Originally Posted by protrash64 (Post 3504391)

I think Bowties was looking for 'Counterpart'......what I like to call 'Counterfit' parts:lol:

Originally Posted by Bugeyev8 (Post 3504474)

what a shame we can't get american made parts for out vintage trucks...18 gauge !!! this truck is 14 gauge or thicker !! I measured over 2mm on the front fender, I guess I will use what I have but it will take longer fixing them that it would take for me to beat the new parts myself, Thanks everyone for the help

Originally Posted by MailManX2 (Post 3504628)

14 gage? Holy smokes, that's not sheet metal, that's armor plate..

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties (Post 3504885)

That's it. Wow, I wasn't even close. :lol:

Originally Posted by Captainfab (Post 3505621)

I agree that it is sad that we can't get US made replacement parts for our trucks. Even though all the parts are made in China, some are better than others. I've bought patch panels and body parts from Classic Parts, and of those parts about half of them were what I would call acceptable and didn't require reworking. These were made by Tri-Pro Automotive. Some guys say that having to rework the part is acceptable, but I guess I'm just picky. From what I've seen and heard from others, Tri-Pro has about the best parts of all the suppliers.

I have found that most of the body sheetmetal on these older trucks is 18ga, and 1mm I believe is right there if not a hair thicker. I didn't believe it either until I got out the dial calipers and measured for myself.

Originally Posted by Eagar1 (Post 3504489)

Great thread, as the only rust I have is in the same place, but I am hoping to be able to patch the holes with thicker metal, since the lips are still intact.

Originally Posted by collins10672 (Post 3506539)

if you want usa made repair panels for the 60-66 chevy trucks,there is a couple of places you can get them.first try tabco located in chesterland ohio they make their own panels here in the good ole usa.second try surplus supply also located in the ohio,they sell the tabco panels and another line of made in usa panels that are in raw steel that have not been primed.these panels are as thick as the gm sheetmetal.i have seen these panels in person at swap meets and they are not like the thin foreign crap most companies sell.both of these companies have websites so do a google search.good luck panel hunting.hope i have been of some help.

Originally Posted by MailManX2 (Post 3506591)

I bought Tabco panels when I first got my truck because I had read they were made in the USA and fit really well. What Tabco sent me was nothing more than garbage. The floor pans they sent me looked like they had been cut from a wreck. All bent up. The kick panels were not the same as a 60-66 and were for a 68-72. The rear floor pan sections were also for a 68-72. The front cab mounts were marked left and right but were both rights. The rocker panels looked OK but when test fitting they had been trimmed too short so they weren't high enough on the A and B pillar. The rear cab mounts and cab corners looked OK.

I called about the quality of the parts and during the numerous conversations with Tabco they told me the dies for the floor pans had been damaged in the past but they continued to use it. Also the floor pans, cab mounts and kick panels were actually for a 68-72 Chevy truck, I have a 60 Chevy truck. On the front cab mount they told me that's the way they sell them and to just cut and weld them onto the old mounts. They kept promising to send me replacement floor pans and after almost a year they did. They were almost as bad and the first set of crap they sent me and are still sitting in the box. I ended up buying Tri-Plus parts and they are a lot better than the crap Tabco sent me. I didn't see any difference in the gage of the metal between the Tabco and Tri-Plus.

http://www.homesteaders.us/floorsection1.jpg

Tabco floor pan on top, Tri-Plus on the bottom.. The Tri-Plus panel wasn't perfect but it didn't take too much work to install it. The biggest problem with the Tri-Plus panel were the holes for the cab mount bolts being off a little bit.

I'd rather buy something made in the USA any day of the week but I wasted over $300 on Tabco and their made in USA panels.

Originally Posted by mbgmike (Post 3506013)

Do you mean TriPlus? Actually most all the board vendors here sell the exact same parts from the same MFG. Tri-Pro included.