# Opgi parts!



## 64highboy (Oct 13, 2018)

Has anyone had any issues with the opgi parts? I ordered two left fenders both are garbage I ended up sourcing an oem fender. I just got my tail light hardware and the studs had some kind of crappy Chinese thread pitch and the nuts wont go on. Also my hood insert is garbage compared to the own one. Just wondering what other people’s opions on the quilts of this stuff is


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## Nicholas (Jan 16, 2017)

I don't recall buying anything from them, although I could have. I did receive their latest catalogue and was looking through it recently. I couldn't believe the prices of some items. Have parts gone up that much or is it just them?? Personally, I'd stick with Ames before looking elsewhere. Just my opinion.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

64highboy said:


> Has anyone had any issues with the opgi parts? I ordered two left fenders both are garbage I ended up sourcing an oem fender. I just got my tail light hardware and the studs had some kind of crappy Chinese thread pitch and the nuts wont go on. Also my hood insert is garbage compared to the own one. Just wondering what other people’s opions on the quilts of this stuff is


Welcome to the world of reproduction parts.  The best parts are the factory parts with regards to "perfect fit & finish."

Most aftermarket parts come from the same source and are sold by most of those who offer these parts. They may not fit like original and may need to be modified, but, if you don't want to pay the $high dollar for an original piece or it cannot be found, then you sometimes have to settle and deal with the aftermarket stuff. I have purchased from OPGI and have not had any issues with the pieces I have bought.

Not sure what year items you purchased or are complaining about. Posting the item and year would be helpful for all and may aid another member in his/her choice to purchase. OPGI & AMES both offer 1966-1970 fenders. In comparing, Ames states that the 1968-69 quality is poor and will require hours of prep work and use only as a last resort. OPGI does not include such a claim and says they fit like OEM. Same goes with hood inserts - AMES rates them from fair to very good. Note that none of them are rated as a perfect OEM replacement. 

Again, welcome to the world of reproduction parts. Often members on the forum will ask about quality or best choice when sourcing these reproduction parts prior to purchasing them. Sometimes these type questions can be answered while other times not. And it does not matter if it is a body, electrical, interior, or mechanical part, these aftermarket suppliers and makers want to sell and make money and not all advertised parts that are said to fit or even work, do. 

So as always, buyer beware unless you are buying a factory stamped item and then you have to trust the sellers description of the part and have to deal with that if it is not as accurate as you were led to believe. So the best way is to physically examine the piece you want in question prior to purchase. This is where attending swap meets at such shows as the Pontiac Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, attending a POCI nationals, or hitting local swap meets where you can see the part and decide for yourself if it is what you want and are willing to pay the price. It may be a long drive or require a vacation week to attend, but there is a better chance you will not be disappointed in the parts you need to source from original parts offered IF one of the vendors has it. And even this is not a guarantee that the part is what it is - just ask Dan who got boned on what he thought were a nice looking and refurbed pair of Rally II rims. :thumbsup:


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## Nicholas (Jan 16, 2017)

Have to respect Ames for giving an honest assessment of a part. Lessens the disappointment of fit knowing that it might require some work.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Very true. A great many of the reproduction mechanical and body/trim parts that are out there all come from one manufacturer: The Parts Place Inc. Not all, but many. I discovered that when I bought some of the lower chrome plastic dash inserts for my '69 from one of the "name" sources and found on the back of it when it arrived, clearly stamped: "The Parts Place Inc". Ames has a pretty good track record for at least telling the truth about how things fit, the others --- not so much. As far as I know, OPGI does not make any of their own parts - however I could be mistaken and am willing to be corrected.

For items that have more than once source, there can be a huge difference in quality. Cases in point: Reproduction Ram Air exhaust manifolds and seat covers. Ram Air Restoration Enterprises and Legendary Auto Interiors are hands down the best quality for those items, respectively.

It takes a lot of time and effort in order to identify where the good stuff really is, and sometimes there just isn't any.

Bear


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## Stereolab42 (Apr 6, 2018)

Bought tons from OPGI. Most of the parts were excellent quality and fit with no trouble. A substantial minority required some modification or weren't quite OEM looking, but functioned perfectly (like the washer motor I just installed that didn't have a hole to expose the wiper motor prongs -- had to make one). In general I think they do a good job of screening out crap. If I live out east instead of in Cali I might use Ames more though.


