Fixin' up my pickup truck

I did a little bondo and paint work to my 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel in the past couple weeks.

Still has a little farther to go, but I think so far it looks much better. Note the rust repair, seat repair, steering wheel cover fix, and scratch cover up on the bed.

Mind you, its my first time using bondo I think it turned out pretty good.

BEFORE:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/alexsobo/HPIM1969.jpg
AFTER:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/alexsobo/20090625185918.jpg

BEFORE:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/alexsobo/HPIM1971.jpg
AFTER:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/alexsobo/20090625185805.jpg

BEFORE:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/alexsobo/HPIM1968.jpg
AFTER:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/alexsobo/20090625185940.jpg

BEFORE:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/alexsobo/HPIM1972.jpg
AFTER:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/alexsobo/20090625190034.jpg

Misc:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/alexsobo/20090625185956.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/alexsobo/20090625190053.jpg

You guys probably won’t appreciate it much, but It took a good amount of time as most painting does. Sorry for the truck being dirty as usual, but I can’t really take it to any car wash haha.

Thanks,
Sobo

Looks good. I think you should paint the front fascia to match

The whole front bumpers getting trashed soon, that’s the only reason why I didn’t yet haha.

Def looks a lot better with the lower part done.

I dont see any pics of you using bondo.

Yeah I know the rest was on my Iphone before it died.

But those little “Surface” rust spots went clear through in some spots. Like the front lower corner of the doors were pretty bad and the back bottom of the fender was also very bad. Typical dodge rust spots…

On the fenders I poked through the rust and cleaned it up, stuffed steel wool into the hole for backing then just filled it full of bondo and sanded flush. The door corners I used an angle grinder to bring it down to bare metal(What was left…) Then I bondo-ed that flush as well. layed primer then a couple coats of black.

Something I did that was unusual was using a Random instead of a DA sander. The random pretty much had the same effect and was a ryobi 18v battery powered one. No hoses nothing to get it the way it worked great.

You will find out how good you did after a few months. If the bondo stays bonded and doesnt pop you are probably on your way.

Hah yeah oh well. Live and learn hopefully I did a good job. I made sure to make the place where I put it as rough and rust free as possible.

looks good man!

Just out of curiosity, has the VP44 died yet?

Nah this ones running good I had a gauge on the lines between the injection pump and the lift pump and at idle I had good fuel pressure.

Good fuel pressure is key to reliability of the injection pump…

But god do I wish i had one of those 98 and below mechanical pumps…

P7100 4L. I love mine.

You mentioned you have good FP at idle, but what about WOT. Usually the LP can’t keep up and the VP44 eventually failboats. A FASS would probably be a good investment to keep the VP$$ happy…a lot cheaper too.
Got anything done to it or is it stock?

I’m picking up a airdog 150 for $499 new in the next week or two.

My truck is stock as fuck right now but I’m trying to get like the important reliability stuff done. My KDP is tabbed already.

Cool. “stock as fuck” lol, don’t feel bad, everyone starts somewhere. I didn’t think the later 24V engines had the KDP. When I tabbed my KDP it was already out 1/4". Damn thing. Once you get started bombing a Cummins you really never stop. I cut a 100 plate for my truck that I have 3/4 forward, I did the P7100 AFC mods, advanced the timing to 15.5*, put on the BHAF, 4" exhaust all the way back to dual stacks, gauges of course, ditched the turbo silencer ring, put in a Southbend 13" Con-OFE just so I could get the power to the ground(it’d just slip the stock clutch once it spooled up), and updated the NV4500 5th gear nut. Now the head gasket is starting to weep lol. Go figure.
38psi at full fuel on the HX35 probably had something to do with it. Now I’m saving up to rip the head off, port it, firering it and stud the block. Like I said, it never ends… Get ahold of me if you have any questions once you get started on yours

Hah I’m rocking auto-tragic so anything more than an exhaust and BHAF is going to rip my tranny apart (Quadzilla adrenaline)

I got my to buy list set up, but I’m not sure If I really wanna get anything more than the exhaust, chip and BHAF. A big turbo, oringed head gasket with ARP studs, and 200hp sticks is what I would love to have but that would be a year or two haha

you should take the mesh grille out and spray that black too to match the sides

Real nice!!