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All Metal Rust Repair/Rebuild with 90+Pics.......

G

Gtdhw

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I think these could possilby be very helpful to anyone thinking of attempting these repairs.

When I was done, I repaired the other side the exact same way (last two pics). I am just getting started on the resto, but it has taken me two years to get this far!

If you would like to see them in order, use the "sort" "oldest to newest" option.

http://tinypic.com/useralbum.php?ua=sB0l5sc8GtQnuRjRYHEkjw%3D%3D

All comments/critique/questions are welcome....
 
WOW! Talk about a long-time lurker!! :)

3 years on CK5 and you finally make your first post.....well, it was a GOOD one! :waytogo:


I can certainly appreciate what you've been going through. That floor section looks especially good to me....curious how you got it so nice and flat. Mines still got quite a bit of waviness from the repro panels I used. Looks like at least some of your sheetmetal was original GM stuff, maybe that helps??

Definitely fill out more details about you and your GMC in the profile, and don't be shy about posting up from now on. It should be obvious by now that we're a pretty gentle bunch of enthusiasts!!


:usaflag:
 
Thanks. It starterd life as a '72 Jimmy Custom. It was on the road from '72-'78, then had the drivetrain removed and was parked in a barn until I rescued it a few years back. My plans are to use my 355 with double hump heads, timing gears, and a mellow cam (I plan on using the truck for mostly highway driving). It will have 3/4 ton
Dana in the front with 14 Bolt FF in the rear (with disc brakes). The gears are 4.10, but I think I am going to go with 3.73's (for RPM friendly top end) and Detriot Tru-Trac's in front and rear. 6" lift with 35-14's. It will also be a Blazer when it's done. Not that I don't like the Jimmy's, I just prefer the look of the Chevy grille and single headlights. It will also have a 350 turbo with a Fairbanks Shift-In-A-Box shift kit. a 205 TC will also be used. I think this combo will make for a very well mannered street truck with enough balls to get me through Indiana winters and whatever off-road duty I call it up for. The winters are the reason that I primed, painted, and undercoated all the replacement metal from the backside. I know it will only be a matter a time before it starts to rust again, due to bad original design and road salt. With this much time being spent to make it rust free, I am hoping for atleast 5 years of no rust issues!
 
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Greg 72 says<
I can certainly appreciate what you've been going through. That floor section looks especially good to me....curious how you got it so nice and flat. Mines still got quite a bit of waviness from the repro panels I used. Looks like at least some of your sheetmetal was original GM stuff, maybe that helps??


The only GM parts I used were the outer rocker panels. I tried three different kinds of aftermarket and they simply did not fit right. I had no luck findind any of the other panels by GM. The rear pillars were a little narrow compared to factory, that's why I had to slice and weld the GM rocker in the bend. As for the floor panel, jeez, that thing was not formed correctly at all! I had to do a lot of cutting, bending, reshaping, and re-welding to get a fit that I was happy with (same for the other side). I guess I just got luck on the "flat" factor. Since this was my first attempt at sheetmetal work, I spent a lot of time staring (a whole lot), trying to figure out the right steps to keep from losing the factory fit of things. I also purchased a new Goodmark passenger side door, which ended up being completely useless! It did not fit AT ALL even before the first cut was made! I bought the green junk (but factory GM) door you see in the pics and it fit perfect. Now I have to determine if the Goodmark door was just from a bad mold or what. The factory one fit perfect before and after the repairs. The aftermarket one fits wrong after just like before. With the GM door fitting great, I am very confident that the repairs are right and the door is wrong, but I bought the door two years ago and cannot return it. So, now I have a nice rust free $300 useless p.o.s.! At that price, I am very weary about buying another. I am torn between that option, or just trying to find a descent original and making repairs as needed.
 
Too bad about the door issue. Remember a truck door can be modified into a Blazer door. I have a good link to a detailed thread on that issue you that would be of interest to you.
 
Yes, the only door goodmark offers is a truck door. The blazer door that they offer is a truck door cut down and does not have the re-enforcement plate around the door latch. I am planning on fabbing my own plates based on the originals that I have. If I go with an original door, I think the only chance I have at finding a rust free one (while not having to sell the farm to afford it) is from a truck. I have the plastic caps for the top of the frame and the rear weatherstrip is readily available. I am definately interested in that link!
 
Yea, cool pics. What kind of protection did you spray on the underside of the parts before welding? I used a rubber undercoating but sprayed it on after everything was welded up using a couple of the drain holes in the rocker boxes.
 
I primed, then sprayed with Rustloeum Rust Preventive Semi-Gloss Black, then used Dupli-Color Rubberized UnderCoating. I tried 3M, but found that it left a much rougher surface, and water seemed to have a tougher time running off.
 
Outstanding job, I went thru similar repairs on my '87 last year ans can appreciate the "stareing at it" to get it right. What metal finishing tools did you use to dress the welded joints so smooth? Also how did you remove the surface rust so well in the boxed in areas under the floor?
 
