AMD versus Goodmark quarter panel skins.

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dukeboy440

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The topic of how good AMD is versus other brands like Goodmark is one that comes up on this site from time to time, usually pretty regularly. I have an example from both in hand as we speak. both for the exact same car. So I thought it'd be a great time to do an Apples to Apples comparison.

Back Story.

I have a 1974 Dart Swinger. It needed new quarter panels due to rust so in August of 2015, I ordered a drivers side quarter skin from AMD with the expectation of getting a passenger side quarter skin from AMD the following spring as time and funds allowed. However, just two months later, AMD would stop production on the 72-76 quarter skins for an disclosed amount of time. Well, after 2 years of waiting, I said the heck with it and ordered a skin for the passenger side from Goodmark. Below our my observations and opinions.

I've broken down the areas I'll critique into packaging for shipping, thickness, and most importantly fit and overall value.

First the AMD:

Packaging= 2/5
The AMD skin was packaged and shipped in a thin, cardboard piece. Little to no padding. Ended up with a couple dings and dents, minor but easily fixable, not enough to warrant returning/exchanging due to the cost but enough to get dinged a few points on packaging. See photo:

Thickness=5/5: the AMD measured with a certified and calibrated caliper, .0491, a tad thicker than 18 gauge, which is .0478 for comparison.

Fit= 1/5: First, there is more information on this on my build thread and couple other threads. The AMD is advertised as fitting a 72-76 Dart swinger, 2 dr. Since the marker light location does vary between those years, and I knew that going in, there is no deduction in points for that. However, there are two major and glaring issues with the AMD skin. First, it is over an inch too short in length and does not meet the tail pane. Secondly, the area where the tailpanel were to weld, the angle is entirely off. The body lines however did match but the other two issues are too large to ignore.

Value= 1/5: I fully expect this part to piss alot of people off, the pictures speak for themselves. for the price paid, 300 plus shipping, for a quarter panel skin to be over 1 inch too short and the angle to be wrong, it is merely an overpriced piece of stamped in Tiawan steel. I would have expected issues with lower rated companies but not AMD. When I called AMD on it, all I got was "sorry but some fitment to be expected".

Overall Score: 2/5. The added thickness does make it easier to weld but the fitment issues weigh heavily here.

The Goodmark will be on the next post

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The Goodmark: advertised as a 72-76 dart swinger quarter skin as well.

Packaging: 4.5/5: came in a double walled, 8 inch wide box surrounded by a ton of bubble wrap. No dings or dents but some of the primer where it rubbed against wrap was scuffed. Not bad though. But still docking it a tad for the scuffing.

Thickness= 5/5: measured with the same Calipers as above, .0477. 18 gauge is .0478 within engineering tolerance so no point deduction

Fit= INC/5: as of right now, I've only mocked it up with magnets. However, it is the correct length and angle, correcting the two issues of the AMD, body lines do match up this far. The top of the skin, where it goes towards the pillar does have a slight upward flare that will have to be tapped down. It'll lose a point for that so far. Will update this as I go

value: 4/5: Stamped in Tiawan as well. Price was 209 shipped, 3 weeks to get it. Can't accurately give a score at this point But with the fewer major figment issues and the better shape upon arrival, I'm gonna give it a 4/5 for now

Overall: INC/5

Ignore the messy shop. It's a shared shop that I really need to take a month and deep clean.

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I was surprised that the metal gauge was the same on both. The Goodmark passenger side has the wrong marker light cutout for a '72 to '76 (as advertised). Did they not have or weren't able to supply the correct stamping for the later years? Are the body lines as crisp on both or is one better? Thanks for you effort in reporting this info.
 
I was surprised that the metal gauge was the same on both. The Goodmark passenger side has the wrong marker light cutout for a '72 to '76 (as advertised). Did they not have or weren't able to supply the correct stamping for the later years? Are the body lines as crisp on both or is one better? Thanks for you effort in reporting this info.
As was I. Everyone always reported the Goodmarks were thinner. Which they are. But they're still 18 gauge. The AMD it appears is closer to that 16/17 gauge. Measured in multiple spots on both.

As for the cut outs, the AMD is also in the wrong place, so since I'm gonna have to modifying that anyway, I didn't hold t against either panel. In both advertisements, it said the marker light cutout may have to be modified depending on year. So didn't hold that against either panel as well.

The bodylines on both are equal to the naked eye at least. Smooth, crisp and pronounced. I don't see any spot other than the noted figment issues that vary between the panels or what's left of the originals on the car.
 
Thanks for the info. While I don't have a Dart, information like this helps all of us in the hobby. Kudos to you for taking the time to share the opportunity to compare the two products/vendors.
 
Thanks for the info. While I don't have a Dart, information like this helps all of us in the hobby. Kudos to you for taking the time to share the opportunity to compare the two products/vendors.
No problem.
 
I got my pairs of goodmark cuda half quarter skins for the 67 and 69 from www.getallparts.com. price per pair shipped was $311 per pair. Big box, lots of packing. Glad to hear the dart ones fit well. Looks like my cyda ones are enough length as well too.

Try getallparts.com if you decide on getting rid of the amd quarter, and going w a pair of goodmarks.
 
I got my pairs of goodmark cuda half quarter skins for the 67 and 69 from www.getallparts.com. price per pair shipped was $311 per pair. Big box, lots of packing. Glad to hear the dart ones fit well. Looks like my cyda ones are enough length as well too.

