Having given up, on the patch panel, another direction.

[64 f100]

I have a longbed with a damaged side, but relatively good floor and front. So, having cut out the previous crappy repair job and front cross brace along with the bad bed floor, I am going to tackle the problem head on. I will endeavor to cut out a section of the longbed floor and front panel, then weld it all back in. This will mean a lot of careful trimming and removal of pieces which were left on by the idiot butcher that did the previous work. I would have preferred just repairing the original front panel, that mission is nearly impossible. The welding has warped so much, that getting it back in shape is nearly impossible. Any, I will have pieces left from this long bed for sale when I get done cutting out what I need. Left side is nearly toast although parts may be usable. Passenger side is near perfect. I also have two other bed sides I've salvaged for parts from a long bed. Contact me if you need parts form any of these beds.

The bed I am repairing is a shortbed and I have to replace the flat pieces on both side n front of the wheelhouse . I intend to use the longbed flat panel parts by cutting these to length plus enough to form the flange connecting to the wheelhouse. In addition, I will have to remove the extra cross brace under the floor which is not needed for the short bed. Sounds ambitious doesn't it? Not looking forward to this as one wrong misstep and it's all for nothing. Once I have the piece cut out, I will be need to cherry out the floor to get it straight. I will most likely use a modern technic of welding with a wire that is more brass or bronze to keep from warping everything. I will have to either make pieces and weld to the bottom or both bed floors, or do like you do when installing a patch piece, and make overlapping flanges. Maybe a little of both. The Bronze ( brass ) welding process takes less heat, and causes less warping . It is also very strong. Only drawback is brass does not want to take paint very well. I intend to paint with epoxy primer with a ruffed up surface to cling to. I will be taking as many pictures as possible.

Rich

[64 f100]

After removing two long bed sides , a 64 cab top and dash and cutting that into two pieces , and another section of bed I had saved, I was finally ready to clean out the bed . Not to bad got about a half trash bag of leaves and debris. I was finally ready to go to work. I then started cutting out what I needed. I used a torch and sawzall cutting with the torch to get a hole for the saw, and cutting with the torch when I couldn't use the saw. Ended up cutting the nuts off the bed bolts with the torch. Wanted to spin in the holes of course. Had to move the bed forward which was a trick , since I had to do it by hand. I will make the final cuts tomorrow and have to figure out how to get the piece out, as I haven't moved the bed back far enough. If anyone want to see pics of the project so far, just email me direct, and I will send those to you. I'm cutting everything large with the anticipation of trimming it up as I decide which way I'm going with this. I intend to drill out the spot welds on the second cross member to remove it.
Although, it might be best to leave it in. This would make a good place to make the spice in the bed. I am tempted to try and make another front cross member out of the second one though. At least this is what I had in mind originally. Anyway, the project is coming along.

Rich

[ICEMAN6166]

Rich
been doing solo work for years

jack up the bed a little and find some pieces of pipe a little wider than the frame then you can roll the bed back and forth easily.

i have confidence in the patching
lots of work, lots of time but if i can do them so can you

check out the uni bed repair i did

before



after



theres of course lots of work between the 2

rest of the pics are on this page
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=11692&start=100

did some door and hood patches as well as a tailgate
used metal cut from donor trucks for all except the tailgate sides
i think Anthony got the sides from the donor gate
most time consuming was the very careful trimming and fitting
the spot weld removing was not much fun

good luck

[64 f100]

The spot welds on these truck are everywhere. The workers weren't very good but very enthusiastic, so they spot welded nearly everything a gajillion times. It's a wonder the windshields ever kept anything out let alone water. Nice job on the repair work Ice.
Just about decided I will have to remove the square panels in the corners to get it to fit in. Thinking I may just make new ones if I can find suitable flat metal and a way to bend it. I have made things the hard way before. Sure would be nice to have all the metal working tools for this kind of work, and a source of good metal. Seeing as your on the western slope, you most likely have even worse than I do. It's a hundred miles round trip to get new metal for me.
One of these days, I'm going to have to figure out how to import pictures to my posts. As to moving the bed back, I have a clunky aftermarket ranch bumper that I have to raise the bed over. One of those , I think I'll make this fit things. Most likely I will end up cutting it off today. Just don't want to be laying under it at the time I cut it off. Nice idea on the rollers , thanks for the thought. I do believe I'm going to make my bed splice a little farther back from the front than you did. Mainly, so I can get to it with a grinder more easily.