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## Shake-N-Bake (Jun 16, 2015)

*convertible pinch weld molding*

I found that I have to be very careful when ordering anything from OPGI. I don't think they are Pontiac guys....or don't seem to be. My first clue was the "Award Winning" 68 GTO they have on the cover of the catalog they sent me. Not sure what award that car received but it looks a bit short in several areas to me. The main thing I notice is it is missing the nose emblem and chrome molding trim on the front valance. 

Browsing through the catalog, there are numerous items that are described as "amazing, exact, perfect, etc" reproductions of the original yet the photo of the part tells a different story. There are some items listed as correct for 1968 but actually not correct or even used on that model year. I wish I hadn't tossed out my catalog so I could go back and identify a few examples.

I am sure some stuff is pretty good.....maybe even many things.

The Ames people are Pontiac guys. Their description of parts are closer to how I would describe stuff. If it's not exact, but close then they say so...most times. I purchased their reproduction convertible pinch weld moldings and their description said "good to fair" quality and that is what I received. Not perfect....but not bad. My complaint was the forward most area...sort of looks like a dolphin. The 'snout' was a little wider and less 'bead like' compared to my original. The stainless wasn't as polished as I would prefer but likely polished to the same degree as when these cars were new.

Looking through the OPGI catalog....they say they have Award Winning Exact reproduction moldings that they are very proud of and guarantee that I would be impressed by the quality. So, I decided to order a set and see how much better they were. Well, the dolphin snout was closer to my original so I will give them that....but the rest of the part was less than ideal. The 'dolphin' head portion was more narrow than the original and would not even fit the body of the car without some heavy trimming. I could have worked with that issue but the overall shape of the piece was pretty far off and I was afraid to bend it tighter for fear it might kink. It was super shiny....but that was about the only compliment I could give to that part.

Thankfully OPGI allows returns so I sent them back. Not before taking some photos though...
The first pic has the OPGI molding on top, Ames in the center and my original at the bottom. The remaining photos have my original in center, Ames to the inside and OPGI on the outside.

I ended up using the Ames part and ran it through my buffer a few times to improve the shine. Looks good on the car. Fit pretty nice as well.


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## RMTZ67 (Mar 12, 2011)

I purchased 90 percent of my parts thru opgi 10+ years ago. Quality was pretty decent. had to modify most everything somewhat but that was to be expected. Did not buy any metal or chrome tho.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

OPGI is my last resort to be used only if they are the only ones that have the part.
Very expensive compared to other suppliers + the person I talked to about shipping errors wanted to tell me about my postal code and argue with me about shipping vs mailing.
Since I can't get them to ship to my address because of an ignorant employee it is just easier to avoid them altogether.
We don't get home delivery from USPS, we have P.O. boxes and my PO box is in a different town than my residence so if they say ship and they mail it instead I don't get the package.
Since they refuse to believe that I actually know where I live and AMES has no problem with it I simply avoid OPGI and their lousy customer service.


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## joelau27 (Sep 22, 2018)

Over the summer, I have purchased a ton of stuff from Ames. They are great, never a problem. Prices are very reasonable,and they are honest about quality. I too only use OPGI as a last resort.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

OPGI---I bought a fan shroud from them because it was 50% off. They have a lot of the parts other places do, but they are by far the most expensive. Have been doing business with AMES since 1983, always with stellar results. Have also used Year One with great results. I always, always try to go original used or oem before buying 'new' anything. The only reproduction parts on my '65 GTO is the carpet and armrest bases. On my '67, its interior coverings, dash lens, weatherstripping, and carpet. Everything else is factory GM.


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## tonyskala (Feb 7, 2015)

I purchased some sheet metal from Tamaraz in Illinois. The body shop asked me where I got them from because they fit really well and he thought the quality was really good. 

Ames seems to have a lot but they are expensive. 

OPGI is where I got my interior from. They are also expensive but sometimes they have triple point deals. 

Otherwise my first stop is Craigslist, then ebay, then Tamaraz, then Ames, then OPGI.


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## uscfan1976 (Sep 4, 2018)

I used OPGI for a few things and no issues whatsoever. With that said I split my purchases 50/50 between AMES or National Parts Depot now. AMES for the obvious stuff and NPD for anything else. NPD has 4 warehouse nationwide and I can have my order in 2 days or less. NPD and AMES have helpful staffs and their catalogs are stocked with tons of stuff. Don't get me wrong OPGI is good too but it all depends on what you are looking for. Always best to shop around.


