Questions about body work

[Green79k10]

Maybe he can and will but what you are talking about is the exception to the rule of diy bodywork, not the rule or norm.

Sounds like you have been a body man for quite sometime and no doubt are very good at what you do and probably make it look easy.

If he has someone like you around to help show him the hands on right way to do the job then as I said before he probably will be able to do a great job.

The question is how many variables are for him or against him.

He hasn’t replied yet so we don’t know his situation and that will depend a lot on the job at hand.

Taking that truck with all the rust issues (if he is a novice) no doubt you will agree is a big task for a person new to body work and fabrication to get right.

No matter who you are that truck is a big time consuming job.

Thank you to everyone who has replied.. I like reading everyone’s different opinions..

the 2 main factors against me doing it myself are time and space.. my job is a very high overtime job.. I work usually around 55-65 hours a week.. sometimes as much as 70-80.. and I have 3 kids under the age of 6 with a wife at home..

and as for space I do not have access to a shop.. so it would be a driveway job for me.. which I understand is doable..

But fortunately money isn’t a huge problem.. I have $10,000 in mind as a cap to spend on the truck over time.. and I just spoke with my father in law and he is going to give me the number of a guy who did some rust repair on his truck.. he runs it out of his home shop.. so I am hoping it will be a little bit cheaper then a “professional” shop..

 

[Ricko1966]

I had some windshield time today and was thinking about your truck, and some of what big daddy had to say.So just for sh!t$ and giggles I'm going to throw this out for you to consider.That 57 Seville I figured would be stored, in a display, or in Dads garage until the day he died.But he traded it and when I said something about it he said it's no fun anymore, I can't drive it unless I'm going to be with it the whole time, can't park it and go in the store, can't drive it in rain etc. And come to think about it I bet my 66 chevelle hasn't had a rain drop on it in at least 10 years I drive once or twice a summer at most other that it lives in a garage, safe from the world.That being said maybe big daddy was right fix the major stuff, don't sweat the minor stuff and just enjoy your truck.

 

[80BrownK10]

I had some windshield time today and was thinking about your truck, and some of what big daddy had to say.So just for sh!t$ and giggles I'm going to throw this out for you to consider.That 57 Seville I figured would be stored, in a display, or in Dads garage until the day he died.But he traded it and when I said something about it he said it's no fun anymore, I can't drive it unless I'm going to be with it the whole time, can't park it and go in the store, can't drive it in rain etc. And come to think about it I bet my 66 chevelle hasn't had a rain drop on it in at least 10 years I drive once or twice a summer at most other that it lives in a garage, safe from the world.That being said maybe big daddy was right fix the major stuff, don't sweat the minor stuff and just enjoy your truck.

That's why I did major stuff on mine, made it look nice from 50ft maybe a bit closer, fixed things the cheap way, tried to seal from the elements but made it basically a driver. Now I don't put it in a mud hole on purpose but will use it in the mud if the need arises, like going through mud to get firewood. I try to avoid driving in the rain in the summer because I don't have the AC fixed and at this point in my life I don't like driving here in the south in a car without AC in the rain with windows up. Winter I will drive in the rain summer mornings or cool evenings, or fall etc. But I will not drive when there is a threat of brine on the roads or within any recent application here in the winter, I try to wait after many downpours to wash the roads off or drive in very dry roads before I knows it's completely gone.

I had no intention to restore it, just make it look better and more weather proof.

 

[Grit dog]

Looking at OP's trucks rust issues, I would say the rust is from dirt roads, rodents, and water seepage into the cab more so than salt.

I agree.
My dads Chicago special ‘74 looked worse than that by the time it Was 10 years old than that truck does now.
I had a 75 K20 in high school that was a totally rusted out beater. That was in 88 and a 1980 Blazer in 1991 that was just annihilated. Could stick your fist thru the back fender and foot thru the floor! Tailgate mount rusted out and tailgate fell off on the road! Broke the back window....naturally.
Back there, alot of 10 year old trucks that were used daily every winter were basically on their way to the scrap heap unless religiously washed all winter, rust proofed, oil coated, garaged, touched up etc.
That truck ain’t bad at all, but I wouldn’t want to deal with the rust. Still gives me nightmares!

 

[Ken B]

Speaking of rusty panels. I am wondering if any of the after market fenders are better or worse? I need a passenger fender for 81 c10. Been scouring the ebay postings but damn they are proud of their parts! $$$

 

[idahovette]

Speaking of rusty panels. I am wondering if any of the after market fenders are better or worse? I need a passenger fender for 81 c10. Been scouring the ebay postings but damn they are proud of their parts! $$$

Yes, and then there is shipping!!!

 

[Ken B]

if you have any more details I would like to hear them.