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Brent, your tubs look almost new. Snow, salt, and mud can sure wreak havoc with a vehicle. You are very fortunate. Are you going to fully restore your panel like your pick-up?
Yes, I'll probably do the panel with a new paint job and finish the interior like the F1 pick-up. Bucket seats and a console. I've been looking at Chrysler 300 seats and console. They are the right width for the F1's. I don't have a plan yet for the cargo area, but I'll finish it somehow. I had an Econoline '72 van that I had built a fold down bed and a simple camping kitchen, when we were in college 45 years ago. Maybe do that again.
Yes, I'll probably do the panel with a new paint job and finish the interior like the F1 pick-up. Bucket seats and a console. I've been looking at Chrysler 300 seats and console. They are the right width for the F1's. I don't have a plan yet for the cargo area, but I'll finish it somehow. I had an Econoline '72 van that I had built a fold down bed and a simple camping kitchen, when we were in college 45 years ago. Maybe do that again.
You'll need a bumper sticker that says, 'If the panel rockin', don't come knockin'!"
So, today I was able to remove the passenger side wheel tub. The other side is hanging on by just a few stubborn screws. It's ugly, but I think I will go ahead and try to fix what I have.
I guess my plan is to braze in pieces of sheet metal to fill the voids, treat the rust and bare metal with Por 15, cover the brazed areas with waterproof metal based body filler, and then liberally coat everything exposed to the elements with undercoating. Does anyone have a better plan for doing this repair "on the cheap"?
I would prefer finding replacement parts in better condition, or hiring a professional to to the metal fabricating; but I'm struggling to justify the added expense. Maybe one of my kids will make a proper repair sometime down the road.
Thanks everyone for your interest and help.
Go for it. Just remember those ribs are there for structural strength. Don't rely on unsupported flat sheets for your repairs.
My semi-retired body guy is slowly working away on my tubs in his spare time. I know his repair is not going to be done to the same level of care that Bob Jones did for me, but hopefully it will hold back the dust, water, and road noise at least for awhile.
My restoration funds are pretty tapped out at this point, and I decided not to spend additional money on better parts or a different guy.
In the spring, I want to strip down and paint the back half of the truck, and supplies for that will not be cheap. The painting and prep work though is something that I have the tools for and can do myself (after a fashion). Welding is something I probably should have tried to learn too, but at this point, the welding work is almost finished (and paid for).
When this work is done, my truck should be pretty drivable. Won't that be great? I'll probably soon discover engine problems, leaks, or some other expensive horror--The checking account bleeding will never end....But I'm still having fun.
Your repairs are coming along nicely. I finished all my welding this week on the wheel tubs. I also patched the fuel fill hole, all the firewall holes and welded in seat bases and made a hatch for the battery access. Looking at the cowl vent now, but reluctant to start. My welding is just so so on something that shows as much as the cowl vent. My Grandson is a certified welder, his buddies say "if you have to grind to make your welds acceptable, then your a grinder, not a welder". I'm a grinder!
Your repairs are coming along nicely. I finished all my welding this week on the wheel tubs. I also patched the fuel fill hole, all the firewall holes and welded in seat bases and made a hatch for the battery access. Looking at the cowl vent now, but reluctant to start. My welding is just so so on something that shows as much as the cowl vent. My Grandson is a certified welder, his buddies say "if you have to grind to make your welds acceptable, then your a grinder, not a welder". I'm a grinder!
Just curious, why are you welding in seat bases, I would think it would be better to have bases that bolt in.
I'm thinking "my guy" might be a grinder. I've been following your thread Brent, and you are making great progress--high quality work for sure. My truck, when finished, will strictly be a "driver"--suitable for weekly runs to the dump and other such errands around town.
The seats just have rails with a tab on each end. I welded in a mount, to match with the tabs. The seats then bolt through the tab to the fixed mount. Power seats, back and forth, up and down and tilt.
There has been a little recent progress to report on the repair of my wheel tubs and wells. There is still some cosmetic finishing work that needs to be done, but everything is now pretty well welded and patched together. Here are the latest pictures:
A semi-retired auto body guy has been working on my truck this winter in his spare time with the goal of having it ready for paint in the spring. We should make our goal!
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