The Ford Barn

FordToughChevyStuff · 08-10-2013, 12:48 PM

Just curious if anyone has bought sheet metal from MAC's online? I am thinking about buying 2 new fenders and a hood assembly and want to make sure they have quality sheet metal products. I am mainly wanting to make sure they are quality pieces of metal and fit good. The current fenders I have right now are in pretty good shape but I am in the market for new ones.

Any insight from you guys would be great! Thanks

Mike · 08-10-2013, 12:58 PM

I would not purchase anything from Mac's!

Mike

Keith True · 08-10-2013, 01:24 PM

You can buy the front fenders from anybody you like,they are only made by one manufacturer.Everybody's front fenders are Gaslights,whether you buy them from Macs,Snyders,Brookeville,etc.I don't know if there is more than one manufacturer for the hoods or not at this time.

Russ B · 08-10-2013, 01:31 PM

All of the Model A sheet metal I have bought from Macs is one to three gages too thin compared to original. The stampings are often nice and sharp, looking good/proper, but overall dimensions are mostly too small (bad), a few too big (good). Mostly they have been floor pan and similar mostly out of sight pieces that I reworked, but some I just had to return. ...all within last two years.

Fenders and PU bed, I have gotten from Snyders, hood from Rootlieb, but years ago. They were all good quality.

I recently (August 2013) bought miscellaneous parts for multiple cars from Macs, rubber and rivets, no complaints. Also noted, a couple tail lights in the order were from Vintique, which others here have noted are generally not restoration quality, but that was not a problem for my use.

msmaron · 08-10-2013, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike

I would not purchase anything from Mac's!

Mike

WHY they are an excellent company, just bought out last year from a major supplier and give outstanding customer service...

crock · 08-10-2013, 07:05 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I purchased front & rear fenders for my 28. They appear to be ok. The freight can be a killer. Be ready to clean, prime & paint as they come bare metal.

spdway1 · 08-10-2013, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike

I would not purchase anything from Mac's!

Mike

MAC's has done a positive turn around under the new ownership...I am VERY pleased.

Ted Duke · 08-10-2013, 07:36 PM

I have had no problem's with Mac's!

QGolden · 08-10-2013, 07:54 PM

Mac's has been fine for me, shipped on time good prices Iff'n I was buying fenders and lived within 500 miles of them, I would drive over and make a road trip if it though. Not sure how the freight companies would handle them. 'Course I like road trips anyway, just came back from vacation, drove cross country, did 7500 miles and 22 States in 13 days.

christian · 08-10-2013, 07:56 PM

Great catalog

Mike V. Florida · 08-10-2013, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msmaron

WHY they are an excellent company, just bought out last year from a major supplier and give outstanding customer service...

Where is the smiley face after you wrote that?

Desi · 08-11-2013, 04:04 AM

Just bought cowl patch panels from Mac's and they look great.

metalho · 08-11-2013, 07:38 AM

They all have to be made to fit, that's a given. I bought my panels for the lower cowl, doors and the back of the truck cab from Howells in Texas. I made it work and look right but Im done purchasing from them. This is my first A build, if there is one thing Ive learned its not to be cheap. Spend the extra $ for the parts that are known to fit and work. With that said, I need to buy another one so I can try that out lol...As far as Macs gows? They do ship on time, its one stop shopping and that's nice. But if its a part that needs to be high quality do some research and buy the better part. 80% of my truck has been put together from Macs, so I cant poo poo em too bad.

jhowes · 08-11-2013, 08:23 AM

If you have fenders that are in rough shape, then my vote is to rework them, either by a competent body guy or try it yourself. Very satisfying and old ford tin is far better than anything new on the market. Jack

cedar · 08-11-2013, 08:26 AM

I bought patch panels from macs--they were fine-----cedar

spdway1 · 08-11-2013, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metalho

They all have to be made to fit, that's a given. I bought my panels for the lower cowl, doors and the back of the truck cab from Howells in Texas. I made it work and look right but Im done purchasing from them. This is my first A build, if there is one thing Ive learned its not to be cheap. Spend the extra $ for the parts that are known to fit and work. With that said, I need to buy another one so I can try that out lol...As far as Macs gows? They do ship on time, its one stop shopping and that's nice. But if its a part that needs to be high quality do some research and buy the better part. 80% of my truck has been put together from Macs, so I cant poo poo em too bad.

