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Re: Brand new box sides for 72-80 Dodge trucks
[Re: Cooter]
#1506903
09/25/13 12:20 PM
09/25/13 12:20 PM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,449
Orange Park FL.
LilRed7879
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,449
Orange Park FL.
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Well just to throw my  in. I HOPE someone makes them but I doubt the cost development can be justified. The market is pretty small for those willing to pay the money needed to make it worth while. I have a few doors and fenders from when they still reproduced them and have had a hard time selling them because no one wants to pay shipping cost let alone the cost of the part itself. It is a pretty select market and it is pretty hard to get a decent ROI even on the small parts we have done. I looked into the flat bumpers for the rear and just could not see me getting my money back for 5+ years let along actually turning a profit. BUT I still hope someone with deeper pockets than myself makes any and all the parts we need for our trucks!
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Re: Brand new box sides for 72-80 Dodge trucks
[Re: Cooter]
#1506904
09/25/13 01:16 PM
09/25/13 01:16 PM
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,179
Canada
demon
OP
super stock
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OP
super stock
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,179
Canada
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Quote:
Well said, and non-confrontational.
Yet, I still disagree. You aren't seeing cheapskates coming into your shop because, well, I think that is obvious. The top of the Dodge truck market is very low. Look at the original LREs, Machos and Rod Halls- they just don't pull over 20K easily.
that may be, but you also don't see any 1978 Chev or Ford pickups selling for over 20K either. And they can order boxsides. Pickups have always been more of a do it yourselfers project. Guys like to restore or build trucks themselves and rarely does anyone make a buck on them. You certainly could not pay a shop to restore a 78 Chev or 78 Ford and expect to make money by selling it. Pickups are restored because their owners are passionate about their trucks.
Around here trucks are very popular. 67-87 Chevs, 72-80 Dodges and 78-79 Fords are all desirable and being built by their enthusiastic owners all the time.
The repro box sides and other parts for Chev and Ford trucks sell because they are available.
I have a buddy into old Cadillacs. He would love to restore them, but you can't buy 1/4's or even patch panels, so his cars just sit.
If panels were available you can bet you would see lots of Cadillacs back on the road.
Same goes for AMC's, Scouts, and so many other old vehicles.
Like the old saying goes. If you build it, they will sell.
You can't sell something that doesn't exist
AMD makes Dart fenders. Who would have ever thought we would see those?
Great things happen when people put their mind to it. I say let's speak up and help to get more parts for our old Dodge trucks made.
Just because a person doesn't see the merit in producing certain parts doesn't mean they should discourage those who do want them.
Next time you buy a reproduction part for your own project, ask yourself what if everyone said " why bother, it's not worth making it". You might not have the vital part you need.
Quality parts sell themselves.
Last edited by demon; 09/25/13 01:18 PM.
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Re: Brand new box sides for 72-80 Dodge trucks
[Re: demon]
#1506906
09/25/13 11:29 PM
09/25/13 11:29 PM
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,722
Chicagoland
Cooter
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,722
Chicagoland
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Quote:
Quote:
Well said, and non-confrontational.
Yet, I still disagree. You aren't seeing cheapskates coming into your shop because, well, I think that is obvious. The top of the Dodge truck market is very low. Look at the original LREs, Machos and Rod Halls- they just don't pull over 20K easily.
that may be, but you also don't see any 1978 Chev or Ford pickups selling for over 20K either. And they can order boxsides. Pickups have always been more of a do it yourselfers project. Guys like to restore or build trucks themselves and rarely does anyone make a buck on them. You certainly could not pay a shop to restore a 78 Chev or 78 Ford and expect to make money by selling it. Pickups are restored because their owners are passionate about their trucks.
Around here trucks are very popular. 67-87 Chevs, 72-80 Dodges and 78-79 Fords are all desirable and being built by their enthusiastic owners all the time.
