When I bought the truck, I knew it had some rust in the firewall, the cowl area and the floor boards. A PO had patched the worst areas using fiberglass, galvanized steel and sheet metal screws. My next priority was to fix the rust in the cab, so I could drive the truck without the nuisance of having wet feet.
During this time, I decided to set a few goals:
-Keep as much of the original sheet metal as possible.
-Perform the repairs "the right way...not the right now way".
-Make the truck safe in terms of suspension, brakes, lights, etc...
-Spend money where it is important, but do not let the truck turn into a show truck. It still must be used as a truck.
As you look at the pictures, please keep in mind that I am not an expert when it comes to body work. If you have any suggestions, I am open to hear them.
Here are pics of the repairs:
Driver's side kick panel:
Rust in the cowl area:
Removing the kick panel:
Hart_Rod sold me some patch panels from a cab he was parting out. Here is the "new" patch panel for the kick panel:
Panel tacked into place:
Welded in and etching primer is covering the bare metal:
