Not bad for an amateur and I'm impressed with your abilities. I painted cars for nearly 30 years and done all kinds of repairs spot jobs touch ups you name it and I've probably done it. For future reference you don't have to remove aka tear down the entire door to do that kind of repair work. Kudos for applying the epoxy primer Before applying the body filler! Most people don't have a clue about how much that will help however you should scuff sand the primer Before applying the body filler with something like 80-180 grit sandpaper, dry. There's a simple fix for the right door just tape up everything that you can and remove just the Ram 1500 emblems and the mirror then block sand the door with 400-500 grit set sand paper using water final sand with 600-800 wet then mask off the door and simply respray allowing adequate time in between coats and leave a little place in your masking to peel the tape back on the front edge and rear edge of the door to better match the color. Tip: on the primer Before you sand it apply a very light coat of black rattle can primer or paint ( I mean just lightly fog it on ) this will act as a guide coat for all the high and low spots to ensure that you have sanded the primer completely and smoothly. And next time try doing an overlap with the sheet metal putting the new metal just under the old, that will help you with the welding and once all is completed get some bad and chain oil and thin it down with kerosene and coat the inside bottom half of the doors and you'll never see rust like that again plus you can do that for the entire undercarriage for rust protection, that will require you to get a Body Shultz gun in order to spray it, warning it Will Be Very Messy. Please feel free to ask me anything about paint and bodywork if I can help you I will if I don't know I could probably find out but if not I'll simply say I don't know, I would Not tell you to do something that will not work. I enjoyed the video very much thanks!

@spelunkerd

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for stopping by and offering your thoughts! Not only may this help me in the future, others who happen to stop by will likely follow your advice. I'm going to pin your advice so it stays near the top of the thread.

@ussdiscovery6912

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks. I’m happy to help. I have plenty of time on my hands since retiring and I stay busy but I’m never too busy to give advice or offer suggestions.

@ussdiscovery6912

3 жыл бұрын

By the way do you know anything about Jeep Wrangles? I have a 1998 Wrangler and the A/C compressor locked up so I bought a new one but it's not getting any power and I checked the wire before the connector and there's no power. ??? And I checked for a fuse or delay but did not find one under the hood or in the fuse panel.

@ussdiscovery6912

3 жыл бұрын

Relay not delay 😒

@spelunkerd

3 жыл бұрын

@@ussdiscovery6912 No special knowledge of that one, but most compressor clutches are powered with 12V, they may be power or ground side switched, you'll want a wiring diagram to help decide what is wrong. I use alldatadiy for all the vehicles I own. The AC compressor won't turn on if pressure switches notice something is wrong with freon pressure, either too high or too low. By the way, if you want to edit a post, hover your mouse over the three dots to the right of your post. Options appears, click 'edit' and fix it.

I like this guys demeanor and intellect.

Don't hesitate to show your mistakes. They are the bits that teach us the most. Great job, thank you.

Looks a hell of a lot better than before you fixed it!

This was a great video, you can tell he’s an honest, hard-working man

Its good to see the mistakes too, helps you feel less overwhelmed about making your own when attempting something new your first time time. And lets you learn from the mistakes too.

I'm a do it yourself type too. You save money, learn and feel proud of the work you did. Great job!

This guy is very logical. I wish more people were like him.

You did a great job. You have encouraged me to save my perfectly running 15 years old rusty car. Thank you!

Just love your honesty in this one. You know there are two things that come to mind. You cant make it worse its broke. And the man that never made a mistake never did anything! A great video for those that want to learn not those that want to criticise! Stay safe! Ant.

Thanks for showing this! Great repair job. Stay safe and take care, Bill

Thanks, this made me laugh..... as a journeyman technician with 34 years in the trade, now a body shop manager, it’s good for “amateurs” to see that what we do, takes skill and knowledge. Fairly serious repair to take on for your first go.... over the years, I have seen worse from guys that were supposed to be “tradesmen” .....

You saved yourself a small fortune and the truck lives another day. Most times the rear wheel arches in those old Dodge trucks rusts before anything else. Cool vid

@the_regulator1145

3 жыл бұрын

I’m debating on taking mine in to have the work done on both fenders, wheel arches and doors.

I like your because it’s original. You really showed the real of how a project can turn out when it’s your first time doing the job yourself. Thank you for your video. You did a wonderful job on your truck.

This is the only positive and. supporting comment section on any welding video I've seen this year. you should proud of that!

Hey just found you again after many years!! You helped me with my vulcan years ago. Nice to see you are stil holding it up! Cheers from sweden!

Thanks for the video. I personally quit worrying what others thought about my repairs decades ago. They don't have to pay for the stuff, and they don't have to drive it. LOL Mistakes do make you a better mechanic and over time it's all worth it.

I really appreciate you sharing this. I'm terrified of doing this same repair on my car but I gotta... oh boy. Thanks so much for showing this

Well done and documented step by step. This will benefit amateurs like us!

Your attitude and honesty is charismatic

You did a great job. As the original owner of a 1998 Ram 1500 just like yours who still daily drives it in the rust belt, I can tell you I've dealt with this problem too. As you said, forget used doors, they're ALL rotted. I've had it fixed by a body shop--twice. The first time lasted about 5 years where they fabricated panels. The second time I gave them a lower door skin panel. As you stated, it wasn't cheap. $2200USD, IIRC. But as is the case with your truck, mine runs and drives just fine and everything works. The only rust it has now is on the bumpers--not a big deal to replace. A few months ago I did the front axle seals and your vids on the subject were a great help. I bought the dealer service tools for the seals and the axle housing spreader to make the job easier. Thanks for sharing!

being impatient and cheap we just find a cheap door in good condition, but you fixed it well

Thanks for the video. It will be useful as I learn from my own body mistakes on my rusty 1998 Dodge Ram.

Thanks for sharing your experience !

That is one ambitious project Dave and in my opinion you did a great job even if when you talk about the mistakes. Thanks for sharing as I'm sure this video will help a lot of folks out there! Have a great weekend! 😊👍

Being a newbie at body work and repairs like me I hear you. But I think you did an outstanding job. Just think how much cash you saved and the fun you had doing it. I’m on my first project car after re-painting my 01 Mustang GT, had a blast doing it and I use a spray can. Now I’ve got a proper air tank and gun. Continue having fun. Cheers Keith from Canada 🇨🇦

Excellent. Love that you show any errors too.

Thanks for sharing this, nice to see a proper homestyle repair video

Loved the video. I'm about to do some bodywork for the first time on my 1961 GMC. I picked up some very valuable info from watching your video. Thanks for posting it.👍

Loved your honesty mate

Hey man that it’s a really good video . And I’m fixing a couple of 70s trucks that I will need of your videos thanks for sharing.

all the respect to YOU! you actually did a decent job for a DIY! A+ for effort!

Glad to find a video like this. I currently have a rare car with rusted doors so finding replacement doors is near impossible.

Fantastic video! It is super scary but once you start and realize the money you save, it’s totally worth it.

Thank you for explaining so well. Looks just fine for me. Where there is will, there is way.

Like it that you make mistakes and you share them. And you got a Dodge like mine only mine is worse. Not only the doors but rockers are all but gone. Seeing this and know it’ll save me a ton of money serves as a motivator! Thanks for sharing!

For a first time doing a difficult task you did great thanks for the vid.

Amazing. You have lots of patience and talent

I give you respect for what you've done! I don't like painting and I don't like body work either. However, I have done "some" light metal repair and fabrication. That part came out pretty good in my estimation of it. I stick with automotive electrical and mechanical repair.

Learning from our mistakes, is how we learn. There is no shame in that. If it's ok to offer some suggestions: whenever sanding, always wet sand with a little bit of dish soap in it. The water smooths out the sanding, and the soap keeps the water suspended onto the work area. Go from coarse grit to fine grit when wet sanding. This will address the orange peel factor. And, the wet sanding technique applies to sanding the primer as well as the base coat. The clear coat ( if you are using it ) gets sanded with 3,000, or sometimes 2,000 grit rubbing compound instead of sandpaper. When checking to see if the panel is ready for paint, dry the panel, and put a paper towel over the area that you are running your hand down. For some reason, the towel magnifies the suspect area. You will find imperfections, that you can catch before applying the base coat. Hope this helps, keep up the good work.

Thanks alot for the video. I gotta say that when I'm doing something new and there are more experienced people around one of my first questions is "whats the fastest way for me to mess this up?" You might be surprised at how much trouble that has saved me. I really appreciate videos that don't magically gloss over likely problems. So thanks again!

You should be proud of yourself for making just the attempt to repair and paint your truck. The bodywork you did really good, but even the paint you did a good job. I'm just like you, that really makes me nervous as well. That was a great video!

Great job! Appreciate your time and sharing this video.

Really enjoyed that video my friend it’s good to see the real world now and again 👍

Really perfect done job👌👌👌 thank you for sharing.

Excellent job

"Painting is terrifying". That my friend is spot on. I enjoy the process of bodywork and painting but it is a whole different discipline that takes years to master. I painted my Harley years ago and it actually came out very well for an amature. But it has much smaller surfaces and a lot of the paint is covered by other stuff. Last year I painted my flatbed truck and like you, ended up with a whole body being covered in orange peel. I asked a friend who use to paint cars and he said a lot can happen to paint. Humidity, paint mixed wrong for the temperature of that day, and a paint gun that doesn't allow the paint to flow onto the surface properly. I think that's what happened to me, I just could get the paint to flow. Anyway, you made a great attempt, and from my limited experience did all the steps necessary to have a good repair. We just don't have the talent yet. Have a great Easter.

I reckon you made a good attempt at some thing you don't do daily...and you not afraid to show your mistakes👍👍👍 for sure next attempt you will be much more better ....we all learn from your demonstration 👌👌👌

A very clever and modest man - well done - there should be more like you out there .

@spelunkerd

3 жыл бұрын

What a kind remark, thank you.

Amazing, wish i had somebody in my life like you ! Youre the man 🙂

Great video with an all around view on the problem and the finished product. Enjoyed the information

Way to go man. You get a lot of credit for even attempting the project in the first place.

Your my go to guy since the seal driver (just got one machined out $70.00 Canadian) great and easy to understand content ! THANK YOU

The fact that you attempted this stands to you well done.

Wow, excellent job! This is lot of work!

Great job

Great job!!! - one of the absolute Best videos I’ve seen. On a old vehicle, it’s the best way to learn. Thanks for sharing.

@spelunkerd

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, man. The best way to learn is to make mistakes, ha ha.

@jaguargoandlive3923

3 жыл бұрын

@@spelunkerd ... I totally agree with your approach. I try hard like you, and learn from my mistakes - I consider myself a student of life. Perfection is an illusion - growth is my journey. Thanks again.

it was such a tiny job for them they did for free so I dropped 20 dollars into the staff coffee jar....you Sir, are an old school gentleman. More power to you..

Great video!

Nice video. I did enjoy watching. I ain't going to try it myself. Thanks again.

Thanks for sharing great information most of us are doing the same thing if not worst

Great job. Thanks for sharing

Atleast you learned some things and fixed for almost nothing! Good work!

My process would have been close to yours. I too am not a painter and only consider painting slightly fun. Fine finish painting on a large scale is mostly out of the question for me. I applaud you on your metalwork.

As usual, thanks for sharing your repair experience. I'm a mechanic and people often ask me about bodywork. I tell them it's a whole different jar of worms and school of experience. I don't have the patience or pickiness with my own vehicles to do it right. I stay far away when i can. Personally with all that can go wrong I'd be satisfied with both of your doors.

@blake1995

3 жыл бұрын

That’s how my family is, my grandpas a diesel mechanic and he’s never had an interest in doing body work lol.

@WarMachine550

3 жыл бұрын

@@blake1995 yep, I'm also a diesel mechanic. Most of us are not into detail oriented work haha.

Great video, I'm going to attempt fix my truck doors, i hope I'll have as much patience as you also you have a such calm voice out was a pleasure watching it. Thanx for the video

You did a great job man

Awesome video, best to learn from others mistakes. That’s how we do it in the airlines.

for an amateur and a great effort you did a splendid job,.By comparison with the original rusty doors it looks great and you are the only one that in general would notice the mistakes. and you explained it with excellence . well done Sir and very best wishes from NZ.

@spelunkerd

3 жыл бұрын

New Zealand, an even more amazing country than I imagined. Thanks for stopping by!

Body work is new to me too. I have an 89 S-10 pick-up I’m ready to tear in to and this gives me courage to start. I hope my welding goes as well as yours! Thank you for making this video. It really helps. 👍🏻

@spelunkerd

2 жыл бұрын

My welding was crap, but grinders perform miracles, and I did get strong penetration. If I had to do it again I'd weld with lap joints to save time, and accept slightly more bondo, to get a stronger joint with less effort. In any case I'm sure it will work out. Don't try to run continuous beads. Instead do spot welds scattered along the line, distributing heat to avoid warping. Good luck!

DO NOT BE SO HARD ON YOUR SELF im 67 my dad and i started restoring our own cars when i was 16 iv worked in a body shop all so have a lot of my own equipment iv repaired a lot of doors . so what you did is not just good its excellent you did it your self by your self .. the reword of just the fact you did it is GREAT THE doors for these trucks are getting hard to find and i love my 2000 3500 Dodge OlBlack betty ... thank you for the video

This was an interesting video that popped up randomly when I was watching another video on another channel. Tackling this project yourself was the best move you could have made after getting that quote from the body shop. Sure, it's not perfect, but it's good enough for an old farm truck and it solved all the problems. Great job giving it a go without any prior experience. I know what you mean about parts for older vehicles being hard to find. I drive a 1982 Mitsubishi L300 van, which I've recently swapped in the engine and 5 speed manual transmission from a 1991 L300. My next big project will be restoring my 1964 EH Holden ute (pickup). But I have to extend my shed first before starting the project. This ute project will involve a lot of welding and rust repairs and some custom work to fit later engine, transmission, brakes and who knows what. Hope I live long enough to finish it. All the best from Queensland Australia.

I love the way you explain everything thank you for sharing

Sir you are a human is anyone perfect being humble to ones mistakes and learning and sharing is what life's about thanks for sharing

Awesome video! Love your can-do attitude and spirit. We never learn if we never try right? Turned out great too btw. I'm currently doing these types of repairs to my 2000 tundra. Sure, I mess up....but I never stop till I get it done. And you're right...it's ALOT of fun😎

You did a great job. Was well worth doing it.

I'm gonna be giving this a try, I'm 13 and starting to get into bodywork and such my grandpa is giving me his old work truck and Ive started on rust and needed to learn how to do rusty doors, great job by the way, thanks for making this video. Have a nice day.

@trillrifaxegrindor4411

3 жыл бұрын

you can get replacement door skins pretty cheap,just watch lots of videos and get into it

Good work 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

Well done!

You restored those doors as well as a restoration shop, cool job.

Man you made an excellent excellent learning video. Thank you very much for sharing your experience. It will sure help me, as I'm need to do the same repairs to my 2006 Toyota Matrix which has a couple bad rust holes on the running board and the lower door panel. Showing the mistakes are so valuable to learn from. I too did buy a Shelter Logic shelter for this purpose. On the same car, the clutch is slipping, so that has to be changed to. I just retired last year and can't afford to buy a new car! So you have to fix what you can and just try to get by. Thanks again and hope you will share more learning videos. :)

Cool video honest n right to the point

I just bought a new-to-me '01 E-350 that is rusted out around the bottom. It's a work truck so I just need good enough to not scare my customers. Where you used welding, I'll be using pop rivets 😂. But I still enjoy your video and learned a bit from it too. Thanks for sharing the adventure! :)

That was a fantastic video, it will encourage others to have a go themselves. 👍🏼

Great video, thank you sir

It is fun!! Thank you for the video!!

It takes allot of courage to openly show your mistakes, but I appreciate it as auto paint is not a strong suit of mine, I'm trying to restore a 1984 Cadillac Fleetwood and the bottoms of the doors are rusted out, I'm almost afraid to remove the lower chrome panels, I have to either way, but I think I'll just take the doors to a metal fabrication shop and pay them to repair them before I take it to get painted, thanks again for a great video, now I'm off to spend some money hopefully w/o the wife knowing.

very informative. thanks.

Hey im just a backyard body man whos fixed up numerous vehicles.Theres always perfect spots and lots of odd ugly spots . It all seems to blend in.

*Awesome repair from a great professional ! Your tools amazed me. Great work performed for the cost of nothing. Excellent repair as always.*

Great video! You are correct a person can learn more from others mistakes. Your video was a great benefit to me seeing as I'm not skilled at welding or painting. I see now it would be wise for me to pay a professional to do it. Thank you very much for sharing this video. You saved me alot of headaches.

I am building one now and I appreciate your video very helpful. Geek and Son

@10:05 paint the other direction, so the over spray slows down the vaporization of the thinner. Thank you for the great content!

thanks man, my daughter bought a 2011 ram and im doing the body for her. i put on new cab corners and rockers. the doors are next. Appreciate the info!!

Genuine video of everyday life 😎

Enjoyed your video

I haven’t even watched the video yet but I’m commenting and liking the video for the KZread algorithm just because of the disclaimers u made acknowledging your mistakes. I just watching an hour of bad auto body videos

Excellent! I'd be happy with the result. Good enough for a work truck. Rust resistant too.

fun video ... good job

Great effort and at least it’s now a functional motor and that’s the most important thing!🇬🇧