The repro box sides and other parts for Chev and Ford trucks sell because they are available.
I have a buddy into old Cadillacs. He would love to restore them, but you can't buy 1/4's or even patch panels, so his cars just sit.
If panels were available you can bet you would see lots of Cadillacs back on the road.
Same goes for AMC's, Scouts, and so many other old vehicles.
Like the old saying goes. If you build it, they will sell.
You can't sell something that doesn't exist
AMD makes Dart fenders. Who would have ever thought we would see those?
Great things happen when people put their mind to it. I say let's speak up and help to get more parts for our old Dodge trucks made.
Just because a person doesn't see the merit in producing certain parts doesn't mean they should discourage those who do want them.
Next time you buy a reproduction part for your own project, ask yourself what if everyone said " why bother, it's not worth making it". You might not have the vital part you need.
Quality parts sell themselves.
But the thing about the Ford and Chevy is that they ARE more common, and thus, have more of a market to spend the cost of the tooling and R&D.
That is the reason the Dart fenders work; there is enough of a following, and there has been, along with fans willing to pay the price to fix them. Demand on the A bodies went up before the AMD panels came out, not the other way around.
As stated above, good rust free parts are still out there, and going unsold. I would love to see quality "first gen" bumpers out there again, as the rear bumpers have become much harder to find. I would love to see a quality bedside, as well. But again, I don't see the money in it. It is hard enough to sell a rust free "first gen"truck bed to begin with, and rust free Dodge trucks, RCs and TDs are going dirt cheap in the Pac NW, and I have found quite a few for friends down here to bring back for cheaper than what a pair of bedsides and installation would cost them. Plus, they don't have to worry about cab supports, floor pans, or roof rails that are rotted away.
Repair panels have existed for the Chevy and Ford pretty much all along. Because the trucks were popular. Not the other way around.
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Re: Brand new box sides for 72-80 Dodge trucks
[Re: 79machocharger]
#1506914
09/26/13 05:44 PM
09/26/13 05:44 PM
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,722
Chicagoland
Cooter
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,722
Chicagoland
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The Goodmark price was about $50 cheaper, depending on shipping. But who knows how many (if any) are left. 72" is only 6', and I don't see the third stake pocket (or was that in the end cap? Either way, I cant see 2'of cap) Who knows correct the picture is, either. Both bed sides would run you nearly $700 with shipping. I could see it is it was full length. I would think you should be able to find someone to send you a bed, as long as you were able to get it to ride with something else headed your way.
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Re: Brand new box sides for 72-80 Dodge trucks
[Re: Cooter]
#1506915
09/26/13 06:12 PM
09/26/13 06:12 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,443
ME
79machocharger
master
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master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,443
ME
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Goodmark is all out as well, the guy told me they only stocked a couple at a time as they weren't a very big seller.
Last edited by 79machocharger; 09/26/13 06:15 PM.
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Re: Brand new box sides for 72-80 Dodge trucks
[Re: 79machocharger]
#1506916
09/26/13 07:47 PM
09/26/13 07:47 PM
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,722
Chicagoland
Cooter
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,722
Chicagoland
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Quote:
Goodmark is all out as well, the guy told me they only stocked a couple at a time as they weren't a very big seller.
I truly wish that wasn't the case. But I know I couldn't make any money dragging rust free Dodge truck parts back from ABQ when I was down there last spring.
So I grabbed a pair of Duster fenders, and now AMD is repopping them. 
