Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

wHATANERD · 02-03-2009, 11:25 PM

Hello everyone, I've recently started a restoration on my 69 Long Fleet Side and after sandblasting the bed floor I found two spots about 1 foot x 1 foot square that have numerous small rust holes. ( most likely where the PO had a tool box or fuel tank mounted) I had a piece of a patch panel ordered from LMC that I got from a friend, however it's too thin of sheet metal, and the height between the peaks and valleys of the surfaces is too shallow. I ordered another patch panel from another vendor, and it is not much better. Has anyone had any luck finding a good aftermarket panel for repairing a bed floor? I've attached a photo of the worst spot that need repairing and also was wondering how others have fixed similar rust spots. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

*Dylan · 02-03-2009, 11:29 PM

You can buy patch bed panels. There like 2' x 2' I think and you just cut out your part that has holes and weld in the patch panel.

hotrodhomi · 02-04-2009, 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Dylan

You can buy patch bed panels. There like 2' x 2' I think and you just cut out your part that has holes and weld in the patch panel.

Thats the best method or you can put this on there and go the cheap route.

sick69 · 02-04-2009, 02:51 AM

You obviously do not like the repop patch panels,,,,I would suggest going to the junkyard and finding a decent bed floor and cutting a patch panel from it. I'm not sure if the later square body beds have the same floor depth/peak as the 67-72 floors but it's worth looking at.

The other option I would suggest is to find somone with a sheetmetal brake and make your own patch panel. Getting that many bends in one piece with a brake will be really tough, next to impossible, but you could probably make several pieces containing one ridge and one valley per piece.

Frank

jb4short · 02-04-2009, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wHATANERD

Hello everyone, I've recently started a restoration on my 69 Long Fleet Side and after sandblasting the bed floor I found two spots about 1 foot x 1 foot square that have numerous small rust holes. ( most likely where the PO had a tool box or fuel tank mounted) I had a piece of a patch panel ordered from LMC that I got from a friend, however it's too thin of sheet metal, and the height between the peaks and valleys of the surfaces is too shallow. I ordered another patch panel from another vendor, and it is not much better. Has anyone had any luck finding a good aftermarket panel for repairing a bed floor? I've attached a photo of the worst spot that need repairing and also was wondering how others have fixed similar rust spots. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Which parts did you buy? There a relatively new panel out that is a heavy gauge and pre-flanged for welding: http://www.tri-proautomotive.com/ser...oor-bed/Detail

You should be able to get one from Mike's Bump and Grind right there in TX

wHATANERD · 02-04-2009, 10:09 AM

The Panel I got was the 1967-72 Fleetside steel bed floor patch 48" x 16" and it was made by Key Parts. I'm not sure who made the one from LMC. Other the the two small sections with rust hole my bed floor is in really good shape, has anyone had any luck with just welding them up?

Hawker7 · 02-04-2009, 10:54 AM

Do you plan on getting the bed lined? If so, Line-X can fill in holes that size.

enaberif · 02-04-2009, 11:01 AM

Goodmark has parts in their catalog to fill in spots like these.

I saw them while browsing the catalog.

jb4short · 02-04-2009, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wHATANERD

The Panel I got was the 1967-72 Fleetside steel bed floor patch 48" x 16" and it was made by Key Parts. I'm not sure who made the one from LMC. Other the the two small sections with rust hole my bed floor is in really good shape, has anyone had any luck with just welding them up?

The part I linked is a brand new tooling and it's a very high quality piece

sick69 · 02-04-2009, 12:10 PM

I wouldn't suggest covering it until it's fixed. That is just masking the problem. If you have never tried to weld a rust hole,,,,you will soon find out that 1/4" hole will turn into a welded glob that looks like a spider with 20 legs!

Check out the Tri-Pro pieces,, I used a couple patch panels of theirs I got from a friend and they were great quality.

If your still sketchy of the repops cut a patch panel out of another bed.

Frank

wHATANERD · 02-04-2009, 03:47 PM

I'm actually doing a frame off restoration of my truck, and the bed is the first place I decided to tackle. I don't want to take any short cuts and don't want to use aftermarket parts if the quality is bad as I only want to do it once. I've made some phone calls today and think I can get a piece cut from a doner Bed. I going to go take a look at it this weekend. Thanks for all the suggestions.

wHATANERD · 02-04-2009, 03:52 PM

I've attached a few pictures of the progress so far.

red69ss · 02-04-2009, 08:22 PM

can't you just flush it up to the top side ? are you planning on under coating? if so it would hide most of the uneveness.but the donor patch will probaly work best

msgross · 02-04-2009, 08:57 PM

find someone that just shortened their bed and see if they will help you out...

