How much rust is too much?

[SCHRUMGMC]

I need opinions

Is my cab too far gone or should I fix it?

here is links to my video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71RFMsORfkc

[lynx5653]

it can all be fixed with time and money, but I would suggest find a better cab

[mongocanfly]

Agreed...Could be fixed with enough time and money but I would scrap it and find a new one

[mr48chev]

I've got to agree with them. That one is just too far gone and needs too many panels to be viable to fix.
If you had to pay a shop to fix it the cost would be far more than what a new cab with doors from Premier street rods would be and even doing it your self you would have a couple thousand in patch panels if you didn't fab many of your own panels.
https://www.premierstreetrod.com/det..._Complete.html

[1958Warrior]

Time and effort is what is needed for that truck, buy some cheap tools off Craigslist ,a 110 wire welder, a air compressor, some cheap Harbor freight tools such as air cut off tool and air die grinder .
Effort will have to come from you.
Patch panels do not have to be bought, or made by a professional fabricator. Although I would buy the cab corners($70) and steps from rockauto just for convenience and are cheap and you get rockers attached already for about $100,but would be some of the last things done to the truck. A sheet of 18 ga. sheet metal is like $45.00 enough to replace entire floor and fire wall if needed or 100s of small patches.

get a junk fender and cut a hole in it practice tacking in patches. get a little confidence and then cut out a small section of the floor and weld in a patch. then do a small section of the roof, just do small section at a time 6" or so. watch some welding tricks and tips on you tube, for different techniques.
Face it your already thinking of finding another cab, so your really not going to hurt it if you try to patch it up, another cab is going to need cab corners and a few floor patches as well at the very least.

[roger55]

Originally Posted by SCHRUMGMC

I need opinions

Is my cab too far gone or should I fix it?

here is links to my video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71RFMsORfkc

Yes, way too much rust to make sense fixing.
Is it possible? Yes.
Is it practical? Absolutely not.

[SCHRUMGMC]

I've got a cab coming from Oregon. I just have to find a shipper

The only bad thing about changing cabs is the fact is its my pawpaws truck
but I am sure he'd go the route of a different cab as well

[roger55]

Originally Posted by SCHRUMGMC

The only bad thing about changing cabs is the fact is its my pawpaws truck
but I am sure he'd go the route of a different cab as well

It's still his truck. Don't even give that a thought. You are just replacing metal that's gone in the most efficient way.

[mongocanfly]

Be sure you get the title with that new cab..

[roger55]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Be sure you get the title with that new cab..

I wouldn't care about a title as long as I thought the seller didn't steal the cab.
Myself, I would graft the part with the VIN tag into the new cab.

I wouldn't care what the law states. It would not be dishonest thing to do.

[Rickysnickers]

Originally Posted by roger55

I wouldn't care about a title as long as I thought the seller didn't steal the cab.
Myself, I would graft the part with the VIN tag into the new cab.

I wouldn't care what the law states. It would not be dishonest thing to do.

Not to be argumentative, but that is actually a felony in the state I live in. I would advise against this advice or recommendation.

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by roger55

It's still his truck. Don't even give that a thought. You are just replacing metal that's gone in the most efficient way.

I agree with you on a new cab for this one. It would easily cost you 7-8
k if you sent it out and 4K if you did it your self. Looking at your pictures I'd turn it away because the end result would still be rust in areas that you can see like pillars. I've done some down to the floor pan and door hoops and its time consuming and costly if you could find a shop willing to do it.

[1958Warrior]

I don't know what shipping will cost from Oregon to NC, but at 2700 miles away I don't think it will be very economical....
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Linc...2!2d43.8041334

Did you see this posting from GMCNUT...
http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=734475

It is a Chevy small window cab very little rust , and is in Alabama , a hell of o lot closer, maybe delivered to your door...can PM him and see

But at any way you look at it you need to learn how to patch and weld to put a project like this together... its not a race you have plenty of time ... you can practice on the original cab and get it in shape where you could swap it back to the truck one day.

