Holy Bondo Batman!
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Elder User
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 537
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From: Graves County, KY
Holy Bondo Batman!
OK, so I'm in the process of getting Old Blue ready for for some bodywork, typical rusted out over the rear wheels, etc. So as I'm taking the trim off of the driver side of the bed, tallight surrounds, etc, I see what look like angle grinder marks cut into the bed corner under the trim. WTF? So I go ahead and pull out the taillight assembly, look around inside with the flashlight to find wire mesh everywhere and......
4" OF BONDO CARVED INTO THE SHAPE OF THE CORNER!!!!!!
As far as I can tell, everything from the taillight out to just below the side marker about 3-4" and down into the rocker panel forward about 6" is all bondo. DAMN THAT PINK DEVIL!
What am I going to do? Whole bedsides? Do they have the taillight surrounds? I guess I need go over the whole truck and see what other parts are just for show.....
Maybe it's time to just find another bed.
OPINIONS PLEASE!!!
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 2
From: Tri-Cities, TN
I just did the body on my truck and found some unexpected bondo too. Not as bad as your's sounds, though. The replacement bed sides that LMC sells do incude the taillight openings, and I would assume that most complete sides would be the same. Around here, (WY & ID) it would be cheaper to buy an entire rust-free bed. They are not too hard to find. But outside of the west, I know that is virtually imposible. A little bondo here and there is no big deal, but large areas patched with it will crack with time and show through your paint. Might as well start with new metal, at least patch panels welded in, or you'll have to in the not too distant future anyway. IMO
Good luck!
Good luck!
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Elder User
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 537
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From: Graves County, KY
Yeah, the terms "rust-free" and "Ford bed" don't go together here in KY where they salt the roads every time it rains.
I was hoping to keep this bed because the whole inside and front panel are in great shape. I knew that someone had already bondoed the wheel arches (that have since re-rusted out) and one of the cab corners (was dented, it looks professionally done), but I was going to weld in new arch panels. I'm not sure if whole bedsides are worth the cost once you add shipping.
Maybe I can find a bed with *less* rust, and just do the arches.
I was hoping to keep this bed because the whole inside and front panel are in great shape. I knew that someone had already bondoed the wheel arches (that have since re-rusted out) and one of the cab corners (was dented, it looks professionally done), but I was going to weld in new arch panels. I'm not sure if whole bedsides are worth the cost once you add shipping.
Maybe I can find a bed with *less* rust, and just do the arches.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 2
From: Tri-Cities, TN
That's what I would do. That bondo will drive you crazy. It's amazing what condition the trucks out here are in compared to the east coast. My 79 had less rust on it when I bought it in January than my dad's 79 had in 1985 on the east coast! Just one (left) wheel arch and some collistion damage. And the wheel arch was only rusted about 1" high and 8-9" long after I cut out all the rust to clean metal. I was going to weld in a new arch panel, but there just wasn't enough rot to make it worthwhile.
We don't use salt here, but they "sand" the roads with the equivilent of pea stone. Windshields have about a 6 month lifespan before the cracks start.
We don't use salt here, but they "sand" the roads with the equivilent of pea stone. Windshields have about a 6 month lifespan before the cracks start.
Senior User
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 113
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wintremute,
Sounds like some creative and talented bondo works to to the corner and tailights..............
What part of the KY are you in. Im in the Derby.
Check ebay for a bed. I found one a while back in MI for $200.
David
Sounds like some creative and talented bondo works to to the corner and tailights..............
What part of the KY are you in. Im in the Derby.
Check ebay for a bed. I found one a while back in MI for $200.
David
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,786
Likes: 28
From: Northern California
I have seen bondo work like that before. I'm even guilty of some of it myself in my younger days, before I knew better. If it's proffessionally done, you can expect it to last around 10 years before you start having problems. Cracks are inevitable in very cold or very hot climates, with constant temp changes.
Patch panels are always the best alternative.
But when somebody is selling the vehicle, It's a cheap alternative etc... Buyer beware.
I always take a magnet with a cloth cover so it wont damage paint, when I buy a vehicle. Large bondoed areas will be detectable with the magnet etc...
hope this helps
Patch panels are always the best alternative.
But when somebody is selling the vehicle, It's a cheap alternative etc... Buyer beware.
I always take a magnet with a cloth cover so it wont damage paint, when I buy a vehicle. Large bondoed areas will be detectable with the magnet etc...
hope this helps
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 2
From: Tri-Cities, TN
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Post Fiend
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From: St George, SC I-95
you might go to a junk yard and find the whole rear section around the tail lights. Most junk yards have a torch handy and will cut it out for a fee. Original sheetmetal ALWAYS fits looks works better than reproduction. Im sure you could get the bed corner from a junk yard cheaper than ordering a bed side from LMC. If you dont have any luck with the junk yards in your area let me know and Ill send you one.
