What should I do about the rust on the hood and cab? A mechanic who also does a little body work on the side said he would recommend a fiberglass skim coat to fill in the pitting after removing the rust. Said it shouldn't be difficult. I know nothing about body and paint work, but it looks pretty bad to me. Is this the right thing to do or should I look for a replacement hood and find someone to replace some metal on the cab?<o>

</o><o></o>Owner said truck sat in barn for 30 years, goats and other critters used the loft overhead and their droppings sat on the truck for years. Bummer. Only major blemishes I can find on this truck.<o>

</o><o></o>Didn’t leak or burn any oil on the 500+ mile drive home but engine could use a good cleaning. Had brakes checked, replaced radiator hoses, thermostat, battery, shocks, tires and fuel pump on 1^st leg of trip.<o></o><o></o>





Little tear in the tailgate, but otherwise body is straight and dent free. Custom bumper, anyone ever see on like that before?












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The hood doesn't look that bad. Seems to be surface rust mainly. You could take and abrasive pad on a sander and take all the paint off. You could soda blast the hood also which is what I did. If pits are left I wouldn't use fiberglass filler as that is usually saved for when you have cut in a repair to replace metal. I simply took a good filler like Evercoat Extreme to level the surface which for me was on the underside of the hood.

The roof I don't know. The picture leaves some things unanswered as it definitely looks pitted or thinned. Hopefully just pitted and if so then do the same thing to the roof.

If you are going to do body work yourself then check out Autobodystore.com for all kinds of info on body work, metal work, tools needed and painting. I have learned a lot over there for when I started to paint my truck after my last paint job by me in 1991.

 

That thing has less rust than my '76!
Nice truck man!
And Welcome to FTE!
May the Lord continue to Bless You through this new 2010 Year!

 

It's not a "custom" bumper, it's not genuine Ford, either.

All rear bumpers were optional.

Since Ford did not offer a step bumper until 1967, the only Ford rear bumpers available on 1961/66 Styleside's were the painted or chrome contoured bumpers, so called because the area where the license plate attached, was dished inwards.

Your truck's bumper was available from aftermarket bumper companies, who did a big business back in those days.

Here on the West Coast, the Fey Bumper Company offered the same bumper your truck has, plus myriad different step bumpers. Some were plain steel, some diamond plate, some painted, some chrome, some wrapped around the body, some did not.

This type of bumper your truck has was usually installed if someone was planning on towing something, as its center section is even with the tailgate.

btw: The wheels aren't original, either. Ford did offer white spoke styled steel wheels, but not until 1977, and then only on F100/150's.

 

I have the same rear bumper on my 65. They were made so you could lower the tailgate all the way down and back up to loading docks, so the farmer or who ever could load feed or seed etc.

 

Thanks for the great info Bill. I didn't know the bumpers were all optional back then, I thought the stock bumper was diamond plate but not even with the tailgate like mine. I have never seen one like on my truck before. I have the original split rims, hubcaps, and the supposed original tires.

Does anyone make a modern rim nowadays that has the same look as the old split rims that will accept the original hubcaps?

 

The seller told me it was a custom bumper made in Walla Walla, Washington. It must have come from one of the aftermarket bumper companies ND posted about. Makes sense to be able to drop the tailgate to load it easier.

 

Thanks for the body work tips Mike. I am really hoping metal on the roof will not have to be replaced. My plan is to do as much as I can on the body work--I have never done any body work yet so it will be a learning process for me. I am all ears for any tips and tricks from the pros. Will probably take a look at youtube and see if I can find some good clips.

Stace

 

Some 1966 F250's came with an 8 lug 6.50" bolt pattern 16" non split rim wheel (used with tubeless tires) that used these "innie" hubcaps.

1967 and later F250/350 wheels will fit, but you cannot use these hubcaps because all these wheels used "outie" hubcaps.

Innies: The hubcaps snapped onto tabs or riveted clips located on the inside of the center of the wheel.

Outies: The hubcaps snapped onto tabs located on the outside of the center of the wheel.

 

Stockton Wheel will place your inner mounts on to new tubeless hoops.

The rust areas are pitted and will need media blasting t remove the rust, once you do that it may become apparent that the pits are all the way through. The only cure for that is replacement of the metal and metal finishing.

If you opt to not blast the rust in the pits will show up in a year or two after doing the remedial work.

Garbz

 

make sure you use an epoxy primer first on the bare metal then go with your filler and then sealer and then paint.

 

That rust is nothin! you should see some of what I'm dealing with on my brothers 71 firebird project! It was a vinyl top...



yes, those are holes...

 

Garbz--I checked out Stockton Wheel online, they so some nice work over there. I will check around Oregon and see if I can find a company that does similar work.

I've been reading through old posts trying to figure what the best media to use for blasting the hood and cab is, I plan to visit some local body shops this week and see what they have to say. It seems like the consensus form the forum is NOT to have it sandblasted, so I will see what other media the shops around here use. I plan to get it done right--don't want to cut corners and regret it later.

Thanks for the tips.

Stace

 

Thanks Bill, I will use the epoxy primer, filler then paint. Hopefully I can get rid of the rust without having to replace a bunch of metal. I don't have the metal working skills that e-tek has so I will have to hire that out if it comes to that.

 

I'd love to see some pics of the work you are doing on the firebird. I'm glad my truck is not to that stage yet but I still feel like I'm out of my element. Learning as I go on the body work, will likely hire some of it out so I am sure it gets done right.