Try getallparts.com if you decide on getting rid of the amd quarter, and going w a pair of goodmarks.
That's a pretty good price.
 
Thanks for the info.
I'll be checking into some Goodmarks when the time comes............
 
Good info.

Note to potential buyers in general: Might I add, next time I advertise an A body for sale, that has virgin quarters, please make note that has a VALUE!!!??
 
Hey gdrill explain to our canadian members the deal you got on that 69 barracuda rear quarter from getallparts.com. i used a coupon code, and with shipping and sales tax it was about $311 for a pair of 69 barracuda quarter skins. Price was damn near unchanged from about 5 years ago when i bought a set for my 67 cuda. Those 67s were were a little cheaper, so i got a goodmark battery tray back then too. It was $11. Total 5 years ago with batt tray was $311.
 
I had to use a goodmark rear quarter to do a lower quarter panel patch on my 67 Cuda and the panel had it's pros and cons.

I found the goodmark packaging to be really bad. The quarter looked like it was laying flat and someone came and just stomped right in the middle of it over the wheel well. Luckily I only needed it for the lower quarter patch so I didn't even want to deal with making a fuss about it but it would have been absolutely useless if I needed to do the whole quarter.

The panel was plenty thick and fit pretty well in general as far as the outer part of the body went. Had a couple of problem areas. The body line that curves around the wheel well wasn't nearly as pronounced as the factory and didn't go as far down the panel as the factor body line did.

Also the panel had a lot of excess metal around the wheel well and on the bottom lip where it welds to the bottom of the trunk extension. Probably an extra 3/4" all the way around. I had to cut it off all the way around and it took a decent amount of extra time to get it all looking even. I have a feeling AMD wouldn't have had this problem and would have just mated up and that would have been the end of it. Unfortunately they are no longer making 67 Barracuda patch panels at the moment.
 
I had to use a goodmark rear quarter to do a lower quarter panel patch on my 67 Cuda and the panel had it's pros and cons.

I found the goodmark packaging to be really bad. The quarter looked like it was laying flat and someone came and just stomped right in the middle of it over the wheel well. Luckily I only needed it for the lower quarter patch so I didn't even want to deal with making a fuss about it but it would have been absolutely useless if I needed to do the whole quarter.

The panel was plenty thick and fit pretty well in general as far as the outer part of the body went. Had a couple of problem areas. The body line that curves around the wheel well wasn't nearly as pronounced as the factory and didn't go as far down the panel as the factor body line did.

Also the panel had a lot of excess metal around the wheel well and on the bottom lip where it welds to the bottom of the trunk extension. Probably an extra 3/4" all the way around. I had to cut it off all the way around and it took a decent amount of extra time to get it all looking even. I have a feeling AMD wouldn't have had this problem and would have just mated up and that would have been the end of it. Unfortunately they are no longer making 67 Barracuda patch panels at the moment.
AMD seems to be ceasing stamping on a lot of a body stuff recently
 
I'm sure the floor pans, trunk floors, and transition pans, along with inner and outer wheel houses and trunk drops for darts and dusters will continue to be made all the floor pieces, and inner wheel houses go from 67-76 the duster outer wheel housrs go from 67-76 duster trunk drops 70-76, and dart outer wheel houses 67-76. Ditto for outer rockers 67-76.
Dart trunk drops 67-69 and 70-76 tho there less total theres still quite a bit of darts produced during these 2 changes that its worth it for them to repop all this stuff. The parts that fit the most years and applications they will continue to repop. The dies are all made up to stamp the parts, they will try to recoup as much out of the costs as possible. Plus as these cars get more valuable, and they will, people will start putting together stripped out basket cases like they do 2ith B&E bodies now. Its the natural progression of the hobby.
 
I'm sure the floor pans, trunk floors, and transition pans, along with inner and outer wheel houses and trunk drops for darts and dusters will continue to be made all the floor pieces, and inner wheel houses go from 67-76 the duster outer wheel housrs go from 67-76 duster trunk drops 70-76, and dart outer wheel houses 67-76. Ditto for outer rockers 67-76.
Dart trunk drops 67-69 and 70-76 tho there less total theres still quite a bit of darts produced during these 2 changes that its worth it for them to repop all this stuff. The parts that fit the most years and applications they will continue to repop. The dies are all made up to stamp the parts, they will try to recoup as much out of the costs as possible. Plus as these cars get more valuable, and they will, people will start putting together stripped out basket cases like they do 2ith B&E bodies now. Its the natural progression of the hobby.
Agreed
 
Hey gdrill explain to our canadian members the deal you got on that 69 barracuda rear quarter from getallparts.com. i used a coupon code, and with shipping and sales tax it was about $311 for a pair of 69 barracuda quarter skins. Price was damn near unchanged from about 5 years ago when i bought a set for my 67 cuda. Those 67s were were a little cheaper, so i got a goodmark battery tray back then too. It was $11. Total 5 years ago with batt tray was $311.


I missed this until now. But, I just ordered a set of Duster quarters. Cheap shipping is an understatement.....$12 each! And I too have measured steel thickness. My conclusion, AMD is thicker than OEM and therefore heavier. I don't need thicker, as long as it is as thick, which Goodmark is. Plus, most people shave weight on a car not add it!

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I just checked my tracking. It has been delivered to the destination terminal in only 2 days! They shipped through Midwest Motor express. This is unbelievable.

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