No. Even with our precise fixtures & assembly techniques, every body we produce will have flaws. Often, the flaws are the fault of the parts we use, sometimes the flaws are created in the process of assembly. We advise customers that most bodies will require 60-80 hours of final metal finishing, fitting & filler before they are ready for final primer.
What are the flaws? We do not add any fillers or seem sealers to our new-steel bodies. That way, when you receive yours, what you see is what you get - nothing is hidden. Factory seams that were filled with lead will be raw welded seams on a Real Deal Steel body. Those seams include: cowl to A-pillar, A-pillar to top skin, rocker to quarter panel, C-pillar to top skin, quarter panel to rear deck filler, outer quarter panel to trunk panels, tailpanel to trunk panel. These areas are best filled not with lead, but with modern waterproof heavy strand fillers like SEM Carbo-Fill then final finished with high-quality lightweight body filler.
We recommend fitting ALL of your exterior trim to the body before completing the final bodywork. This does not always mean securing with clips and fasteners - just
place them on the body (particularly windshield and rear glass trim) to make certain everything fits properly before final paint. Areas where glass trim is installed is often near seams that must be filled, and too much or too little filler can create unsightly gaps between the body and the trim.
We recommend placing the body on the frame (1955-57 Chevy only) and installing all body bolts and shims before test fitting front end sheet metal and final fitting doors and deck lids. The frame should be on all four wheels and tires or at least supported to simulate all four wheels and tires. Even when bolted securely to the frame, the bodies can flex wildly depending on where a jack is placed. Poor alignment and impossible gaps are often easily adjusted by adding or subtracting shims at specified points per the GM Shimming and Adjustments Guide <click here> for the complete guide.
For cars with front subframes, these should be installed and aligned before front end sheet metal is fitted. Don't expect that your reproduction or used or NOS sheet metal is going to fit perfectly. Adjusting, bending, even cutting & welding can be required to obtain show-car gaps. <Click here> for some tips & what to expect.
The Real Deal Steel assembly factory will often cut and slightly modify a panel, re-weld and metal finish to obtain a satisfactory door or trunk gap when assembling our new bodies. These areas will require final metal finishing and filler before final primer and paint can be applied.
Why do we tell you this? We want you to be 100% happy with your new steel body purchase. The decision to purchase a reproduction body is an expensive one and should not be taken lightly. We want you and your body man to be aware
that additional fit, finish and bodywork will be required before the body is ready to paint and assemble!
Real Deal Steel Builds All New Steel Bodies in the United States.