So the situation was this :my pickup needed a new bed! I worked hard to clean the rust, cut away the old bed ,preparing new "puzzle"metal patch .

The question now is this : do you think it will be safe to drive for 3 km with the pickup like the picture below to reach the shop of a friend that will wheld new parts?Do I will be able to cut away also the remainig part of the old bed(in the red circle on pic)and than drive to the shop? 

I know that maybe it's a "too late" question but prefer to try asking!

Many thanks 

P.s. dont be too  rude!  😁

Edited 22 September, 20196 yr by Zimo

I would be more concerned about what the road police would say in case they stop you. Otherwise go slow in 2nd.

Wow, I am curious about the result. Please send photo later!

On 23/09/2019 at 14:10, RicardoM said:

I would be more concerned about what the road police would say in case they stop you. Otherwise go slow in 2nd.

It will be 3km of B roads! I dont mind about that but thanks.

6 hours ago, Naboula01 said:

Wow, I am curious about the result. Please send photo later!

Yes i will.

My plan are to weld an iron sheet on the perimeter of the bed and "screw" an alloy sheet on the center . I will not carry so much on felly and this ,  i hope,  made the pickup a bit lighter!

Unfortunatelly my welder friends will not have the time for whelding for the next 3 weeks😭😭😢, so i have the time to continue the restoration process of the "mechanical parts" ..... 

Edited 24 September, 20196 yr by Zimo

How about a wooden bed? Strengthen the chassis, give it a good coating of rust converter, paint it then fit yourself protected wooden boards using classic tools.

1 hour ago, RicardoM said:

How about a wooden bed? Strengthen the chassis, give it a good coating of rust converter, paint it then fit yourself protected wooden boards using classic tools.

Do you think would be enogh? I mean welding the "walls" of the bed to the chassis structure (as it was in origin) i would think is better. Are you saying that i have to use wood instead of the alloy sheet? More over the wood needs more attention than alloy even if is much beatifull.....

If you have some suggestion in image please give me

Edited 24 September, 20196 yr by Zimo

ZIMO -

 

I think you have a very good plan.  Welding a steel surround will give more strength. Paint the rusted areas with red oxide primer for extra rust protection.  Seal the welds with plasticoat or auto body sealer. I would suggest using aluminum diamond plate for the bed floor. Strong and nice looking.   Cut an access hole the same size as the original one above the fuel gauge sender, and use the original cover.

 

Remember to be extra careful when welding around the fuel tank. Maybe cover it with wet rags or somesuch. Good Luck

 

- JAMES

Edited 24 September, 20196 yr by JAMES399

1 hour ago, Zimo said:

If you have some suggestion in image please give me

Millions of American trucks have wooden bed.

3 hours ago, RicardoM said:

Millions of American trucks have wooden bed.

I know that , i  also saw a lot of bunny, caddy ... and i like so much.but my concern about that (that made me choose the steel/alloy) was that i don't know how much the structure/chassis will be weakened. I asked you images(or words to search on the net) of "Strengthen chassis" just to have an idea of how to do it.

4 hours ago, JAMES399 said:

ZIMO -

 

I think you have a very good plan.  Welding a steel surround will give more strength. Paint the rusted areas with red oxide primer for extra rust protection.  Seal the welds with plasticoat or auto body sealer. I would suggest using aluminum diamond plate for the bed floor. Strong and nice looking.   Cut an access hole the same size as the original one above the fuel gauge sender, and use the original cover.

 

Remember to be extra careful when welding around the fuel tank. Maybe cover it with wet rags or somesuch. Good Luck

 

- JAMES

Many thanks for the suggestions!

I will check the product you suggested. I was thinking to spray some sort of

Linex all over (unfortunatelly in italy there are only 2 shop the linex coating and are far from me)....i found protectacote is something similar...

Yes i already bought 4,5 m2 of diamond alloy😁, prepared steel"patch" for both the wheel arches, side walls and all the junction cabin/bed.

Sorry for my drawings below :

The pen lines are the chassis ,

The black lines are the steel patch ( to be wheld to side walls and chassis)

Tha dashed line is the diamond plate alloy to be "rivetted" to the steel .

Any other suggestions?!

