1985 Chevrolet C10 - Project Red Rocker - Part 2

Here the taillight filler was welded solid in place and awaited the finished bodywork.

The stake pocket openings were shaved using pre-cut metal inserts, which were held in place with tape so the welding could be performed.

Here is one of the stake pocket openings after being welded in place. A lengthy grinding session followed before the filler and finishing putty were applied and block-sanding began.

Randall block-sanded the top of the bedrails to get the area even and flat before they were primered.

Here is the top of the bedrail before it was primered after being blocked and heavily massaged.

Rounding out the metalwork on the back of Red Rocker is this custom roll pan from Grant Fabrication. This pan uses filler panels on the edges of the roll pan to fill in the natural bodyline dip that exists on the '73-'87 C10s below the taillight. Now the roll pan will roll straight down and flat underneath the truck without dipping in like other pans do.

The Grant Fabrication roll pan was bolted to the back of the bed before the more serious metalwork of welding in the roll pan and corner filler assembly was carried out.

Ron welded the Grant Fabrication roll pan and corner fillers in position.

Nathan and Jason ground all the welds smooth on the bed to prepare it for the finished bodywork.

Here are the stock taillight and bottom bed corner regions after the grinding was complete.

This rearview shot of the bed reveals the shaved taillight alteration, as well as the new Grant Fabrication roll pan and bed corner filler assembly welded in place. Now that all the welds were ground smooth, it was time for the filler and finishing putty, and more sanding.

Filler was applied to the factory taillight location and where the roll pan and corner filler came together to smooth out any imperfections in the metal.

After vigorous sanding was performed after the application of the filler, a layer of finishing putty was applied over the taillight filler panel and spread over the area where the roll pan and corner filler panel came together.

The factory cowl panel was set on a bench, and a cut-off wheel was used to slice the ribs out to prepare it for shaving.

A piece of metal was welded in to fill the opening in the cowl.