I am completly new to this site. I bought a 66 f100 yesterday and I was wondering about some patch work on the body. What is a good way to fix a couple holes and a few rust spots?

 

I am also new to the body work at hand.
I got a book from Eastwood about bumping metal that helps.
I plan on TIG welding most of my holes and leading in everything else. I have seen to many bad Bondo jobs so I think I am going lead.
I have been TIG welding for about 30+ years so that comes easy to me and I don't own a MIG welder.
Most people use MIG welders I think because of ease of use and they are less expesive to purchase.

Jon

 

Trypsyt, lots of people have tried lots of shortcuts, but the only way to fix rust is to replace the metal with sound new metal. Sometimes you can buy pre-formed panels that will work, sometimes they are junk, formed wrong and too thin.

You can form your own - the metal is just plain old cold rolled steel that you can buy anywhere for next to nothing, and you can used a piece from another truck.

You have to cut the old metal out past any that is rust damaged - if you leave any rusty areas behind and the rust will spread from there, wasting your work. (That is why it is called "cancer".)

The same is true of holes - they have to be filled with metal. Small bolt and screw holes can sometimes be filled with a soldering iron, or leaded over. Larger holes like for an antenna have to be filled with a steel panel cut and shaped to fit.

Sometimes people try to fill holes with putty (bondo), but that just leaves a source for rust to start, and the putty will eventually crack and fail.

There are several websites dedicated to bodywork - one I enjoy is the metalshaper's association. There is also Ron Covel - a guru who has produced several videos on body and fender work. Many people here have ordered his DVDs, although I have never seen one. They are well satisfied with his ideas.

Frankly, bodywork is the heart of old truck restoration - or modification. You need to learn to do it well, and to enjoy doing it. I am still learning it myself.

I am glad you joined us, and hope you put up a gallery. You did not state what part of Utah you are from, but take a look at the northern california chapter website - we have several members learning body work and working on the same vintage trucks as yours. You don't have to live in California to join the chapter or even to contribute to the discussions.

 

Knowing where you have rust is important so we can give you a better idea how to go about fixing it.
You're from Utah? Can't be that bad then.

 

Fixing rusted sheet metal can be fun, if you fix the cause first. I fix a few bad spots just to find out I had a bad seal and the water was back to doing it job.

 

lol, yup this is something I am getting ready to start into myself.
I am with jd_sylvia on the bad bondo jobs. thats horrible to see a crack in the shape of an old hole, especially when someone shaves something off like antenna or relocating lights with bondo.

Welcome to the forums. All the fellas here seem to be great, and there is a wealth of information in here to say the least. Have fun exploring, learning, and posting.

 

Trypsyt, Please excuse our manners for not welcoming you to our group. Glad to have you in the 61-66 FTE group I hope that you will visit often, and find this a place to contribute what you have learned from working on your truck. We try hard to make sure the info that you get here will work with your truck so while our opinions may vary at times on approach, what you get here can be taken to the bank.

John