Pick up Restoration (Part 2)

[davidmiles]

Tog, nice to see you back, Hope you have more garage space than me, its a struggle in a single, could do with a double garage. When the kids grow up and leave, we'll move to a bungalow with a BIG garage. Oh but I can dream.

[davidmiles]

continuing to flat down today, the rear of the tub side has lost its bumpy look now, the bottom edge is begining to look far more respectable. You get used to looking for that feathered edge to the paint coats underneath, its only direct experience that teaches you what to look for and how it should look. the great thing about this is, you can't shortcut direct experience learning no matter how many books you read, And being an ex armchair car restorer I'd poured eagerly over as many books I could lay my hands on.
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[ian.mcdougall]

In my opinion and experience instead of trying to fill individual dents on that panel i would skim the whole area in one go because you are just creating more high and low spots. Make or buy a large flexible spreader and i would use one of the lightweight fillers to make it easy to sand and use a large sheet of production rubbing paper and block using a guide coat all the time until the shape is nearly right and then go up the grits for priming, maybe using a stopper last before priming .





link to filler http://www.u-pol.com/product-cat/87/fan ... filler.htm

[davidmiles]

Thanks Ian, yes you're right, I'm going to try that on the other side, the near side rear is almost there.[frame][/frame]

[davidmiles]

I intend doing the offside next, there are areas of lumpy filler under the primer, so I'm applying what Ive learnt here. There's a nasty dent on the R/O/S corner, you can clearly see it in this shot. I can't get to the inside surface to knock it out, so its going to have to be filled to the same contour as the other side.

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[davidmiles]

Its deffinatly the rear body panels that need most of the work, and there's plenty of that. I wonder if I'll finish this while I'm still young enough to drive it.

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[mogbob]

David
I must confess to not being familiar with the pick up body work but the dent clearly needs attention and dressing down.

From the body shop kit ,is it not possible to get a curved spoon dolly tucked in behind the metal work for some action with the body hammer ?
Or alternatively, how about a dent puller, if you drill holes for a slide hammer type ( the ones with a self tapping screw ).
It's not an easy job because the damage has left quite a crisp crease ( and circular at that !! ) sitting quite high but it's do-able

Bob

[ian.mcdougall]

If you have not got a slide hammer if you just use a long self tapping screw and a pair of vice grips and pull ( make sure you have three weetabix for breakfast ) if the dent resists try a lever under the jaws of the grips and lever out making sure that the area of metal used to lever from is strong enough

[davidmiles]

That dent is a problem, but I'll consider the advice given, thanks. Pulling it out is going to be a trial and a test in damage limitation. Ive also got these holes drilled along the top of the rear panel to replicate on the other side. I'm going for the total cleated out look. Handy in case I ever convert over to the hooped top.

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[chris1968]

Hello David.
I have two pickups.The first one cost me £25,it was going to the scrap yard but i save it.To look at its not prity and i use it a fair bit.All the work i have done myself.Were ever i go nowone is to botherd about the paint work or dents thay are just pleased to see it on the road.I have had it 20 years.
When your pickup is finished it will be great,just as it is now.Well done and good luck Regards Chris.[frame][/frame]

[davidmiles]

Thanks Chris, you've got me thinking there, maybe I should stop worrying and get on and get it on the road, get some pleasure out of it as a daily driver, its going to be a very usefull tool to my household, fetching, carrying and ferrying, perhapse I should quit being too precious and get her out doing what she was built for. I never really intended doing it up as a show car, there are far better one's out there for that.

[les]

Another approach to removing that corner dent is to neatly cut out the metal that stops access to the back of the dent, then knock the dent out and weld the other piece back.

[Fingolfin]

An alternate viewpoint is, David, you've come so far in restoring it -- why stop at the last step? If you make it overly pretty now, it'll be just the right amount of pretty for years to come.

I myself like both ideas.

[les]

' it'll be just the right amount of pretty' --I'm liking your style!

[swithland]

Another approach to removing that corner dent is to neatly cut out the metal that stops access to the back of the dent, then knock the dent out and weld the other piece back.

I would also suggest neatly cutting out the area that is bent, then reshape the bent section on your work bench with a round headed hammer, then seam it back in and grind flat the welds. You cna then skim a thin layer of filler over any low areas. The job will be much better than just clagging it with an inch of filler. You dont want a landslide when you go over a bump ;-)

Charles

[ptitterington]

I would say leave it as it is, it is a utility vehicle, have some fun, make it earn a living and in a few years make it pretty.

[MarkyB]

Me too, it's part of the pick ups history, and in keeping with being a utility vehicle.

[les]

What's the point of all that hard graft if you leave that bit? Painting over such a dent would look strange don't you think.

[MarkyB]

Well, it would fit right in with a line of other perfect pick ups.

Maybe it has to do with my dislike of Botox and face lifts in people, or the boredom that sets in looking at yet another shiny Minor, what is there to see? After market fittings in my case.

Much as I like Minors I wouldn't visit a showroom every weekend.

Grow old gracefully I say.

[les]

I wonder what the proportion of decent minors to rough ones is? I daresay there will never be a lack of the latter to view!