The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs 55-59 Chevy/GMC Suburban lower patch panels

i know this has been asked before, but i will ask again. who makes decent 55-59 Chevy/GMC Suburban/Panel lower patch panels
(front lower fender,rockers,between the rocker to the rear wheel,behind the rear wheel opening)??

LMC Trucks dot com
Brothers Trucks
Tucker Truck Parts
Orange County Truck Parts


These places carry repair panels for the front half of the trucks i.e fenders, doors, step/rocker. The lower patch panels for the rear quarter panel are a no go, no one makes patch panels (so I've been told) you will have to fab one up or find another parts panel/suburban for the part.

yes Rich, no commercial patches for the 5-9 panel body behind the front doors, but the 55-66 stepside fender can supply the molded edge for around the wheel well .... the front fender patches, and step/rocker from all the vendors may take a little massage but are pretty good

Bill

Also a fleetside bed side would work (so I've been told).

the fleet beds are quite different around the wheel openings, all you'd get would be some of the slab-side areas and a bit of rocker, might as well make your own

Bill

So is it safe to say, the wheel opening from a step side fender and the remaining sheet metal from the front and back of the wheel opening on a fleetside "could" make a burban quarter panel?

with more slicing and dicing than it'd be worth, aside from the fact scrap fleetbeds are scarce to nonexistant - the bottom part of the fleet body rolls in more than the panel does and most of the rocker edge is slightly wider ... what might be useful off the fleet would be some pieces in front of the wheel opening between the "rocket shape" feature line and the rocker .... the rocker patch sold for the door step supplies the right rocker shape

Bill

I am almost tempted to find a good quarter panel and remove it.. then have it molded for making repops.

you'd spend a long time finding a good one, they're all rotten because of the double wall design .... and your temptation would evaporate when you investigated the cost compared to the likelihood of selling more than 5 in 5 years just have to get out the tools and sheet metal and get at it or hire someone to do so

Bill

Looks Great! I just need to find a really good body man with a reasonable hourly rate!

And one that travels around the country.....

I have rust free quarters in the "parts for sale". NOT NOT NOT Cheap.

PM SENT bartamos

are the cameo fiberglass rear quarter panels, such as the ones from classic industrys the same as a fleetside? they sure look like they would fit my '55 chevy suburban second series. if they work i imagine it would cut a bit of weight off my heavy beast. the only part that might not be the same from what i can tell is the rear bottom corners. thanks in advance for any info. -jrsotojr

welcome to the shops JR, the fleet/panel side question has been discussed before, the wheel openings are different - short fleet vs panel .... the Cameo sides are likely very similar to the fleet bed and panel quarters, but doubt that they'd match close enough to splice on, and attaching fiberglas to metal never holds up long

Bill

Or you could check the Stovebolt parts for sale.

thanks, i have learned alot especially about fiberglass and metal not mixing. that would have been an expensive lesson. -jrsotojr