so yesterday i just ordered my new 3 inch cowl hood for the truck. fiberglass not steel, and now im looking to fix up the rear arches aswell, because now that it runs like a beast, its only appropriate that it looks like one aswell. i was looking on ebay and i can get the patch panel for only 45 or so. so figure 100 for both sides, but i was wondering if anybody knows how much a decent shop would charge just to cut out the old one and weld in the new ones? thats all i need done being that i can do the body work myself. i just dont have a welder anymore.

 

i cant tell you how much they would charge but i doubt it would be cheap....and for your info Early Bronco Restoration Full Size Bronco Restoration Classic Ford Bronco Parts For Sale has them for 35 a side

 

I bought the one for $16.14, and welded it on my '94.
Ford Pickup Truck Auto Body Panels

 

Any reputable shop will NOT install YOUR parts. But Lets just say they did.

It would take about 2-3 hours per side to cut out and weld in the patches. And typical body shop rates are 35-45 per hour

so you would be looking at 140-270

I would MUCH rather have COMPLETE sides put on in about the same time.

It would be a MUCH better repair.

 

oh yeah i would too, but what would be involved in that process..? the rest of the trucks bed is in really good shape, meaning the inside on bed and the front of it, by the cab. so id like to keep those parts of the bed intact if i could

 

Wrong thread.....

 

Pull the bed.
Drill out the 120 or so spot welds.
Remove bed skin.
Prep bed and side
GLUE new bed skin on
Spot weld front and rear

Move on next side

 

How important is it to you that the truck looks "nice". For me, I decided it wasn't really important, but I wanted to try to slow down the decay. So I cut back the rust until I got to solid metal. Then I deburred things just so I didn't have steak knives for wheel arches and thoroughly power washed. Treated the bare metal and then painted with rust preventative paint as deeply into all the crevices that I could.

Now that the seam is open it shouldn't trap moisture/salt as readily as it was, and I can shoot my power washer in there any time I wash the car.

I've considered getting some arches to hide the "open wound" but I probably won't bother. This is a cheap "work truck" - function over form by a huge margin - just put 600 miles on the truck last week pulling a car on a dolly.