Buying New Panels

[BOOT]

I'm not a body guy and I only intend to rattle can my beater truck. Still the rust is pretty bad and I want to at least replace/cover up some of it LOL

Plan to pick up a fender kit inner/outer, cab corners and maybe rockers. Thinking of maybe slip on type rockers and I'll just rivet or tach weld them on. But idk mine are pretty gone. Should I just get full rockers or will the slip on type be good enough? I'm not looking for show quality, just don't wanna have loose rocker rust fall on me every time I crawl under the side of it.

You can kinda see from the pic that I used for a past vid thumbnail.

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[Hipster]

With what little I can see you're going to need full rockers because the cab corners need something to overlap and attach to. The slip overs won't give you enough metal. The rocker/door frame opening panel is one piece one these trucks and is considered structural on these trucks and when you replace a rocker it should be fully welded. Rivets can loosen up and pop or crack materials/fillers you put over them. Sandblasting and a 2 component epoxy primer is the best way to deal with the rest of the rust that's there. Priming the new panels and priming everything up before you prep for welding and again after.

If it's worth doing, it's worth doing some kind of correct so you end up with a repair that lasts instead of one that's going to continue to degrade behind the new panel. Epoxy primer, weld through primer, seam sealer, and cavity wax would be a short list as far as corrosion protection goes.

 

[BOOT]

I'm gonna rivet the cab corners, seen someone do it LOL

Truck is not worth proper effort but very good & informative reply. Won't be any filler used just new metal over rust.

 

[letitsnow]

If you aren't going to weld, maybe at least buy a 3m panel bond kit and glue them (and rivet) on?

 

[BOOT]

If you aren't going to weld, maybe at least buy a 3m panel bond kit and glue them (and rivet) on?

Good idea, I'll prob caulk them on and then rivet.

Here's a pic of a cab corner riveted on.

 

[BOOT]

FYI I have a mig welder and can weld, just that would be more work to make it look ok, I think the cab corner overlaid looks fine for what I want. And I'll prob weld some, if the rockers can be in spots out of view.

 

[letitsnow]

Good idea, I'll prob caulk them on and then rivet.

Here's a pic of a cab corner riveted on.

If you can weld, I would tack them in a couple spots, just to help keep the cab square. Whatever you do, it'll be stronger than not having any metal there at all.