The Stovebolt Forums Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Cab corner patch rough cost?

New member here. I'm looking at a 1954 3100 with the typical corner and floor pan rot. I can't tackle this myself. What would a typical body shop charge to weld in two corner and right and left cab floor patch panels? Just a rough guess is helpful to me.
I can repair or replace mechanical items but not skilled to cut and weld. Thanks!

I had never done patch panels prior to this. Just take your time and watch a few videos first.

If you pay someone to do it I would say three days labor plus.

I'm going to guess more than 3 days labor for both cab corners and both sides of the floor. $$$$

Check the sticky thread at the top of this forum for tips on MIG welding sheet metal. If you do it yourself, you'll gain skills and it will be done to your satisfaction.

There are lots of non-professionals that have tackled this job (myself included) and we're here to help out. You can add your truck info into a signature in your profile and it will appear in all your posts.

Welcome to Stovebolt

$1000 and up................way up.
VERY HARD FOR US to estimate without seeing good clear pictures. So we could be WAY off. Bottom line is if they know what they are doing it will be very expensive. Assuming corners AND floors.

I did not know how weld and fix rust with my first build either. If it's a hobby, you need to learn from the internet, Stovebolt and practice. There will be many things to do to refurbish the truck. Anyone who is mechanically inclined like you, can do anything mechanical or electrical on old trucks. The Stovebolt is good at fixing, and helping fix, old trucks. Estimating costs is for the shops to determine. This is mostly a DIY site. That's where the fun is. Buy a Mig, with gas, an angle and die grinder and you is us.
I took a course at a local college, learned enough to start practicing. I now have a mig and a stick. Most of the work IS mechanical. Measuring and cutting and tweaking the patch panels that are available to repair what you have. You could save money by doing that work and just tacking all in place. Then have someone come over and finish the weld. You can watch them because you will have a helmet.
There are hundreds of posts here covering every question about welding sheet metal, repairing exactly what you have. Covering welders, prep, practice, cutting, fitting, buying patch panels, tweaking them, how to avoid mistakes, structural advice and moral support. Sometimes even actual help if someone is nearby.

I see you are a Retired Boeing person.

I have an engineering connection to Boeing also. If I can learn welding, you certainly can. The welder can be used for many other purposes.

If you have rust through in the cab corners, you likely will also need to have the inner cab corners replaced. The rocker panel Is attached to the inner cab corner, so that may need some work too.
That's why I hate these trucks. All 4 of them...

Thank you all very much for your helpful answer. I know my question was very general but you all gave great advise.
Taking a basic welding class at my local Community College clearly is the way to go. I've watched a number of YouTube videos and have an understanding of what this entails. Once I take a class I'll have a better understanding if buying a modestly rusted truck is a viable choice.
Thanks again!

I owe you .02 cents Baramos! ;^) Yes, I worked at Boeing for 35 years as a machinist.

52 Carl, LOL hate all four of your trucks. It is a love-hate I get that.

Klhanson, thanks for pointing me to the sticky. I missed that, good stuff.

Ferris, yes I saw from the YouTube videos I think you are correct around three days labor$$$$$$$$$. Much better if I were to do the patch welding even if were not perfect and had the body shop finish and prime.

That's why buying one that has limited rust, and paying a little more is the best bet. At least you are the west coast. I don't know if you are in a state that uses salt on the roads. Hope not. Come down to AZ or CA and buy a truck. We have a few.

I figured 3 days for just the cab corners. I have watched a friend of mine do this and he is able to fly through this especially with pre fabb'ed pieces.

After doing some of my own work and learning how to do it with some complicated patches I am planning on 3 to 5 days to do mine. Of course once I am done the filler takes longer vs a real body shop, but I will get better at it.

Mossback - all good info. Also consider the process of finding someone that will actually do the work happily. It is sometimes very hard to find someone willing and able to do the work at the expectation level you desire and timeline you have in mind. Once you find that person hold on to them unless you learn to do it yourself, which is what we all encourage.
Worst that can happen? Blow holes in sheet metal that can get to cut out and try again. Patch panels are readily available for all of our sheet metal panels. Buy the mig w/gas. Practice. Use it for all sorts of stuff. It's a goes-with in this hobby.
Also, realize, as suggested, the rust is worser then you know by your initial observations. One thing will lead to another.