Why aren't there better panels being made?

[rockdogz]

As I talk to more body shops about replacing body panels, they seem to all want to keep the original metal at all costs, saying that repro panels are just not good quality in terms of fitment and metal content/thickness.

Now, I understand that there is a cost associated with increasing the quality/thickness of the panels, but if someone came along and charged double for the same panel as a repro but had it be the same quality as an OEM panel, don't you think they would sell? Or would it cost more than double? I just find it hard to believe that the technology isn't there today to stamp a more accurate panel. Maybe the expense for materials is just too high?

[DLinson]

It may be the cost of tooling. Some of the companies bought the original tooling and they wear out not forming crisp lines. Tooling repair or creating new tooling from scratch can be very expensive. The lighter gage metal is also easier on tooling. The price of steal also went way up in the last few years.

Buying tens even hundreds of thousands of dollars on tooling for a limited market might not be too inviting.

[indyjps]

im in tool and die, the majority of body panels need 5 sometimes 4 dies to make a part. youre looking @ a very large investment to make a dies set. even if you just make the upper and lower post and just swap it out on the die frame itself. also contracting a shop to stamp them is costly unless a manufacturing facility has presses to accomodate the dies. youre looking @ 5 presses or handling the parts in and out of racks multiple times if you're using only one press and swapping dies out. this leads to quality issues with additional handling. we currently stamp bedsides for trucks @ about 600-1000 tons in the draw depending on the part, presses arent cheap. dies arent cheap.
the worn out gm dies could be brought back to life by a qualified (good) die maker but what do you use as a reference panel. nos material could have been stamped in the eighties for a 69 camaro after the dies were already beat. even nos material is questionable since "service" replacement panels are generally panels that do not fit within regular production standards. the rationale being after a body man welds and beats them with a hammer onto a semi straight car they will expect to do some prep work prior to painting.
as coveted as nos sheet metal is keep in mind it was made after the dies were finished with their productive life, meaning the dies were only built for a specific # of hits (one to two years) on older vehicles. its the closest we can get but it will never be as good as the car came with originally.