used parts?
 

do you guys buy used parts for your trucks or buy new. Panels, running boards etc..
If used.. where?
New.. LMC seems to be the cheapest.

Need for my 54 3100 rear fenders, running boards, aprons, tailgate and all glass.

Re: used parts?
 

Jim Carter often carries used parts. Golden State Parts used to but I am not sure. And I've also used someone out of Arizona called mother trucker (mothertruckeraz@aol.com).

I tended to buy new parts except for some of those items where new repops weren't being made.

Whether to buy new/used really is going to depend on the condition of what you're looking to buy used. Rear fenders are undoubtedly going to have some rust and dent issues if you get used. It will all depend on whether you want to put the work into them to get them looking like new. Same for a tailgate.

Re: used parts?
 

good advise! thank you.

Who do you guys prefer buying sheet metal parts from? Is there a quality difference between vendors or same stuff? Cheapest? Easiest to purchase from?

Re: used parts?
 

Depends on what your buying. In the case of cab corners Keyparts makes nice stuff but the right cab corner is out of wack at the botom where it meets the rocker. If your doing cab corners go with a dynacorn corner it matches up very well. Steps w/ Rocker attached is almost half the price from Key parts and is almost the same as a Dynacorn.

There are small things kike that with each mfg so you should really look for a vendor that installs what they sell, they will be the ones that can tell you what mfg is good for what part. Cheapest part is exactly that. You may waste hours on a panel getting it to fit and was $20 cheaper when you could have paid extra and gotten one that fit with out much headache. BUT more expensive it not always better.

Re: used parts?
 

Most of the aftermarket stuff carried by the various vendors is all from the same source to be honest.

I've dealt with probably most of the big outfits (brothers, cpp, gspp, lmc, chevy duty, gmcpauls, jim carter, the fillingstation, etc). I honestly think though if I were to start on another project I'd throw my $$$ at some of the vendors who are active here in lending advice. For the most part the prices of some of the sponsoring vendors here are equally competitive plus they provide that little extra with their personal verbal support here which has to be worth something.

As a note though, for bed/tailgate stuff I wouldn't buy from anyone other than Mar-K. American made and first class American service.

Re: used parts?
 

I second Mar-K, great US made products that fit with no modification.