removing overlayed patch panel ?
 

I have a 80 short box which has a quarter patch panel welded on top of the old box side. It started rusting [no surprise] so i decided to see what was underneath and to my surprize there is alot of good metal underthere . I was wondering what a good way to remove the old panel. I can only think of a die grinder very carefully and grind the panel close to the weld and with a flap wheel grind the weld down and slowly so I don, create too much heat

Re: removing overlayed patch panel ?
 

other pic

Re: removing overlayed patch panel ?
 

Is that another patch behind the panel or a big panel over the original...grinding the welds out is the way to remove it..but your correct...keep the heat down as much as possible....

Re: removing overlayed patch panel ?
 

No that is the original panel where your blue marks are. The piece I cut out was sorta loose so I pryed it out so I could cut a section without cutting into the original panel so I could see what I had .The half wheel patch that you can buy was welded flat to the original panel and bonded over. I can,t think of any easy way but someone my have some tricks up there sleeve. I do have a mint long box quarter to use. I thought about trying to make it a short box panel but I think that beyond my skills and no room to tackle that with all my other junk and they don,t have short box bedsides no more.

Re: removing overlayed patch panel ?
 

Didn’t quite understand your statement they don’t make short box bedsides anymore most all of your major suppliers sell them but then you have the frame to tackle hopefully it’s not to warped from the welding

Re: removing overlayed patch panel ?
 

everyone I,ve seen says out of stock and brothers posted a u tube video said they are not available no more . I heard the molds are just too out of date. I hope I,m wrong but I don,t see anything and I f the molds are too crappy I don,t want one. I have a mint long box panel I picked up for 75 .00 no rust.

Re: removing overlayed patch panel ?
 

My mistake I missed the year of your truck

Re: removing overlayed patch panel ?
 

Well I think I devised a plan that,s working,I scored just inside the weld mark with a cut off wheel about every 6-8 inchs and pryed it over and then I could wiggle the score mark until it broke without going thru the metal so I won,t cut thru original metal.

Re: removing overlayed patch panel ?
 

It will be interesting to see what's under it. I wonder why they did what they did?

Re: removing overlayed patch panel ?
 

There was a stupid jagged rust by-law years ago and the cars would get banded from the road until fixed and is a easy fix. The bondo was a nice job thou. We get these stupid laws all the time and are good for a year until they think of something else. So far I have real good metal but wheel well lip and some bottom corners of the wheel well. I see bad rust on bottom of rear section but should be OK with the panels I have. Just have to make a plan for that when i got all the bad stuff gone.

Re: removing overlayed patch panel ?
 

got it off ,wasn,t too hard once i started ,did the pry and score with a grinder and the sheets came off nice. Lots of good metal underneath . Got my patch panel ready and now the fun chore and cut and fit.The lines around the metal is just the old welded seams that have to be ground down to the original panel

Re: removing overlayed patch panel ?
 

I am curious on how your going to weld in the patches without removing box sides. I have some rust over my wheel wells on my S10 and they don't make aftermarket Box sides for 1st gen S10's. I have plans on removing box and taking sides off so I can hammer and dolly my welds on the patches from back side.

Re: removing overlayed patch panel ?
 

Well , I overlayed the new patch panel over top where I thought was right and screwed in place with self tapping screws and scribed around it and cut away the rust in that area. Then when I,m happy that I have the rusted areas removed I,m trimming the new panel with some overlay and screw that in place and scribe a line around it and cut and test fit over and over . Mine is big so I ,m thinking I might tack some tabs on the new metal to help me position it. I,m sure someone will have other suggestions and you can choose what,s best for you . I,m just a DIY trying to do a good job with what I have

Re: removing overlayed patch panel ?
 

If your gonna put your patch over the rusted out bedside and screw them together...I'd suggest making the patch bigger than your rust and cutting thru both panels at the same time rather than tracing out the pattern...and then cutting....use the thinnest cutting disc you can find..I use 1/16"..this will give you a narrow slot for welding...but thin metal doesn't weld good...I'd also suggest getting a copper backer to help with burn thru...
I'm not sure of your welding skills, but I'd also suggest doing some practicing on some of your scrap pieces before you move to the real thing

Re: removing overlayed patch panel ?
 

got it done , I ended making a flange just on the top [chrome will hide it ] it was too hard to hold there without one and some metal screws ,too hard to do by myself .then test fit over and over,about 12 times. For some reason the bottom piece would not line up so I had to cut it and trim it and then welded back in Now some grinding and some Kitty hair on the welds or 2x primer and filler haven,t decided on what is best. Yes I cleaned up inside the best I could and painted