Member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 154
|
|
Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 154
|
'96, no longer sees winter, I need help with body work priorities
Hey folks, so I've posted a couple times about bumpers and such, but I need some help understanding what I'm considering, and making sure it's a wise path...
Sophie came to me around 2013. I'd wanted, dare I say, lusted after a gen 3 since the first one I saw (but could never afford). She was originally my daily driver in upstate NY, so she saw a few winters that didn't destroy her, but were indeed, an insult to her otherwise, rust free, beautiful southern body.
After about 3 or 4 winters, I couldn't take it anymore, and got a winter beater. Since, I've been slowly improving her, taking care of rusted this and that, and finally, have turned the corner, where she's looking GREAT!
I'm looking into getting the underbody oil treated (NH Oil), Waxoyl came up as an option as well (comments on these are welcomed too), and when I asked them about this, I was told, "you'll want to get that done first. cause anyone who does it after I'm done, is gonna hate me".
My drivers side rocker panel (if that's actually the name for the bottom painted body part that runs under the doors and forms the bottom of their frame they close into? It's got a perforation near the door seal, and now, I've noted an "oranging", slightly soft, spot, near that perforation.
My gut says, cut it out and replace it, and get it repainted. She's gotten a few spot repaints, since there's been 2 deer hits, one side (damn thing ran into me) and a front end that technically totaled it, but that's short sighted insurance valuation, it's totally sound. So a bit more repaint on this section, really doesn't stress me out at all.
I've never had this type of work done. Am I nuts? Do I let it go till it just looks heinous, then do it?
It'll never, ever, see salt again, spends it's winters snug and dry in a barn.
I plan on continuing to update it for more offroad worthiness.
I just don't know where this rotted member, should sit, in my list of priorities, but the NH Oil guy had a valid point, it'd be a massive mess for the shop to deal with (as well as a waste of oil product) to do it, before getting that section cut out and replaced.
Recently replaced the rear bumper, so in crawling around, the truck body underside, is great, frame is orange, but not weakened or perforated at all, so overall, it's still a solid truck, near as my highly uneducated eyes can see.
I know folks do all manner of floor pan cut out/replace, etc etc, so I don't think I'm suggesting a dumb move, but I'm a T4R lover, not a body shop, or restoration guy.....
Pics, of course, and that spot, you can push in with your fingers, yuck....
Thanks ALL!!
|