 

Edited 24 September, 20196 yr by Zimo

Many thanks for both of you the that reply me in @RicardoMand @JAMES399 

My ideal procedure will be:

-shaping/cutting all the patches and sheet steell to be weld(done)

-drilling hole in the iron sheet in correspondence of the freme to be wire weld 

- paint with anti rust paint (please let me know if you have suggestions apart the red oxide primer)

-weld everything in place 

-paint/seal the welding point( please suggest paint , product etc )

- cut and rivetting the alloy sheet 

What you think?

Ciao

 

 

Apart from using red oxide you could use galvanising primer and then paint with any colour of your liking. 

Pay special attention around the rivets and possibly use some type of butyl sealant where the aluminum meets the metal as otherwise it may rattle. 

Don't forget to paint the upper parts of the bed a very good and heavy coat of bed liner. 

@Thefeliciahacker thanks ! Where the alluminium meets steel  i was suggested to use siksil ( dont remember the number but is in metal stick) but the butyl sealant is a great suggestion(in case i have to remove the panel).

Oh and all the iron are already galvanized!

7 minutes ago, Zimo said:

@Thefeliciahacker thanks ! Where the alluminium meets steel  i was suggested to use siksil ( dont remember the number but is in metal stick) but the butyl sealant is a great suggestion(in case i have to remove the panel).

Oh and all the iron are already galvanized!

That's great if the metal is galvanised you won't need anything more that a basic paint job. 

Just be sure to de-grease the metal prior to paint. 

Yes I suggested butyl for two reasons first it can actually be easily removed with acetone and a sharp hobby knife. 

And secondly it is very good at absorbing vibrations and also has large margins of elasticity that is especially important as you are going to be using two different types of metals with different thermal expansion characteristics. 

1 hour ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

That's great if the metal is galvanised you won't need anything more that a basic paint job. 

Just be sure to de-grease the metal prior to paint. 

Yes I suggested butyl for two reasons first it can actually be easily removed with acetone and a sharp hobby knife. 

And secondly it is very good at absorbing vibrations and also has large margins of elasticity that is especially important as you are going to be using two different types of metals with different thermal expansion characteristics. 

Nice the different expansion of the 2 materials is very good point ! Thanks.

Thinking about all the process , i was wondering: 

On the pickup structure/chassis i need to weld here and there some sort of spacers (a square pieces of the galvanized sheet , also to rivet the alluminium)because the steel sheet are at some hight and the alluminium sheet would be over . The question is:

How i can "handle" rust under sheet metal "handkerchief"?( dont know the exact word in english)

Because the sheet metal handkerchief are of galvanized iron but under , the point on the chassis need to be clean to be welded?

Dont know if you understand😅😁

1 hour ago, Zimo said:

Nice the different expansion of the 2 materials is very good point ! Thanks.

Thinking about all the process , i was wondering: 

On the pickup structure/chassis i need to weld here and there some sort of spacers (a square pieces of the galvanized sheet , also to rivet the alluminium)because the steel sheet are at some hight and the alluminium sheet would be over . The question is:

How i can "handle" rust under sheet metal "handkerchief"?( dont know the exact word in english)

Because the sheet metal handkerchief are of galvanized iron but under , the point on the chassis need to be clean to be welded?

Dont know if you understand😅😁

Let me get this.
You are worried about rust formation ON THE CROSS BEAMS where the sheet metal is going to lay on the frame or
are you worried about rust forming ON THE SHEET METAL laying over the inaccessible areas obstructed by the frame.
In both cases though you have to options:
Weld the spacers (and paint them with anticorrosion paint) before dropping the sheet metal in place and the just grind all the required welding spots.
Or just use oil based rust protection sprays inside the frame every 6 months (as I live in Greece and our weather is similar you could do it every fall).

Edited 25 September, 20196 yr by Thefeliciahacker

1 hour ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

Let me get this.
You are worried about rust formation ON THE CROSS BEAMS where the sheet metal is going to lay on the frame or
are you worried about rust forming ON THE SHEET METAL laying over the inaccessible areas obstructed by the frame.
In both cases though you have to options:
Weld the spacers (and paint them with anticorrosion paint) before dropping the sheet metal in place and the just grind all the required welding spots.
Or just use oil based rust protection sprays inside the frame every 6 months (as I live in Greece and our weather is similar you could do it every fall).

