K5 bed rail patch panel?

[Snakerake]

Well I finally faced the music and took the top off my 86 k5 project. I knew there would be rust. But I didn’t expect this bad. About half of the upper bed rail/rear quarter on both sides needs cutting out and replacing. 2 questions for you knowledgeable fellas.

1. Is the top of the bed rail profile the same as the c-10 pickups? I think I could find a bed locally to chop up.

2. Has anyone seen an aftermarket patch panel for this area? I’ve seen full quarters and lower quarters on several sites. But not the top of the rear quarter

 

[wazzabie]

Wow that looks bad. I've never seen rot like that on a K5. What happened?

Do you have rust in the lower part of the rear rockers? If you do then I would be looking for new rear quarters. They seam to be impossible to find now days. Last I read AMD is on back order.

I am not aware of anyone who makes just the top part of the rear quarter.

Visit a junk yard and take some measurements of the truck bed. I'm interested also if the truck can be used as patches.

 

[Snakerake]

No rust on the body other than there. Well the floors are terrible. But I think that’s a factory option. Haha. I was luckily enough to find a junk tub locally I could chop up to get what I needed.

 

[trukman1]

Rust...Only true fix is replace. IMO

 

[wazzabie]

That is a really odd place for rust on the K5. Maybe the seal gave way. Ussually rust is in the lower sections of the rear quarters.

 

[nvrenuf]

I’m a little late but I used some truck bed rail pieces to patch the B pillar holes when I did my full top conversion. The downward curve was really close to my Blazer although I did have to “flatten” it just a fuzz, the difference could have been caused by the sawzall I borrowed to cut them out.

 

[jimmyleetn]

I’m a little late but I used some truck bed rail pieces to patch the B pillar holes when I did my full top conversion. The downward curve was really close to my Blazer although I did have to “flatten” it just a fuzz, the difference could have been caused by the sawzall I borrowed to cut them out.

Do you want to measure my neighbor's lwb 87 bed rails for you tomorrow?

 

[CT-BLAZER]

Make your own patch panels out of used square body truck beds......or just spend a little $$$ &.get new panels.

A complete full length panel spliced in would be the soundest repair . But, the labor to Fit it in , spot weld + finish sand a 6' long panel will wreck two days in a body shop.