When replacing the fuel pump I leaned against the tailgate and the rear body crossmember simply caved in. So … a simple fuel pump replacement turned into a full body repair.
The crossmember corroded so badly that it wasn’t supporting the rear of the body at all. So, out it comes.
But to get the replacement installed I had to pull the fuel tank. Otherwise it wouldn’t be possible to wiggle the new crossmember into place.
And during all this work I battled the chronic rust that appears on these vehicles. Especially after they’re nearly 30 years old. I had to fabricate a number of small sheet metal patches to replace the rusted out bits.
Thankfully we’ve had a pretty mild winter thus far. I was able to open the garage to air it out after spray paint. And, for welding I was able to keep the door open and get some fresh air moving through.