Yep both cases and i think i will paint and grind the welding spots . Than i will try to use the oil .... do you have any suggested pruduct abuot this?

Going out og topic, how is the situation of the old skodas in Grece? 

Kalispera

1 hour ago, Zimo said:

Yep both cases and i think i will paint and grind the welding spots . Than i will try to use the oil .... do you have any suggested pruduct abuot this?

Going out og topic, how is the situation of the old skodas in Grece? 

Kalispera

Yes without being sponsored by any company I suggest 3M rust preventer spray.https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-Rust-Preventer-Spray/?N=5002385+3290694628&preselect=3293786499&rt=rud

It has a long straw and it works wonders in the body panels. 

I also know for a fact that you can get access to it in Italy. 

Old skodas in Greece are sadly not in the best of conditions. 

They are mostly neglected and poorly serviced. 

I keep my own though at prime state. 

The most common old skoda is the felly with fewer favorites following along. Also there are some running examples of older 130 and 120 based vehicles. 

Χαίρεται! (greeting word) 

 

Edited 25 September, 20196 yr by Thefeliciahacker

2 hours ago, Thefeliciahacker said:

Yes without being sponsored by any company I suggest 3M rust preventer spray.https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-Rust-Preventer-Spray/?N=5002385+3290694628&preselect=3293786499&rt=rud

It has a long straw and it works wonders in the body panels. 

I also know for a fact that you can get access to it in Italy. 

Old skodas in Greece are sadly not in the best of conditions. 

They are mostly neglected and poorly serviced. 

I keep my own though at prime state. 

The most common old skoda is the felly with fewer favorites following along. Also there are some running examples of older 130 and 120 based vehicles. 

Χαίρεται! (greeting word) 

 

Ok many thanks also 3m is a well known brand and trust them , this seems to be very usefull !

Thanks

On 25/09/2019 at 14:44, Thefeliciahacker said:

Yes without being sponsored by any company I suggest 3M rust preventer spray.https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/all-3m-products/~/3M-Rust-Preventer-Spray/?N=5002385+3290694628&preselect=3293786499&rt=rud

It has a long straw and it works wonders in the body panels. 

I also know for a fact that you can get access to it in Italy. 

Old skodas in Greece are sadly not in the best of conditions. 

They are mostly neglected and poorly serviced. 

I keep my own though at prime state. 

The most common old skoda is the felly with fewer favorites following along. Also there are some running examples of older 130 and 120 based vehicles. 

Χαίρεται! (greeting word) 

 

Unfortunatelly  this seems not to be available in Italy nor via ebay/amazon😑😤

On 27/09/2019 at 11:00, Zimo said:

Unfortunatelly  this seems not to be available in Italy nor via ebay/amazon😑😤

Ask your local shop for something equivalent or call 3m central in Italy 🇮🇹 

Any updates?? 

Yep Sir! Saturday i will start welding in another friend shop! 

About products i found this site

http://www.buzzweld.co.uk/rust-encapsulator.html... england based ! But first i want to pay a visit to my local body shop supplies shop and ask them....

So the welding are done , not so much happy due to a misunderstanding with the welder that didn't weld the spacers on the central chassis so on the side is more hight than in the centre but could be more efficente for discharging water (think positive) . Now i have to

Seal all the welding lines (sikaflex )

shape the diamond alloy plate and rivete it to the steel....

Yesterday a do a test run and i found that the suspension now are very stiff hahahaha

On 07/10/2019 at 12:38, Zimo said:

Yesterday a do a test run and i found that the suspension now are very stiff

The stiffness is due to a more rigid frame.
If the frame becomes too rigid it may cause slight oversteer characteristics (especially on unloaded bed).
Then again it may be fun.
But if you find it annoying or dangerous invest in softer dampers

On 02/10/2019 at 21:52, Zimo said:

Yep Sir! Saturday i will start welding in another friend shop! 

About products i found this site

http://www.buzzweld.co.uk/rust-encapsulator.html... england based ! But first i want to pay a visit to my local body shop supplies shop and ask them....

Sadly i do not know this product but it does not seem oil based rather than a primer with rust morphing properties