LOTS OF PICS Some shaving and collision Repair

Here are some pics of one of the trucks I was working on over my winter break from college, kinda sad because I just got done molding in his roll pan this summer anyway lots of pics!!

wreck damage




now starting the repair, first step was removing the beside.

another angle

better already, new bedside installed


next I wanted to add a 1x1 reinforcement bar to support the bed incase another accident, first I cut these pieces out of sheet metal to weld to the side of the bed


installed


with bothsides finally welded up the 1x1 bar was installed


then it was time for me to mold in the brand new roll pan


with the roll pan molded in I also added these triangles to the bottom corners to add strength and also smooth out the very bottom of the bed



now installed and smoothed out


Now to show the shaving of the tailgate, The owner bought a brand new tailgate for me to shave, the stock tailgate was un repairable after the accident

started by marking out a square on the sheet metal to start on the filler panel


showing the filler panel cut out, corners radiused and ready to install


test fit


all tac welded up and ready to be smoothed


now with it all smoothed out it was time to stretch some of the metal back out where there was shrinkage from the welding


handle flip kit installed


since the inner side of the gate was in the way of my hammer/dolly I cut a small access window for it that was welded up when I was finished


I was able to get a good amount of the warpage out so next it was ready to strip, and body work




and here it is finished!

Looks good. What is the wall thickness on the 1x1 you used? That looks like a good idea, and I think I'll be doing that to mine when I get to putting the fuel cell in.

awesome what gauge sheet metal did you use for the filler plate? what kind of welder did you use and at what heat to tack up the filler plates. also what did you use to straiten out the the tail gate?

good job on the repair, i dont plan on making any more jobs for u to do anytime soon HAHAHA

its prob 1/8 in 1x1 and 16 gauge sheetmeat. looks good baheehzy!!!!!!!

thanks guys, the bar is 1x1 16 gauge, and the filler plate was cut out of 16 gauge to

daweezi brakes own!!!! j/k

I just have a small Lincoln 3200 HD 120 volt welder, I usually run it on the B heat setting with a wire speed of 3 - 3.5 then as I got closer to having a fully tacked piece I turned up the heat setting to C for the final few tacks.

To straighten out the tailgate I used a hammer dolly set, it's not perfect but it definitely helps.

I may have to 'borrow' that triangle idea to finish out the bottom of my own roll pan...

I need to get me a shrinking hammer, right now all Ihave is a stretcher, and it isn't the best to use to get metal back like that.

heat owns a shrinking hammer. i love 110s for doin body work. we got a firepower at work(very simialr to lincoln) ours cost 550, i got the heat set on 2 w/ .027 wire it welds sheetmetal like no other! i also have this paste i got from matco tools that u spread around were ur welding and it absorbs the heat.

yea tiger you don't need a shrinking hammer, just a regular metal hammer will work