bbsr72

ok. I know this isn't thirdgen question. my father passed away 3yrs ago I got his beloved 78 4x4 dodge truck. I want to restore it but when I try to look up quarter panel patches for the bed they all seem to be in different gauges. any help would be appreciated. sorry posted it here just didn't know where else to post it.

camarotucker

iTrader: (2)

To answer the question directly around 18-20 gauge.


There are lots of assumptions. By quarter panels I'm assuming you mean bedsides. For trucks (non-Ford) I like to use LMC. I'm also assuming that you are replacing due to rot of wheel arches. Two things happen, you will remove an area of strength and then heat it with mig welding and the patch area will be warped. Even a professional bodyman/welder will warp it, it just is.


The warp can be fixed, but it might take heat, cooling, shrinking, stretching, (extra) filler, primer, blocking ect, you will just end up chasing and monkeying around with it.


My personal advice and preference is to replace the entire bedside. It seams like more money but in the case of a bedside, after labor (yours or paid for), and extra material, it ends up actually being cheaper.


http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/dc/full.aspx?Page=15

camarotucker

iTrader: (2)

You can also measure the original panel, and figure out the gauge.


Conversion chart


http://www.slotcar.com/drs/gachart.htm

Mirror Image

iTrader: (2)

I would say it would be 20-22 gauge

//<86TA>\\

iTrader: (14)

Yeah, closer to 22ga defiantly not 18 or 20 for the body panels.
I have a 77 w200 I just picked up that also need sheetmetal work, so I guess ill find out what it is sooner or later for sure

Replacing the entire bedside would be the best way unless the damage is only light and around the wheel openings. Im going to do wheel flares and larger wheel openings to fix my rot issues. Besides the wheel wells on the old dodges are tiny.