No, the wheel house is just fine and no rot in the rockers at all.
I'll take the sand blaster to the rust on the lip and then hit it with some etching primer or weld through primer.

 

Great work!

 

I always enjoy seeing one getting body work done to it. It is a rewarding experience when done. Looking great. I read you were letting the floor dry. On primer that is ok to do since you will be sanding it. When it comes to painting, I would suggest having the floor wet. When you paint you will get a fog in the shop. That is paint that basically dries and turns into dust. Wet floors help trap the dust. I prefer to have a slight draft going thru the shop to help pull the dust to one end myself. Just offering a few suggestions.

Sounds like this is a first attempt at painting. Later when you get to paint, it can be a little nerve wracking. I have painted several cars and trucks. Paint is nothing to fear once you learn how to spray it. To me the most difficult part is getting the clear coat to lay down smooth and not getting any runs in the clear coat. Dont worry if you do get some runs in your clear coat as you can wet sand the runs out.

 

Thanks for the suggestions! I wasn't sure about the wet floor raising the humidity in the garage. I have always tried to paint model cars and car parts when the humidity was low. This is the first complete paint job I have attempted with professional products and tools. I want to avoid mistakes wherever possible.
I have been running a window fan trying to draw air in a window and push it out the garage door. I am not sure how effective it is. The prevailing wind in my neighborhood is usually against me.

So far, I have decided anyone can spray primer with a cheap gun and very little overspray. Color is a little more nerve-wracking and clear overspray is a cloud and carries halfway across my yard.
Another thing I have discovered is that if you are using a plastic drop cloth, It's easy to cover things with but when dry the paint flakes off and can get airborne and will of course, wind up on your panels. So today I'll pick up some actual masking paper from the autobody supply store(a magical place).

 

 

I'm pleased with the way it turned out. The dents required a couple applications of filler but well below the recommended limit of 1/4".

 

Here's the driver's door. I sanded it with 220 to remove the ridges on the painted stripes and remove much of the stripes themselves. Then 120 where there were a few door dings and used glaze putty on those.
The whole door is sanded to 220 now awaiting primer(tonight!). Then it will be blocked to 320 before color.



Also spent some time with the hammer and dollys on the passenger quarter near the gas filler door. i was dreading repairing this panel since the first photo I saw of the truck. But now it turns out to be do able and we've improved it quite a bit already. I won't cut out the panel like I had thought earlier.

 

Last night I got the driver's door in primer. Tonight I'll block sand it then both doors and the tailgate will be ready for color/clear.
Sorry, forgot to take a photo last night.

 

Here's a checklist of things to do before you pull the trigger on the paint gun. I need to post this on the wall and run down each time.
1) Put on nitrile gloves
2) take off your good glasses and put on your old glasses
3) wipe panel with wax and grease remover
4) pour paint
5) mix/add hardner/reducer to the proper proportions
6) Let the compressor get up to full pressure
7) assemble your spray gun
8) filter your paint into the gun
9) tack rag the panel
10) adjust your regulator at the gun
11) spray a test pattern on cardboard
Now you are ready to paint!

 

 

Very nice work!

I cannot wait for more pictures!

 

I'm learning a lot about painting with your thread.
The tailgate looks very good! I see a little ding in the top left corner, but could be the light maybe.
Great job.
Thanks for the update.

 

 

The last two evenings I have been working on the quarter panel near the gas door.
The iphone cord in the photo represents where there was a crease in the panel that I am trying to flatten.
The black coating is guide coat which helps reveal the contour after you sand it.

 

Here is what it looks like after sanding with a block and 320. The bare metal spots are high and the black spots are low.

 

This thin cardboard from a frozen pizza box is covering the hole I cut in the fender. I rubbed the edge with a crayon to get the shape and plan to transfer that onto the patch panel I have.
I plan to pick up a flanging tool at Harbor Freight on my way home from work. That will be used to flange the existing fender edge so the patch can be welded on top instead of butt-welded.

 

Awesome work!
Dave Ramsey is ok, but he misses the fundamental point that buying stuff does not make you happy, it just wastes money to provide short term novelty for a couple weeks. Once you figure that out, budgets become irrelevant.

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I used an air compressor flanger on my windshield, worked great

Sorry if you already said and I missed it, but what kind of welder are you using?

 

I don't think I've yet heard him advise anyone for budgeting to buy stuff...primarily to get out of debt.

My mig welder is a lincoln with gas but I don't remember a model number. Will post a photo later.

 

Major progress today. It was hot as blazes and it took me most of the day but I got my patch panel fitted and tacked in on the passenger quarter panel.

I decided I needed the flange tool from Harbor Freight so I wouldn't have to butt weld. This thing is awesome!


This is what it can do... make flanges or punch holes for plug welding.