Repairing a rusted Rad support for a 1986 style

[genscripter]

Well, I looked at carpart.com and I regret it already. Somebody please tell me *** this truck is doing at a wrecker!!!??:***:

https://imageappky.car-part.com/image?seller=5623&partsourceid=5623&partGUID=E6982F8C-78E4-42FC-BBD9-FD006B2FF14E&vehicleGUID=933C1697-498F-456E-9D1F-FAA8F3821874&display=1985 Ford Truck F250 Rad/Core Support Assembly-Stock# 8364

I say the same thing EVERY TIME I go to my local Los Angeles junkyard. The last time I was there, I found a Jetta that was in better condition than my own Jetta. Even the interior. I just shook my head. There are so many people that will junk a perfectly fine gasser here in Los Angeles because "it looks old."

 

[david85]

If it makes you feel better it's probably a gasser.
At least that's what I'm telling myself...

It has a diesel tach!

 

[laserjock]

Beautiful metal work as always. I figured you had done the core support when you worked the rest of the truck over.

 

[chillman88]

Somebody please tell me *** this truck is doing at a wrecker!!!??:***:

You must have missed the bullnose dually I posted a few months ago. Sitting in a scrapyard in Arizona looking better than my 91

 

[Detroit80]

Well, I looked at carpart.com and I regret it already. Somebody please tell me *** this truck is doing at a wrecker!!!??:***:

https://imageappky.car-part.com/image?seller=5623&partsourceid=5623&partGUID=E6982F8C-78E4-42FC-BBD9-FD006B2FF14E&vehicleGUID=933C1697-498F-456E-9D1F-FAA8F3821874&display=1985 Ford Truck F250 Rad/Core Support Assembly-Stock# 8364

Usually the answer is pretty simple, such as a dealer trade-in. We ended up with a LOT of CLEAN older vehicles during that wretched Cash for Clunkers program (which several states and many dealers have continued on their own accord), and other times its something like an older person holds on to a vehicle they virtually never drive until they exit this world, but whoever inherits it just sees an old worthless car/truck.

The dealer that takes it in trade on a brand new whatever isn't going to sell it on their lot, and by the time someone is paid to process it and send it through the auction channels, it ends up being cheaper to just send it straight to salvage.

Remember, enthusiasts such as ourselves are an incredibly tiny number of the overall vehicle buying population...the vast majority of people have zero interest in any vehicle older than 10 years or so, and the majority of those see cars/trucks as little more than image enhancers or A-B transportation.

But bullnose in AZ? Damn..I for one would LOVE to stumble across some clean bullnose front sheetmetal in a pick-a-part here in AZ to convert my bricknose over. I don't want it badly enough to pay CL/FB prices for it, but at pick-a-part prices, I'd likely be all about it.

 

[Oldfrogdiving]

Haha "gasser", yea man its amazing the things people dump! its good to know about Carparts.com too.

 

[david85]

Beautiful metal work as always. I figured you had done the core support when you worked the rest of the truck over.

No, I figured I could afford to wait for a new one or to build one. This was the last of the rust on the truck. Even my painter chewed me out after I reassembled the truck and drove by his shop with it. I simply had no time left, so I put it all back together with what I had.

 

[laserjock]

No, I figured I could afford to wait for a new one or to build one. This was the last of the rust on the truck. Even my painter chewed me out after I reassembled the truck and drove by his shop with it. I simply had no time left, so I put it all back together with what I had.

I can totally respect that. My truck still hasn’t been cut and buffed how many years later??

 

[david85]

Here's the other side cut open. In all honesty, I probably removed more than I had to.

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[david85]

Patch metal is in. Like I said, this much replacement metal wasn't really needed but this way both sides have zinc coated steel. The corner brace fits nicely too. It was getting late so I decided not to weld in the last piece. I have to grind the loose rust off first anyway.

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[david85]

This next bit didn't strictly require rework because it hadn't rusted through yet. However, it was rusting bad enough between the layers that it swelled to nearly 1/2" in a couple spots. Thankfully this steel is fairly thick and nothing rotted clean through so no need to replace any of it.

Ideally all of this should have been sand blasted to get into the pitting but I'm not going to bother. What I will do is try pouring some rust converter into the joint and hope it does something. I'll do the same with a zinc rich primer later on. As for paint? I have black and I have grey. Probably go with grey.

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[david85]

Reassembly complete. Next will be to drill all the required mounting holes. After that, paint prep.

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[chillman88]

What was your process for the disassembly of those spot welds? Do you have one of the special drill bits they sell for spot weld removal or a different procedure? I'm curious because I'll likely be tackling a similar project at some point next year.

 

[david85]

I've seen those special spot weld tools, but never laid hands one one. I just use a half decent 1/4" drill bit in a cordless impact gun (hex shank means no slipping in the chuck). Once you get used to finding the center of a spot weld, they're pretty easy to drill out. The trick is to find the center and avoid going through the bottom layer. This is easy to do on this rad support, since most of the steel is relatively thick. Thinner sheet is a bit trickier because the metal contact patch of the weld tends to be wider, and it's easier to drill through by accident.

 

[frankenwrench]

I've seen those special spot weld tools, but never laid hands one one. I just use a half decent 1/4" drill bit in a cordless impact gun (hex shank means no slipping in the chuck). Once you get used to finding the center of a spot weld, they're pretty easy to drill out. The trick is to find the center and avoid going through the bottom layer. This is easy to do on this rad support, since most of the steel is relatively thick. Thinner sheet is a bit trickier because the metal contact patch of the weld tends to be wider, and it's easier to drill through by accident.

So.... If one were to bring/mail you a core support that was pretty trashy down bottom much like yours was, what would you charge to fix it?