Where to buy sheetmetal?
Where to buy sheetmetal? I have been working on a '78 chevy 4x4 that has it's share of rust and dents. I have made a couple of patch panels out of some steel shelving that was lying around the shop that seemed only slightly thinner than the sheetmetal on the truck. I would like to buy some sheetmetal that is the right thickness to do the job right, but I am not sure where to look. Any suggestions?
Last edited by CrimeSScene; Jun 16, 2006 at 11:44 PM.
You can buy patch panels and full body panels from any resto company (LMC truck comes to mind). But if you want to make the panels yourself, there should be a sheet metal place where you live. I know we have 4 or 5 places here. Keep in mind, sheet metal is HIGH right now...and most places only want to sell it in 4x10 (i think) sheets.
Odds are you can find a whole carcass from that year
for dirt cheap, staight body & trashed powertrain.
Then you'll have the automotive rust protection
layers (other than where the weld blows it away,
not that late '70s was a high-water mark for rust
resistance anyway).
I got a lot of mileage (so to speak) off an old IH
pickup hood I found by the roadside once. Still
have some of it, good heavy sheet and good
rust resistance.
for dirt cheap, staight body & trashed powertrain.
Then you'll have the automotive rust protection
layers (other than where the weld blows it away,
not that late '70s was a high-water mark for rust
resistance anyway).
I got a lot of mileage (so to speak) off an old IH
pickup hood I found by the roadside once. Still
have some of it, good heavy sheet and good
rust resistance.
On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 106
Likes: 3
From: Kenosha, Wisconsin
Thanks for the replies. I will start calling around and see what I can find locally, I just haven't seen anywhere that listed sheet metal. I need to go to Lowes too and look. I have already ordered some of the pre-formed pieces from JC Whitney, but I need some straight pieces that I didn't see for sale to fill in some holes. I plan on stripping and repainting the whole truck so I'm not real worried about the rust protection. I have a lot to learn though. I've ordered all of the paintucation videos and have been watching them.
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TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 676
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From: In a cave
I think I tried home depot one time and all their stuff was starting to get some surface rust already. I would buy my stuff from Tractor Supply Company. Their metal's pretty clean and has no rust on it. As for Lowe's, they're building us one as we speak so I'll have to check it out as soon as they get it up and running.
On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 106
Likes: 3
From: Kenosha, Wisconsin
Just this week I purchased $120.00 ($146 w/shipping) worth of square tubing and sheet metal that would have cost me $248.00 at Lowes and $236.00 at Home Depot. I personally priced it out. I ordered on Monday and I recieved on Thursday. By no means does locally mean cheaper.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 676
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From: In a cave
Originally Posted by skunkdya
Just this week I purchased $120.00 ($146 w/shipping) worth of square tubing and sheet metal that would have cost me $248.00 at Lowes and $236.00 at Home Depot. I personally priced it out. I ordered on Monday and I recieved on Thursday. By no means does locally mean cheaper.
. It sure is nice to save a buttload of money though. Well I went to metaldepot.com and was going to order two 4X4 sheets of 20 ga for $53 and change and the shipping was $114 and change (fed ex oversize). I went to tractor supply and they had some 6" X 2' pieces for $4.87. They didn't have the thickness labeled, so I just bought one to measure, but I could never see paying for shipping like that. Even a 2X2 sheet from metaldepot.com that cost 12.00, cost me $12.00 in shipping. I did find a metal mart that just opened near me that I'm going to go to look at tomorrow.
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
for sheetmetal open up the yellow pages and look up steel supply or something. pipe yards are a great place dont let the word "pipe" throw u off that they dont carry sheet metal. tell them what ur needing most likely if they dont have something they can lead u in a better way to get what u want.
