I have a very rusty 52' AD from Cinncinatti. Have disaasembled the bed w/ running boards. Hauled them dowm to Randy Clark's Hotrods and Stuff in Escondido, Calif. He told me that if I am low on common sense and flush in cash then his was the place to go. They can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. They also have an excellent reputation and have had there work in the likes of Hot Rodder mag for many years running. It was considerate of him to inform me that that one of the fenders (using it as an example for the other pieces I had brought) would run $800 to bead-blast, primer and repair - just to start. He said get a repro for $400 and save yourself a ton of money. He said, in fact, buy repro sheet metal for everything but the cab. It isn't worth trying to redo the old. ("And you'll never get all the rust out of the seams"!) Well dang, I've waited a long time to have this truck. Trashing the all the sheet metal is just wrong. It takes some of its soul away. But I'm not made of money either. And at $100/hour for shop time, holding on to the old parts just because they are original is pretty scary. I even have another pair of running boards that I thought were in really descent shape. One small dent to be worked would run $300+. Is there an alternative? Can the sheet metal, including the cab be dip-stripped? I've heard there are places that do this. The bead-blasting in itself is a $5,000-$7,000 start.(Before the bodywork). I live in Southern California, and would sure welcome the advise and direction of fellow Stovebolters. And, oh yes, this is a down-to-the-frame-rails restoration.
