The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Buy new . . . or repair?

I caught grief (polite advice really) about spending time and resources to repair my patina bed header panel. Almost everyone thought it was too far gone.
Now I’m torn between buying 2 new wheel houses versus repairing what I have. When I am finished with my bed repairs and reassembly, I want to look in the bed and see a mix of new wood floor and bed strips surrounded by the patina that fits the rest of the truck. The inside of the cab is freshly restored and that was done for comfort.
I really don’t know how to make a new wheel house look like a 60 year old piece of bed with a mixture of rust and worn off paint.
Overall the original wheel houses are solid except for the flange where they bolt to the bed. Two new repop wheel houses will cost me $236.76 delivered and then I’ll need to paint a faux-tina finish. The bed side flanges look pretty good.

I might be inclined to weld new metal to the wheel houses, especially the flanges that will be under the wood, and thus not exposed. You could probably do that and keep the patina of the bulk of the wheel houses. Not knowing how they attach to the bedsides, I don't know if that approach would work well.

I'm not sure how to faux-tina new ones, except maybe paint them, then beat them up and submerge them in seawater for a while. That would probably look pretty fake. I saw a truck that was faux-tinaed, and it definitely looked like it. (see the attached pic.) I mean who would use red primer??

The wheel house flange stays above the bed wood. I’ll try a repair on the first wheel house and see how it goes. Not much to lose. I need practice welding.

From the pictures it doesn't appear that you would deal with many compound bends. I would go ahead as planned and work the first one and see how it goes, at least that way you maintain the look of the bed.

Ok, I have developed a plan. Simple to make and effective.
I will cut strips of metal and lay them on top of the current flange. I will drill holes to create spot welds to weld the top strips to the current metal flange below. I will also tack weld the top strips to the vertical areas of the wheel house. Since the new metal will overlay the current flange, it will cover the rotted out holes, thus creating a new flange on top of the old flange. The new flange will be made from 2 metal pieces the shape of A. Also one long strip the shape of B. The opposite end of the wheelhouse will use a piece the same shape as piece A, but flipped upside down.

That should work, but I would cut away most if not all of the flange and weld the new metal at the horizontal to vertical bend. Welding from the underside should minimize blowouts. That way you'd have a rust free flange to bolt down.

I didn't realize that the flange laid on top of the wood and not underneath it. Probably makes sense that it was on top though, as it would probably have been way rustier if under the wood, and trapping crud and moisture there.

I’m thinking that if I cut away the old flange, then I’d be forced to weld the entire outer perimeter (3 sides) of the wheel house. I’d like to avoid that much welding. If I just tack welded the new flange (old flange cut away) then I’d have voids between tack welds. I suppose I could buy seam sealer to fill the voids.

Seam sealer might work, but you should derust the whole flange first. Sandwiches with rust inside isn't a great idea.

I'd offer to weld them up for you, but I'm a long way from you.

I wonder, how would knocking the scale off then rust converter, prime and coat with a polyurethane adhesive sealer, place new metal in place, clamp and hard tack it.

If my project (I’m currently replacing the rusted out rear floor and patching the front on a ‘64 CJ5) I’d burn the midnight oil and several feet of wire and cut out the bad and weld in new. Grind it down and use JB weld where needed to make it pretty.

I do know that whatevery path is taken it’ll look great,

Good Luck
RonR

Moving forward. Minor change in shape of pieces.

It was a successful day. One more to fabricate. I’m glad I didn’t abandon these wheel houses.
Wheel House VIDEO LINK.

Looks good. I particularly like your use of CAD to create the new pieces.

RonR

Thankfully, the front is the same as the back.

Those are pretty easy pieces to make; the cost of the new parts will get you a small brake and a shrinker/stretcher…if you want to mess with it.