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Re: Brand new box sides for 72-80 Dodge trucks
[Re: demon]
#1506918
09/26/13 08:55 PM
09/26/13 08:55 PM
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,179
Canada
demon
OP
super stock
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OP
super stock
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,179
Canada
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Back in the 80's the only panels available for Road Runners, Chargers, Darts etc were the handmade patch panels. They were flat and they sucked. But it was all we had available, so we used them and sculpted them to look acceptable. Then in the early 90's the stamped skins came out. We though we had hit the lottery! We cut off those patched up 1/4's and welded on the new skins. Yeah they were oversized, and they were thin guage metal, but we did that 7 foot lap or butt weld and bondo, and were pretty happy. Lots and I mean LOTS of mopars got those skins. Then a few year ago AMD and Goodmark started making full 1/4's for the Mopars. And what did we do? We cut off those skins and welded on new full 1/4s. Now we finally had the panels we wanted. And junkers and parts cars suddenly were brought into shops everywhere to get new full 1/4's and be restored.
You think Dodge truck guys don't want new box sides?
Think again.
Last edited by demon; 09/26/13 08:57 PM.
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Re: Brand new box sides for 72-80 Dodge trucks
[Re: demon]
#1506919
09/26/13 11:15 PM
09/26/13 11:15 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,886
Lost and Spaced
bboogieart
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,886
Lost and Spaced
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All I can say is, I live in the rust belt and there is a guy near me, (a member here too), that will sell me an entire rust free box for $700.oo. kinda hard to pay 3 to 4 hunert + shipping, per side with a whole bed available. Either way I have a few more bucks to save up. 
I have mechanical Aptitude.
I can screw up anything.
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Re: Brand new box sides for 72-80 Dodge trucks
[Re: bboogieart]
#1506920
09/27/13 12:00 AM
09/27/13 12:00 AM
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,179
Canada
demon
OP
super stock
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OP
super stock
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,179
Canada
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Quote:
All I can say is, I live in the rust belt and there is a guy near me,
(a member here too), that will sell me an entire rust free box for $700.oo. kinda hard to pay 3 to 4 hunert + shipping, per side with a whole bed available. Either way I have a few more bucks to save up.
no offense, but if you think a 33-41 year old truck box has no rust, you are fooling yourself. It may look rust free but there is rust lurking in between, just waiting for you to put fresh paint on before it bubbles through right above the wheel opening. Trust me, it really ruins your mood when you see bubbles 3 months after you spent a bundle getting the truck painted.
And what if the the "rust free" box does that? Then what? You are cutting, patching, bondo and repainting. Suddenly your used box doesn't look so peachy and cheap anymore.
Not to mention the dents and cracks that any old truck box accumulates over it's life of use.
This isn't meant to hurt your feelings, I'm just speaking from experience. There are good used boxes out there, factory take offs etc, but we are talking about trucks that were built decades ago now. A perfect box is a rarity
Just like on muscle cars, you don't know what you have until you take it apart.
Ever cut the bottom off the lower 1/4 of any old car to patch it? Know what happens when you open it up? Damp dirt, rust, bottle caps and rusty nuts and bolts fall on the floor.
There may not be any visible rust on the truck box you have found, but it will have pitting happening where you cannot see it, and it is a ticking time bomb before it comes through. And has the box been painted before? After 33-41 years, most likely. Are you going to assume it's good and paint over it? Or strip the paint to bare metal? More $$. What's hiding under the paint? Does it have unecessary trim that needs removing and holes welded shut? More $$
Is the gas filler where you need it? There were no less than 3 combinations of filler openings. Is the back side of the box sides clean and smooth and new? Don't think so. But they are on brand new box sides.
Want to knock the dents out of the inner panels for the show truck? How do you do that with the box sides on? With them off you have full access to the inner panels to address any dents, rust etc, or to add in handy ties down hooks while the sides are off.
Take any banged up old truck box that is basically free, remove the banged up box sides, sandblast the inners and epoxy them. Weld on new box sides and Presto!
Nice straight box with no surprises waiting in behind.
You can transform a piece of s**t box into a beauty with new sides.
The fact is, quality panels will make a quality box, which is a huge part of any old truck.
I for one would rather have straight new box sides with No bondo, No dents, No rust. no welded in patches. Try that with old box sides
Last edited by demon; 09/27/13 12:04 AM.
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