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Jul 21st, 2025 | | | | Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 24 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 24 | My '66 Fleetside came pretty cheap and I'm not ready to sink big dollars in it right now, so I'm planning on using it as a learning tool...
1) Front fender lower quarters - these are both rotting and I was planning on glueing on replacement panels? I do have an oxy setup, but I'm not very good with light materials. I could even try fiberglass/bondo approach?
2) The bed is peppered with holes from years of tie downs, camper mounts, etc. What's the best method to close a 1/4-3/8" hole that is visible from inside the bed (or under the lip)?
3) The whole body has a good dose of surface rust.
Just sand it down and prime it?
The money I save as a mechanic, I spend on medical bills!
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 398 Member | | Member Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 398 | JimG-a couple of thoughts. First, do you have any friends/relative who have access to a MIG welder? Could you barter with them, maybe trade some mechanical repairs, odd jobs etc. for a bit of welding? The bottoms of your fenders can be repaired with either a premade patch panel (aftermarket) or you could probably fab up your own fairly easy from some sheetmetal. Yes, you could glue it on...but the ONLY way to fix the drill rash you're describing on your box is to plug the holes by welding 'em up. For the cost of the panel adhesive, why not just bite the bullet and find someone to help you out with the welding chore. "Quick fixes" always end up costing you more when you have to redo 'em down the road. Just my $.02. No criticism intended, just wanting to give you another perspective on your situation. Regards, Wannabe 
"Don't expect anything and you'll never be disappointed"
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 24 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 24 | So if I want to get a MIG welder capable of such body work, are those 90A/110V units you see everywhere (for $109) complete trash? I have a long history of letting my Scottish blood make "penny wise, pound foolish" purchases...
The money I save as a mechanic, I spend on medical bills!
| | | | | Joined: May 2001 Posts: 71 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: May 2001 Posts: 71 | You've seen a MIG welder for $109?? Mine started out at $299 (for flux wire), then add about $100 for MIG conversion, then add a gas bottle and gas. About $500 all told. If you get a MIG, make sure that the wire is not electrically live until you squeeze the trigger, which also starts the gas. I worked with a cheap one from Sears where the wire was always hot. A real pain to deal with. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 | Those $109 units aren't mig, they're wirefeed, and they suck. Mig stands for metal inert gas, so you need argon/co2 to shield the weld, which flows from a bottle up through the gun. You use solid wire, and the gas is the flux. It keeps the spatter way down and makes a nice clean weld on thin metal. I have a Lincoln Migpack 135 (135 amp 120 volt) that works great, it comes with everything but the bottle and gas. You need to spend at least $350 to get a usable setup.
Paint & Body Shop moderator
A lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 7 Member | | Member Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 7 | I too have the migpac 135 and just love.I never struck an arc befor I bought my bolt and started the redo.A week or 2 with the fluk core and I broke down and bought the gas bottle and off we went.I would like to report to you all that I'm now a cracker jack welder,,,Not so.I am getting to be good with a grinder though....A tutorial by Martinsr,here on in stovebolt land helped a great deal.When I find these guy's Info bit's I copy and am getting a nice little book of how to's...Thanks to all!!! 
Every man builds his world in his own image.
He has the power to choose,but no power to escape the necessity of choice.
If he abdicates his power he abdicates
his status of man....John Gault
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