I suggest spending just a little bit of money on an inspection from an independent frame shop.

I don't know all the regulations, but if your state had an inspection requirement, I don't know if that vehicle would pass inspection as 'safe for the road'.

The closeup pictures are great for showing the damaged but it does make it difficult to get a grasp of size and location. Is that a cross-member above the missing frame in the first picture you have posted?

Without being a structural engineer I'm at a loss of what to say, but it looks to me like it is one bump away from bending the frame....errr, having the frame separate.

 

You are going to have massive trouble with everything under this truck . Find one that lived in the southeast /fl etc ,they have none of this .Steering/ drive trains// brakes and lines/ cats /exhaust -the list goes on and on.$$$$$

 

That frame cannot be effectively repaired. Too much rust everywhere to make an effective repair. It's time to junk it before you or someone else on the road gets hurt.

 

You refer this rust damage to cellphone size (it is not)....& we only see what is shown in the small picture..........
As you probably know their has to be something to weld to/repair to!! And it dosen't look too good??
There are a few people / shops that can repair this damage (also looks like a cross member is involved) but you will go a long way to get it right & at what cost??
As others have said a used /good frame is probably the best way to go especially if you can do some/most of the work....
A frame replace is not that hard if you have friends & lifting equipment.....Good Luck!!

 

Truck was purchased since it was well maintained.
Other parts of the truck look very good, that is why it was purchased.

Yes, this is the plan.
I will look for a local frame and body shop.

Yea, too late for that.
This one has been purchased and that is done now.
Rest of truck is very clean.
I am not afraid of repairs.
Cheaper than a $45k new truck.
Hopefully, welding costs less than $39,000

The photo looks much worse than it is.

 

I imagine if you start poking it with a screwdriver, you will find it is much worse than the photo. Once you start cutting away the rusty metal to find solid metal, you will probably be surprised at how far the damage extends from that hole.

 

Every structure needs a strong foundation and your pickup is no exception regardless of how well the rest of it was maintained! I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of the frame is trash also. Would you buy a home if the slab was trash? Same difference! I wouldn't trust that thing further than I could throw it!

 

With rust that bad, there is no way that truck was "well maintained".
GL

 

I don't understand how the photo makes it looks worse than reality.

I mean unless the photo appears to have metal removed that is actually there.

I get what you are saying. It really looks like that frame cant even support its own weight.

Good luck with any outcome. Not trying to be negative, but seeing vehicles like that and knowing they are on the road makes me feel far less safe driving down the road.

I watched a video recently of a mechanic that was asked to "turn off the engine light" so it could pass inspection. It came from a previous shop that already approved the vehicle...then the light came on. Mechanic went through the vehicle that 'passed' and found a crap load of things wrong included insane rust with pieces of the car barely held together with thin metal from rust. Even pushed a screwdriver right through the metal of this 'safe' vehicle.

 

I did that. Rest of frame is solid, except this credit card sized hole.
Frame shop should be able to weld a patch onto the strong metal.
I'll post an update when I address it.