Who else are you going to buy panels from???

metalho · 08-11-2013, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdway1

Who else are you going to buy panels from???

Must be years gone by now. Thought I heard of someone making repair panels that had a better belt line, not so squared off. Looking on the puter just now I see your right. They all come from Howell's?

Dennis Pereira · 08-11-2013, 12:48 PM

Your best insurance for a good fit is to pay the price for good original ford parts . Or just keep throwing away hard earned cash on parts that almost fit .

wrndln · 08-11-2013, 01:55 PM

I agree with Dennis - original parts are best even though some work may be required to get the original sheetmetal in good shape. Of course, some original parts are extremely hard to find and repro sheetmetal must be used. It seems like most sheetmetal makers get their sheetmetal part 85% to 90% correct an then stop. The exception is Antique Auto Sheetmetal (Brookville Roadster) for many of their parts - especially the panel under the front seat of many 28/29 car witch is die stamped is excellent quality. I am not a big fan of Mac's. Maybe they have changed with the new owners, but they probably have the same workers. Policywise, there might be a change for the better. As I have posted before, two times several years ago, seperated by a year or two, I was looking to purchase some sheetmetal parts. Both times I ask the person the answered the phone, different person each time, what vendor made the sheetmetal part. Both times they said they don't divulge their suppliers. I didn't want to buy anything for Howell's in TX. Needless to say I didn't purchase from them. Bratton's and Bert's will tell you who made the part you are considering. There are plenty of model A suppliers available, and therefore I don't use Mac's anymore. Like I mentioned before, maybe they have changed, but I probably will never know.
Rusty Nelson

Jackie Brown · 11-12-2013, 06:51 PM

I bought front and rear quarter patch panels from Macs. Shipment was fast. I did receive two right hand cowl panels. I called and they said they are shipping the other one tomorrow and to keep the wrong one. Customer service is important to me. As for fit of the panels, looks ok to me.

08-10-2013, 12:48 PM	#1
FordToughChevyStuff Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Deer Park, WA Posts: 36	Buying sheet metal from MAC's Just curious if anyone has bought sheet metal from MAC's online? I am thinking about buying 2 new fenders and a hood assembly and want to make sure they have quality sheet metal products. I am mainly wanting to make sure they are quality pieces of metal and fit good. The current fenders I have right now are in pretty good shape but I am in the market for new ones. Any insight from you guys would be great! Thanks

08-10-2013, 12:58 PM	#2
Mike Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: ASTON, PA. Posts: 725	Re: Buying sheet metal from MAC's I would not purchase anything from Mac's! Mike

08-10-2013, 01:24 PM	#3
Keith True Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Epping N.H. Posts: 2,992	Re: Buying sheet metal from MAC's You can buy the front fenders from anybody you like,they are only made by one manufacturer.Everybody's front fenders are Gaslights,whether you buy them from Macs,Snyders,Brookeville,etc.I don't know if there is more than one manufacturer for the hoods or not at this time.

08-10-2013, 01:31 PM	#4
Russ B Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Millbrae, CA Posts: 504	Re: Buying sheet metal from MAC's All of the Model A sheet metal I have bought from Macs is one to three gages too thin compared to original. The stampings are often nice and sharp, looking good/proper, but overall dimensions are mostly too small (bad), a few too big (good). Mostly they have been floor pan and similar mostly out of sight pieces that I reworked, but some I just had to return. ...all within last two years. Fenders and PU bed, I have gotten from Snyders, hood from Rootlieb, but years ago. They were all good quality. I recently (August 2013) bought miscellaneous parts for multiple cars from Macs, rubber and rivets, no complaints. Also noted, a couple tail lights in the order were from Vintique, which others here have noted are generally not restoration quality, but that was not a problem for my use. Last edited by Russ B; 08-10-2013 at 04:15 PM. Reason: Missing info

08-10-2013, 07:05 PM	#6
crock Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: HOLDEN, MAINE Posts: 133	Re: Buying sheet metal from MAC's Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I purchased front & rear fenders for my 28. They appear to be ok. The freight can be a killer. Be ready to clean, prime & paint as they come bare metal. __________________ MY PROBLEM CHILD!

