Author Topic: Is This Tail Panel Right? (Read 1902 times)

FY1Cuda · « **on:** May 08, 2011 - 07:32:08 PM »

We're putting our Cuda together after the accident and thought everything was fitting relatively well UNTIL we put the tail panel on (with screws) and held the trunk lid in place over it. The arch of the tail panel seems to be less than that of the trunk lid. All the new sheet metal is AMD so everything should be compatible. The lid seems to curve upwards about a 1/2" and out about a 1/2". The tail panel seems to arch only about a 1/4".
The other issue is the quality of the panel. Out of the box there were two dings along the top curve, the metal around the lock hole was pushed in making about a 4" circular depression, and the ridge that runs across the bottom was crisp by the tail light openings and rounded-off as it got toward the center. Is this typical and what others have encountered, or should I have rejected it immediately and gotten another?
The first and third pictures are attempts to show the bottom ridge rounding off in the center. The masking tape strips hopefully show the contour change.
If this is defective, am I too late to get it replaced since I drilled and sanded parts? Thoughts?

Sean · « **Reply #1 on:** May 09, 2011 - 12:23:47 AM »

Hi,
I'm putting the rear of my Cuda together and am in about the same spot as you, fitting and tweaking. I have an AMD tail panel and decklid (with cutouts if that matters). The tail panel I got did not have the two dings and the 'pressed in' area around the lock. Sounds like your panel slipped past QC, or got mishandled sometime after it left the factory. Probably should have gone back, may be too late now - not sure.

The decklid arch matches the arch of the tail panel. Can't even speculate why yours don't match.

Have you tried bending down the flange on the upper edge of the tail panel so you can see exactly what the gap is? Don't know if that will help, but you can see exactly what the gap is.

I have an issue that I'm trying to figure out how to correct. On my car, the decklid lines up at the corners by the quarters with the tail panel, but the decklid sticks out over the tail panel by about a 1/4 inch in the center. Once you bend that inner flange down, you may run into the same issue. Don't know if it's common. You have enough on your hands, I hope you don't have to deal with my issue too! Here's a pic of what I'm talking about.

Sean

FY1Cuda · « **Reply #2 on:** May 09, 2011 - 01:10:02 AM »

On yours it looks like you could just pull or tap the tail panel back to line up with the lid. I wish our's was that close. Is the bottom ridge crisp all the way across, or does it round off and slant upwards like our's?

DocMel · « **Reply #3 on:** May 09, 2011 - 12:18:55 PM »

Hmmmm_ This is a AMD sponsored forum topic, yet no input from AMD?

572b1cuda · « **Reply #4 on:** May 09, 2011 - 12:36:24 PM »

i am with you doc! if you read through these forums there seems to be lots of problems with amd parts, and those fenders should be available in 2 weeks

dutch · « **Reply #5 on:** May 09, 2011 - 12:43:39 PM »

Quote from: DocMel on May 09, 2011 - 12:18:55 PM

Hmmmm_ This is a AMD sponsored forum topic, yet no input from AMD?

exactly what I was thinking.
I suppuse yo would not be able to see the fitment issues right out of the box, so wouldn`t it be a nice customerservise to take the part back and send you a new one? did you contact the vendor yet?

FY1Cuda · « **Reply #6 on:** May 09, 2011 - 01:03:46 PM »

I will talk to AMD. The customer service rep is out for an hour, but I will check with him and send pictures. Oh, and yeah, I'm waiting for a front fender too. Should be any day now.

FY1Cuda · « **Reply #7 on:** May 09, 2011 - 09:25:29 PM »

I talked to Alan at AMD and he asked for some pictures which I emailed to him. He called back about an hour later to say that he agreed that things didn't look right. He told me they have a Hemi Cuda in the showroom, and he went to check the tail panel on that car, and mine looked damaged or not properly stamped. He's sending me another one tomorrow.
I also asked him about the ETA on 70 or 71 front fenders. He says "mid-June", but he has a couple of years of back orders to fill first, so July would be more realistic. I don't think I can stretch the project out that long, so I'll probably look into a Goodmark fender.

Sean · « **Reply #8 on:** May 09, 2011 - 09:59:37 PM »

Quote from: FY1Cuda on May 09, 2011 - 01:10:02 AM

On yours it looks like you could just pull or tap the tail panel back to line up with the lid. I wish our's was that close. Is the bottom ridge crisp all the way across, or does it round off and slant upwards like our's?

I just need to figure out a way to pull or tap it out like you said. What ever I decide to to, need to make sure that I don't screw up the stamped lines.

It looks like the bottom ridge on mine is like yours. To me it doesn't look too bad. Is it right, well that may be another question...!

Sean

572b1cuda · « **Reply #9 on:** May 09, 2011 - 11:00:15 PM »

they have been telling people 2 months since 09 so dont hold your breath. i got the goodmarks on my 71 and they fit and look nice. if i were you i would find a set of originals if its a real 440 or hemi car otherwise go with the goodmarks and you will save some $. check out daniel at e body products, nobody beats his price. thats where i got mine from.

jimynick · « **Reply #10 on:** May 09, 2011 - 11:10:24 PM »

Sean, it's easier to push than pull sometimes. Buy a cheap body jack kit (4 ton is usually under $100) and put a 2X6 across over the rear whl houses and put the jack, with a piece of 2X6 between it and the panel. Push slow and gently and see if the panel bows out in the centre and closes the gap. Sometimes the tin is a bit springy and you may have to over-jack it to stay where you want- just go slow and carefully and as the nun said to the vicar- you just might get lucky, laddy.

FY1Cuda · « **Reply #11 on:** May 10, 2011 - 01:39:17 PM »

I think Jimynick has the right solution. I was able to straighten up the roof of the Cuda with a carefully positioned jack and 2X4. The only issue I can take with him is that I believe the nun actually said "Don't get in the habit."

Sean · « **Reply #12 on:** May 10, 2011 - 08:05:40 PM »

Thanks for the tip, Jimmy! I'll give that a try.

Sean

DocMel · « **Reply #13 on:** May 11, 2011 - 08:02:17 AM »

Im assuming/hoping that AMD customer service/BO issues are limited to whats on this posted topic: I"d be very interested in what the AMD sponsor might have to say.......

FY1Cuda · « **Reply #14 on:** May 26, 2011 - 10:04:21 PM »

We'll we've lost about two weeks on our project, but we finally have the back half of the car mostly together. The replacement tail panel that AMD was kind enough to send me was in a lot nicer shape than the first one but it was the same height as the first one which was about 1/2 inch shy of an original.
I took a chance and ordered one on ebay from Rocparlic (Mount Clemens, Michigan). It was $270 with free shipping. In an email, they told me it was a CHL panel from Taiwan. I got it yesterday, and it had Sherman/Goodmark stickers on it. It was very straight and taller than the AMD panel. It fit very nice, but we ended up (with the help of some 2X4's and muscle) working a little of the arch out of the AMD trunk lid.
I'm posting this to suggest that you might want to avoid the AMD Cuda tail panels and that you might want to check out Rocparlic on Ebay for a Sherman one.