Rob's bodywork thread.

[TurboSevenThree]

Warning, I like to write and these posts will be long as an encyclopedia

A few of you know, I am doing major rust repair on the rig. I am not a body guy, not certified, nothing. I am in my last year of high school and thought I'd try some free college through dual enrolling. Where you drop 1 or 2 classes from HS and take a college course, but only if it's a course not offered at the high school, you recieve credit at HS for the courses based on the contact hours, and obviously receive college credit.
I'm attending Mott Community College - Southern Lakes Branch Campus in Fenton MI, on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6-10 pm. Not a bad deal since I dropped my first two classes at HS and go in at 9:35 instead of 7:25. Oh and did I mention this college education is free? The tuition and any materials are paid for by the state because it is sort of considered high school education I'm not sure how it works but it does.

Anyway, the first class was "Autobody - Welding & Metal Refinishing" where we learned how to MIG weld and weld different joints, resistance (pinch) weld, all on sheet metal. Also some metal shaping and dent repair using methods such as using a Panel Beater, and slide-hammer/stud method, ect ect. Also we learned how to REALLY use "Bondo"/Body filler, how to use it, mix it, and sand it. And also why it fails. (Not waterproof! And will not fix rust.) And the next semester was Autobody - Painting where we learn all the chemistry of automotive paints (hurts the brain) and how to paint using real spray guns, painting technique, different sanding methods and technique, and masking, most everything besides pinstriping and Tri-Coat (Candy colors and metal flake). Pretty cool.
At the end of each semester for the last couple months we're to bring in a project to work on. And here's why I chose to fix the SuperDuty... I've taken MANY MANY pictures because I'm not a fan of the work at all, and couldn't do it for a career, this is kind of a once in a lifetime experience for me. It's coming to a close, we have 3 lab days left so I thought it was time to make a big ole thread and post my work.

Thanks for reading!

Here we go. I'll try to put a decent caption explaining what each pic is. And I'll do my best to keep them in order.




Brought the truck in.


Took the whole headliner out, A-pillar covers, sun visors, seat belts, trim pieces, overhead light, weather-stripping all of it.


There was just a small spot of rust, that turned out to be completely through. Stabbed and pryed all that with just a screwdriver in about two minutes.


Obviously cutting that crap out.


Repair area cut out.


Repair area with paint ground off.


Close-up of the surface-rusted structural part.


That's how it was stored there.


Hand forming a patch piece.


Welding blanket protection.


Me welding patch in, all tack welds.


'nother of me welding. A neat pic I think.


Beginning of tack welds (this part took FOREVER)


More tack welds.


More tack welds..


More tack welds...


Cutting to fit body-line.


Replacing factory pinch welds. That's the instructor doing it. I had a pic of me standing next to that welder, it's taller than I am with the bar on top that holds the gun. It was funny.


'nother of pinch welds.


Starting body filler, first used Fiberglass reinforced filler, then regular filler. 5 coats total.


More body filler.


More body filler.


More body filler.


Last coat of filler for that area, before sanded.


Showing the roof contour. All hand sanding, only used a DA (Dual Action) sander once...


End of that semester, truck had to come home so there is a few coats of rattle can primer.


And black rattle can paint


Not bad for temporary finish?


That's how the truck was at the end of the first semester, the second semester (paint) has started and is almost over as I said before. I'll update in a while with pics of how the rest of the work is coming.

[2005F250]

Sweet I'm pretty much doin the same thing. Well I'm not body shop is but same concept. Going in for surgery BTW is your name Rob or is the truck named Rob?

[TurboSevenThree]

Here's the next segment of my work. Since that area above the back door was not the only rust, it went all the way to the windshield just about.


More welding blankets, mostly to protect the windshield this time.


Where the rust was, see the hole. Some paint ground off around the area.


Close up of that.


Cut that crap out.


That's the backside of the cut out piece.


First steps to a 3 piece hand formed patch. There two 90 degree angles and 3 contours ... one piece wasn't gonna do it.


Plenty of patience involved. And time. That was also after replacing factory pinch welds (I did it this time hehe)


More patience, and time. And grinding.


That's the finished patch. The hardest part of this project yet. Still looks better than rusted through metal and holes.


First coat of Fiberglass Reinforced body filler (waterproof)


I believe that's after 4 more coats of filler. end of bodywork!!! And on to paint work.


Ground and sanded off all paint in immediate area. (going to blend paint into paint on other half of the roof.


2 coats of epoxy primer to make it driveable


Time for masking. You realize how big your truck is when you have to buff the majority of it, and cover almost all of it with masking tape, masking paper, and vinyl sheeting Took a long time. That's the back view.


Painting the roof, overspray goes all over so... lots of coverage.


The other side that will get much less overspray.


And here we are. That's where I am at. 5 thin coats of Acrylic Primer Surfacer. Block sanded off w/ 150 grit, and then 5 heavy coats over that (pictured)

Next week I'm in for plenty of sanding, and maybe paint! *crosses fingers* And clearcoat by next next Tuesday cause that's when the class ends!

Also between coats I took a wire wheel to the diff. case and got alot of the flaky yucky rusty salt eaten crap off and used some "Rust Fix" from Duplicolor, turns it to black primer, looks nicer. I'm also going to do the oil pan and driveshaft. Then figure something out for the frame.

[TurboSevenThree]

Originally Posted by 2005F250

Sweet I'm pretty much doin the same thing. Well I'm not body shop is but same concept. Going in for surgery BTW is your name Rob or is the truck named Rob?

That's awesome, I looked at your thread. And my name is Rob. The truck's name is Dualz.

[TurboSevenThree]

Tell me what you think folks. Am I doin an ok job? I'm proud lol

[drstephennix]

Doing good man! Good to know how to do your own work. And anything you can learn will help you out later in life whether you wanna do it for a living or not.

[strokerboy73]

Thats looking real nice. Good job.

[TurboSevenThree]

It's a whole lot more steps and work than it seems. That's why those guys get paid $45/hr. and it costs a ton. Materials used alone was probably around $250. And I've been working on it for ... around 4 months now, but theoretically if a shop was concentrating on that day in and day out it'd still be 2 weeks or more I'd say. It's hard stuff.

[vitalidle]

Nice work! Looking good

[TurboSevenThree]

Thanks vital! Or whatever your real person name is lol