Body Work: A Pillars

[MrPhotographer06]

has anyone here had to do body work on the A Pillar? On the 63 with the wraparound windshield i've got rust on the vertical part where the VIN number is.

http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_i...jpg?485712-346

I'm not sure what i'm going to do with this area, Bondo, Fiberglass or metal. anyone with repairs to this area and pics would be great

-Scott

[jonzcustomshop]

that looks really bad... how is the rest of the truck?
sometimes something like this is caused by a rodent, and the rest of the truck will be ok.

first I would get photo documentation of the vin tag, take a series of pics until you can see the #, that way you have proof that this is still the same vehicle.
take the vin tag off with a metal scraper and a hammer,gently as not to bend it , or rip the spot welds, you can re -affix it after the repair with jb weld, or poprivets. Just take photos of the whole process, so that if the issue comes up, you have proof that you are not doing anything underhanded.

with as bad as this is, and the fact that the pillar has at least 3 layers of metal sandwiched together, I would replace the whole post. most likeliy the inside is worse than you can see now.
(these vehicles rust from the inside out)
I would find the donar pillar, weld an X brace in your door frame, and some to the other side of the cab, so that everything stas square.
cut out the old pillar and weld in a new one.

It would be a good idea to sandbalast the whole area, so that you have a good idea where the good metal is.

[jonzcustomshop]

here is a cross section shot of your pillar, it is the center brace that I suspect might be rusted on yours as well, this is the main support for the roof.

[joe231]

wow, that is pretty
good luck and post pics of the process, please

[MrPhotographer06]

i have taken the weatherstrip off and wire brushed around the area, i'll take a pic of it and post it

i marked the door part wrong..thats the windshiled.. right?

[jonzcustomshop]

no, you have it right that is the passenger side looking rom the top your rust area is marked in red

[MrPhotographer06]

oh iight.. I really dont wanna do a barret jackson job on it. this truck was kinda passed through the family and my uncle [moms brother who loved his truck] is comming back to visit [from MN] in april and i wanna go visit him when hes here in his truck. i know if i dont do it right now, i'lll regret it. but my dad and i wanna go look for a shortbed to make a rat truck and restore