Patch Panels or complete Re-Skin?

[rainman15]

I have a short box 84 4x4. No rust anywhere in the bed, floor or tailgate area's.  I do however have rust through behind both rear tires and it is starting to break through on the lower portion of the area in front of the tires too.  I have practically no body or sheet metal work experence.  Would it be easier for someone of my experience level to install a new skin on the side of the bed or try to cut and weld forward and rear patches on the lower portion of the bed sides?

Once I've cut my teeth on this project I'm moving up to the cab to do the cab corners, rockers and outer floors/kick panels.  My rockers are gone, quite literally, they are no longer on the truck... turned to dust and fell away.  

[jaredts]

Replacing the bedside has the advantage of being a bolt on affair, but you need a welder anyway to do your cab.  This is a perfect time to get a cheap welder and start practicing.

[4x4orbust]

i went through the same thing with my 82.   in the end i bought a welder and did patch panels for the rusted areas.   the bed panels were easier (imo) to learn on than the cab.   they are easier to line up, cut out, and weld in.   you have to start somewhere, might as well be there!   if you do get a welder, spend a fair ammount of time on scrap peices of metal that are the same thickness as the patch panels and practice welding peices together, the more you practice the better you get!

[rainman15]

Cool. Thanks guys.  I already have a wire welder but have not had a chance to practice using it yet. The welder and my truck are still out my property down in NC.  I'm starting my project this summer when I move back down there. Hopefully it will turn out ok. Regardless I know it will save me a ton of money in labor to do the sheet metal work myself before taking to the body shop for paint.

[jaredts]

Good luck.  You'll save a lot of money doing it that way too.  Bedside panels are pricey.

[78 Chevyrado]

Be sure to practice somewhere you can see both sides of the weld to begin with.  then when you have the hang of it go to the stuff you can't see behind.