Rich

[ICEMAN6166]

Sure would be nice to have all the metal working tools for this kind of work, and a source of good metal. Seeing as your on the western slope, you most likely have even worse than I do. It's a hundred miles round trip to get new metal for me.

i would always like more tools,
good metal is not far , lots of donor material around here. big scrapyard too, only 40 miles from me.

lots of very nice older cars and trucks too.

[64 f100]

I have several pieces I've saved over the years from different cabs and beds, but most have rust in the same places. I have a lot of stuff stored inside, but a lot outside to. I like new metal to work with, but getting the good stuff is a real problem. Often, I find a piece to use in my stuff that looks suitable but is of the wrong thickness. The best metal comes from places that don't get much rust, but seem to be thinner than was originally used elswhere. I noticed the back part of a cab in my storage, that has some metal between the vertical ribs that may work for the floor corner pieces. This afternoon I will take a tape measure and go see if the panels are big enough.
I have the piece out from the long bed, but had to cheat to get it out , by cutting up the side of the long bed. That side and area was junk anyway. These parts trucks being mine, I don't have to worry about using a torch other than metal warping. Junk yard owners usually frown on a torch in their yard. I use a sawzal when possible, can't always use one. Even have a battery pack one, but wears the batteries down pretty quick. I also have several old Black+Decker side grinders, even a very old 9,000 rpm one with the push on/off switch that was outlawed many years ago. When you turn that one on, you better have a good hold on it. Used to run those all day long grinding beads on the pipeline. Cuts thru sheet metal like butter. Throws off a lot of sparks and metal while you doing the cutting though. I can see that it will not be very feasible to install my bed front with floor pan and corner pieces on place. Most likely will have to take the flat corner pieces off . Trying to decide which way was easiest to remove spot welds from all the extra metal still attached to the front panel and bed floor. Seems to me, I developed a better way than a spot weld remover. Although I have those I really don't like using the things. Some work better than others. Some places I will have to use one.

Rich

[unibody madness]

I understand step drills make the job easier and are cheap enough at harbor freight

[64 f100]

Decided to dismantle The section I cut out of the long bed. As it was, I could not have gotten it into the other bed. So I spent all day removing spot welds. The floor is off as is on of the square panels. Most like will end up making new panels for the corners. Debating whether to take the front panel off the support beam. Both need sand blasting. and rust preventive measures. Will take some more pictures tomorrow. As is, the second cross beam is in better shape rust wise than the front one. Then again I would have to install several pieces from the old piece, I cut out of the short bed, to be able to use it. Don't want to destroy the front piece as it is still usable even if fairly well pitted.

Rich

[64 f100]

Worked on the truck today. Finished grinding out the spot welds, all accept the side panel on the floor. Worked on getting the seat ready for the new upholstery also. Will be blasting tomorrow or the next day, getting the seat frame cleaned up and painted . In addition, I will also be blasting the front panel and floor pieces. Hate blasting with the equipment I have. Basically I have the cheapest most worn out one around. Never works right and have to shake the sand down all the time. May have to rig up a new set of water filters for it. I usually try and save the sand for reuse, but I'm thinking just buy new and let it rip.

Rich

[64 f100]

Did some more work on the bed and installed radiator support bolts and new mounting kit. Can't believe someone put this truck together without putting those in. Had a rubber bushing in there but no bolts. I also noticed about 20 bolts that were not tightened down on the front end along with it having the wrong kind of bolts. Slipshod work, really pisses me off. The bed is coming along and I have finally started grinding off the crappy weld job on the inside of the bed. Thought I had figured out where to get metal for the corner pieces, but I found out the back of the cab I was going to cut those out of was long enough. Takes about 23 inches in length to make my pieces. Still like the idea of using new pieces instead of the old stuff, as I don't like pitting and rust. I will come up with something. I am going to try and have my wife post some pics on Facebook for me, of the project. If it works out, I will let everyone know. Running into rust issues and seeing why it holds water so badly in the front. Thinking of drilling some holes in the bottom of the front panel so it will drain better. Dreading sandblasting but it's got to happen, before I make final decisions. Debating whether to make the bottom piece and splice it into front panel instead of using the complete panel I cut out of the other bed. Both need working, but the complete panel has two very bad dents. Have to resort to heating and shrinking it. Never have completely mastered the art. I think it takes two people to do it right.

Rich