The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop intro to body-work

So we just pryed and/or cajoled the seat out of our '51 3600 and yep there is a bunch of rust in there along with a couple of thru-holes. Looks like somebody did a wham-bam fix up a few yrs/decades ago by tacking on some flimsy sheet metal as well. Our question is... where to start. I'm sure we have to cut/grind back to untainted metal so my question more specifically is how. Is it best to take the cab entirely off for this? Just start grinding w/ cab in place? How risky is doing the latter (hitting other vital structures beneath the cab?? Hope you fellas don't mind these beginners questions and thanks.

Climb under the cab and look before you cut. I use a dremel tool with there reinforced cutoff wheel. Mark the area off and make several passes usually about 3 and it will cut and leave a 1/16" gap. When you are about through the metal and the wheel starts to penetrate let it cut from the top through. The wheel is cutting more surface area and it wont eat your wheel up as fast. I like the dremmel because it leaves a thin cut and is easy to work with in tight places and it only goes through the metal a little bit when you cut so you aren't likely to hit anything under your cut. For straight cuts I use a piece of flat bar as a guide or masking tape and just cut to the edge. It is better to remove the cab for access to the bottom but I am working with mine in place. If you are going to do the body work look at a good name brand Mig welder you will be looking at $700. or so minimum but that will seem cheap if you start paying a body shop. Make sure it is one that uses gas and not flux core. I have been using a cheap flux core wire welder and cuss the day I bought it. The best advice is go to the library and look at the body repair books and welding books. A you tube search on body work and welding also will produce several great videos on the subject. Smartflix is another good source of info for tech video rental. I just watched one on swapping the ring and pinion in a 10 bolt GM rear end. Ask a lot of questions and take pictures.

thanks neilroy

good suggestions all around
will try to hit the local library here on the way home from work tonite
need to learn more about all of these things...