Probably within 6 months, I will be in a position to fabricrate patch panels. Kerryp --- Anthony Foster <monkeypuzzle1@xxxxxxx> wrote: > Hello Gang; > Since Phil and I are on the topic of the ethics of > harvesting patch panels > from donor cars I figured that I should steer the > discussion in a more > productive direction. Is there anyone out there that > makes patch panels for > Imperials or other large Chryslers? Since the main > reason for cannibalising > a roofed car to fix a convertible is usually due to > the amount of rust in > the vert's body I think that making patch panels > available would cut down on > the carnage. > Going back to what we know about our favourite > marque every generation of > Imperial carried the same sheet metal, minus fins, > over several years. For > example the 1957 to 1963 models all had very similar > fenders, door panels, > and quarter panels over this period. The main > differences were in the > grille, the fins, and the jewellery. Likewise the > 1964 to 66 models had > similar contours between body panel over those > years. At the same time we > also know that each generation of car was more > susceptible to rust in > certain locations of the body then cars of another > generation. > If we know these things then we will know which > patch panels to have > produced for what areas of the car. For instance one > series may be more > prone to rotted quarter panels then to, say, rotted > rocker panels. Another > may have the floor rot out more often then the door > bottoms. Of course any > of our cars could have any of these problems but it > would give us an idea of > which sheet metal parts to have reproduced first for > which cars. By far the > most practical and economical parts to have made > would be patch panels. > Granted, this wouldn't help the poor soul with a > badly crunched fender but > fortunately those types of project are few and far > between. For the vast > majority of projects it would not make economic > sense to have whole quarter > panels or fenders reproduced. > Best Regards > Arran Foster > 1954 Imperial Newport > Needing A left Side Taillight Bezel and other trim > parts. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Phil" <hilljack7@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2002 2:00 PM > Subject: Re: IML: Easy on the coupes!! > > > > No, not suggesting that at all, and if the > proposed parts car is damaged > or > > stripped to where it's no good for anything else, > than why not? I'm just > > saying, before someone strips or destroys a > relatively complete coupe, > think > > about it a little bit first. I've seen this done > to save several > > convertibles, not just Imps, and it always makes > me cringe just a little. > > I've made doors for hardtops out of 4 door pieces, > so this isn't exactly > an > > impossible task. And if you can't find a hardtop > parts car, you may have > no > > choice! I've fixed hardtops and convertibles, > using pieces from a 4 door, > > and it's not that impossible of a task. Sometimes > patching a door without > > removing it, is easier than removing the door in > the first place, don't > > forget, you have to change the lock and re-adjust > all the mechanisms too, > > while at it! IF I can get away with patching the > original door, its a lot > > less work, sometimes, and you have saved an > original piece of the car, > > keeping it just a bit more original when done. > > I remember well the days of musclecars being > stripped and scrapped when > they > > were cheap, and now, they've went thru the roof! > Same with most any old > Hemi > > car from the 50's. I'm not saying that only > certain people are allowed to > > have a nice car, that would be silly. What I am > saying, is before you > > destroy an Imperial coupe, think about it a little > bit first. Once they > are > > destroyed, they won't be coming back, and for > sure, they won't be making > any > > more. Lets just not cut up any Imperial for > parts, without thinking. > > > > >> Are you suggesting that there are no two door > parts cars out there for > > Dan > > > to use, especially over the three year period of > 1964-66? You know, the > > kind > > > that have hit a poll, a gutted interior, or have > the drive train > stripped > > > out. I have never suggested that he destroy a > perfectly good car of any > > body > > > style, in fact if it were me I would be looking > at making some patch > > panels. > > > > > > > >