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## NYGTO2018 (Oct 1, 2018)

Confirmed, nothing but subpar design and build. The most basic part is useless. Sales people act surprised as though they never heard an inquiry before. Had a good quick lesson and now only buy used G.M.
Zero quality and zero pride in product.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

NYGTO2018 said:


> Confirmed, nothing but subpar design and build. The most basic part is useless. Sales people act surprised as though they never heard an inquiry before. Had a good quick lesson and now only buy used G.M.
> Zero quality and zero pride in product.


Duly noted, but how about an example of a basic part or parts you purchased that was "subpar?" I have spoken to their reps each time when ordering, never had any issues.


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## NYGTO2018 (Oct 1, 2018)

Trim rings for Rally I wheels that were out of round and not 14 inch. Closer to 14.25 so I took my car to a highly respected front end shop (just to have trim rings installed). That's where I learned my first OPGI lesson. I've been involved in the A body world for 45 years and have watched quality decline steadily to OPGI grade.


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## big iron (Apr 26, 2018)

Over time I have learned that Ames has fair prices, decent products and yes, they are good about giving an honest assesment on the quality of their products. They are usually cheaper than OPGI too. Some items, as with all vendors, are not available for pontiac but I have found that there are certain parts that are identical on chevelles and likely the same applies to buick and olds. I replaced the lower steering column ball bearing on my 65 GTO with a unit from Eckler's sold as the same year chevelle. Expensive but the only replacement part from a pontiac vendor was a brass bushing. I prefer the ball bearing unit as original.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Eckler's also has some parts not available anywhere else, like the springs for the door locks on our A-bodies. Listed as a Chevelle part, but it's really GM.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

NYGTO2018 said:


> Trim rings for Rally I wheels that were out of round and not 14 inch. Closer to 14.25 so I took my car to a highly respected front end shop (just to have trim rings installed). That's where I learned my first OPGI lesson. I've been involved in the A body world for 45 years and have watched quality decline steadily to OPGI grade.


Appreciate the response and your actual experience. Agree that some parts are indeed subpar and need to be reworked, or just simply don't work. I feel it also depends on the level of restoration or build you are going for. This, along with budget, probably steers most of us on our builds. Nothing replaces original or NOS, but some of those prices are way out of my reach. I am however not trying to restore to any kind of 100, or even 80 point restoration. I can also "make" things work/fit IF it can be modified to do so. Some parts, as your experience, can't be worked to fit and then I am on board with making the statement that they sell "some" junk.

I also know that I am taking a chance in purchasing any aftermarket part, whether it be a body, interior, engine, or chassis part. So with that, I also measure on how the seller/company handles my complaint or return when I am not satisfied, nor will I accept, the part as is. Some will not give you a hassle and quickly exchange or refund, while others are real a-holes and drop you like a stone after the sale and won't talk with you or even hint in making you a satisfied customer - and those are the ones who really need to be pointed out. :yesnod:


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## NYGTO2018 (Oct 1, 2018)

PontiacJim said:


> NYGTO2018 said:
> 
> 
> > Trim rings for Rally I wheels that were out of round and not 14 inch. Closer to 14.25 so I took my car to a highly respected front end shop (just to have trim rings installed). That's where I learned my first OPGI lesson. I've been involved in the A body world for 45 years and have watched quality decline steadily to OPGI grade.
> ...


They wouldn't take a return because I tried to install the ill fitting trim rings. Another convenient maneuver is they only post postive product reviews. Needless to say I haven't met anyone with a satisfactory purchase and I wonder how many people get rolled over when I see their advertising. And personally I don't care about the money, just a properly made part meeting a simple standard that THEY claim.


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## dd68gto (Nov 14, 2012)

NYGTO2018 said:


> PontiacJim said:
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Not sure why anyone on east coast would use opgi over Ames . They do a good job of shipping same day if you call before noon and if you request UPS they deliver from Maine to Florida in two days . They have started to use usps last year but simple request will get you UPS if you have any question on parts and fitment they tell you like it is. And they are a Pontiac only company . Love Ames . Doug


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## NYGTO2018 (Oct 1, 2018)

dd68gto said:


> NYGTO2018 said:
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> > PontiacJim said:
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Because at the time they were the only supplier with what I needed. 

I've been in business with my family for 50 year's and throughout that time we learned what not to do from experiences like OPGI gives.


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