raised cab light roof skin

[meangreen72gmc]

Switching cabs on my k25 and the current cab has the raised cab lights. The new cab doesnt. Is it worth cutting and swapping the roof skins? I know they aren't super rare but I like them a lot. I would either do this or no cab lights at all. Anybody ever done this? How did you do it and was it worth the hassle?

[davepl]

If you have a cab light skin, they may not be as common as you think, I'd do it if you have a welder and aren't afraid to get in on the A-pillars and (I guess on a truck) B-pillars. The lights were probably more common on the 3/4 and 1-ton trucks, tow trucks, forestry trucks, and so on, but not a lot of light duty hobby trucks had them. That's what my Dad called anything lighter than his truck, which was only a heavy half anyway, but the term stuck.

I went to that aftermarket big rig style since that's what the family truck had back in the day from new (or the dealer at least), so I'm used to it and prefer them over the little bubble lights; that's not to convince you you're wrong, just to commiserate with you on it being sometimes a strong personal choice.

Wouldn't be the way to learn bodywork though! But a fair bit easier than chopping a top because none of the angles change and you can leave the inner skin alone.

Probably a cutoff wheel would be safer (if you're careful) than a plasma because you can avoid going through two layers more easily. And if the donor cab is otherwise a loss, you get one practice cutting session on it before you mangle your good cab. Kind of like I've never refinished wood before so did 10 passes on the underside of the bed wood first. But I have one swanky underbody now!

If you're not confident, though, and don't want to outsource it, don't touch it...

[special-K]

That job requires good sheet metal working skills. Not your average body work job. there are many ways to go about it. but, you can just mount the lights on the can w/o any raised mounts. I've done it and it worked out fine,just like the same lights when mounted on a 73-87 (91)

[meangreen72gmc]

Well the guy I talked to about helping me had a good idea. He said we could use a cut off wheel and cut the roof along the inside of the drip rails and then along the seam at the top rear of the cab and simply "paste" that roof skin over the top of the current one. The drip rails would hide any flaws and the seam would be covered and smoothed over.
The other cab is a total loss. So much so that the pillars and inner roof panel aren't worth switching over. (A bad cab light seal let water in and rusted everything out)

[meangreen72gmc]

Originally Posted by special-K

That job requires good sheet metal working skills. Not your average body work job. there are many ways to go about it. but, you can just mount the lights on the can w/o any raised mounts. I've done it and it worked out fine,just like the same lights when mounted on a 73-87 (91)

Yeah I'm not planning on going at it alone but I'm at the point I need to do it now or forget them forever.

[SS Tim]

There was a thread here (IIRC) I saved some pictures from and they are dated Aug.6, 2014, so it was posted then or before. Later I'll look through my subscriptions and see if I can find it. Here are probably the two most help pictures though.

[meangreen72gmc]

Yes those pictures are helpful. Interesting that that one was cut close to the middle and not at the rear seam. I wonder what the reasoning was for that

[Bigdav160]

Lets hope the inner skin was out. That seam is going to require a lot of hammer/dolly work to correct the warpage from welding. Using the factory seam would be a better idea.

[67swb72klb]

any way that you do it it's going to be a lot of work

[SS Tim]

No it was done with the inner in place. Still haven't found the thread nor a bookmark. So here are the rest of the pictures I saved.

[trucks72]

That's pictures of a cab I did. If you need any help just ask.

[SS Tim]

Originally Posted by trucks72

That's pictures of a cab I did. If you need any help just ask.

Here is the link http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...0&postcount=33

[special-K]

I did one (and have another planned) by cutting at the pillars and below the body line. But you have rusty pillars,so...