Indeed it is, but it can be repaired. Invest in some equipment and start honing your skills. Years ago I purchased my 91 GMC C2500 (8600 GVWR) for $50.00 with that in mind. Three cab mounts pushed through, holes in the frame etc. Very rewarding when it’s done. I now use it to trailer my excavator.
Nice recovery! I'm of the opinion that wiring harness failures are similar to the rusty areas that you repaired.
That is, people think that an aging wiring harness is equally bad throughout it's entirety. In reality, even in a harness
exhibiting flaky behavior the wear/damage is nearly always concentrated in just a few places, whereas the majority
of the harness (undisturbed, out of sight, out of harm's way) is still in good/reliable condition.
Without the proper tools & skills (wiring harness -or- frame) all you have to work with is fear. Fear motivates owner
of vehicle to trade it in, sell it, or retire it to the treasure yard, then new(er) vehicle gets purchased, and the cycle repeats.
Living in fear really detracts from the old vehicle hobby, and I state this from the perspective of losing faithful
traveling companions in the past to structural rust.
So, while I have no fear of electrical issues in our machines (thanks to having all the necessary tools) I *am*
concerned about the fact that the chore truck has spent the past 25 years earning it's keep here in upstate NY.
But as your photos attest, with the right tools & the desire to keep my C2500 in service, if I ever start to lose
confidence in the structural integrity of any part of the frame then I need to put on my big boy pants, follow your lead,
and do what it takes to fix the localized problem spots.
Good story. Great photos. Thanks for showing me some examples of your Take No Prisoners approach to rust repair.
:0)
