Beater79TA

Has anyone purchased one? Seen one? Installed one?

http://www.classicindustries.com/fir...ts/f15883.html

Sending the GTA through paint again and finding some issues to where a replacement might not be a bad idea. If these things fit (somewhat unusual for Classic Industries) then it might be worth the extra expense to get a new piece versus used.

dctrouant1995

If it fits great it would be a good deal, I got a used bumper, re bar, and impact strip for like 330$ off of TGO classifieds

mantaguy

iTrader: (5)

I have to be honest with you,I bought one and it didn't lineup the way it's supposed to,had a gap at the top on both sides.Classic said the body shop should have PRE-FITTED it 1st before they prepped and painted it.They did take it back and gave me a full refund,(PAINTED)and all.





[IMG]https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/picture.php?
pictureid=33229&albumid=4292&dl=1344963375[/IMG]
Make sure you PRE-FIT it 1st.

Beater79TA

Based on my experience with the GTA spoiler, that qualifies as a near perfect fit for a Classic Ind part.

I think I'll find a used one in good condition and work with that instead.

Thirdgen89GTA

iTrader: (5)

That is your best bet. These RePro's are HORRIBLE. I can't beleive how badly they fit. I've never seen one fit. I've seen some that are a 1/2" too short, and don't line up with the fenders and you gotta wonder, what cars are they fitting these on to because thats more than just minor differences in each car.

Classic1

Hello Beater79TA,

I am the Merchandising Director for Classic Industries. We are a proud sponsor of thirdgenorg and we are happy to provide some feedback for you about these products from our perspective. I have personally been involved with the development of this parts program from the initial concept and launch of the product line through to production of the final parts and can provide a firsthand account of the process and my experience with the line. I work directly with the manufacturer on a daily basis and can provide some insight into the program as well as provide a few helpful hints to those who may be thinking of taking on such a project for the first time.

First, I'd like to start out by saying that the products you are speaking about are all tooled and manufactured in the USA. Tooling was produced through reverse engineering of an original GM component. Great care was taken during the development of the plug and mold to account for any shrinkage and the highest quality materials are used in the construction of these parts to ensure a final part with an original fit and appearance. During the quality control phase of the project, prototype parts were manufactured and an installation of the pre-production prototype onto a donor vehicle was conducted for each item prior to approval of the tool and final production of the parts. So, we are very confident in the quality and design of these parts and stand behind each one of them, 100%.

In our experience, many of the issues we have worked through with customers on parts of this nature have not been due to a defect or design flaw in the parts, but rather due to an inexperienced installer, improper installation of the parts or installation of the parts on vehicles with prior crash history. And, that's why we often recommend that installation of parts like these be conducted by professionals or more experienced people with the skills, knowledge and experience necessary to achieve desired results. Many times in the past, however, our tech department has been able to walk an enthusiast through an install or provide solid advice for enthusiasts that like to tackle installation themselves and by following a few simple principals, hobbyists can greatly increase their chances of installation success.

One of the more common mistakes we have seen with hobbyists or first-time installers have had to do with them prepping and painting the parts first and then trying to fit them to the car as a finished panel. That said, there are several things to be aware of and consider when doing bodywork in general, such as the absolute necessity of aligning everything and making any minor adjustments prior to painting. And as any experienced bodyman can attest, test-fitting, alignment and mods must always come prior to paint.

And, in particular when working with urethane parts such as bumper covers and front spoilers, it is important to keep in mind that urethane by nature is a very flexible material that will change shape slightly once installed. Often, these urethane parts rely on a steel or fiberglass substructure or bracing that installs beneath the part to provide support and help maintain its correct contours. Additionally, when a part is off of the car and it is heated and cooled, (day to night for instance) it can change shape slightly due to these variances in temperature and due to the lack of supporting substructure. Urethane however, does have memory, and if a part is slightly warped, it often times can be restored to its original shape when heated. So, most of the time, we find that setting an item out in the sun for a few minutes will help to make it more flexible while fitting it. And, once the warm and flexible item is bolted up with the supporting substructure in place it will go right back to its original intended shape and contours.

The other thing to consider is whether or not the vehicle you are working on has a history of crash damage. Things such as a bent, twisted or out-of-shape substructure can also cause alignment issues. Minor modifications, elongating holes, using any required shims, loosening up other related front end parts to allow for free movement/adjustment and then tightening everything back up (only after the desired tolerances are achieved), should allow you to achieve the desired results. In general, understanding that you must do all of your aligning and adjusting prior to painting and that minor mods are a normal part of the process, results in fewer issues.

I hope this response to your question has been helpful. If we can be of any further assistance to you or any of the other forum members, please let me know. And remember that we have a 100% money back guarantee. If for any reason you are not satisfied with a product or purchase from Classic Industries, you can return the unused, unaltered or defective product within 30 days for a full refund, credit or exchange, so buy with confidence. Further, If there is ever an issue with one of these urethane items, not only will we back it up with our money back guarantee, but we will correct the tooling if necessary to ensure any issue is resolved completely for the benefit of the hobby in the future.

Ray Yager - Merchandising Director
Classic Industries
18460 Gothard Street
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
www.classicindustries.com

Beater79TA

This is the exact reason why I posted the question. The extremely experienced bodyman working on the car recommended against any aftermarket panels due to the fact he has never seen one fit right on any make or model. He made a point to definitely question the fit of any OER brand items which I happen to agree with based on my prior experience.


I am well aware of this particular guarantee having had to use it in the past on items that fit so poorly there was no hope of getting them installed. In one case it was OER weatherstripping that was over an inch too short and snapped in half when attempting to stretch it to fit. Another was the multiple GTA wraparound spoilers I tried from Classic before ordering from a different vendor. The first 2 were almost an inch too narrow to fit the glass and the mounting holes. The 3rd was closer only being a half inch too narrow. While you may guarantee a refund that guarantee does not cover lost time and effort spent trying to get the part ordered, shipped, and test fit before finding out it needs to go back.

And this is why I post questions here to the other members to get the opinions of people who have tried to use the parts instead of calling Classic and asking the sales department if the part will fit.

Classic1

Hello Beater79TA,

My bad. Sorry, I did not really understand while reading your post that you had no interest in getting feedback except from a consumer. When I saw our company name mentioned in the headline of the post, I thought maybe the question applied to us as a distributor of the product in question. Just thought I might be able to help provide some inside information about the manufacturing process of these particular products and also explain best practices to ensure good results during installation that would be valuable to you. In this hobby, it is important to remember that even with the best quality parts, ill-fitment can be the result of improper installation or inexperience of the installer. In a review of our records, I found a very, very low rate of return among hundreds of items sold and after an investigation, it was determined to be the result of improper installation procedure or shortcuts taken by an installer rather than a design flaw.

It is through discussions like these that we have been able to not only correct issues with various products, like the spoiler you mentioned which has now been completely retooled and re-sourced, but also learn about parts that have become difficult to find in the marketplace so that we can take the steps necessary to bring these much-needed parts to market for the better of the hobby.

As a sponsor of the forum, our goal is to connect with enthusiasts, gain valuable feedback from your experiences and learn what your needs are. When we see posts with our company name referenced in them, we try to address them. If you ever have a topic that you would like our feedback on, please let me know. We are here and I am happy to help if we can. Feel free to PM me here any time. Until then, since you have indicated that you prefer to hear only comments from a consumers point of view, I will refrain from posting in response to your topics.

I have, however, sent you a private message, so please read it when you have a chance.

Best Regards,

Ray Yager
Merchandising Director
Classic Industries