I am working on a 1989 K-1500 Stepside as a restoration project for my grandson. The bed has a lot of weather damage. No actual holes in the panels but the top coat (looks like gelcoat) has worn away and I see strands that look like fiberglass. I assumed it was fiberglass but a friend who is a bodyman indicated that it is some type of plastic. He does not feel that the traditional fiberglass repair method will work. I have been using the stranded fiberglass in a can that you mix with hardener. I was then planning on coating over that with body filler. The body man does not seem to feel like the fiberglass repair spots will hold up and will start to crack. Has anybody done repair work on this type of bed? Any help would be appreciated.

 

I did some research yesterday after posting this and talked to a different body shop that has done some repair work on these beds. Their process involves grinding out the loose material with a dremel or similar tool. That is followed by an application of 2 part panel bonding material. Apply it to the ground out area from the gun and use a spreader to smooth it out. He also suggested that if it looks like it is going to sag or run to use 2" masking tape to hold it in place. Tape is then pulled or sanded off. I neglected to ask him if body filler is then used as a skim coat to get a flat surface. Will find that out tomorrow.