Need Suggestions Please.

[Psycho71]

Above are Pics of the front-top corners of my bed. I've been stripping it down for my first attempt at body work. This is NOT what I wanted to deal with my first time around. Evidently the PO couldn't paint for squat, but he could hide some nasty stuff with Bondo. Someone, at some point has attempted to braze some of it back toghether. It has broken that as well now.

I have found nothing else like this anywhere on the bed. Except a few holes that look like bullet holes, but do not penetrate all the way thru, and a few pick holes (?) in the bed floor which I'll patch before I spray in the liner. I have not seen any long fleetside replacements available, and don't know if I want to go that route anyway.

And FYI, I'm wanting to fill the stake pocket holes anyway.

What would you do?


Jay

[Sweet72]

You have access to welding equipment? If so, get some 20ga steel, cut out the mangled mess, and fabricate a patch.

[poorboy]

I agree. If you want to ditch the stake pockets anyways you would need to weld the piece in. Now it will just be a bigger piece.

[Psycho71]

Thanks for the advice. I am just wondering. Is this a common thing for these trucks? I don't know that I've ever seen one this way before. But then again, I've been surprised more than once with this one. The top of the bed rail has a few dings here and there that look like 35 years of neglect. But the front corners were just trashed, and there's not even any holes where a toolbox might have been mounted.

I guess I'll have to get everything ready, re-attach the bed, and drive it up to Dallas. I've got a buddy that was gonna weld in the new rocker panels, and cab corners at some point anyway. I just wanted to practice on the bed, and actually have it in primer, before attacking anything on the cab. Being a rookie at body work, I wanted to keep it in stages. But there's nothing like a baptism by fire, huh?

I was actually on the fence about teh stake pockets, but now, there getting filled in.

Thanks again,
Jay

[Rokcrln]

I would guess that he had somthing (rack, post or?) in that pocket and it got hit some how. I also would just weld in a new plate to fix your problem but keep in mind you said it was brazed before! You can not weld to metal that has been brazed so you will need to cut that area out past were the brazing was done and then replace it with a piece of sheet metal. If your buddy brazes than you can go right over it but if not start cutting! The new weld can not stick to the brazed areas that is why it needs to come out. Now if you want to keep the stake pocket I am sure a board member has and totaled bed side laying around ready for the dumps they would cut this section out for you. That way it gets fixed and looks stock if that is what you want.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Sweet72]

Kevin! I think it will pop and spatter alot if you try to mig weld it

[Psycho71]

Hadn't thought about a headache rack. I'll bet that is what it was , and it got snagged on something at some point. Cause just the very front of the bed is tore up. I'll cut out the old, and weld in some new. I can braze it myself, I'm good w/a troch, but I think I'll do it as right as possible. And yep, I'm filling the stake pockets for sure. Never used them on any truck I've had yet. And I'm gonna put a bed cover on it eventually anyway.

Thanks for the advice fellas.

Jay