**passthebuck** · 02-05-2009, 12:00 AM

In the pursuit of shameless self promotion, I was forced to make 2 beds from one. It was a mess & a ton of work. See my pain here:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=138385

It turned out pretty good considering...

wHATANERD · 02-07-2009, 10:09 PM

Today I was able to locate and cut out some patch panels to repair my bed from a donor bed at a local boneyard. After about an hour, 3 broken jigsaw blades, and almost burning up a harbor freight cutoff tool I was able to get the 2 pieces in the attached photo.

wHATANERD · 02-07-2009, 10:15 PM

I also took this photo to compare these patch panels with the aftermarket piece. I alligned them both at the green line, and it's easy to see how off they are at the red line. The depth of the piece from peak to valley is also not as deep as the original stamping but it probaly cannot be seen from this photo.

wHATANERD · 05-04-2009, 10:50 AM

The patch panels are now welded in place, and the center brace has been replaced. a little more shaping with the grinder, and it's done.

elf w/capital T · 02-02-2017, 10:17 AM

Sweet deal man, wish I saw this before buying that paych panel.... HORRRRRIBLE bends. What a waste of money! Now on my quest for a doner!

GASoline71 · 02-02-2017, 12:10 PM

Looks workable to me. Tack and hammer, tack and hammer, tack and hammer. ALL patch panels need tweaking to fit properly.

Gary

**biketopia** · 02-02-2017, 01:52 PM

holy 8 year old thread batman!!

02-03-2009, 11:25 PM	#1
wHATANERD Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Uvalde, Tx Posts: 407	Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor Hello everyone, I've recently started a restoration on my 69 Long Fleet Side and after sandblasting the bed floor I found two spots about 1 foot x 1 foot square that have numerous small rust holes. ( most likely where the PO had a tool box or fuel tank mounted) I had a piece of a patch panel ordered from LMC that I got from a friend, however it's too thin of sheet metal, and the height between the peaks and valleys of the surfaces is too shallow. I ordered another patch panel from another vendor, and it is not much better. Has anyone had any luck finding a good aftermarket panel for repairing a bed floor? I've attached a photo of the worst spot that need repairing and also was wondering how others have fixed similar rust spots. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Attached Images __________________ 1969 C/10 Longbed undergoing rebuild. Old Chevy's Never Die, They Just Rust Around The Edges

02-03-2009, 11:29 PM	#2
*Dylan Mean Buzzin' Half Dozen Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Orlando, Florida Posts: 1,081	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor You can buy patch bed panels. There like 2' x 2' I think and you just cut out your part that has holes and weld in the patch panel. __________________ "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." MY TRUCK (Now for sale) 1967 C10 SWB *Dylan* IIMY?

02-04-2009, 02:51 AM	#4
sick69 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: colorado springs colorado Posts: 737	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor You obviously do not like the repop patch panels,,,,I would suggest going to the junkyard and finding a decent bed floor and cutting a patch panel from it. I'm not sure if the later square body beds have the same floor depth/peak as the 67-72 floors but it's worth looking at. The other option I would suggest is to find somone with a sheetmetal brake and make your own patch panel. Getting that many bends in one piece with a brake will be really tough, next to impossible, but you could probably make several pieces containing one ridge and one valley per piece. Frank __________________ 70 chevy lwb c10 454/th400 and a 9" rearend suicide doors, marker light fuel fill, 4" cowl , mini tub Last edited by sick69; 02-04-2009 at 02:54 AM.

02-04-2009, 10:09 AM	#6
wHATANERD Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Uvalde, Tx Posts: 407	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor The Panel I got was the 1967-72 Fleetside steel bed floor patch 48" x 16" and it was made by Key Parts. I'm not sure who made the one from LMC. Other the the two small sections with rust hole my bed floor is in really good shape, has anyone had any luck with just welding them up? __________________ 1969 C/10 Longbed undergoing rebuild. Old Chevy's Never Die, They Just Rust Around The Edges

02-04-2009, 10:54 AM	#7
Hawker7 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 321	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor Do you plan on getting the bed lined? If so, Line-X can fill in holes that size.

02-04-2009, 11:01 AM	#8
enaberif Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 1,181	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor Goodmark has parts in their catalog to fill in spots like these. I saw them while browsing the catalog.

