The beginning of bondo

I'd reached a stopping point on the tub in the backyard--but not quite a breaking point.  The original owner looked at this vehicle as an entirely utilitarian machine for his farm.  Cosmetics concerned him not.  And I enjoy that part of this Willys' history.  These were intended to be and were marketed as farm vehicles, and I'm glad mine was one of those.  Coming from the Visalia area, owned by an Japanese American dentist-cum-farmer, this rig tells a story in every dent and hole.

While I'm not worried about accomplishing a full restoration, I don't want to draw arrows highlighting every wart or blemish.

But try as hard as I could, I just couldn't get this ugly patch job from the original owner figured out.  As I mentioned earlier, clearly there was a gas tank under the passenger's seat, which is why this tub came to me with no tool box and this filler-neck-shaped patch.  As you perhaps can tell, lots of silicon bronze welding material in there, which caused me some issues, and it wasn't a clean job to begin with.  

The following are my patches.  A few holes filled, the step reinforced after I cut out some rot, and then another section of rot removed (in the lower left area of this pic).

Another piece of rot cut out, patched, and ground smooth.

And I hope you remember this section.  By far the largest area of rot that needed excision and replacement.

 Here's the dash with the latches removed and some final sanding completed.

Bondo application starting.

I'm slathering it on and then smoothing it out.

Lots here, but not very thick.  Just enough to make the seams of my patches go away.

Same here.

And here.