Need some Expert Advice...... - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

jrdz2120 · 01-07-2010, 10:30 PM

two weeks ago I crashed my truck into a tree. Not only is the front end gone, but I put my knees into the dash I was told and pushed it in. I have not seen the truck yet cause of my injuries, but is it possible to change the dash sheet metal or does someone sell replacement sheet metal. I was getting ready to do a swb frame swap and would still like to use my cab. Any thoughts.

**special-K** · 01-07-2010, 10:34 PM

Yes,many people change out the dashes.I`m sorry to hear about your accident.I hope you`ll be ok.I did the knees into the dash before and yeeouch!
Guys take out a/c dashes and sell them alot.They are spot welded in and not that bada jo to replace....Good luck with everything.

lilred67 · 01-07-2010, 10:37 PM

i hope you recover 100% from your injury's!! i have 2 non- a/c dashes already out, ready to go into another cab. PM me if interested. rusty

67chevy2wd · 01-07-2010, 10:42 PM

I swapped out my dash. 4 bolts and some spot welds. If I was to do it again I would just cut the dash under the pad rather than drill out the spot welds.

jrdz2120 · 01-07-2010, 10:46 PM

Well thanks. I will check the truck out this weekend now that I can get around some now. Then I will know what I have. Sure hate to loose my cab and start with a new one, but that's the way it is sometimes. Thanks.

jrdz2120 · 01-14-2010, 11:22 PM

Well saw the truck today. Man I am lucky to be alive. The tree I hit is like 2 feet wide. The whole front end is gone and the frame buckled. The cab looks ok as far as I can tell. The doors open and close and gaps are fine. The pass door moved a little back around a fat 1/8 or so. I happened to drive by a scrap yard on the way home and what do I see, a 71 in the back. perfect dash uncut with original radio still in. Other than the bolts on the bottom and sides, Do I have to remove the wind shield to get to the spot welds and how many are there? Or should I hack the thing out and worry about the spot welds when I put it in?

1971gmcshortbed · 01-14-2010, 11:26 PM

Hope you recover well, as much as we love our trucks, they can be replaced. Knees, not so easily. Good luck with your health and truck repairs.

71swb4x4 · 01-14-2010, 11:33 PM

If the pass door is moved you may want to look over your cab a bunch better before you decide to keep it. A nice dash will be pretty easy to find once you are certain your cab is OK.

tap500 · 01-15-2010, 01:39 AM

came across this dash just yesterday.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=380444

Hopefully it helps. Hope you are recovering from your crash too!

big mike71 · 01-15-2010, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrdz2120

two weeks ago I crashed my truck into a tree. Not only is the front end gone, but I put my knees into the dash I was told and pushed it in. I have not seen the truck yet cause of my injuries, but is it possible to change the dash sheet metal or does someone sell replacement sheet metal. I was getting ready to do a swb frame swap and would still like to use my cab. Any thoughts.

Are you Tiger Woods?

jrdz2120 · 02-28-2010, 11:13 PM

well finally took the truck apart today and had a look at the cab. I can't find any spots where the cab buckled. I hit so hard that the bolts to the cab mounts bent. the only thing I see is the seam where the floor pan meets the firewall seams to be open. Not sure if this the way they come or what. I am gonna have to go to a scrapyard and look at one.Other than that the passenger door is back like a quarter.Nothing touched the cab except the fender hitting the door. Would any of you guys know where else I should be looking for any sign of damage? Thanks.

**jerry moss** · 03-01-2010, 12:10 AM

chances are pretty good that your cab is toast. we did a cab swap many years ago using the cab and doors from a truck that hit a power pole, everything looked fine until we tried bolting on the front sheetmetal and nothing bolted on easily and was nearly impossible to line up. it was only an old ranch truck so we got it as close as possible and used it that way until it ended up getting a total frame off resto with a different cab. glad you weren't killed and your injuries are healing. you sound like a lucky man. trucks are replaceable, lives are not.

jrdz2120 · 03-01-2010, 12:15 AM

I guess I need to start looking for a new cab. Thanks.

01-07-2010, 10:30 PM	#1
jrdz2120 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: dallas,tx Posts: 46	Need some Expert Advice...... two weeks ago I crashed my truck into a tree. Not only is the front end gone, but I put my knees into the dash I was told and pushed it in. I have not seen the truck yet cause of my injuries, but is it possible to change the dash sheet metal or does someone sell replacement sheet metal. I was getting ready to do a swb frame swap and would still like to use my cab. Any thoughts.

