The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Crazy idea?

Like most old truck beds, mine has a rusted out front panel lower flange. My panel is in pretty good shape except for the lower 3 inches.

Rusted out lower flange.

I am not an experienced body man. I know that I could buy a brand new header panel for about $100 plus shipping, but I have read many posts that say original panels are best.

I can't find a decent original panel at the salvage yard, so I came up with another idea. Tell me what you think of it.

The top of the panel is 4" tall and the top edge is about 1.5". I found a header panel at the salvage yard that I could use for a patch piece. So I was thinking I could cut off the top 4" of the donor panel (including some of the rolled top for a flange)and flip it over and use it as a patch piece to replace the lower 3.25" from my panel. It already has a flange, and if I cut it properly, it will exactly match the bad part I cut off.

Top 4" of the panel

The lower 3.25" can be cut off and replaced with the piece from the top of the donor panel after it is properly sized.

Lower section to be removed

Can you see my plan?

Jay, you amaze me with your crazy idea's but if its gonna be a good solid panel,you have the time, and it saves you money then why send your hard earned dollars to china.....go for it. Looks like a good breaking point to joint it all back up together.

I don't see why it wouldn't work. Just be careful when welding so you don't put too much heat into it.

Looks like more than a hundred dollars worth of trouble to me....why not ask the list if anyone has a rust free from panel to sell. I sold a rust free box ( minus the tailgate) for $100 earlier this year.

Just my 2 cents

Joe

Joe,
I thought about how much work would be involved and that my time is worth something too. The patch panel will be at least $10 plus welding gas and supplies additional. It might not be worth the trouble. It's not gonna be a show truck because I don't have the skill or money to do that level work.

That's a pretty long section of weld to save an old fairly beat up panel. I'm having second thoughts.

Have you looked at 1954-1987 beds for parts?

Made in USA

That is a good point GMONIZ brought up. The front bed panel is the same from 1954 thru 1987. Maybe a junkyard?

Although tomorrow may bring the right part to the my local salvage yard, it's been a year and no decent panels have shown up. I found a new panel in the Truck Shop of Orange, CA page 117 for $80. I think that will be my choice once the time comes to rebuild the bed. Of course if something comes my way sooner, I can always be persuaded to get a decent salvage panel.

Link for Stepside front bed panel.

The bed panel I have might end up as patch panel for fenders, etc.

I had the typical bed front panel issue you describe where the wood held moisture rusting out the bottom flange. To fix it I bought a piece of 16 ga sheet metal and a section of angle iron as replacements. I cut out the center section that was peppered with dents and the rusted bottom flange. I left the top edge and sides to maintain the correct dimensions. Then I "plug" welded the sheet metal to the top/sides sections and ran a continuous bead along the angle iron bottom (in 1" welds jumping end-to-end to minimize heat/warping). Total cost was approximately $16.

http://s1273.beta.photobucket.com/u...mp;_suid=1357257070014043406740778914265

I just cut the bottom inch or so off straight across. My panel had wood installed, which rotted out. I cut a piece of 3/4 furniture grade plywood and replaced the rotted stuff. I thought about replacing the cut off portion, but it doesnt really do much down there, except rust.