When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Working on a buddy/customer's truck trying to get it back on the road. Damage and rust to fix on this one. Nothing too crazy but it's always fun to save another one.
Drivers side front cab mount was rotten so I drilled the spot welds and chopped it out. Treated the surface rust and then sprayed weld through primer everywhere.
The cowl vent had some mangled damage to the vent bars so 2 patch sections were required. Windshield and gasket looked like they have been replaced so for now I had to do the repair with them in place. Silicone coated welding cloth really helped protect them both.
Door Jam and front cab corner was the worst spot so far... cut everything out and laser cleaned all the rust. Then used a rust converter and then coated everything with weld through primer.
Then made a couple patch panel for the kick panel patch and used some cab corner patches from Carolina Classics to fix the rest.
Also fixed the little lower fender tab...
Lots of detail work left to do but it's nice to have these sections repaired.
1browski
That looks very involved. Im glad I only had to do floor plans. Nice work.
yeah unfortunately this is my 4th time doing this type of repair. I've lost count on how many floors I've replaced these Washington State trucks can be great or total rust buckets. People tend to park them under the large pine trees we have here and the cowl vents get filled with pine needles and dirt same with the door jam area. Then with the damp climate that stuff never drys out and just sits and rots. I've had some that the door jam is 6 to 8 inches deep with dirt and junk. Sometimes these trucks can be from the east side of the state (the dry side) and still have all the dirt but it's completely dry and almost no rust.
The bed is in ruff shape and the owner and I have gone back and forth about just finding a replacement but I told him I would quickly knock the panels back into shape and see if it can be saved. If the panels are too far gone then he could decide to replace it or keep trying to fix it.
First spot was the bed rail. It was dented and twisted up and out like an engine block or something heavy in the bed slammed into it.
I cut some relief cuts in the inside bed rail and hammered the top back down and also hammered the inside bed rial back to being somewhat straight again. Then I clamped a section of 1 x 1 angel iron up under the bed rail to keep everything in alignment. Then welded the cuts back closed and welded the 1 x 1 up under the lip to reinforce that area.
The second spot was the passenger rear lower quarter panel had been damaged and repaired with body filler and looked to be damaged again. I cleaned off all the paint and body filler then started beating it back into shape.
It came out "ok" the very bottom is a bit warped and wavy so it's going to require a small patch to fix that.
But 2 more spots worked back into shape and moving onto the wheel wells in the bed, they are trashed.
On my 72, I left all the dings in the bed and tailgate. There was some other damage that I did weld up on the floor of the bed and underneath on the channel for the front bed mounts. The bed youre working on is looking good.
1browski
On my 72, I left all the dings in the bed and tailgate. There was some other damage that I did weld up on the floor of the bed and underneath on the channel for the front bed mounts. The bed youre working on is looking good.
Thanks, yeah sometimes the dings and scratches can add character to a truck especially if it's a patina truck. I've always tried to make them look good everywhere and fix everything but the patina craze finally started to grow on me.
What looked like surface rust on the lower drivers side turned out to be a bit more involved so I cut it out and made a patch panel from another scrap truck bed I had. Still need to weld it up but it was getting late last night so I'll have to get back at it later today....
Where did you get that lower door jam panel? The curved one for the front of the door opening? Mice were in my truck and both sides need fixed. The one panel looks like you made it but the other looks like a stamped piece.
tcanthonyii
Where did you get that lower door jam panel? The curved one for the front of the door opening? Mice were in my truck and both sides need fixed. The one panel looks like you made it but the other looks like a stamped piece.
Haven't had much time to work on it but I was able to put in a few hours. The scrap truck bed I used for other patch panels had good wheel wells still so I chopped them out and prepped them a while back and put them away in storage. Pulled them out and cleaned them up real quick with the laser and went to work chopping out the old ones and installing the drivers side replacement. Got it all lined up and tacked into place. Still have to do primer and seam seal but it should be good for now...
This Hennessey Takes the Expedition Tremor's Off-Roading Capability to the Next Level
Slideshow: The VelociRaptor Expedition gains a lift, upgraded suspension, Brembo brakes, and trail-ready equipment while retaining the stock 440-horsepower EcoBoost V6.
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.
these Washington State trucks can be great or total rust buckets. People tend to park them under the large pine trees we have here and the cowl vents get filled with pine needles and dirt same with the door jam area. Then with the damp climate that stuff never drys out and just sits and rots. I've had some that the door jam is 6 to 8 inches deep with dirt and junk. Sometimes these trucks can be from the east side of the state (the dry side) and still have all the dirt but it's completely dry and almost no rust.
