# caved in, bought expensive 68 door



## mainegoat68 (May 5, 2011)

I'm in the process of finally getting my 68 ready for paint. I've owned it since '79, driven it till 07. Been working on it since 07 as time allows. For the last year I've been fighting with the drivers door. I have the original door shell, in very good condition rust wise, but the skin was messed up, so I removed it, to replace with an aftermarket one. Big mistake. The new skin fits terrible, gaps are all over the place. I then bought a "good" used door online, that wasn't too good, but it fit very well. Neither one of these made me very happy, as the rest of the car came out very good, but this door deal is killing me. This week, I went all in, and bought a used door on E-Bay. It was the Blue one. I'm sure some of you were looking at it, as it showed 9 watchers, and some have to be members here. By the time I pay the shipper, I'll have $720 invested in it, plus one crappy door skin, and one not so good used door, for around $1100. I paid $650.00 for the running car in '79 . I'm so disappointed in the reproduction parts quality. Everything I bought has been poor. It's amazing that the modern stuff can't compete with the ancient tech of 40 something years ago. Any way, by next weekend, I should have it in my possession, and if it is as good as it should be, maybe I can get past this one last roadblock. And if it isn't any good, I'm heading for the nearest bridge.:banghead:


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

We all feel your pain on the repop body part quality. "I've heard" that part of the reason is that the source for these parts are all the original factory forming dies that were used to originally build the cars. The companies that reproduce sheet metal parts have all "somehow" managed to acquire them. These dies, like everything else, wear out over time and lose their accuracy - and that's why the parts don't fit like they used to, especially where there are sharp bends/edges.

Bear


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

X2. Plus, the materials aren't as good. New reproduction rubber parts last 6 months, oem stuff lasts 45 years. Old tires lasted 20 years without cracking and separating, new tires fail in 4-6 years. Everywhere you look, at every product, everything is made with less substance yet costs more. We are being groomed as a society to accept less and call it good. Screw that. I'm like you guys: the total cost for BOTH my GTO's way back when was $3000. Hard to cough up more than the car cost for a paint job or for parts. What I have learned over many years on all makes of cars, and on virtually all tools and appliances and equipment: Buy used, USA made stuff. It's the only decent stuff out there. The more crap we buy, the more they'll make. 100 years from now it'll be like it was in the Dark Ages: people cooking a rat over a fire looking in awe at a junked out car or a bridge or a skyscraper, and wondering "how in the world did the Ancients BUILD that?"


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

NO! NO!, and again, I repeat NO!:nonod: ALL you guys are wrong - I saw it on "that" TV show and step-by-step in "those" magazines. ALL those aftermarket parts and pieces fit like factory and will last just as long, maybe longer.:thumbsup:

Come on guys, let's be honest. It has to be YOU, the installer, who just doesn't know what you're doing. This *is why* YOU need to leave old car repairs and restoration to the PROFESSIONALS who know what they are doing. That's why you pay a $100 an hour and tens of thousands of dollars for such work because not only do "they" know what "they" are doing, the 35 year old owner/worker has all the knowledge and experience with these older cars.

This *is why* you need to ditch that obsolete "old guy" nostalgia thinking of trying to restore or rebuild your car and go modern/resto-mod with things far more updated and waaaaaaay better.......and made in America.....like an LS3 engine, modern day 4-speed OD automatic transmissions or 5/6-speed manuals, rack & pinion steering, tubular A-arms, custom built 9 inch Ford/12-bolt rears, digital gauges and components, upgraded interiors, 18" rims & tires, and two part paint jobs!

OK, where is the throw-up icon on the smilies options??????

X3 with mainegoat68, BearGFR, and geeteeohguy. I myself have experienced the "will fit........" only to find it will fit with a lot of rework. America as we knew it is gone. "Quality part" or "quality work" simply means that somebody made it or did it with mediocre being an acceptable norm and "perfect" being an anomaly. Since when did Americans accept mediocre????? Do it right or don't do it at all.


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## srea76 (Jul 28, 2014)

My big issue is living in SE ga and no good body/paint people in area. Everyone only wants to touch insurance jobs now.


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## chuckha62 (Apr 5, 2010)

srea76 said:


> My big issue is living in SE ga and no good body/paint people in area. Everyone only wants to touch insurance jobs now.


That's typical of other parts of the country as well. It's the instant gratification syndrome that's endemic in our society now. It's about making quick money. Finding someone to do a complete without charging an arm and a leg is impossible!


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## GTO70455 (Feb 10, 2009)

There's a new guy on the block that I have herd great reviews from. Its call Auto Metal Direct. They do not make everything but have some Pontiac items. I purchased a hood from them and it was spot on.


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## 68-GTO (Oct 20, 2013)

+1....

i have bought the hole glasses for my ´68 by auto metal direct...
It fit to 100%


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## mainegoat68 (May 5, 2011)

The shipper dropped off the door, it's in very good condition, original paint even. I guess I lucked out for once, though I have some $$ in it. The fit is so much better than the repop.
I hear you guys on the hard to find paint shops. The shops that would take it right in, I wouldn't trust, and the guys with the good reputations are booked up for the next ten years. I'll look into AMD, to see what they have.


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## srea76 (Jul 28, 2014)

My area they only want to do insurance jobs now.


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