Here's the door rot! Ugh!

[diesel DOG]

Going to remove all the rust and twanged out metal. Then use 1" fiber glass cloth tape to repair. Band up outer door from bottom of door edge. The 90° band of appropriate size cloth tape. From bottom door edge the 90° bend on bottom of door. I'll take a 3/16 drill and perforate door skin and door bottom. The the epoxy goes in and really grabs hold. After that spray 3M inner door panel spray inside. Should then last a while. Keep all drains open. Clamp it together while epoxy dries.

 

[diesel DOG]

Need few of these plugs. Dealer said no part number. Any ideas? Look at at some Dodge Resto sites but pages to small till I get to computer and off phone here. Thanks

 

[JR]

Start checking out Craigslist or other ads like that. If you are patient it's easy enough to find guys that buy trailer loads of gen 2 parts down south and bring them back up north. You might have to expand your search to a few hundred miles (or more) beyond your area but they are out there. Assuming of course you wish to keep the truck long term. Because at this point anything you do to those doors are just a band aid and the rust will come back...take it from a fella that's fought the same fight...and lost :{

 

[jgillott]

Here you go. Just did a quick craigslist search. This guy has full cabs, but this is just an example of the nice rust free southern parts that are out there to work with.

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/pts/d/dismanteling-dodge-truck/6503438847.html

 

[diesel DOG]

Swapping doors is a lot more work and money to repaint. Don't have the ability to do all that paint myself. Body shops here on long island would probably want 500 to paint each door alone. I have a Chrysler 300 SRT- 8 2013 when it was new it was hit by stone from stump grinder and it was 475 to paint quarter panel with no removal. Patch this and rattle can the bottom OEM color or flat black. That's all cheap and my free labor. If there's no rust left when patched and inside coated it should last few years or more I think. By then it's 20 years old. Then I'll get the new Dooley 3500 made in USA again. May look for decent bumper on Craigslist thanks.

 

[diesel DOG]

I was looking on Craigslist lots of cool parts but none near me. Thanks. Looked for a bumper.

 

[diesel DOG]

Patching with cloth and fairing with epoxy fillers is waterproof unlike polyester body fillers. Epoxy is really tough stuff I did a hole in a floor of a vehicle about size of my fist. Stuff is bonded on there so hard it's mind boggling. I did crack / split in the SMC Dooley fender 6-7 years ago. Drilled holes backed it up with cloth and it never cracked.

 

[JR]

Sounds like you got a good plan together. I didn't know you were planning on upgrading in the next few years hence the recommendation on finding replacement doors. Good luck with your project.

 

[diesel DOG]

At 65 not many trucks left for me. May this one is the last LOL. It's like a hobby of continuing restoration. Rain here for a few days so it will be 3 days of rust remover to get it totally clean. I'll pull the door panel to look inside as I work. I haven't had it off in a while.

Still remember the first day I drove it. I loved it and then took my dog with me to pick it up. Always like suicide doors and noisey Cummins. I can go for entire trips and never bother to turn on the radio. Next shocks, bumper, few small dents to come out. Spray in bed liner or roll in I will do. Oh yea seat motors and new cushion on drivers side.

Then how could I get rid of it? We'll see. Lol

 

[JR]

Are you looking for a front or rear bumper? OEM or aftermarket?

 

[DavidC]

Yeah that rust is nasty. The roadrunner was very similar to that being purchased in Caribou ME. when I was stationed there. After discharge and the move to AZ. I went to the salvage yards and picked up 2 front fenders, 2 doors and a trunk lid. I had to cut out the 1/4 panels and fab patch panels. I was doing all the bodywork and paint (was relatively cheap then $ 65.00 a gallon). Any place that has folded seams or spot welds are the places where rust gets a foot hold then rots from the inside out. You may want to check Eastwoods inner frame coating for your rocker panels if it is not to late yet, other wise the rust encapsulator may help.

Dave

 

[diesel DOG]

I'll check rockers they seem good. The first month I got the truck I sprayed 3M inner panel protection in. I'll grind open any foods that seem to be swollen with expanding rust. .

 

[diesel DOG]

I'll check rockers they seem good. The first month I got the truck I sprayed 3M inner panel protection in. I'll grind open any foods that seem to be swollen with expanding rust. . My 04 Excursion the doors look like new. May be better seam constructions. It also could be running boards protecting the doors.

 

[diesel DOG]

Cleaned it out today. The put rust converter on it.

Repair I did about 5 years ago with por-15 Resto-grip. Great filler but no longer made. Wire wheeled it and will cover with epoxy. Seam still looks tight.

 

[diesel DOG]

No oxygen no water will be no rust.