Rust spot on door - bondo or metal patch?

[turpentyne]

Working though my plan of action for this truck. There seems to be remarkably little rust.

The worst spot I've seen is down in the cab-side corner of the passenger door - toward the back of vehicle. That flat corner area has a patch of rust. From what I've seen, it's a common problem area on these trucks.

I'm not fond of bondo, if it can be replaced with metal, but I'm not a body guy. In that awkward spot, is it really feasible to cut and replace with new metal? Anybody had experience in this?

[jaredts]

To use no filler at all is going to be a challenge.  If you're going to do it yourself and haven't done bodywork, it's unlikely you'll get it that straight in just steel, but who knows.  How about posting a picture?  Is it pitted rust or rust holes?  About how big?

[turpentyne]

It's holes, about 4 - 6 inches diameter of cancer.

Tonight I'll post a couple pics

[turpentyne]

here are a couple pics to show the damage:





Now that I post the pics.. I guess it's a little worse than I described.

[fitz]

Do you have a welder?
If you just pack the hole with bondo, it won't last. 
What are your long term plans for the truck?  You might want to find a rust free door if you plan on getting the truck painted.

[turpentyne]

I just have an old old Mig welder and not much practice.

I'd like to keep the truck on the road for a while. I just don't want it to be like the other family '73 - still going strong as a farm truck, BUT with rust in every nook and cranny.

[FlatBlack77]

both of my trucks, my moms truck, and my dads old truck all have/had the exact same problem in that spot. its pretty common

without at least some body work talent, it would be quite a task to replace the metal. it would be easier to replace the door with a rust free one or at least a better one.

but it might not be easy to find one