Hey guys and gals I was wondering what needed patch panels are not available. I have a very solid 51 F1 and all the tools and skills required to produce patch panels and just about any other sheet metal part needed. So I was wondering what you all have found rusted or rotted out on your trucks that need replacing but the parts just are not available.
See here is were I am going with this. I am 37, married with a 2yr old son, I am a superintend for a metal framing company and here in California (as well as a lot of other places) work is slowing down if not stopped altogether. I have a home business "Lewis Fabrication Design" that I will be going full time here in the next few months. I also just finished buying the last of my tools and tooling needed for scratch building bodies, fenders and just about anything you can think of. So what I am looking to do is start building up my inventory of patterns and bucks needed for several vehicles and one of them is my son's 51 F1. So I thought that while I was at it I would see what you all have found (or not been able to find) that you can not buy as you are building your trucks. So before my son's truck is finished I have a great opportunity to make what ever patterns are needed for future parts.
So any input would be great and if you have any questions please ask, I love doing and talking about anything car related!
Well, I guess that's kind of a subjective question. First the usual places for rust ae inth eupper to lower fender seams; running board attach points on fenders; all four cab corners, and floor boards mostly. Of course there are other spots if the truck gets bad enough (bottoms of doors, cab posts, drip rails, running boards, etc), but to NOT have a rust out in one of those first areas is pretty phenominal.
As far as I know panels are available for all of the main ones, and if not they are easily made by someone with yor skills. There is a member here who makes the fender patches and (apologetically to him) I can't remember who it is, but someone will tell you.
I have found these truck are genuenly the epitome of the "Bigger Hammer" philosophy - simple, and heavy metal.
Please keep in mind ( start making ) the repair panels for the rear of the front fenders and the front of the rear fenders where the running boards bolt on Am in need of both sides .Thanks, Denny
Reamer is the member who makes the rear fender bottoms for the F-2 to F-6 trucks, '48-52, door bottoms and cab corners. I think he was also working on the inner most part of the '48-50 fenders, the part that bolts to the center filler panel under the grill. Reamer started producing this parts because he, along with many others, were dissatisfied with the reproduction parts being offered.
Like mentioned above some of the parts are currently being made by some places and it might be a waste of your time to duplicate what is already offered unless you can do better and offer them at a lower price.
They also make the rear front fender patches for the F-1, which are different than the F-2 and up, cab corners and side cowl patches. They used to make the patch parts for the areas where the two fender parts bolt together but they have discontinued producing them.
Northern Classic Trucks, www.northernclassictrucks.com, makes two piece floor panels and the same parts offered by EMS. They also have the parts to reconstruct the area where the cowl meets the floor and rocker panels. I don't know anyone else who makes these parts.
The one part no has ever reproduced is the toe board, the area that raises at about a 45° angle from the floor board under the pedals. If the floor boards rust out more than likely the toe board is going to be just as rusted. Also, the floor parts that joins with the cab corners are usually rusted out along with the cab corner, no one has ever reproduced these parts.
F-2/F-3 8' Express boxes are different than the boxes on the F-1. At one time Dan Carpenter Specialties made a box pretty close, not exact, but they have stop making them a long time ago. The boxes themselves would be a major production but the stake pockets would, I think, are doable. Again, the stake pockets for the larger boxes haven't ever been reproduced and trying to use the pockets from the smaller F-1 boxes, which are reproduced, are not feasible.
Other parts that tend to rust out are the areas above and below the windshield. The top part usually rot out because this is a favorite area for mice to drag seat stuffing into to build their nests. The bottom area rots out because the rubber window seal channels water to this area.
These are the areas I can think of.
__________________ Old trucks, it's a sickness-one I hope they never find a cure for! Bob Jones--Fat Fender Aficionado--
49 F-2 pickup/48 F-1 panel truck
48/51 F-4 flatbed (2 in 1)/49 8N tractor www.fatfenderedtrucks.com
Thanks for the comments and info. I was not aware of the toe board issue but I will look into it and I was planing on the fender to running board area as well as the front fender lower to upper seam. I will keep you posted and keep me in mind if the need arises because I also do custom one off parts as needed.
Kevin, have you had any chance to complete any of the above mentioned panels. I would be interested in the lower fender patch panels. I know Reamer makes them but not for the F-1.
Ya know, while you're tooling up to make the patches for the lower fender and upper/lower fender joint, it wouldn't take much more to work up the F-2 to F-6 versions as well. The contours and curves are the same, but they are just about 2 inches shorter at the wheel opening. The bigger trucks suffer from rust in these areas just like the F-1's. Another item would be some small patches for the hood at the location on either side where the brace meets the lower edge of the hood. The brace traps dirt and moisture between it and the hood and the sheetmetal goes away. I've seen more hoods with this problem than without. The cab corner outer skins are available, but the inner cab corner isn't and neither is the wedge shaped and concave "bottom" of the cab corner. Normally by the time the outer skin has eaten through, these two parts are shot as well. And one last challenge: Complete bedsides for '48-'52 8 foot express beds used on F-2's and F-3's. There is no source for these and they seem to be in constant demand.
__________________
Let's agree to respect each others views, no matter how wrong yours may be.
Here what some people may be looking for, patch's for the running boards and bed sides. I am also looking on how to repair the tail gate, the only section in good shape in the middle section. Top and bottom roll needs repair/replaced. Tailgates for F2's are larger than F1's.
On the F2 or larger trucks the running boards are a little longer than on the F1 size, so we have to make do with what we have.
I have a third running that I am cutting up for patches. Hopefully I have enough.
As stated the side pockets and the bed are longer and larger on the F2's than on the F1's. And there are three pockets. I found a bed that was wrost than mine but had good pockets to cut out.
Hood side rust out. Its on both sides.
Hood brace removed to repair rust out.
I've already repair/rewelded everything back in, in process of paint work on it now.
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