The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Big Bolt patch panels

Hi guys, I was on American Classic's website looking over their patch panels and such. But, alot of them are pickup specific, like fender patches for instance.. Does anybody know of a sourch of Big Bolt panels?

Check out my photo album to see what I'm up against: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=56913&id=733618614&l=86f913638c

Thanks in advance!

Patch panels for the cab will be the same as a pickup. I doubt that you will find any patch panels for the front clip of larger trucks. The best source is a donor truck. After looking at your vehicle, unless it has sentimental value, I would recommend to start out with a vehicle with a lot less rust.

I don’t believe that anyone is making panels for the big trucks. If you look close I think you will find that much of the parts from the pick up are usable for the big trucks. Use what is the same and trim the rest, these parts will usually get you close enough that the rest is easily filled in with hand formed sheet metal. Most all the cab parts are the same. Most of the differences in the fenders are at the rear and around the fender wells, those areas are usually fairly easy to form.
Give it a try if you lack the skill and or tools to form these more simple areas your self you probably shouldn’t be installing patch panels either.
If this makes you nervous just take a trip to a wreaking yard and see if you can talk them out of a couple wrinkled and rusted out fenders that you can practice on it doesn’t matter what they come from, they are just for practice. Get a couple books maybe a video or two read, watch and find out what tools you will need make a trip to Harbor Freight (you will not need the best) then when you are confident you can do the repairs on your truck. Oh and don’t throw them old fenders out you can use them in patching your truck if you look close you may even find areas formed just how you need them.
Good luck and most importantly have lots of fun.

Ok, that's what I thought. Gonna have to hand form some stuff..

No sentimental value.. If you noticed, it's gonna be a pulling truck, so for instance, that floorboard is going to need to be reformed because a 5.9 Cummins and an automatic won't tuck under there anyhow.. So a new floorpan was in order anyway..

Really, the only really bad stuff would be the fender area.. That rot in the front corner of the cab I can reconstruct..

For instance, those inner fenders will almost guaranteed have to be cut away to clear engine accessories and parts..

Well, guess we'll see what happens.

I am a recent joiner as well and am starting my build up now too, From what I've been able to figure, the 6bt is about 13" too long to fit under the stock hood. I was looking at stuffing one in there as well. I didn't want to lose the factory bench seat and such as the shifter with the cummins will be quite a bit further back as well. I am actually looking for a 4bt right now. It will fit a little better and for what I'm doing, provide more than enough HP