Is anything reproduction good?

[440]

I've had a few good parts but most have fought me most of the way in one way or another.

The tail light fit in a new reproduction tail panel is atrocious. Fixing up the original panel would have likely been less work.

[Mike DC]

You aren't the first to complain about those repro 69/70 taillight holes being wrong.  It's been an ongoing problem. 

Newer mechanical parts often get much better machined tolerances than original stuff.  And the paints/coatings are normally much higher quality.

Fit & finish on the repro stuff is rarely up to snuff.  These were sloppy cars to begin with, the original tooling is long gone, and the repro companies don't have to assemble these pieces into finished cars so they get away with more slop than they should.   


The 50yo stuff is normally better.  It's still true.     

[hemi-hampton]

To answer your Question, NO.

[440]

Can someone post some good pictures of how the gaps should look and the proper mounting depth for reference?

Thanks.

[AKcharger]

9 times out of 10 it's crap...the other 1 is just poor

[b5blue]

Repo is in no way close to what was made factory. That knowledge and facility to manufacture is lost forever.

[mopar2]

And I just wrecked my door and fender Hagerty bid my repair with AMD door shell and fender. Wonder how that's going to stack up to everything

[hemi-hampton]

And I just wrecked my door and fender Hagerty bid my repair with AMD door shell and fender. Wonder how that's going to stack up to everything

[JB400]

That isn't good

[440]

I thought AMD was supposed to be good, and for a $400 - $500 panel youd expect it to be better. Hopefully the fenders and door skins are better.

The guy working on my tail panel spent 17 hours to get it close, still needs more work but it's a lot better than it was. Wish I stuck with the orginal now.... Hindsight is great isn't it.

[Mike DC]

Is the depth the main issue for the taillight mounts?  The lights end up set too far into the holes horizontally?     

 

[440]

Everything was off, the tail lights were "twisted" in the panel.

Here was before...

[Mike DC]

 
Yeah, that's a mess.  Not acceptable for a brand new panel. 

[hemi-hampton]

I've Learned many years ago best to use good used parts or fix original parts over cheap garbage fitting after market. But many gotta learn the hard way. And some will insist after market fits/works fine. Some will restore a car with messed up gaps & be fine with it. LEON.

[b5blue]

Scratch the plastic plugs that hold the door windows brackets to the glass....not worth a crap. Hint: test and fix before installing. 

[69rtse4spd]

If it the one that the screw goes through is the one your talking about B5blue, I made a bunch of those about 12 years ago. Someone on here needed a few and I took a good one & tooled up on the cnc lath. Turned out good, he was happy, still got a shit load left, at the time I think they were on back order, plus it was a fun job.

[b5blue]

Hey thanks, actually those were fine. The ones with the push in peg were nasty. I think someone tried molding both parts as one. I had to snap it apart and shave one end down to fit. I can't recall where I got them from so just test the part before install. 

[charger_fan_4ever]

I've had a few good parts but most have fought me most of the way in one way or another.

The tail light fit in a new reproduction tail panel is atrocious. Fixing up the original panel would have likely been less work.

Look up my resto thread.

We had to cut the buckets off the panel and reposition them.

And to the guy that is getting an AMD door make sure to measure the C scallops. Also pics on my thread the first AMD door skins the scallops were too long and stuck out past the r/t door scoops. I had sent AMD pics via email a few years ago.

[hemi-hampton]

I thought AMD was supposed to be good, and for a $400 - $500 panel youd expect it to be better. Hopefully the fenders and door skins are better.

The guy working on my tail panel spent 17 hours to get it close, still needs more work but it's a lot better than it was. Wish I stuck with the orginal now.... Hindsight is great isn't it.

What really sucks is when you work for a Restoration shop where the shop owner is totally clueless & you have to try & explain to him why you gotta spend 17 hours to fix a new panel & they just don't understand & say you should of just left it it was fine. Then when Customer complains shop owner say's why didn't you fix it

[odcics2]

With the repop being jacked up, I would have thought I'd have sold this already...   
Usually, they are rusted out at the seam where the tail light sits. 

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,131539.0.html

[440]

I'm a bit surprised as well, had I known I would have tossed mine in the trash and bought yours.

[Ryan.C]

I have had good luck so far with arm rest bases, arm rests and sun visors. As well as many other small clips, fasteners various lenses and the like. All the big stuff seems to need a lot of massaging to fit properly. I am still glad the stuff is even available.

[alfaitalia]

Over here its worse.....at least you have a number of sources to choose from for your Charger parts (admittedly not that great a quality it would seem). We have none apart from a few specialist importing companies who import....hike the price Northward and them resell them. Might as well do that myself....so I do!! The only issue there is that I don't know the quality until it arrives....and when it does I pretty much have to make it work....sending it back is not really an option! This is why so many Chargers are restomod/ProTour builds in the UK.....cant get the factory seat??.....use a set out of an XF Jaguar and make them fit.....etc etc etc. Getting quality parts to do a factory style rebuild on a 68-70 Charger in the UK is for people with far more money, patience and time than me!!! So basically guys it could be worse for you....a little!!

[Dreamcar]

I didn't realize that this was a problem. I just ran outside and got my cut-out tail panel out of the weather in case I need it!

[TimR70RT]

I am in engineering.. Why can't they just 3d scan these parts and reproduce them almost identically .. especially things like door scans with the two recessed scoops?

[alfaitalia]

Would that help!??? Not exactly a lot of consistency from the factory. I have the original doors on my 69...the scoops in the doors go back a good two inches further on the left door!!

[Dreamcar]

In rebuilding mine, Ive been asking people for measurements from their factory (untouched) cars and I dont think two were the same.