So I recently sold my 65 f100 and picked up a 95 F150. I got a really good deal on the truck, but I'm trying to keep costs to a minimum to keep it on the road for a few years.

The truck is solid other than the lower front fenders and bed wheel lips. The rust is limited and can be fixed with small patch panels. The rockers are solid, but have some rust starting.
My plan is to weld in the patch panels and use either all-metal, or a glass filler. Here's the minimalist plan on the top coat. I'm not a painter, nor do I want to pay lots of $$ to try and blend into the surrounding maroon paint that is 20 years old.
I was thinking of taping off around the flares, and then down to the first body line along the lower part of the body to connect the front to the back.. Then painting this area in either a semi gloss black single stage, or evening using a Durabak or other bedliner style "paint". (help to hide the lacking bodywork skills)
Pro's ? Con's?
I do have a simple compressor and a paint gun, but no water seperator, dryer etc. Hoping to do the fix for a couple hundred bucks.

 

From what you are describing, IMHO, reminds me of the 2-tone paint styles that the OEM offered in the 70's IIRR...yes, it should look nice.

 

Pictures would help to see what you are working with.

Bedliner is forgiving, but not that forgiving, so try to get the body work done as best as you could.

If you decide to go with paint, you will need to finish off the glass filler with a light layer of body filler to get it smooth.
With bedliner, you could leave the glass filler and spray the bed liner.

Be sure to primer anything before paint or bedliner.

If painting, you can fold an edge of the tape and mask around the fender with the folded edge to avoid a masking hard line. Bedliner probably won't matter if there is a hardline.

Also, harbor freight has some cheap water seperators. Just make sure the air travles through 50ft of hose then to the seperator then hook up your hose from there.

 

So I finally got a little time to work on some of the body work. Pretty happy with the results. Ground down the rusted areas. Applied a rust converter. Filled with a metal body filler (no holes, just pitting), primed then covered with paintable undercoating. Then topcoated with rattle can dupli-color paint and clear.
In my haste to get the project finished before needing the truck back on the road, the tape lines are sucky, and living on a dirt road I forgot to snap any picks before driving.

Next up are the front lower fenders and bed fender lips. Both will need welded in patches.



http://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ford...86a91a6655.jpg
http://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ford...293bd50a00.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...a06055a02c.jpg

 

Looks like you did a nice job!

 

Well you are either a poor photographer or a great body man.

I vote for great body man!

Any "before" pictures?