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.
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. | 
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. | 
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. |
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. | 
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. | 
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. |