Full Quarter Panels and Door Skins Available - For Real!!

[RD]

from what i have read, the guy is a standup feller.  He does provide an excellent product (as per DodgeDon's review).  He has hit an area of the market that has not been adequately addressed and is well needed by the mopar community

BUT...

these quarters are made for a select few of the mopar community who can afford such an extravagance.  Imagine how many more he would sell if he would just lower the price?  In the long run, he would make more money.

The math:

Sell 20 each year at 2500 = 50,000 USD

Sell 100 each year at 1500 = 150,000 USD

Sell 250 each year at 1000 = 250,000 USD

Sell 400 each year at 750 = 300,000 USD

Sell 500 each year at 600 = 300,000 USD

how many would you buy at $600 each?

[Dodge Don]

each or pair?

EACH!!!

Fact of life #1:  This hobby is expensive.

Fact of life #2:  You get what you pay for.

[SanDiego70RTSE]

Don, you are correct! This is a hobby for rich guys. Not only are the parts expensive, but the labor too. If you are not rich, you better have some skills so you can do the work yourself, otherwise it's going to cost alot of money to have other people do the work. If one does not have the skills and does not have the money to pay for decent parts, your car will not look like one on the cover of MOPAR magazine.

[Charger_Fan]

how many would you buy at $600 each?

One pair for sure & possibly two, depending on how far I go with my yellow car. At $5,000 a pair, I'm not buying even one.
Nice to see someone's finally making them (along with door skins, hoods & trunk lids, I see), but at those prices, they've definitely missed the broader market.

[70 Charger RT]

Don, did you drive down to Detroit to pick them up?  Or did they ship?  I would probably have them shipped to me here in Alberta.  If shipping is high, it may be cheaper for me to drive out from Alberta to pick them up.  As you may have heard I have two 70s to do (the ones I picked up in MB).  One RT and one 500.  I need 4 quarters.  See the two below.

[moparstuart]

Don, did you drive down to Detroit to pick them up?  Or did they ship?  I would probably have them shipped to me here in Alberta.  If shipping is high, it may be cheaper for me to drive out from Alberta to pick them up.  As you may have heard I have two 70s to do (the ones I picked up in MB).  One RT and one 500.  I need 4 quarters.  See the two below.

you sure do need them

[Dodge Don]

Don, did you drive down to Detroit to pick them up?  Or did they ship?  I would probably have them shipped to me here in Alberta.  If shipping is high, it may be cheaper for me to drive out from Alberta to pick them up.  As you may have heard I have two 70s to do (the ones I picked up in MB).  One RT and one 500.  I need 4 quarters.  See the two below.

The shipping wasn't bad at all. I believe it cost me $210 for shipping all in. They were shipped by truck and I got the quarters within a week of placing the order. 

[SanDiego70RTSE]

70 CHARGER RT - Please send me a picture of your car when it's done! Matinsocal@hotmail.com   
When I started mine, it was in a condition comparable to yours, almost. Mine was a driver for about 1/2 a mile before
it broke down.

[70 Charger RT]

Please send me a picture of your car when it's done!

It will be a while before I start on  them as I'm building a shop (this spring) so I can work on them.  The RT will be going back to the original 440 and the 500 (originally a 383 car) will be a 426 when it's done.  This winter I'll be finishing my 69 RT SE so I can sell it in the spring to afford the shop. (it's a juggling act)

Randall in Alberta

[xs29j8Bullitt]

The shipping wasn't bad at all. I believe it cost me $210 for shipping all in. They were shipped by truck and I got the quarters within a week of placing the order. 

WOW, great service after all the bad rumors that have been hearing since the Hardcore days...

Maybe they are in the running for my Charger 500 needs afterall, although at $2500 a side I might just get the driver's side which is in worse shape.  Were the quarter panels just shipped in padding (no crate)?  More pictures during installation & feedback from you bodyshop guy please.  My C500 is leaving to the paint & body shop on Tuesday...

Thanks for the post!

Allen

[SanDiego70RTSE]

Does anyone have the website URL to hardcore so I can check out their quarter panels?

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Does anyone have the website URL to hardcore so I can check out their quarter panels?

These are the same parts now available through Classic Body Design:  http://www.classicbodydesigns.com/

Read about the Hardcore days here:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,25254.0.html

Do a search for "Hardcore Quarter" for more results...

