Cab panel replacement order?

[muddpile]

I'm getting closer and closer to paint on my 72, but hit a dead spot today. All I have left on the cab is rockers/cab corners, but am not sure what order to replace them in. The floor pans and inner rockers are there, already. Do I do the cab corners, hang the doors, then do the rockers and set the gaps, or is there a different order? Thanks!

[Aarons72s]

Cab corners first. Then rockers. You will need to temporarly clamp the rockers in to make sure the corners are lined up before permant installation of the corner then the install of the rocker. Hope this helps.
Aaron

[67ChevyRedneck]

I've never done this, but will probably need to do it someday.... What I would do (and what others have suggested) is to have the doors hung and aligned and once everything is tached in place and where you like it, weld away.

Hopefully someone who has done it will respond...

[Aarons72s]

Yes I have done it. Had to put a whole floor in the orange and white. Oh yah Forgot that too. You will need the doors installed to line up propperly. It is a little tricky to get the rockers on with doors on. But it can be done. You have to have the door partially opened to start slidding the rocker in and then shut the door to get it all the way in. Then just open door and clamp and screw in place to lign up before permanent installation.
Aaron

[muddpile]

Thanks for the help! I'll have to line it all up tomorrow and then weld away. Thanks!

[Huck]

I usually cut out the rusted rocker, make sure the inner rocker is either good or replace that, then slap in the new rocker ----I clamp the bottom of the new rocker to the bottom of the inner rocker, carefully line up the top edge of the rocker to the floor making sure to maintain the same amount of space all along it's rail---about a 1/2 inch. That gives you a good starting point. Check for clearance between door bottom and rocker---. With the door on or off--the rear of the rocker must line up with the rear cab corner.
I have had better luck doing the cab corner last but quite frankly the cab corners are a ***** to do right as the rear section covered by the bed is real trickly to cut and meet up without it being too obvious. I now try to avoid replacing the rear section of the cab corners if at all possible.
Remember the key to doing sheet metal body work is to only replace what needs to replace--just because you have a large section of patch panely available, it is not usually necessary to replace the whole thing as original GM assembly is almost always better aligned then what we can do.

[muddpile]

Some good points there, but I think I better put out a few more facts about my situation:
-The cab is off the frame, and the box/bed is gone.
-The backside of the cab corner was rotted right off where it met the floor, so I need to use most of the patch panel.
-The floorpans and inner rockers are fresh goodmark pieces, and installed already.

With that said, is there anything special I need to do in my situation, or just line it all up and weld it as usual?

[Aarons72s]

Well when I did my cab it to was off the frame. On a cab stand. This is the second cab I have done this way and the last one lined up fine with the bed.
You shpould just make sure that the doors line up with the cab and new corners and rockers and you should be fine. If you also want to you could put your fenders on to make sure everything else will line up before welding the rockers in. I did this. Here are a few pics that should help you. The first pic is my cab on the stand. The second pic is the first cab I rebuilt for my former employer. It shows everything lined up and.
Aaron

[muddpile]

Thanks a lot! Looks like I have a little bit of work ahead of me before I start welding anything, but in the end I'm sure it will pay off.

[skchevota]

yes, make sure your doors fit good befor you weld!, I made that mistake the first time, it cost me a rocker....