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February 12, 2014

OER reproduction parts from CamaroDepot.ca - AVOID!

So.....the second set of "OER" hinges finally showed from www.CamaroDepot.ca.


I thought "Great, I can't wait to install them and set the gaps on the door and quarter!"

But let me just make a quick check first....

Uh Oh....

Look at how different the front flange is sitting on the two OER hinges vs the OEM/original hinge (painted red, in the middle):


Check the height difference.


That height difference makes up the part that butts up against the inside door shell, which sets the door in/out from the post/fender, making it impossible to align the door to the fender -



In my 30+ years of doing this kind of work, I can't recall seeing parts so different than originals, then the supplier saying how they found the issue and will send a set from another production run - and they be just as bad! Of course I didn't bother installing the latest set - and CamaroDepot.ca didn't bother trying to correct the problem with me....

Instead I did what I wished I had done right from the start - which was to bush the original set of hinges and install them (check the original green paint after a quick stripping) instead:



And here - minus about 6 hours of wasted time - is how the door SHOULD fit:



With the original hinges, there's enough room that I will actually have to adjust the door out:


 And finally, the side looks like a Camaro again





So, 'thanks' to CamaroDepot.ca and OER for wasting nearly an entire day of labour, not to mention an hour on the phone having the "Customer Service" gal tell me I couldn't return them because I had "modified" them....along with MUCH frustration!

Customer service indeed....

Arrgghhh!   ; \