I am not sure if they were partners that split up or what   Just wish they were less $$$... I need several sets!

XS

[BigBlackDodge]

5k for both quarters?  This poor old 318 500 model won't be getting those.



What did the door skins run?


BBD

[Khyron]

I posted my thoughts before on the price. Again, I'll pass. As for the "You get what you pay for" this is not always the case. They can sell to the top of the line R/T numbers matching group. I'll wait.... There will be more in the future.

And I'm sorry, Low post count criticizing about the majority not paying that kind of money. Smells like a plant to me.


*EDIT* and before I forget and I hear the "expensive hobby" quotes. Thats not the case. Camaros, Mustangs, Chevelles, etc etc have a huge aftermarket with QUALITY parts. not one of them pay $2500 per quarter. The reason it's expensive is because of company's padding the market saying it's worth that type if scratch.

Could I afford them, Yes
Would I buy them, no

[SanDiego70RTSE]

Excuse me Khyron, but I restored a 1970 Charger using NOS OEM quarter and I paid through the nose for them. Finding them wasn't easy. If you want your car to look good, you are going to have to pony up some money and pay professionals to do the work. Otherwise you get frustrated and half way through the restoration, you sell your car on Ebay saying "I don't have time to finish it".

[Khyron]

Excuse me Khyron, but I restored a 1970 Charger using NOS OEM quarter and I paid through the nose for them. Finding them wasn't easy. If you want your car to look good, you are going to have to pony up some money and pay professionals to do the work. Otherwise you get frustrated and half way through the restoration, you sell your car on Ebay saying "I don't have time to finish it".

You may want to direct that comment to someone else. Look at the posts of my car. It's fine without $2500 Quarters. I was lucky enough to be able to fix any damage.

Go to the website in my Sig, Look at the $180,000 71 Hemi Charger that was restored using OEM parts. I know what they cost. because it was a MOPAR. because people set the price so high for anything that have a mopar name on it it drives the everyday person out the hobby. I'm all for people making money for there work, but not raping people.

On that same note, look at the Camaro getting a full rotisserie, almost all new metal. Quality shit on that car, guess how much the quarters cost... I'll give you a hint. Both are less then one of these Charger panels.

Are there more of them? Yes, why? because of $2500 quarters.

[SanDiego70RTSE]

If you're satisfied with the quarters you used, then you're absolutely right. I have my own standards. I'm well aware that the quarter for GM cars are much less than those for the Charger. It sucks that MOPAR parts are so expensive, the full quarter panels and even things like the crate motors. BUT, we know that going into the hobby so if you're going to restore a MOPAR then you have to accept the fact that's the parts are more, otherwise, just restore a CAMARO. I would never restore a CAMARO because in my opinion MOPARS are the best looking muscle cars. I'm happy that someone makes OEM quarter for the Charger so at least you can get them. I'd rather have them available for 5K than not have them available at all.

And your analogy to being raped is incorrect. The word raped would be applied to analogy where you are forced into something without your consent. You have a choice not to buy the OEM quarters for 5K so it's not rape. It's more like price gouging.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_gouging


Later,
Mat

[Dodge Don]

Oh brother 

I don't think some of you understand basic business principles 

The Camaro examples always come up. If I wanted to start a company and create new panels for a Charger or a Camaro the start up costs/tooling etc are likely pretty close to being the same. The difference is that there is a finite market on the Mopar side while the GM side is huge. Thus the price for each has to be different to meet each markets ability to recoup the initial investment and turn a profit.

You also assume that "joe no bucks" is the prime target market. Do you think the owner of a Morton's Steakhouse looks across the road at the McDonalds and wishes he could have those customers? No. Each has their specific target market with very different cost tolerances.

[firefighter3931]

The shop put on the first door skin yesterday. Perfect fit. The shop owner was thrilled that I was able to get skins and full quarters since it'll save alot of time (and $$$) installing them versus trying to massage used or aftermarket quarter patch panels. One thing he noted was he was worried about the lines he would see since Chargers have very crisp lines but he was very pleased with the lines on the panels and skins....true and sharp. Doesn't have to try to build up the lines.

Don makes some good points....body shop labor is very expensive. Personally, i would rather have a new "top shelf" quarter panel instead of a patched up original. The costs of reworking old stuff will often exceed the price of new repro panels.....or at least be close in dollars shelled out.   

