How many of you would buy a good panel if it was reproduced.Please inquire if interested on this thread as this the only way for now to maybe get this done

 

I have a 1978 short bed with perfect bed sides, but I would like to have them available if an accident ever happens. I'm sure many other people would like to have them just for resto's.
-nick

 

Definately

 

I want to try and see if there is a great enough need for them to convince some company to make them. Reply on this thread if interested.

 

would be for a future project

 

if quality was good.
John

 

Sure, I dont need them now but would love for them to be available if i ever do

 

I don't have a short bed, but speaking on behalf of probably every short bed owner and future short bed owners, it would be great to have them reproduced. The only problem would be quality. The long bed panels made now are very cheap and poor quality. Do they work, yes, but there are more long beds out there to buy than shortbeds, so most people end up just getting a whole different bed or just repairing with patch panels.

Dennis Carpenter reproduces top quality parts from original tooling. What I'd like to know is what Ford did with the original tooling for Doors, Hoods and beds. I can't imagine they were destroyed, but then again Ford could probably care less about restoring old trucks and would not want another company to make money off that particular original tooling.

I have no idea what it would cost to reproduce a top quality part such as a bedside panel, but my guess is that it wouldn't be cheap. Just throwing this out there, my bet is that "IF" one was reproduced, I would guess that it wouldn't be less than $1500-2000 per side (and that's not including shipping). Heck, look at the price of bedside chrome that is reproduced. For many people, that price would be OK for a top quality bedside panel, but many would also have a tough time paying that kind of money since many complete trucks cost less than that. So, the bigger question a company is going to ask is, "What are people going to be willing to pay for a top quality panel?" If a company could reproduce one close to original if not original quality for less than $1000, than it would be a gold mine for that company. Any more than that than I honestly believe it would be a struggle.

So, I'll bring up that question. For everyone posting in this thread and to the original poster......"what would anyone pay for a top quality bedside short bed panel"?

 

In that thousand dollar range!

 

Yes I would love for bedsides to be made for short beds. The bed on my 73 F100 was perfect until it got hit. I used a bedside from a donor short bed which had to be patched up before installing. It would be nice to have a new perfect not patched beside like it had when I first got the truck.

What is the point in having to buy a new long wheel base panel when you have to cut the freaking thing in half to shorten it then weld it back together. The point in buying a new panel is so no patching or extra welding is involved so it is a nice straight clean solid panel.

For now I have just been "fixing" up the truck and I will be giving it a new paint job this year sometime hopefully. But when I actually decide I am going to fully restore the truck I would give a pretty good chunk of money for a good bedside panel for it.

 

I'd love to see them produced. The $1000.00 range is probably acceptable, if the quality is there. I just finished doing battle with a supplier over cheap sheet metal parts, it's not fun. I once had a conversation with the folks @ Dennis Carpenter over the cost of setting up and producing parts from original tooling. The start-up costs are really high for any item being produced. Once the item being produced is up to snuff, so to speak, they run a batch and them and then have to store them for future sales. Then they mothball the tooling and set up for something else. The inner bed sides are now available through LMC for $1100.00 (LT)and $700.00 (RT) each, but again, the quality is questionable.

 

I would be interested but even moreso if it were in the reasonable range of $500-600 per side.

 

X 2 !!!! Quality is paramount. I've never understood why any company would reproduce a part for our trucks that cheap as heck. Most of us who look to purchase these parts are fixing up our trucks. We're not putting the time and effort into an old truck for no reason, we love them and want them to look their best. Making a lessor expensive part is crazy. I'd be HAPPY to pay $50 more for a part that fits and is of the same quality as what I pulled off. I'd bet most here would agree. Paying extra for the RIGHT part puts you ahead in the long run.

Make it right and it'll sell !!!!!

 

I would buy one, Hell I just had to cut a LWB side down so it would fit my short bed, now I have to fill in my gaps

 

I don't need em right now but could in the future. If they were a quality product for a reasonable price, You bet I'd buy em!!!! I dont see anything wrong with the $1000 range. Anybody priced 1/4 panels for a 60's or 70's muscle car lately????