Or get a second job save your money and give it to someone else to do what you could do yourself...rust repair is a given

( Roger 55 suggestion: "Myself, I would graft the part with the VIN tag into the new cab.") Will require cutting and welding also..

[joedoh]

I bought a rusty 49 and spent a couple weeks fixing rust. even figuring 10 bucks an hour I could have bought two rust free cabs. life is too short for dirty boogers and ringing ears from grinding welding and being disappointed.

[thump16]

Schrum contact me. I think I can help

[daveshilling]

I thought my cab has too much rust to save..now I'm grateful that I only need the bottom 8 inches of the entire cab haha! If its not a original paint patina masterpiece and you are going to prime and paint it, swap the cab. It makes sense from every angle.

Nostalgia wise, its totally still the family truck. Just consider sheet metal from 70 years ago as consumable as batteries and belts. Eventually things need to be replaced, right?

As far as the VIN, you are definitely NOT going to patch in old VIN into the new cab. Nope. It's okay everyone, he isn't doing that

[abig84]

i bought my old 51 due to loving the way it looked the more im tearing it down the more im seeing im going to have to replace everything. the cab is being replaced but just took the doors and fenders off and they are probably going to have to be replaced too getting to the point i should have just bought a southern truck

[dsraven]

https://www.brotherstrucks.com/55-59...CAB5559/LARGE/


$9000. comes with doors, big back window.

this is from the brothers online catalogue
dash panel-CDP5559 $449
floor repair front left-TRP5900 -$99
floor repair front right-TRP5900 -$99
front floor pan from seat mount forward left-FRP5900 -$54.99
front floor pan from seat mount forward right- FRP5900 -$54.99
complete floor pan c/w inner cab corners and rockers/steps- CFP590B -$799
complete firewall has floor front section attached-CFW5559 -$349.99
cab mount support left-FFS5900-$49
cab mount support right-FFS5900-$49
cowl panel left-FFS5900-$119
cowl panel right-FFS5900-119
complete upper cowl panel-CCP5559-$299 may not need but I bet the rust has taken over under the window rubber
rear door pillar lower part left-FDPR500-$34.99
rear door pillar lower part right-FDPR500 -$34
hinge pillar pocket inner left-IHPP900
hinge pillar pocket inner right-IHPP900-$34.99
front fender rear lower mount left-FFMP059 -$19.99
front fender rear lower mount right-FFMP059 -$19.99
inner step plate and rocker left-FDPR500-$71.99
inner step plate and rocker right-FDPR500-$71.99
step to floor brace left-ISPB900-$24.99
step to floor brace right-ISPB900-$24.99
inner cab corner panel left-ICC5900-$29.99
inner cab corner panel right-ICC5900-$29.99
rear cab wall outer panel outer big window- CRC59LG-$549.99
rear cab wall inner panel big window-IRWP59L-$349.99
rear cab to floor support left- RFS5559 -$99.99
rear cab to floor support right- RFS5559 -$99.99
roof panel skin-ORPP059-$349.99
inner roof repair panel- IRPP059-$399.99
outer door bottom left-ODB5900 -$34.99
outer door bottom right-ODB5900 -$34.99
door bottom inner left-IDB9H00 -$109.99
door bottom inner right-IDB9H00 -$109.99
door hinge inner brace left-LDHB900 -$55.99
door hinge inner brace right-LDHB900 -$55.99
door hinge upper left-DHU5559 -$69.99
door hinge upper right-DHU5559 -$69.99
door hinge lower left-DHL5559 -$69.99
door hinge lower right-DHL5559 -$69.99

