Thanks to all who helped me figure out how to do this in my earlier thread. I have finished the job and added an album about it to my gallery. (I hope Bob doesn't mind me using his great illustrations, but they were better than pics of actually doing that part of it.)

I needed to replace both the outer lower skin AND the bottom of the door shell. The patches came from Midfifty. Enjoy.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=25135

 

it looks good!

 

Nice job Randy and as always very nice pics

 

Great job Randy! and very informative. It seems like your "quick" project is just growing by leaps and bounds.

You are going to have one Sharp truck when you finish. I hope you make it by the next cruising season.

Wayne

 

Randy,

Once again you are Da Man! Looks great and no warped panels to deal with. How would you view the strength? Does it compare to a welded joint

 

Randy, great pics and tutorial. I am new to all this but will soon have to learn I have a few more questions.

How do you decide wether to weld or use the bonding agent, you won't follow up the bond with a weld right. I can see how a weld would be more work with worring about warping and grinding and what not.

When you do cab corners would you overlap and bond or cut and weld?

 

I see a good case for copyright infringement $$$$

Glad to be of assistance. Nice looking job but I'm a person who has a hard time changing and still likes to weld. I can see numerous advantages to this technique, the big two, you don't need a welder and welding skill and absolutely no warpage. Some day I would like to try it. Are there major cost advantages? Other than not having to buy a welder, which I would want any way.

 

Wayne - Yes, the project has grown hugely. I do hope to have it back on the street with at least the paint job done by next spring. I'm shooting for the Riverside Show and Go in May. It seems the operative terms have been things like "as long as you're there..." and "You won't get a better chance to...", etc. And it all started with a busted valve spring!

Bruce - Depending on the overlap and bond area, the bonded repair can easily be as strong as a welded joint.

Gary - I have done numerous weld patches on my truck, including a front cab quarter panel. Check the other albums in my gallery. The warpage from welding is always a problem. But there are ways to mitigate it. I just decided to try the adhesive on this job because I knew the fitment would be nicer. And it is. The joint between the skin and the patch is a compound curve and is absolutely flush. I did tack weld and fully seam weld parts of the lower shell patch before bonding the back of it to the shell. Any welding after bonding would destroy the bond. I did see the new guys on the "Trucks" TV show bond in a rear cab corner using this adhesive. They just cut some doublers and bonded them in the hole, then applied the fitted patch. Looked pretty good.

Bob - Yes. Guilty. But those pics were just too good not to use. As to cost advantage...there really isn't any since I used a welder to tack the return flanges of the skin and attach the shell patch. But the adhesive is really cheap. It mixes like body filler and uses the same cream hardener. So, you can mix it up to cure fast or slow, just like bondo. I let everything cure at least overnight before taking any clamps or clecos out. It is really solid.

I still have to apply the seam sealer to the inside of the lower shell and do the body filler for my other patches (door handles, mirror holes, etc).

The driver door has a bonded skin patch also, but it didn't need the lower shell replaced, so I had some practice with the bonding before I did this passenger door and took the pics.

Thanks all.

 

Randy,
Now after using both medthods, do you find you like one beter ? I'm guessing that they each would be beter for certian applacations ? What do you think ?

 

is the new skin directly over the top of the old skin or is it butted up using a doubler underneath?

 

Mike -

I agree. I love welding. I have more fun with that than anything else on my build and plan to do more.

The adhesive has its advantages in a highly visual area like this where it is a big patch thru a compound shape of thin sheet metal. I like both methods, just for different things. For instance, I would not have used bonding to secure my second wall bed sides or to smooth the cowl vent, but it would have been the perfect way to inset the raised "FORD" letters into my custom tailgate.

 

Does this mean your going to paint your truck Randy? Nice job on the doors.

 

Randy,
Once again you have outdone yourself. Your work, and your ability to write it up using a series of pics and clear and concise statements is always a pleasure to behold.

I am toying with using the bonding adhesive to attach the stake pockets to my bedsides. I'm still torn


Your truck is going to be awesome!

Thanks
Bobby

 

Nice work! The write up is an excellent tool for future generations of old ford truck people who come alone as well as those of us already here.

 

very nice randy very detailed info
I think you should do how to books/videos magazine articles etc.
could make some gas money maybe big gas money