and poke around. As long as your guy can blend well, you shouldn't have to repaint the whole quarter. A good painter will save some left over paint just incase there needs to be a touch up. The painter I know has a wall of small paint cans labeled with what car they go to. Keeps them around for a year or so, then recycles them. Tinting can be a nightmare for the inexperienced and the wrong tint on a touchup can really stand out. On a driver car, I would trim the bumper and touch up the edge with some silver paint, or shim the bumper out to clear. Kinda hacky, but works on a cheaper build. It's really up to you what you want to cut or bend to make the bumper and quarter play nice. I just hate to cut into fresh paint. It's a tough spot, but can be fixed.