I Need Some Advice On Rust Damage
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Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Hughes Springs
I Need Some Advice On Rust Damage
I Have A 62 Unibody With Bad Rust Damage Where The Floor Of The Bed Connects To The Side Of The Bed And Its Ate All The Way Through To My Cab At The Seam Do I Just Cut It And Fab In New Or What
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp
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Joined: Jul 2003
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From: East Central Florida
That's the way I'd repair damage you describe. Anything else will be a "Qwik fix" and
will deteriorate perhaps even faster.
When I did My Integral Bed SWB several years ago I used raw mild steel sheet stock. I checked the whole thing out first. I figured my best approach to make repairs in an orderly, progressive sequence. I cut to edge/ seam rather than across large expanse, wherever I could. I tried to avoid long seams especially in vertical planes. I made all of my "cut outs" so it was easy to cut & fabricate what's needed for easy replacement. In otherwords straight forward cuts in more common shapes. This made it easier to fit & work new panels I fabricated.
Where bed floor met inside of bed side, I replaced floor 1st so I'd be able to use bent flange of floor edge, where it met inside of bedside, as a heat sink to "plug weld" my bedside outer panel to. I also ran up to windsplit on places if damage was high above bedfloor. I made top splice in "undercurve" of sculpted windsplit, where it's less visible.
I know that contradicts what I said on long vertical seams, but it had to be because of nature of damage on passenger side bedside panel. It was tedious, time consuming, and exacting, but it came out great. I Butt welded my panels by using a copper strip as a backer and heat sink. MIG TIG & Gas welds, if you're careful don't stick to copper or brass, thus I was able to stitch a vertical butt seam and finish it without laminating or over laying. Single sheet thickness is better than plys or laminates because there's no voids for oxidation to reoccur in a single thickness, except at joint, plies laminates and pinch welds.
I replaced cab back using 1 piece cut to fit. I grooved it for 2 important reasons, to stop oil canning and to include drainage for bed, which was lacking when it was OEM. I also suggest you figure out and/ or design some other drains & drainage. AND before you paint final coat use a good Autobody Seam Sealant across bedfloor flanges as it is a basic laminate and subject to rusting, even though it faces down under bed floor.
That's pretty much about all there is to it. Except time, patience, dedication, effort & commitment are what is required. When I was done it almost looked OEM and I heard that integral bed is still running around with a tight body. I did it back in 79 or 80.
FBp
will deteriorate perhaps even faster.
When I did My Integral Bed SWB several years ago I used raw mild steel sheet stock. I checked the whole thing out first. I figured my best approach to make repairs in an orderly, progressive sequence. I cut to edge/ seam rather than across large expanse, wherever I could. I tried to avoid long seams especially in vertical planes. I made all of my "cut outs" so it was easy to cut & fabricate what's needed for easy replacement. In otherwords straight forward cuts in more common shapes. This made it easier to fit & work new panels I fabricated.
Where bed floor met inside of bed side, I replaced floor 1st so I'd be able to use bent flange of floor edge, where it met inside of bedside, as a heat sink to "plug weld" my bedside outer panel to. I also ran up to windsplit on places if damage was high above bedfloor. I made top splice in "undercurve" of sculpted windsplit, where it's less visible.
I know that contradicts what I said on long vertical seams, but it had to be because of nature of damage on passenger side bedside panel. It was tedious, time consuming, and exacting, but it came out great. I Butt welded my panels by using a copper strip as a backer and heat sink. MIG TIG & Gas welds, if you're careful don't stick to copper or brass, thus I was able to stitch a vertical butt seam and finish it without laminating or over laying. Single sheet thickness is better than plys or laminates because there's no voids for oxidation to reoccur in a single thickness, except at joint, plies laminates and pinch welds.
I replaced cab back using 1 piece cut to fit. I grooved it for 2 important reasons, to stop oil canning and to include drainage for bed, which was lacking when it was OEM. I also suggest you figure out and/ or design some other drains & drainage. AND before you paint final coat use a good Autobody Seam Sealant across bedfloor flanges as it is a basic laminate and subject to rusting, even though it faces down under bed floor.
That's pretty much about all there is to it. Except time, patience, dedication, effort & commitment are what is required. When I was done it almost looked OEM and I heard that integral bed is still running around with a tight body. I did it back in 79 or 80.
FBp
