Lower Door Pillar Patches

[Deryl]

I have searched all of the suppliers I can find for lower door post pillar patches for my 63 with no luck. All of the suppliers I found skipped the 60-66 trucks. I have decided to fab my own since they don't show anyway, but I was wondering what everyone else is doing to repair theirs. I know I do not have the only 63 truck with rotted out door pillars. By the way, this is my first post and I know there will be many more as I get rolling on my short bed stepside.

[chevy283]

welcome from oklahome. (got any pics)

[Deryl]

Not yet, but I will get some posted.

[chevy283]

the best thing i could tell u is to get a differ cab and cut the panel out of it.

[coilspring66]

I fabricated my own, both sides, on my '66. I don't have any fancy bending equipment. I just used my vise & basic hand tools to do the bending. A grinding disc & cutting wheel is almost a must. It took quite a while to get things right, but in the end, it turned out pretty darn good (if I must say so myself). I used the thickest sheet metal I could, that could be bent by hand. I used a hammer to get the bend creases sharp. I did mess one up, but all that was lost was time & a buck or two. I'd suggest that you start by removing the door(s) & fender(s). Then cut out all of the bad metal. That way, you'll know the exactly what you have to fabricate. Try to get as much of that bad post cut out in one piece that you can, so that you can use it as a pattern for your new one. Weld in your new ones & finish the seams to your liking. Really, you'll need time & patience much morse than skill. I don't know your situation, but it's possible that other adjoining areas are compromised as well. I did my posts in conjunction with the rockers, the kick panels, the floors, the cab supports, etc. It was a real mess, but it can be fixed with a little money, a lot of time & a heap of patience.

[Deryl]

That's basicaly what I did coilspring. I turned out pretty good if I do say so. I have not welded it in yet, but there is enough good metal to weld to. It should be structuraly sound so that is what I'm after. Cab corners and rocker panels are next.

[coilspring66]

Yeah, just take it bit by bit & try not to panic by looking at the whole mess at once. I still have my cab coners to do, which I'm going to dive into in the next couple of weeks. I just ordered the cab corners from TABCO & I was very impressed..nice thick sheet metal, made in the U.S. (of all crazy things). I wish I would have known about them when I got my rockers & stuff, which were pretty thin/made overseas jobs. Live & learn.