Pickup door repair

W

wrndln

Well-known member
I have a 29 pickup door that need the lower inside part replaced. I am attaching a picture of the rusted out lower inside panel. The outer panel is not too bad, even though there is some rust damage and I can repair it if I can get to the back side of the outer skin. I have repaired some original rusted out sheetmetal several times but never tried what I am thinking about doing. I am thinking about grinding off the bottom edge of the door with a hand held 4 1/2" grinder. The area I was thinking of grinding off would separate the outer panel from the outer panels flange (and also the inner panel). I could then remove the rusted out inner panel up to the flat inside area and make a new panel just like it from new sheetmetal. While the inner panel is removed, I could repair the outer panel as it would be exposed for the welding repairs. I could then weld the new inner panel to the existing inner panel at the top of the newly made panel. Now the real question. I would then need to clamp the repaired outer panel, the newly made inner panel, and a separate flange strip (newly made) and weld the 3 sheetmetal parts together at the bottom of the door. I am concerned about getting the panels welds together and having a smooth bottom on the repaired door. If anyone has done this type of repair, please comment on how it turned out. I would appreciate any useful comments. I don't want to ruin the door if this approach wouldn't work well.
Rusty Nelson

 
I would not simply grind the outer skin edge away as is usual when replacing a whole skin.

Slice the inner panel away leaving enough of it still clamped by the outer skin flange.

Grab the the inner stub with pliers or whatever and tap the rest of the stub out of the flange leaving it intact.

Prise open the flange a little, do your repairs to the outer skin and make just a new patch piece of inner skin and clamp outer back on it and a couple of spot welds..

BTW, I hope your outer skin has not been sucked in by way of blasting thru the large hole against the inside of a concave surface.
 
easy fix, take and old beat up big screw drive heat up the end and bend it 90. now open up the outer door skin on the bottom. cut out the bad inner panel and replace the inner bottom panel when you are finished close up the outer skin. I normally only grind off the outer skin if I going to replace the outer skin.
 
Pooch,
I have sandblasted many, many sheetmetal items on the 2 cars I have restored and have NEVER had any sheetmetal warping that I could detect. This includes hood panels, quarterpanels, cowl panels, doors and many other 19 gauge sheetmetal parts. I know there is a big debate about sandblasting warping sheetmetal. Yes, if care isn't take, like using a huge nozzle and big time pressure to get the job done fast, sandblasting can and probably will damage sheetmetal. Like I wrote above and will still sandblast sheetmetal, I believe sandblasting WONT warp heavy 19 gauge sheetmetal IF care is taken, like using reasonable pressure (80 # or slightly less), 3/32" to 1/8" nozzles and shooting at an angle verses direct perpendicular to the metal. I have found the sandblasting really gets into crack and crevices well and provides an excellent surface for epoxy primers. Since I have done hundreds of hours of sandblasting on my cars and doing the bodywork afterward, I think I know what I am talking about.

jw,
Thanks for the tip. I might try it and see how it works.
Rusty Nelson
 
Hi Rusty,
I suggest that before you start any repairs, stand each door up on some heavy cardboard or plywood and trace the front to rear curve of the door bottom. This will allow you to make sure you have the same curve when you are finished with your repairs.

I would also measure up from the bottom of your doors on each side and make some marks and write down the measurements. That way you can make sure your door is the same size, top to bottom, when you are finished. This will be helpful also if you end up replacing the outer door bottom with a patch panel.

The outer door skin has the embossed bottom and then wraps around a flange on the inner door bottom as you know. What happens on these doors is that the cancer begins on the inside where these part all meet, and rusts through to the outside. Sometimes the outside looks pretty good but it is nearly rusted through from the inside. If you want to repair this embossed "bead" you will have to bend open the channel at least 90* to be able to weld it back up. I know you are good at this, I saw what you accomplished on your phaeton subframe.

I don't think I would try cutting the very bottom of the door to open everything up unless you are going to replace the lower few inches of the outer skin as Pooch says. I would try the bent screw driver method JW suggested and see what the inside of the outer skin looks like. After you remove the inner flange from the crimped over outer door panel you may be able to see into that embossed area without bending the bottom flange too far up. If it looks good your job will be much easier.
-DAN
 
Rusty,

Dan has the correct idea!
Remember the hot rod shop that was doing the 28-29 PU?
The tin guy did the doors wrong,...there straight on the bottom,
not curved.
 
What do you want to know?

Check out what I have done: 68C Door Repair

Just do it step by step. Make sure the outer patch has the correct original compound curve before you start to weld it in place. So small welds and continously correct for shrinkage with hammer on dolly work. Not a fast process when you are using a MIG but quite doable for an average guy. A TIG welder really shines with patches like this.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top