from classic parts online catalogue-parts not in the brothers catalogue

weld thru primer. may need several-46-001-$26.95
front inner lower door hinge panel left-44-561-$34.95
front inner lower door hinge panel right-44-562-$34.95
complete kick panel with cowl panel, A pillar and hinge areas, from roof to step left-44-285-$309.95
complete kick panel with cowl, A pillar and hinge areas, from roof to step right- 44-286-$309.95



this new cab is probably cheaper than fixing the old one or shipping and fixing another one.
I have spent lots of time fixing my cab and there was more metal left in it that yours has remaining. if you factor in the cost of all the sheet metal parts, plus shipping, plus sandblasting and priming you will be surprised. then add in the tools you will need and the supplies and time. cutting discs, torch supplies, welder supplies, spot weld cutters, drill bits, epoxy primer paint sprayers, compressor and air tools etc etc etc, I bet you will find the costs are actually more to fix what you have. I have done the math after the fact and it was definitely more. if you have a second job then the project is even more costly because you are working on the truck when you could be working at a job makings some money. if you have a wife and family they may be upset with time spent with the "other woman" out in the shop.
not trying to discourage you or rain on your parade, just advising about the costs that add up and there will always be the unseen "holy cow" spot you never banked on in your estimate. I guess at the end of the day, you could dismantle the cab and see how bad it all is. take pics of the assemblies and pics of the measurements as you go if that is the plan.
if you buy a new cab the parts are also new, not patched, but then they may also not fit all that well. these trucks were build in a time when trucks were meant for work and they didn't fit that well from factory either so that goes both ways. anyway, do the math and decide for yourself. there may be suppliers close by that you could reduce shipping by simple picking up the parts yourself. I advise to get a spread sheet going and add the parts required as you go. the classic parts catalogue is a little easier to manoever through but that is my personal view. if you can find a good used cab with a title and vin plate for a deal then maybe a road trip is cheaper than shipping, or maybe do some odd jobs and cover the shipping with your own labour.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by daveshilling

Nostalgia wise, its totally still the family truck. Just consider sheet metal from 70 years ago as consumable as batteries and belts. Eventually things need to be replaced, right?

read, some day, about the ship of theseus paradox, you explained one side of it already!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus

Originally Posted by dsraven

just advising about the costs that add up and there will always be the unseen "holy cow" spot you never banked on in your estimate.

1000x yes. its hard to turn down a cheap cab, $400-600 sounds to your ears like magic. then the teardown that is more horrific than a murder scene brings you to reality. even if you do the work yourself for free, its still hundreds of hours.

[mr48chev]

Well I can't say a blooming thing against buying a good solid cab and using the original title and vin tag. I'm in the process of doing it for the second time around. Truth be known I think the left front fender is the only original part of the truck left from when I bought it in 1973 and redid it then.
There will still be enough of the original truck left so that Pawpaw's spirit rides along and oversees the goings on.

If it were a newer cab for a high dollar late model truck I wouldn't think that way but hopefully the photos the seller showed show a truck that has sat for a while and there are enough photos to show that it is worth the price and cost of shipping.

On the donor cab I'd believe he probably bought it from a guy a couple hundred miles south of me who is out in Eastern Oregon and sells a lot of parts off these trucks.

Getting it hauled east may be a challenge though. It needs to be on a skid big enough so that it can be picked up with a forklift and not damaged.

[_Ogre]

dang... someone had a lot of time on their hands to look up parts and prices

[Indian113]

Check this out Schrum! https://desmoines.craigslist.org/cto/6056364969.html

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by Indian113

Check this out Schrum! https://desmoines.craigslist.org/cto/6056364969.html

oooh! ogre want that

[drivea55]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

oooh! ogre want that

x2 and it's FREE

[SCHRUMGMC]

I know I asked yalls opinions but I sat down and thought hard about this

I have every single patch panel to fix the cab..

My friend who is a fabricator and welder said he would only charge me $800 to fix the cab
Yes I know its cheap but he knows what he is doing and I am excited to see the outcome

Check out my thread on my project if you're interested in learning more about my trucks
restoration