Looking forward to the progress pics Don !  As meticulous as you are, that car is going to be spectacular ! 



Ron

[Charger_Fan]

I don't think some of you understand basic business principles 

I think RD's post hit the basic principles pretty well.

from what i have read, the guy is a standup feller.  He does provide an excellent product (as per DodgeDon's review).  He has hit an area of the market that has not been adequately addressed and is well needed by the mopar community

BUT...

these quarters are made for a select few of the mopar community who can afford such an extravagance.  Imagine how many more he would sell if he would just lower the price?  In the long run, he would make more money.

The math:

Sell 20 each year at 2500 = 50,000 USD

Sell 100 each year at 1500 = 150,000 USD

Sell 250 each year at 1000 = 250,000 USD

Sell 400 each year at 750 = 300,000 USD

Sell 500 each year at 600 = 300,000 USD

how many would you buy at $600 each?

I bet they would have  a hard time keeping production ahead of the demand if they offered them at $600 a pop to start...which is still almost double the price of a CAMARO 1/4 PANEL.
Practically every 2nd Gen Charger out there needing a resto needs something in the 1/4 panel department, so it's not as if the demand isn't there.

[Dodge Don]

CF, buddy, ol' pal, compadre.

Alot of the guys saying $600 is right have been too cheap to even shell out for $150 crap panels when they were the only ones available. 

Seriously though. How big is the actual market for full quarters?

Figure a 30% survival rate for Mopar muscle cars (Galen has thrown those numbers around so let's assume it's close.....obviously most have rotted away or been crushed)

Then figure that since the 80s Mopars have been HOT!! How many of the survivors have already been restored and do not need panels. We have already seen other parts that were being reproduced become no longer available because they exhausted the market on all the early restos.

Then how many survived without the need for quarters. Meaning they are already rust free.

Then how many survived but are rotting away by owners who won't sell and will never restore.......you know they are out there.

Then how many really only need perhaps a lower patch panel and not a full quarter

etc etc etc

Eventually that "market" gets pretty darned small.




Anyways, this thread was not about prices or what joe blow would or wouldn't pay. It was a public service announcement to let folks know that at long last these pieces are available and are quality parts. Yeesh.

[SanDiego70RTSE]

I'd like to see a company that comes out with a brand new shell for the 68-70 charger similar to the crate Camaro. This would disconnect the demand for full quarter panels to already existing original Chargers and increase the size of the market.  But if some company is going to do this, then they would probably make the 70-71 CUDA first because they're going for more and there is probalby a higher demand. What do you think? Will it ever happen?

[1st_charger]

I think the 2500 price for a full quarter is high and defiantly out of my price range I'm glad to see that these parts are being reproduced! and as for how many chargers out there need quarters I live in the rust belt and every charger I find needs at least one quarter!

I'm going to look at it this way when DVD players came out a striped down cheap version was in the $100 range, and now you can by one for $25 - $30  so in 5 to 6 years maybe those quarters will be $600 - $700.

[Charger_Fan]

I know there's only a finite amount of Chargers that will need these parts & that they are definitely fewer than 'Stangs & Camaros, buttt...I still think they're charging too much.
I was getting really close to finally buying some of the crap panels before word came along that these full quarters might not just be a pipe dream...never mind, dreams dashed, gonna go with the crap quarters probably. Just to bide my time though, I'm gonna snag a taillight panel & rear valance first, then save up for the crap quarters. Maybe the price will drop in the meantime for the full quarters.


BTW, anyone heard if one of these manufacturers is gonna make a rear valance corner piece that fits right yet? That's a cheap-to-make piece that would make people happy.

[Khyron]

I stand correct, it is price gouging.. It's just as bad, in the same breath you gave me your little speech in, your backing me up in my statement. It's $2500 panels and such that cause every other mopar part to go through the roof.

SanDiego70RTSE, no matter what I say you're not going to agree, I'm not looking for you to. But in the reverse fashion, Don't expect me to agree with you. The mopar community is whats getting taken advantage on. Not just one person or one persons opinion.

Don, spout off all you want about Camaro Parts. I understand there are more of them, I understand the Market is bigger for them. I don't need a class in your basic business principles. I can respect the cost of tooling and R&D. Steak markets and McDonalds are not the same comparison. Bottom like. they are both Steel. They both take machines to stamp them out. The only difference I see in the company that makes the 2.

Different words, but we're still getting it in the same spot.