The guy considering rust repair might want to google “car sheet metal working”. A WHOLE lot of hugely talented crafstmen, artists even, have created a pile of great information, including tutorials, case historys, and examples.
Meanwhile: Slather on “rust conversion” stuff (both sides) and hit it with a couple-three layers of rustoleum so’s most of what’s there now will still be there when he gets around to doing something.
Cheers, Rufus
I would go with complete box sides which can be bought aftermarket. Depends on how much he wants to shell out however. They run about $400 a side. Front fenders are much cheaper…probably $75-$100 ea. Not worth the effort fixing the old ones and just have the rust come back in a year.
I would also note that Click and Clack are used to Massachusetts rust. Since the truck spent most of its life in Oklahoma it is not likely to have as much rust as a “normal” Mass truck of that age. Not that OK cars are always rust free, but the truck probably still has a lot of good metal under the rust to attach patch panels to. I saw a truck that spent most of its life in Mass once. When they removed the bed, which was squarely up against the cab at the top, the frame literally colapsed into a slight “U” shape. I never saw anything like it before ir since.
If he’s looking for a tech school near by I know there’s a Boces in Yorktown NY which is about 30-45min away from where he lives. They have auto repair classes and thats where my friends take some of their car parts for paint and repair
Here’s an easy solution. My Toyota pick-up’s bed was rusted beyond repair, so I just yanked the whole thing & built a replacement wooden platform which I bolted to the frame. The truck was then a miniature flatbed, which served very well! (Just make sure to mount the tail lights to some slotted, galvanized angle which you’ve grounded, and run a ground wire from the filler neck to the frame).
“Meanwhile: Slather on “rust conversion” stuff (both sides) and hit it with a couple-three layers of rustoleum so’s most of what’s there now will still be there when he gets around to doing something.”
Over many years of dealing with rust, the two most effective treatments are keeping area rinsed and clean, and yearly applying oil in enclosed seam areas and paint “red grease” with foam brush in exposed. Protect fenders with plastic inner fender liners. Add on rust proofing that can harden over time, enhances rust. It’s a yearly maintenance procedure. If you do this, you’ll never see rust the life of your car, even in the rust belt.
http://www.zealandpublishing.co.nz/freerustproof.html
If you’re a conservationist or unsure of controlling dripping oil, try this.
http://www.solventfreepaint.com/info/case_study_OrganicRustproofing.htm
Hey, What ever happened to the flat bed conversion? We use to follow the deck builders around till we had enough pieces to convert that old rusty box into a custom flatbed. If they left enough treated lumber, it would turn into a camper type “thing”. And remember always park in the garden, the pieces that fall off are good for the plants, as long as they aren’t too big. See ya in the future if not in the pasture. Schmuttly