Dumb question.

If I wanted to patch part of a panel on the underside of truck by the kick panel .....

What guage steel and can I just pick it up from any hardware store ....

 

Nothing special ? 

I dont know what gauge the metal is, I do know you can get small squares of light gauge stuff at Lowes and maybe HD in the hardware section. Probably not the most economical but handy.

Rust?  

 

Take a gander at this...  If you don't kill the rust, it will just get worse.  Welding may be best, but it is by no means necessary if done right.  I'd look at some of the underbody sealer and rust neutralizer/converter stuff Eastwood Co has as well.

 

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/paint-body/1506-theres-more-than-one-way-to-fix-a-floor/

18 or 20 gauge is pretty easy to work with. Obviously avoid galvanized if you're welding it, any bigger hardware store should have a piece of sheet metal that'll work. Nothing special required, I made a patch panel out of an old metal cabinet once. 

Yes.

Just want to cut out a bit of the backside of the panel to get to the rust better.....and treat it etc.

 

Then patch it back up.

 

Thx guys