When to write off a cab

[oldhokie]

Slowly digging into my 71 c10. Here are a few pics of the cab. Looking for thoughts here, is this worth saving?

Passenger floor and rocker.

[oldhokie]

Drivers floor and rocker.

[oldhokie]

Drivers side roof drop rail area.

[RenoKeene]

When to write off a cab...
Now would be a good time on this one. The roof is a deal breaker plus I'm sure it gets worse the more you dig.

[CSHADES]

I usually go by the assumption that there is 3 times as much rust as what you can see. I have fixed a lot of crusty vehicles and if that were mine I would look for a better cab.

[oldhokie]

Decided to have a little fun with this. Added a poll. Keep the opinions coming and vote.

I am in no way bound by the vote! I’m not completely crazy!

[Grumpy old man]

It's only metal , if you have the tools,skill and time you fix it if not you pressure wash it once dry you fog it and bag it and stash it away in a dry spot and someone down the road will consider it gold ! cut up and sold as repair pieces it's worth more than some replacement cabs and since you can buy special rivits on Ebay ...

[clay68c10]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

...pressure wash it once dry you fog it and bag it and stash it away in a dry spot and someone down the road will consider it gold ! cut up and sold as repair pieces it's worth more than some replacement cabs and since you can buy special rivits on Ebay ...

If you have a place to stash it, definitely.

For your own build, I'd find another without the roof rot.

[cypressbog]

Scrap it

[35boulder]

Find another. Gonna be a lot of $$$ and or time fixing that one. Good luck!

[3drburb]

Now!!
Roof is the killer. Usually it's rust from the ground up but this one looks to only have a little good metal in the middle.
Best wishes on the project.

[oldhokie]

Good news here is I only paid $900 for it. So expectations were low.

[Paul72]

I've been known to put too much effort into a 'lost cause' cab, but hen again, I'm an eternal optimist!

[rjs53]

Originally Posted by Paul72

I've been known to put too much effort into a 'lost cause' cab, but hen again, I'm an eternal optimist!

He'll yea brother, I'm with ya there. The floor looks better than mine, your roof could use some work but I would try to fix it. I look at it like this, I can sit on the couch and watch TV or look at this computer or I can go out and work on my project. If my times all I got in it, and I can learn something like body work then I'll do it. But then again I'm cheap, so if I were into it $900 then I would fix it. You get another for more and will still end up repairing something. What's the worst that could happen it doesn't work and you part it out

[franken]

Brothers says 550 and 300 for a floor (w/ brace) and roof. But if you bought the cab, it most likely has a VIN you don't have a title for, so if the VIN isn't an issue, I'd say get another.
Around here, There are typically at least one of these trucks in each of the pick a part yards for cheap ($165).

[oldhokie]

Let me clarify. I have $900 in the whole truck. It’s a running 71 shortbed, has a late model bed (that will go away) ps, pb, ac (non original).

[BRL]

...well let's see...spend a fortune on an original rotting cab...bet your friends will be impressed with all the time and money you put into the original...(you'll just have to show them where that stupid VIN cab number is)...

...or you can find a pretty decent non-original with little to no rust, that needs some paint or something.

BTW oldhokie, good deal for $900.

[Grumpy old man]

Or just buy the parts ?

https://orlando.craigslist.org/pts/d...582406127.html

[ilikethewoods]

Time and patience is the key. Hell, they make replacement floors for a reason. Just my 2cents.

[oldhokie]

Thanks for all the replies. Here is what I am thinking.

I have plenty of time, and this was always going to be a slow process for me, so I will pull the cab, focus on cleaning up the frame, replacing the lines, etc.

I will tear into the cab a little more to see how much more there is, and keep looking for a better cab. If I can’t find a suitable cab then when the time comes to reinstall I will start working on this cab.

[Overdriven]

For $900 the truck was worth it and I would’ve bought it too. But I’ve had to deal with roof rust before and it wasn’t fun. 70 Dodge Dart the vinyl top rusted holes in the roof above the A pillars. I’m sure the A pillars were rusty because inside the door hinge area was rotting where it met the rocker. Pull the roof and have a look, if what you see doesn’t scare you off then fix it.

[adricar1]

i would repair it , another cab as an option over here is out the question, its much better than the one i had to deal with

[franken]

If the VIN on the cab matches the title and rest of the truck I'd lean toward fixing it. Swapping VINs is still illegal at the federal level.

[special-K]

I skimmed right past the floor and rocker pictures till I saw the roof. I would not be interested in that cab for anything real nice for myself. But... I would not scrap it. I can think of many uses with one being repaired to be used on an old truck it doesn't really matter on. I mean, you can just drive these things. You can actually go haul a bunch of stuff with them. They don't have to be magazine quality.

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by special-K

I skimmed right past the floor and rocker pictures till I saw the roof. I would not be interested in that cab for anything real nice for myself. But... I would not scrap it. I can think of many uses with one being repaired to be used on an old truck it doesn't really matter on. I mean, you can just drive these things. You can actually go haul a bunch of stuff with them. They don't have to be magazine quality.

Magazine quality hehehe!

Anyone can Chrome Plate a turd! but it won't get ya home. My truck has been hit 5 times in the last 12 years it's got 2 notches under it's belt now.

When I purchased it all the good body panels went into storage.