08-10-2013, 07:36 PM	#8
Ted Duke Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fairfield, Virginia Posts: 615	Re: Buying sheet metal from MAC's I have had no problem's with Mac's!

08-10-2013, 07:54 PM	#9
QGolden Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Alton, NH Posts: 1,231	Re: Buying sheet metal from MAC's Mac's has been fine for me, shipped on time good prices Iff'n I was buying fenders and lived within 500 miles of them, I would drive over and make a road trip if it though. Not sure how the freight companies would handle them. 'Course I like road trips anyway, just came back from vacation, drove cross country, did 7500 miles and 22 States in 13 days. __________________ It's not what people think they know that will hurt them, it is what they think they know that aint so! -Mark Twain. It is the very things that we think we know, that keep us from learning what we should know.- Unknown

08-10-2013, 07:56 PM	#10
christian Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Central NJ Posts: 238	Re: Buying sheet metal from MAC's Great catalog __________________ 1931 Slant Windshield fordor

08-11-2013, 04:04 AM	#12
Desi Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Joliet,Illinois Posts: 51	Re: Buying sheet metal from MAC's Just bought cowl patch panels from Mac's and they look great.

08-11-2013, 07:38 AM	#13
metalho Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Bothell Washington Posts: 530	Re: Buying sheet metal from MAC's They all have to be made to fit, that's a given. I bought my panels for the lower cowl, doors and the back of the truck cab from Howells in Texas. I made it work and look right but Im done purchasing from them. This is my first A build, if there is one thing Ive learned its not to be cheap. Spend the extra $ for the parts that are known to fit and work. With that said, I need to buy another one so I can try that out lol...As far as Macs gows? They do ship on time, its one stop shopping and that's nice. But if its a part that needs to be high quality do some research and buy the better part. 80% of my truck has been put together from Macs, so I cant poo poo em too bad.

08-11-2013, 08:23 AM	#14
jhowes Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: upstate NY near Mass border Posts: 789	Re: Buying sheet metal from MAC's If you have fenders that are in rough shape, then my vote is to rework them, either by a competent body guy or try it yourself. Very satisfying and old ford tin is far better than anything new on the market. Jack

08-11-2013, 08:26 AM	#15
cedar Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 32	Re: Buying sheet metal from MAC's I bought patch panels from macs--they were fine-----cedar

08-11-2013, 12:48 PM	#18
Dennis Pereira Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Georgetown Divide Kelsey ca Posts: 868	Re: Buying sheet metal from MAC's Your best insurance for a good fit is to pay the price for good original ford parts . Or just keep throwing away hard earned cash on parts that almost fit . __________________ Dennis in Kelsey ca

08-11-2013, 01:55 PM	#19
wrndln Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lakeville, MN Posts: 5,165	Re: Buying sheet metal from MAC's I agree with Dennis - original parts are best even though some work may be required to get the original sheetmetal in good shape. Of course, some original parts are extremely hard to find and repro sheetmetal must be used. It seems like most sheetmetal makers get their sheetmetal part 85% to 90% correct an then stop. The exception is Antique Auto Sheetmetal (Brookville Roadster) for many of their parts - especially the panel under the front seat of many 28/29 car witch is die stamped is excellent quality. I am not a big fan of Mac's. Maybe they have changed with the new owners, but they probably have the same workers. Policywise, there might be a change for the better. As I have posted before, two times several years ago, seperated by a year or two, I was looking to purchase some sheetmetal parts. Both times I ask the person the answered the phone, different person each time, what vendor made the sheetmetal part. Both times they said they don't divulge their suppliers. I didn't want to buy anything for Howell's in TX. Needless to say I didn't purchase from them. Bratton's and Bert's will tell you who made the part you are considering. There are plenty of model A suppliers available, and therefore I don't use Mac's anymore. Like I mentioned before, maybe they have changed, but I probably will never know. Rusty Nelson

11-12-2013, 06:51 PM	#20
Jackie Brown Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 37	Re: Buying sheet metal from MAC's I bought front and rear quarter patch panels from Macs. Shipment was fast. I did receive two right hand cowl panels. I called and they said they are shipping the other one tomorrow and to keep the wrong one. Customer service is important to me. As for fit of the panels, looks ok to me.