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Chevy flares on a Dodge and rusto repairo
#122471 February 10th 2007 9:04 pm
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 417
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Posts: 417
A year ago, maybe a bit more, I had cut out the rust, Bondoed this area and felt it was decent. A tire blowout- actually two back to back blowouts with tread flapping ate the bondo right up. This area, and the driver’s side (which is worse) have been the areas that really make my van look like crap, and its time to do something about it.

[Linked Image]

I cut a Sportsman up, cutting 4 inches of extra in any direction. That van had clean wheel wells yet rusty door (go figure). At any rate, I used a thin cutoff wheel on a 4 ½ inch angle grinder for the cutting. I had to cut on the inside of the donor van to get at some of the wheel wells. I wont use the vast majority of that metal. Most of my vans damage is to the body, the wheel well and floor behind the well is actually quite solid.
I don’t have a welder, so this is going to be a pop rivet and Bondo job. Least it will be metal in there instead of a ball a bondo. Ill cut some more of the rust out, apply some rust stopping paint to the holes, then simply add the Sportsman’s panels overlapping the existing. I will attempt to follow a body line so its easier to hide the seam. I’m pretty decent at this. Instead of using the crappy regular Bondo, I got long strand fiberglass reinforced (a million times stronger!). The rocker panel- a temporary repair at the time (again due to the blowouts)- will also be redone, where the galvanized metal is visible.
Following the repair, I am adding flares to the rear.

The front flares and chin spoiler are still being fine tuned, not yet painted. I took a flare set from a Chevy full size van- 1988- and adapted them to the Dodge. It was an immense pita! I also added aluminum plate behind the flares on the front, because the body lines were very different there and I could not use that area of the flares. The flares are rubberized plastic, somewhat bendable, and that’s the only reason I was able to make this work. The front of my van had had a direct confrontation with a low stump years ago thus the part of the frame, which is exposed below the bumper, is heavily bent. I had to shim the spoiler in the pushed in places. I also had a lot of cutting on the chin spoiler to do. I used a chainsaw for quite a bit of this, then the angle grinder. Burning plastic stinks!
Is it acceptable to caulk the flares to the body!???
I was watching a thing on TV about a storm water dam. It was steel, and kept in Salt water year round. Zinc blocks were used to keep the thing rust free. I NEED ZINC BLOCKS! Anyone have any source for something like this (seriously!).

[Linked Image]

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[Linked Image]


<img src=http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c11/Vantravlrs/pt2.jpg alt= - /]
Re: Chevy flares on a Dodge and rusto repairo
Vantravlrs #123002 February 14th 2007 2:35 am
Joined: Dec 2005
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Update. Passenger side step by steps.
First, the "new" panel is sized to fit. I cut along the lowest part of the body line. My van's inner wheelwell was in good condition except at the front. I carfully ground the outer lip off the wheel well, leaving the inner intact. On the donor piece, I very carefully cut the inner wheel well, leaving two layers spot welded together around the arch. I did not wish to drill the spot welds.

[Linked Image]

The front of the wheel well required a large piece of sheet metal and a smaller triangle for the bottom. A dented Sportsman door provided metal.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

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The tools I use to make panels are very basic. A 29 dollar angle grinder using cutoff wheels (thin), and grinding wheels, a pair of vice grips with flat plates for bending sheet metal, a 8 dollar rivet popper, basic bondo spreading tools, sand paper- hand and a very worn 36 grit for the angle grinder- this is to rough carve the bondo and metal down, a hickory block and hammer with a couple of slits cut in the wood to allow angles to be bent and curves to be formed, a belt sander (69 dollars at WalMert).
The first repair panel is installed. The is edge glued and riveted, painted with black rust protecting paint on both sides.

[Linked Image]

The large arch repair panel is installed, held in place with one sheet metal screw to temporary alignment.

[Linked Image]

Rivets are added, three lines of them in some places. Rigidity is crucial! Rivets are placed at one inch intervals. Carefully drilling the ones over the arch pierced the body and not the inner wheel well, thus keeping the rivet from being an acess point for rust later on.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

Next, the bondo was added. I used long stand fibergalss reinforced for the initial coat. I will add: this was too long stranded to be easy to work with! I suggest short strand for this simple blend instead of long. I applied sucessive layers of thin body filler over this, wiping off as much excess each time. Two applications of this and it was time to paint.
The fender flare adds even more support, and pinches the double layered arch to the inner wheel well arch. ten sheet metal screws were added.
Chevy van flares were used. They were very close to a perfect fit. I am not happy with the look of the rear flares, though.
Tomorrow I will post pictures of the finished body work. Its not perfect, but Im not a body man, but I am very pleased with the fact that it is good! The paint color is just way off, but the van is due for a total and decent paint job, so Itll work for the mean time.


<img src=http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c11/Vantravlrs/pt2.jpg alt= - /]
Re: Chevy flares on a Dodge and rusto repairo
Vantravlrs #123028 February 14th 2007 8:36 am
Joined: Aug 2005
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Supreme Master
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Pop Rivets 101 ;)


Nate Breece
Re: Chevy flares on a Dodge and rusto repairo
NateB #123050 February 14th 2007 10:47 am
Joined: Dec 2000
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dan Offline
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Nice work


DAN
BLUES TRAVELER-93 DODGE B250
2000 Astro LS fully loaded

Flyin Dutchmen Vans
Central LI Vans
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Re: Chevy flares on a Dodge and rusto repairo
dan #123058 February 14th 2007 12:14 pm
Joined: Aug 2001
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Likes: 37
Maniac
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Looking good!

As far as rust protection goes, have you seen JCWhitney's electro-shield system?

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/tf-Browse/s-10101/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2000770/p-2000770/N-111+10201+600001271/c-10101


Windows- they're what make a van worth owning!
Re: Chevy flares on a Dodge and rusto repairo
Vantravlrs #135094 May 07th 2007 11:58 pm
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 347
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Mountainman
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For filling rust holes they make this stuff called "kitty hair" in automotive supply stores. It's a fiberglass mix in a can and bonds well to rust. Just a trick I learned from a body man.


1977 dodge short 4x4 (soon to get its 440 installed), 1978 big block dodge custom camper-maxi, 1984 dodge van prospect,76 b100 6cyl. (parts), 1969 A-108 family wagon(project gasser),88 ramvan shorty V6 5spd, 84 4x4 silverado shortbed, 79 coupe deville, 93 cad STS, 74 F350 flatbed, and 3 toy tercel 4x in a fir tree...
Re: Chevy flares on a Dodge and rusto repairo
4xvanman #135095 May 07th 2007 11:59 pm
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 347
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Mountainman
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Posts: 347
Oh by the way ,, Lokkin good!


1977 dodge short 4x4 (soon to get its 440 installed), 1978 big block dodge custom camper-maxi, 1984 dodge van prospect,76 b100 6cyl. (parts), 1969 A-108 family wagon(project gasser),88 ramvan shorty V6 5spd, 84 4x4 silverado shortbed, 79 coupe deville, 93 cad STS, 74 F350 flatbed, and 3 toy tercel 4x in a fir tree...

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