Bed side repair?

[Zorm]

Thoughts,
Would it be easier to try and repair these, (hammer, weight, pull) or cut them out and repair with another panel





Or, get another good bed and cut/weld in my bed side tool box and aux tank filler neck

[bluef250]

For me, a different bed would be easier.

[sargentrs]

For me, it would be easier and more practical to cut out and replace with a new panel.

[daveford72]

That's a tough call. It depends on your fabrication skills to fix bends or to cut out and replace. Around here beds with little rust are hard to find. If that's all that is wrong I would fix it. That bed seam looks great. Hope that helps.

[Zorm]

daveford72, I have gone through two beds ( ended up using them for other parts and cutting sections out for others on this fourm) trying to solve this issue but, its always that bed seam that stops me. Its in perfect condition. My fab skills with body work are almost non existent. I did find another long bed in real good condition but no bed side tool box.

Another thought, I do have the repair panels I removed from another bed so there not the cheep Chinese ones, what would be a maybe ball park price for a body shop to cut out, weld in and epoxy prime over? I know prices can vary in the country, just asking any body guys out there.

Oh and if any one is reading this that needs em, I have a short bed floor, with a small section already cut out, for patch panels for their floor or want the whole floor, its in real good shape, the bed seam on that bed was toast

[cep62]

I would try to rough them out and see what they look like
some times an hour spent will surprise you on how close they come out.

Or find a small independent body shop and see how much they would charge to rough them out
it may only be $100 , more or less.

Now this is a Michigan opinion ,and rust free bump boxes are pretty scarce.