I used various sized and shaped wire wheels on a pneumatic die-grinder to remove the surface rust in the boxes and also to remove paint from all of the crevices and factory spot welds. When I smooth a line weld, I start out with a few very aggressive, even, and fast passes with a newer 60 grit flap disc on a 4 1/2" grinder (Concentrating strictly on the weld itself). Then I switch to an old well worn 60 grit flap disc. My passes are still aggressive and even, but with a lot less pressure. When the weld is all but smooth, and all I can see is a faint outline of the weld on both sides of the joint, I make one or two more very light, even passes. Then, I switch to a cylinder style 80-120 grit flap roll (not sure of the proper name) on the same pneumatic die-grinder and start making even strokes to blend the weld and surrounding metal. I could have done a better job smoothing on the floor and kick panel welds, but I reasoned that they will be completely hidden and the extra weld could only make the joint stronger. The important thing to remember when welding and grinding a sheetmetal butt-joint smooth, is that it is imperative (in order to achieve a strong weld), to leave a gap of at least the thickness of the wire that you are using. This is to ensure that once the weld has been smoothed, there is still ample filler metal holding the joint together;). For the plug welds, the same treatment is used, but I skip the new disc and start with the well worn one instead. After the plugs are smoothed, wherever there were factory spot welds, I duplicate with a flat-tip Sterrett punch (of according size) and whatever hammer I have lying around. In my opinion, this gives it a very original and unmolested look.
One thing to keep in mind, if you are too aggressive with a grinder, it is very possible to warp the metal.

Right now I am in the process of smoothing the firewall. It's a factory a/c truck, but for simplicity and space, I am going with an Old Time Air a/c system. Their system requires only one 3" hole in the firewall. It comes with a bolt on cover to hide all the extra holes and passages, but I wanted something that looked a little cleaner. This is what I did last night...............

o0qmx4.jpg


2cqclzq.jpg


9iz0pc.jpg


Tomorrow night, I hope to have the rest of the firewall stripped...........
 
What product are you using for general paint removal? The end result has an almost "polished" look to it.

I was planning to pick up some 3M Scotchbrite wheels to test with, but still haven't gotten around to it.


:usaflag:
 
Looks very nice. Can you see the areas you have welded in person like on the firewall area pictured above? In the pictures it appears to be blended so well that it isn't even visible. Pretty impressive.
 
Greg72 says<
What product are you using for general paint removal? The end result has an almost "polished" look to it.

No "product", just the wire wheels and the cylinder flap wheels for ALL paint removal. Yes, it is VERY time consuming, but it is also very thorough and no dripping messes anywhere. I also (and forgot to mention) finish things up by handsanding the metal with 220 grit.


Yukon Says< Looks very nice. Can you see the areas you have welded in person like on the firewall area pictured above? In the pictures it appears to be blended so well that it isn't even visible. Pretty impressive.

I tried to take close ups, but my camera simply will not focus from 2" away. But yes, it actually looks better in person than it does in the pics. From two inches away, and me knowing where the welds are, I can find very few flaws or evidence of a weld seem. My goal (and I think that I accomplished it) is to spray two coats of primer surfacer, apply a skim coat of glazing putty, wetsand, then apply another two coats of surfacer, blocksand, and have a super straight panel that is ready for sealer and paint. I am trying to get by with using the absolute minimal amount of bondo anywhere on the truck (skimcoat in some areas at the most). As of right now, there is 0 bondo/putty anywhere in the areas that I have repaired/taken down to bare metal. I am going to do the entire truck this way, then go back and do the finish work. I hope to have the firewall done and pics posted later tonight.:hack::weld::grind:
 
Thanks for the info. You have achieved outstanding results with basic hand tools and flap wheels and a great deal of patience. The fire wall pictured is amazing.
 
very nicely done..

I dont dole out bodywork compliments readily, but I certainly appreciate and understand the attention to detail your putting into your work... most don't... props to you sir... I too, am in the process of a firewall smooth out..

btw, are you employing seam sealers where necessary? I hadn't noticed in the pics...
 
Ryoken says<
btw, are you employing seam sealers where necessary? I hadn't noticed in the pics...

First, thanks for the compliment! I used seem sealer in the few spots that I had found during teardown. It's hard to remember to take pics all the time (especially when you are covered in whatever you are working with). For the seems around the outer rocker panel (and all others that are accessible), I have found that my best success comes when I apply the sealer after ALL of the body work and paint prep has been completed (right before final wipe down, tack cloth, and primer sealer). This way I can avoid getting in to it with sandpaper or anything else. When I lay it down and smooth it out, I know it will look the same after paint. I use 3m flexible sealer and it says on the back that it can be applied to bare metal or primer. I just prefer the primer I guess. For the firewall piece (and all other butt joints), I will be sealing them from the back everywhere that I can.

p.s. Everyhing is going smooth and looks like I will have more pics up tonight.
 
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