How to: Weld in a dentside filler door

[1971ford]

I thought i'd show you guys this little upgrade too. well not really an upgrade, just something to point out and say hey look at my skillzz .
First you will need a panel from a dentside with a few inches around the door part, so you can weld this into your bump.
You will also need the door, the box behind the door connected to the aluminum filler hose, and you will need a hose either from a dentside or bump for a underbed tank.
Get this stuff from a dent that has the Middle tank, because it is almost exactly the same place as our bumps.

First, you will need clearance for the box. you will have to cut slots in you bed like shown and bend them back. i didnt cut my slots big enough the first time so i had to cut another above it and rebend.

Then take your assembly and get a idea of where the whole will be cut.
Now this part is a little scary. You have to keep looking at the box and the panel until you have a good idea of where to cut to patch in the dentside panel. i layed down with my head in the wheel well, looking to one side of the panel and then the side with the box multiple times. Then once i had a decent idea where to cut.. i went to two with my grinder.

THen i taped in my dentside patch panel

I then checked to make sure it is level, then i tacked it in place. Then i assembled it all and made sure my guestimate on positioning was OK. Turned out perfect.

Then do a million tack welds once its good to go.




I am still not done, i still have to weld up a cover for the box to fix this mess.

And i need to trim about an inch off the tube and attach them, along with the breather tube.

[fordman]

cool. i wasn't wanting to cut my bed floor and side out when i did mine that way. maybe i can figure it out differently.

[1971ford]

Yeah it would be nice to not have to cut the bed floor. But i figure i will just cut off those bent pieces and then make a little housing which will consist of two right triangles and a flat piece if you can picture that. so a little slope going in to the side of the bed from the floor with triangles on each side.

[floyd67]

what if you put the door a little lower would you still have to cut the bed

[1971ford]

Any lower and you will have clearence issues with your filler neck

[fordman]

ryan what i was thinking of was using one froma newer truck yet. like maybe from the 80's or 90's. those necks dont have that hugh thing made onto them. at the end of them. they do have a box thing that will weld into the bed with the door but i am sure it will fit and work. i am unclear about if the neck will clear the bed floor yet though. a junkyard run is in my future so i am going to find out the next time i go out. i'm going to pick one up and see how it might fit. i am also going to use the hoses from the tank i take the neck off of so it will be the correct length to reach the bedside.

[1971ford]

cool, let us know. Just make sure you don't go tooo new because then it wont be a square anymore. the square ones fit the look of the truck much better.

[jwh f-100]

NIce work.

I have a door/bucket/panel from a 80's truck but it is all tied together. I like the looks of the dent setup as the bucket can be removed. I thought i'd like to install the door prior to cutting the floor/interior panel. The dent setup will allow that. Thanks.