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1971 Body/Chassis FSM

1971-74 F Engine FSM

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**Updated 6-5-2005 **

Mid Bed Repair

 

What I started with

Fig. 1

What I started with

Fixing the holes

Fig. 2

Fixing the holes

More holes to fix

Fig. 3

More holes to fix

Mid Bed De-Rusting

Fig. 4

Mid Bed De-Rusting

De-Rusted ready to repair

Fig. 5

De-Rusted ready to continue repair

Adding Seat Belt and Heater Mounts

Fig. 6

Adding Seat Belt and Heater Mounts

Measuring for patch panel

Fig. 7

Measuring for front patch panel

Welding on Front patch panel

Fig. 8

Welding on Front patch panel

I know a lot of folks would have just thrown this section away and bought a new one. Believe me, several times I started to do just that! However with money being tight and my welding/metal fabrication skills needing improving I decided to continue repairing it.

Fig. 1 shows what I started with, a rusty, greasy thin in sections piece of 33 year old sheet metal. I welded in some very ugly patch panels and even tried my hand at metal forming. See Fig. 2-3. Since this will all be covered with LineX or something it did not have to be pretty, just structurally sound. Next I de-rusted the whole thing (Fig. 4) so I could tell if I wanted to continue or not. It was more solid than I thought so I continued the repairs. In Fig. 6 I added something my truck never had; Rear Heater mounting plates and extra floor anchors for the future front shoulder and lap seat belts. Figs. 7-8 show the front patch panel job. I also welded up all the other rust holes in the sheet metal including the ones I drilled to remove the old center channel spot welds. I had my new channel mounting lip made 1.5" 'wider' than the stock one so it would be repositioned on thicker metal. The original one is a bit thin in that area. Well that wraps up the mid bed repair. Check here for some pics of welding it in place.

Next up: Floor Pan Repair

 

 

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