1992 Ford F-150 - Four Wheeler Magazine

Rust: we hate it. Unfortunately for us, our Midwest-based '92 F-150 was sporting quite a bit of the cursed stuff. Not only that, but it seems that somewhere along the line the previous owner had sent the truck to a hack body shop for a low-buck redo, so there was a shocking amount of rapidly cracking body filler partying with the corrosion. We couldn't take it anymore.

A significant amount of time was spent disassembling the truck before the buildup began. During the disassembly phase, Vintage Iron & Design owner Wells bagged and labeled each and every removed piece of hardware to ensure nothing got misplaced or mixed up. Here, body technician Jon Wise DA's the cab just before reassembly began.

A significant amount of time was spent disassembling the truck before the buildup began. D

Our first call was to Erick Wells at Vintage Iron & Design in Monroe, Wisconsin. Wells is an expert body and paint technician who also happens to be a 'wheeler. He has a reputation for quality work, and he's well-versed in all disciplines of bodywork from standard collision repair and complete restorations to off-the-hook custom painting of vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles ... well, you name it. After thoroughly inspecting our rig, Wells gravely agreed with us that the Redhead was one rusty wench. We outlined that we wanted the rust to go away, but we also noted that first and foremost, the Redhead is a work truck. Wells understood and recommended replacing the rusty and dented body panels before applying a tough paint job that would look great while withstanding our abuse.

When it came to body panels it was a no-brainer to call the folks at LMC Truck. LMC is an established company that has been in business for more than 20 years. If you've never laid eyes on LMC's catalogs, you need to, because they're a sight to behold for truck fans. The folks at LMC offer tens of thousands of standard and hard-to-find parts for all major makes and models of trucks. In addition, they also offer a full line of accessories. It's safe to say that you could almost build a complete truck from the parts inventory, from windshield glass and trim to bed bolts. All of the replacement body parts we ordered were made from quality steel overseas. In our opinion, the fit and finish of all the parts were as good as OEM. That's impressive. Not only is it convenient to order from LMC, but the prices are right. If OEM body-part prices scare the heck out of you, LMC Truck prices will take you to your happy place.

1. Whether you've run your rig into a tree on the trail or if it's just showing its age, LMC Truck has a panel or patch or hard-to-find item to help you make it look presentable. We installed new bedsides, tailgate, front fenders, core support, inner fenders, and cab corners. We also ordered new bed bolts and OEM bedside 4x4 stickers. Even though LMC notes in their catalog that replacement body parts could arrive with a few scratches or small dents acquired during shipping, all of the items arrived in excellent condition.
1. Whether you've run your rig into a tree on the trail or if it's just showing its age, L
2. We were stunned at the mass number of refinishing items needed to complete a restoration of this caliber. Here you can see the collection of items from Keystone Automotive that includes scuff pads, various widths of masking tape, primers, catalysts, basecoat, activator, clearcoat, and hardener.
2. We were stunned at the mass number of refinishing items needed to complete a restoratio
3. Before the new LMC Truck core support and front fenders could be installed, the team had to paint them. The core support was completely painted while the front fenders were only painted on the inside. This is where some of the Keystone Automotive products came into play. In order, the components were scuffed with Scotch-Brite general purpose hand pads (to ensure good paint adhesion), cleaned and degreased, sealed with PPG K36 sealer, painted with PPG red paint, and sprayed with PPG DCU 2002 clearcoat.
3. Before the new LMC Truck core support and front fenders could be installed, the team ha

