[rnrdthefox]

Moved my attention back to accessing the next phase of the metal work. ALL of the panels, hood, cab, and fenders will need some hammer and dolly work on the larger dings and dents. I've been looking at my bed and decided that I didn't want to invest the time to bring it back to life. Over the years, tie-downs for various loads had ripped the stake pockets open along with the top metal. It had been welded up several times, but didn't hold. After accessing the bed with several large dents, rot and very thin rust areas, and a tailgate that appeared to have come off and been run over a few times, I decided to start with fresh sheet metal from Mar-K. I upgraded to the hidden latches for the tailgate. I gave the old bed to a 16 yr old in Kansas who is working on his project. Here are some pics.

Also, you might notice the rear roll pan clamped in on one of the pics. I don't recall the brand, but I wish it was 3/4" wider to meet the edges of the stake pockets. if I "pull" the bed ends in to make up the difference, the tailgate is too tight (and the bed isn't square). I guess I'll cut it in the middle and add some metal to widen it. I'm getting better at metal surgery now, so I guess it isn't a big deal, just another thing on the list. But that discussion is for another day. If someone has done this, let me know how well it went and the approach you took.