Above windshield rust

[dubds10]

Originally Posted by Roadkillerv8

While the idea of selling this truck for another has been in my head im not sure i could do that now that its carried me through me senior year of high school. I almost feel obligated to restore it haha. My idea was to buy a rust free cab, eliminating all of my rust problems and then shoving this cab into a corner in my garage to restore later in my life if i decide to do that. Kind of strange i know, but its the original cab so i think one day it should go back on. Any idea what a rust free cab will run me around here?
Posted via Mobile Device

Out here since there's so many trucks you can often find rust free stuff from $100-500. If you're looking at anything higher, it's often worth it to buy a second truck and just part it out to make some money back and offset the costs for the other truck. That's what I've always done so my projects end up being close to free in the end.

[Roadkillerv8]

Originally Posted by dubds10

Out here since there's so many trucks you can often find rust free stuff from $100-500. If you're looking at anything higher, it's often worth it to buy a second truck and just part it out to make some money back and offset the costs for the other truck. That's what I've always done so my projects end up being close to free in the end.

$500 for a good cab? That almost sounds to good to be true.
Posted via Mobile Device

[dubds10]

Originally Posted by Roadkillerv8

$500 for a good cab? That almost sounds to good to be true.
Posted via Mobile Device

Last one I sold was a solid rust free 1967 Cali cab with doors and all good glass, just no seat $600. Last time I saw a rust free bare cab was a month or two ago in Seattle for $150. There are lots of guys in the hobby locally who part them out and don't try to rape the next guy on the prices lol Go on FB and look up the NorthwestC10 group.

[Roadkillerv8]

Alright that's definitely in my mind as an option. Just talking about the roof here. If i were to take the roof off of a junkyard truck or donor and had it welded on right, would that be a viable option or would the roof fly off at some point? I see guys doing this on many trucks but is it actually a sound option? As for the firewall rust that probably means the front of the cab is rusted out from the cowl vents holding crap. I know slapping a new cab on would be easier, but i could just use the parts from a good cab to repair mine right?
Posted via Mobile Device

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by Roadkillerv8

Alright that's definitely in my mind as an option. Just talking about the roof here. If i were to take the roof off of a junkyard truck or donor and had it welded on right, would that be a viable option or would the roof fly off at some point? I see guys doing this on many trucks but is it actually a sound option? As for the firewall rust that probably means the front of the cab is rusted out from the cowl vents holding crap. I know slapping a new cab on would be easier, but i could just use the parts from a good cab to repair mine right?
Posted via Mobile Device

If your thinking a donor roof skin from a junk yard thats nor very feasable because its spot welded around the gutter, better to buy a repro skin if you went that route.

I havent went back and re read this thread but I think the best way to save that cab as long as the rest of it is salvageable (and that is the big question) is to do a full roof swap like Cooperhw did on Homer. but before you commit you really need to pull the heater, cowl, front fenders and see just what your working with, once you have the whole picture you will have to decide what you can do and maybe you should have someone else do the work ect..

Doing a repro roof skin and inner shell is much more complex that doing a lower rockers, cab corners and floor, plus once in there you need to kill the rust, i think once you see how much rust is inside it may be a little overwhelming. You could replace the roof and inner shell but i think the rust in the rest of the seams in the upper roof and inside the A pillars and below the windshield is probably pretty bad also.

Here's Homers build, look closely at how he did the lower section to retain the stock vin plate.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=653783

[Roadkillerv8]

Well i apperciate all the input fellas. I think im going to end up getting a good can and probably using that to patch up mine. That plan has been put on hold as of today because while going about 50 she wasnt shifting right and i heard some strange noises amd upon driving it later in the day it picks its own time to shift which usually isnt the right time and makes an almost grinding noise. I have a reciept for a rebuild in 2011 of the tanny and motor, so i dont know whats up. The truck had a broken bearing that was found in the transmission when i had someone looking into my leaky rear main so maybe that happened again though it never made and noises or deove differently then. Or maybe its the bands, thats my fathers guess, but he hasnt gotten to hear it yet. Just problems one faces with old cars/trucks i guess...

[stsalvage]

Originally Posted by 69Tom

Seeing as it's had 3 paint jobs, I wouldn't do anything to that cab until you get it down to bare metal. At that point, you can assess how much rust damage there is. It is here that you will determine whether you want to repair it yourself (buy a welder, gas, cart, helmet; watch videos on how to weld, repair sheet metal etc.), have someone else repair the rust, or look for a nice cab in a dry state and have it shipped to you.

There's no point in slapping on more paint over what's on there. You have no idea if there's filler covering stuff up, etc. I'd say if there's as much rust as there is showing, there's a bunch of stuff lurking that you don't even know about. Certainly not saying this to be discouraging, but only to be realistic and to make sure you don't waste time and money half-a$$ing it only to have more problems surface later.

You can keep driving it as it is, but there's quite a bit of moisture in the air where you live so it'll only keep getting worse after time. Or, you could just say f-it, drive it as it is until it falls apart, and then find a new cab and use that one.

If I were you, seeing as you currently driving the truck (not sure if it's your daily driver or not), I would drive the truck as is and look for a dry, rust free cab. While still driving your truck, get that new cab media blasted down to bare metal, have any minor repairs that need to be done completed, get it put into primer, and then paint. This way, it's done and out of the way. Then you just have to worry about stripping paint off your doors, fenders, and hood. Lastly, and I can speak from experience here, don't bite off more than you can chew financially. Because what happens is, you get some of the work done and then may have to wait forever to get the next stage done. At this point, you aren't driving the vehicle, it's sitting there in pieces, and you can't see the end of the tunnel. And it is here where you start to lose interest, get discouraged, and never get the vehicle back on the road. Don't fall into this trap.... It happens to A LOT of people. haha.

.

Boy you took the words out of my mouth there is a GMC cab here in Calif s
complete AC cab for 1000.00 its Green Inland Empire

[stsalvage]

Originally Posted by Spartan

I just wanted to chime in and say your truck is definately not a pile.
These trucks have no provision for corrosion control. They really weren't intended to be beat to death and last for 45 years.
Your truck is really nice and if it runs find your leak and stop the leak.
Drive it until you have time, money and a good plan of action.

I look at it this way. I will drive a rust bucket as long as the brakes and drivetrain are safe. If it goes and stops everything else can be dealt with. True the roof rust kills many of these trucks but in a way it's one of the challenges of any hobby to make better the shortfalls.

Check out velocity channel. Guys and gals are bringing vehicle back from the dead daily. Granted we don't all have the wallet or skills or sponsers or maybe any of those things but the love you develop for your ride will get you pretty far. I've seen guys work in their parking space at their apartment building in freezing weather because that's all they had.

So yeah...that's my opinion. I used to work in the dirt under a fir tree. Finally I saved enough to build a modest shop. Now things are cozy. Enjoy the truck. Enjoy the journey the truck takes you on. If its too much at this time in your life maybe it won't be later?

I would agree But there in another problem you don't see and its a safety issue.Water and Power don't go hand in hand .

But I do know of a new Roof sealer that there putting on campers and trailers I've been told you can paint over it.and its good for 20 years.It would buy you 15 years so you can find another cab to swap it with if yours don't have AC it would make your investment that much more for later on sales

[hugger6933]

A roof SKIN is NOT gonna fix your problem. The roof skin is above the rusted area around the windshield. This very day I had a friend/customer call me out to his home shop to look at his cab. No rust in the top but the cowl panel and front floorboard and basically everything from the firewall floor seam up is rusted. I told him I would I would either sell him a cab or buy his truck. I got a truck in today that is supposed to have a really clean cab. Jim