4. After it was painted, hardware from our old core support was transferred to the new core support. After this was completed, the new unit was installed. This solved a huge problem, as core supports are a standard rust-out item in the Snowbelt. Typically, road salt gets into the bottom mounting points and rots them through.
4. After it was painted, hardware from our old core support was transferred to the new cor
5. The new LMC Truck front fenders were installed next. Like the core support, there was some hardware that needed to be transferred to the new fenders. Here, technician Jon Wise installs one of the seven mounting bolts. The fenders were positioned but the bolts were left loose so the fenders could be aligned later in the process.
5. The new LMC Truck front fenders were installed next. Like the core support, there was s
6. When we removed the stock hood, we found more rust. We hadn't planned on this. We hit the phone and called the folks over at Stylin' Concepts, and they hooked us up with a Reflexxions steel cowl hood. We think this hood adds the perfect amount of visual beef to the front of the truck without being gaudy. Here, we're test-fitting it after we had transferred the hardware from the old hood. It fit perfectly, so it was sent to the paint booth to be painted on the inside using the same procedure as was used on the core support and front fenders.
6. When we removed the stock hood, we found more rust. We hadn't planned on this. We hit t

The last piece of the puzzle was to call the team at Keystone Automotive in Dubuque, Iowa. They are one of 136 Keystone stores in the U.S. and Canada. These guys know intimately what it takes to prep and refinish a vehicle and they sell every item needed to get the job done. They sell to walk-in customers as well as dealerships and body shops. We outlined our plan, and they sent everything we needed to get the job done from tape to paint.

This month we detail the cab and front end refinishing up to the application of primer.

7. Our cab corners were very rotten, which is typical of older trucks in the Midwest. Anyone who says they're going to "throw on" some cab corners either hasn't done 'em or may end up with them looking like crap. To install them right takes a significant amount of time. First the old corners had to be carefully cut off. Here you can see technician Chris Gerrits as he removes one of the old corners. After the old cab corners were removed, the area was sandblasted to remove any rust.
7. Our cab corners were very rotten, which is typical of older trucks in the Midwest. Anyo
8. When replacing cab corners, the team at Vintage likes to only remove as little of the corner as possible. We used about the bottom third of the new LMC Truck 'corners. The new cab corners are positioned, tack-welded, welded, ground smooth, filled (shown), and primed. It's easier (and quicker) said than done.
8. When replacing cab corners, the team at Vintage likes to only remove as little of the c
9. With all of the new parts installed, the team prepped the stock body. This lengthy process included removing all of the dents on our ol' work truck. They were all painstakingly removed using a weld-on stud and either a pop-rivet tool (for smaller dents) or a slide hammer (for the larger ones). After the dents were removed, filler was applied to these areas, and the area was hand-sanded using 80-grit sandpaper in an 8-inch block. The entire cab was then DA'd using a progression of finer sandpaper. First was 36-grit Stikit 8-inch pads, then 80-grit Stikit 6-inch pads, and then 180-grit Stikit 6-inch pads.
9. With all of the new parts installed, the team prepped the stock body. This lengthy proc

10. Before the body was primed, it was taped (shown) and then wiped down with degreaser. Just before primer, it was wiped with a tack cloth to remove lint.
10. Before the body was primed, it was taped (shown) and then wiped down with degreaser. J
11. Here you can see the Keystone Automotive PPG K36 primer surfacer being applied over the PPG DPX 170 self-etching primer. Self-etching primer isn't always used by body shops, but we felt it was mandatory due to the harsh conditions our truck would endure. The self-etching primer bonds with the metal and is said to stop corrosion caused by rock chips and things of that nature.
11. Here you can see the Keystone Automotive PPG K36 primer surfacer being applied over th

Bodywork is inherently slow and tedious, and on top of that it requires years of experience to do it right. With deadlines hanging over our head like a guillotine, and the ever-present realization that hogging a bay at Vintage Iron & Design isn't a good thing for them, we assembled a Dream Team of experienced body technicians to swarm our project in an effort to complete the restoration as soon as possible. Many thanks go out to this team for giving up seven Saturdays and many weekdays of their lives in trade for pizza and our sunny disposition. They are: (front row, l to r) Jon Wise, Craig Schiller, Erick and Summer Wells, Chris Gerrits, and Roger Wells; (back row, l to r) James Wells, Jared Pulver, and Adam Reihl.

In the next installment of "Project Fiery Redhead," we complete the cab restoration and we show you how we installed new bedsides, inner fenders, and tailgate. Of course, we'll also show you the eye-popping finished product.