02-04-2009, 12:10 PM	#10
sick69 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: colorado springs colorado Posts: 737	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor I wouldn't suggest covering it until it's fixed. That is just masking the problem. If you have never tried to weld a rust hole,,,,you will soon find out that 1/4" hole will turn into a welded glob that looks like a spider with 20 legs! Check out the Tri-Pro pieces,, I used a couple patch panels of theirs I got from a friend and they were great quality. If your still sketchy of the repops cut a patch panel out of another bed. Frank __________________ 70 chevy lwb c10 454/th400 and a 9" rearend suicide doors, marker light fuel fill, 4" cowl , mini tub

02-04-2009, 03:47 PM	#11
wHATANERD Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Uvalde, Tx Posts: 407	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor I'm actually doing a frame off restoration of my truck, and the bed is the first place I decided to tackle. I don't want to take any short cuts and don't want to use aftermarket parts if the quality is bad as I only want to do it once. I've made some phone calls today and think I can get a piece cut from a doner Bed. I going to go take a look at it this weekend. Thanks for all the suggestions. __________________ 1969 C/10 Longbed undergoing rebuild. Old Chevy's Never Die, They Just Rust Around The Edges

02-04-2009, 03:52 PM	#12
wHATANERD Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Uvalde, Tx Posts: 407	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor I've attached a few pictures of the progress so far. Attached Images __________________ 1969 C/10 Longbed undergoing rebuild. Old Chevy's Never Die, They Just Rust Around The Edges

02-04-2009, 08:22 PM	#13
red69ss Burnouts are therapeutic Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: lancaster, south carolina Posts: 852	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor can't you just flush it up to the top side ? are you planning on under coating? if so it would hide most of the uneveness.but the donor patch will probaly work best __________________ 1969 CHEVELLE SS 1972 C10 ALMOST DAILY DRIVER 1968 C10 RUSTBUCKET (MISSION IMPOSSIBLE) 1972 PONTIAC LEMANS CONVERTIBLE (WIFE'S CAR) "My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met." - Rodney Dangerfield "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Einstein

02-04-2009, 08:57 PM	#14
msgross Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Central PA Posts: 12,201	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor find someone that just shortened their bed and see if they will help you out... __________________ The Garage: 1968 K-10 SWB - "Project Money Pit" 1996 Z-71 - "huntin rig" 1969 C-10 LWB (SOLD) "Project flip that truck or else" 1993 Passport, F@rd 1-ton (SOLD)"Project Cousin Eddie" My Garage Build "The 1,000 footer"

02-05-2009, 12:00 AM	#15
passthebuck Sisyphus was my mentor! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Carleton Place, Ontario CANADA Posts: 984	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor In the pursuit of shameless self promotion, I was forced to make 2 beds from one. It was a mess & a ton of work. See my pain here: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=138385 It turned out pretty good considering... __________________ passthebuck #5642 -TWO 1967 GMC 910's. One with L6/3-on-the tree and the other with 355 w/435hp & a 700r4. -a 2013 Honda Civic as my "sensible" car

02-07-2009, 10:09 PM	#16
wHATANERD Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Uvalde, Tx Posts: 407	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor Today I was able to locate and cut out some patch panels to repair my bed from a donor bed at a local boneyard. After about an hour, 3 broken jigsaw blades, and almost burning up a harbor freight cutoff tool I was able to get the 2 pieces in the attached photo. Attached Images __________________ 1969 C/10 Longbed undergoing rebuild. Old Chevy's Never Die, They Just Rust Around The Edges

02-07-2009, 10:15 PM	#17
wHATANERD Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Uvalde, Tx Posts: 407	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor I also took this photo to compare these patch panels with the aftermarket piece. I alligned them both at the green line, and it's easy to see how off they are at the red line. The depth of the piece from peak to valley is also not as deep as the original stamping but it probaly cannot be seen from this photo. Attached Images __________________ 1969 C/10 Longbed undergoing rebuild. Old Chevy's Never Die, They Just Rust Around The Edges

05-04-2009, 10:50 AM	#18
wHATANERD Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Uvalde, Tx Posts: 407	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor The patch panels are now welded in place, and the center brace has been replaced. a little more shaping with the grinder, and it's done. Attached Images __________________ 1969 C/10 Longbed undergoing rebuild. Old Chevy's Never Die, They Just Rust Around The Edges



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02-02-2017, 10:17 AM	#19
elf w/capital T Registered User Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: North Carolina Posts: 993	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor Sweet deal man, wish I saw this before buying that paych panel.... HORRRRRIBLE bends. What a waste of money! Now on my quest for a doner!

02-02-2017, 01:52 PM	#21
biketopia Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Warrenton VA Posts: 1,024	Re: Need advice on how to repair rust holes in bed floor holy 8 year old thread batman!! __________________ 71 c-10 Long Bed, under the knife for a No Limit Engineering Wide Ride Chassis Pack and coil over static drop. 07 Silverado Classic 2wd 95 Camaro 427SBC/TH350

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