I was glumly surfing through the Auto Metal Direct online catalogue searching in vain for the highanything they might make for 1965 Darts when I came upon this reproduction floor pan that they offer...
[URL]https://www.autometaldirect.co...ch-036-or-20-gauge-non-returnable-p-5145.html[/URL]
It took me a minute to fully comprehend what I was looking at. I realized this was the significant breakthough in the manufacturing of reproduction sheet metal parts we have all been waiting for since the birth of the Internet. This is an uncoated piece of 20 gauge steel measuring 36"x43" that AMD describes as a Dart floor pan. Really a do it yourself floor pan for the ultimate do it yourself hobby. AMD provides you a simple unblemished sheet of metal for $37.99. YOU provide the shaping of the metal into what ever shape you imagine a Dart floorpan should be. The only limit is your own imagination. This is genius inspired by the Hi-tech industry slashing prices by off shoring the tweaking and forming of the metal by the lower labor costs of the ultimate end user, YOU. This revolutionizes both supply chain issues and eases the cost of formerly costly parts acquisition thereby speeding overall restoration and repair times delivering more quality time to the hobbyist to enjoy the fruit of his labors. Never again will a project be delayed "out of stock" parts, Need a fender patch panel? Here take this uncoated, unblemished sheet of 20 guage steel and "DIY" it. it's a fender patch panel because we say it is. With a good supply of uncoated, unblemished, 20g steel panels measuring 36"x43" AMD car offer every sheet metal part for every car ever and always have every part in stock. An added bonus is that AMD has streamlined shipping issues. Every item is identical in height, width and weight and is shipped in a padded cardboard envelope courtesy of UPS, Fed-Ex, DHL or Amazon.
Disclaimer: I bear no ill will towards AMD. I am both amused and disappointed by this cynical offering and the fact that they offer almost nothing for early A-bodies. Come on guys, don't insult us with such a lazy effort. Am I out of line here? They have to be pulling our collective leg. Jokers or Jerks? There will be no refunds offered if you don't like it.
