AMD Hood & Decklid - Assistance Needed?

[james j]

Hello Everyone,
Please excuse my green-ness to the forum. I am a bit new here, but am in need of some assistance regarding reproduction part quality. I searched to no avail, but would appreciate any help given. I am  taking my '68 in for body and paint and I have a decklid and hood that may be too far beyond gone to save. While I know that AMD gathers usually the highest regards for quarter panels, how are they for hoods and decklids? ...does anyone have any experience with these parts from them? I recently bought both full quarters from them, and while the driver side looks good, the pass. side's lines aren't as crisp, and there are a good number of tooling marks, so I figure that it would be best to check again before ordering. Or, would it be worth looking at the offerings from someone else?

Thanks in advance,

JJ

[moparnation74]

I have no personal experience with AMD hoods/deck lids/fenders.  However, I have heard from a few folks that they had some fitment issues with their fenders.  Excessive gaps etc.  All was corrected with added bodywork.

Where are you located, I have deck lids, hood, etc.

[james j]

Interesting, do you have any that are in good condition? My decklid is heavily bondo'ed over the trailing edge seam, and my hood is a bit wavy. I am in Chicagoland.

[Dino]

I think it would be okay but I'd look for nice used parts first.  This one's been on Detroit CL for years:  http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/pts/4635473669.html  Although it says 68-69 there is a difference to the inner structure so always check to see what car it came from.  There was a deck lid on CL for around $150 as well but can't find it right now.  I'd say place an ad in the local CL and the wanted section here and see what you get.

[moparnation74]

Interesting, do you have any that are in good condition? My decklid is heavily bondo'ed over the trailing edge seam, and my hood is a bit wavy. I am in Chicagoland.

I have several deck lids that have surface rust and no bondo.  The 68 hood is in similar condition.  However, the parts are located in Va.

[Charger-Bodie]

I've used the hoods , deck lids and fenders....etc. yes the quarters need a skim coat, but the hoods fenders and deck lids are great. I even have the deck lid on my 68 and I didnt have to do anything but prime and final block. The hood requires more blocking but is also a nice part. As for the fenders I found them to fit great and only had a few small areas to deal with.

[Mike DC]

 
And I will throw in the standard comment that goes with all repro sheetmetal questions - these cars were built with shockingly bad tolerances the first time.  Just ask anyone who has tried to repair a car using "perfect original" N.O.S. factory parts that were brand new and still needed work.  The reproduction industry cannot make their tolerances any tighter than the original stuff was or else their new stuff won't fit half the cars.

 

[moparnation74]

The tolerances were there from the beginning, thats obvious.  Personally, I would rather have original equipment but that is my choice/opinion. 

[don duick]

I fitted a decklid once. The window channel on the left side did not line up and left a gap between the edge and the stainless window strip. You could fill it with bondo. Other than that it was ok.