01-07-2010, 10:34 PM	#2
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,861	Re: Need some Expert Advice...... Yes,many people change out the dashes.I`m sorry to hear about your accident.I hope you`ll be ok.I did the knees into the dash before and yeeouch! Guys take out a/c dashes and sell them alot.They are spot welded in and not that bada jo to replace....Good luck with everything. __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

01-07-2010, 10:37 PM	#3
lilred67 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: weatherford,texas Posts: 1,003	Re: Need some Expert Advice...... i hope you recover 100% from your injury's!! i have 2 non- a/c dashes already out, ready to go into another cab. PM me if interested. rusty

01-07-2010, 10:42 PM	#4
67chevy2wd Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: New Salem, ND Posts: 1,558	Re: Need some Expert Advice...... I swapped out my dash. 4 bolts and some spot welds. If I was to do it again I would just cut the dash under the pad rather than drill out the spot welds. __________________ 07 Chevy classic LBZ Duramax (a few mods) '67 Chevy 1/2 ton 2wd (in pieces) '69 Chevy 1/2 ton 2wd (on hold) '71 GMC 3/4 ton 4x4 ‘71 GMC 1/2 ton 2wd suburban

01-07-2010, 10:46 PM	#5
jrdz2120 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: dallas,tx Posts: 46	Re: Need some Expert Advice...... Well thanks. I will check the truck out this weekend now that I can get around some now. Then I will know what I have. Sure hate to loose my cab and start with a new one, but that's the way it is sometimes. Thanks.

01-14-2010, 11:22 PM	#6
jrdz2120 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: dallas,tx Posts: 46	Re: Need some Expert Advice...... Well saw the truck today. Man I am lucky to be alive. The tree I hit is like 2 feet wide. The whole front end is gone and the frame buckled. The cab looks ok as far as I can tell. The doors open and close and gaps are fine. The pass door moved a little back around a fat 1/8 or so. I happened to drive by a scrap yard on the way home and what do I see, a 71 in the back. perfect dash uncut with original radio still in. Other than the bolts on the bottom and sides, Do I have to remove the wind shield to get to the spot welds and how many are there? Or should I hack the thing out and worry about the spot welds when I put it in?

01-14-2010, 11:26 PM	#7
1971gmcshortbed Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Las Cruces, NM Posts: 284	Re: Need some Expert Advice...... Hope you recover well, as much as we love our trucks, they can be replaced. Knees, not so easily. Good luck with your health and truck repairs.

01-14-2010, 11:33 PM	#8
71swb4x4 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Brookings, SD Posts: 10,497	Re: Need some Expert Advice...... If the pass door is moved you may want to look over your cab a bunch better before you decide to keep it. A nice dash will be pretty easy to find once you are certain your cab is OK. __________________ Some people are like slinkies, they aren't good for anything, but you can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.

01-15-2010, 01:39 AM	#9
tap500 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Farmington CT Posts: 41	Re: Need some Expert Advice...... came across this dash just yesterday. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=380444 Hopefully it helps. Hope you are recovering from your crash too!

02-28-2010, 11:13 PM	#11
jrdz2120 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: dallas,tx Posts: 46	Re: Need some Expert Advice...... well finally took the truck apart today and had a look at the cab. I can't find any spots where the cab buckled. I hit so hard that the bolts to the cab mounts bent. the only thing I see is the seam where the floor pan meets the firewall seams to be open. Not sure if this the way they come or what. I am gonna have to go to a scrapyard and look at one.Other than that the passenger door is back like a quarter.Nothing touched the cab except the fender hitting the door. Would any of you guys know where else I should be looking for any sign of damage? Thanks.

03-01-2010, 12:10 AM	#12
jerry moss Born Psycho Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: brentwood,cal,usa Posts: 4,861	Re: Need some Expert Advice...... chances are pretty good that your cab is toast. we did a cab swap many years ago using the cab and doors from a truck that hit a power pole, everything looked fine until we tried bolting on the front sheetmetal and nothing bolted on easily and was nearly impossible to line up. it was only an old ranch truck so we got it as close as possible and used it that way until it ended up getting a total frame off resto with a different cab. glad you weren't killed and your injuries are healing. you sound like a lucky man. trucks are replaceable, lives are not. __________________ jerry moss 72 cheyenne super K20- tilt,tach,vacuum,speedwarning,buckets,shoulder belts,am/fm,tow hooks,bumper guards,toolbox,aux. fuel tank,posi front and rear,plus other goodies!!! SOLD 69 suburban K20-tilt,tach,vacuum,speedwarning,buckets,shoulder belts,am/fm,4 inch all spring lift,4 speed, 14 bolt full floater, dana 44 HD,warn winch,posi front and rear,tow hooks,plus other goodies. 73/80 chevy/gmc K20 SB400,turbo 400,205,tilt,a-c,gas hog. 77 K/5 cheyenne blazer-daily driver/beater. SON HAS IT NOW BRENTWOOD,CALIFORNIA

03-01-2010, 12:15 AM	#13
jrdz2120 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: dallas,tx Posts: 46	Re: Need some Expert Advice...... I guess I need to start looking for a new cab. Thanks.



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