Attempt/Mistake #2

[El Campo]

Even with the excessive measuring still had to do some trimming up with the panel to get it to fit perfect. Since will not be able to sandblast in this area I sprayed some of Eastwood's Inside Frame Coating into the holes provided. Ironic that it is almost exact color as original paint. A lot of the back window flange was crooked and/or bent so used this nifty pliers to straighten it out.

[El Campo]

And its in! Its straight also which was something I was really worried about. Not welded yet as I was out of 0.23 wire but will do it this weekend. (Fitting for my 1,000th post)

[STOCKISH]

Nice work on the cab walkthrough repair so far! Keep it up!

[knomadd]

Wow, that's some good fitment you've got with that panel. Your excessive measuring paid off. Good job!

[El Campo]

Anyone know if this was a factory option on the camper style trucks or were there any even made with that final goal in mind? It appears to be some sort of courtesy light that fit perfectly into the gas filler hole. Also does anyone want this? Haha

[El Campo]

Edited because of Steve Job's oversight..

[El Campo]

Trying to get picture right direction...

[Xeen]

Nice job on the cab repair.

[El Campo]

Thanks for looking guys. I'm worried about being too long winded and not having enough to show so if I don't post as often as some that is why.
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[mcbassin]

Very nice work on the cab splicing.

[litew8]

Originally Posted by El Campo

Edited because of Steve Job's oversight..

Nice clean work on that back panel!

[El Campo]

Every once in a while we all get lucky. Yesterday I walked into the hospital where I have worked for the last 4 years and my manager informed us all that payroll has been underpaying us on our overtime for years. So they are back paying us for all of that time. Needless to say I was blessed enough to get quite a chunk of money so will be buying everything I need to finish frame and drivetrain plus other stuff too. This includes all new Moog tie rods, ball joints, pitman arm, rebuild kit for my steering gear, Ratech (American made) 12 bolt rearend rebuild kit, and Dutchman axles. Will also be buying a new roof skin (if I cannot find an OEM one which I have not had any luck with yet), some more epoxy primer and then everything I need from Sound Deadener Showdown (going to use science to deaden noise instead of just layers and layers of Dynamat ) to insulate and deaden the roof noise. Have to do a class for work today so will not be able to work on back panel of cab until tomorrow

[Xeen]

I normally wouldn't presume to interject myself in someone elses business however, take it from someone who had nearly the exact same thing happen to them, prioritize well because I blew about 13 grand in the blink of an eye and then looked at my truck and thought to myself "I didn't plan very well" I bought stuff I didn't need to get it back on the road running and driving like luxury items that I probably wouldn't have bought if I wasn't flush with cash.
I had a tendancy to think "ok so it's $500 I got money so heck yeah I'm gonna get it" well when you buy a whole bunch of parts that are $500 or more apiece it adds up insanely fast
My advice is to concentrate on the parts you need to get it running and driving again then once that is done buy all the toys for it you want.

[El Campo]

I would agree with you except I have already been down that road and never again will I do something if I can't do it the right way the first time. Having already built this truck once and having had it run and drive and haul all kinds of a$$ and yet not being exactly what I wanted taught me a lot. Thank goodness that I am more comfortable than I used to be and having plenty of other transportation options so if it takes me 5 more years to build this it doesn't phase me. I would rather have it be exactly what I wanted than have it finished and be subpar. Everything I am planning on buying was on the "to buy list" anyways. I won't buy anything that wasn't already planned on. I appreciate the concern for my project though! Seriously.
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[El Campo]

Since I finally figured out how to upload from iPhone I will be doing real time updates today. In the process of scalping the green cab. Wire wheeling the original seam sealer out of drip rails:
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[El Campo]

Proof that rust on cab is surface rust and not heartbreaking structural rust
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[Xeen]

That looks like a good candidate for a fiberglass backed Polycarbide disk.
Slap it on your side angle grinder and go to town, it will remove all that rust on contact and you dont even have to apply pressure just the weight of the angle grinder will do the job in most cases and it will resurface the metal to a near factory condition, you may even decide you don't need to replace the roof skin once you see how nice it looks.
http://www.harborfreight.com/4-1-2-h...eel-94017.html

[El Campo]

Good idea. Ill def try that on the other rust on the cab! Main reason I'm removing existing roof is because of the cab lights that sit on raised pedestals. I love Amazon btw, from advice gleaned here and on other forums I purchased these spot weld cutters from Blair. Only 35 dollars from amazon unlike the 100 charged locally.
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[El Campo]

These look like they should be far superior to the Harbor Freight "hole saw" style cutter that I had before. And of course, you cannot beat American made
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[Xeen]

In the area of the roof marker lights there aren't any complicated compound curves.
It won't hurt anything to try and cut out the entire raised surface and just patch it, who knows you may find you can make it look really good and you can save the money that the roof skin costs for something else you want.
You got nothing to lose man give it a shot.

[El Campo]

Good point but my body working skills aren't up to that job . I don't have the necessary talent to do that unfortunately. Here's spot weld cutting action.
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[Xeen]

Chances are the reproduction roof skin will require some pie cutting and welding to make it fit the rear seam so you arent getting out of welding no matter which way you go

[knomadd]

Originally Posted by El Campo

Good point but my body working skills aren't up to that job . I don't have the necessary talent to do that unfortunately. Here's spot weld cutting action.
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Since you're already cutting it off, you can bring the roof skin my way and I can try to cut and patch it for you. It's been a few years since I've done a lot of bodywork, but I've done that kind of thing before. I don't want to promise that I can get it where you want it without some filler, but if you're willing to let me try, I might be able to save you some money and time trying to make a reproduction piece work. Or, I could come down your way sometime. I'm always willing to lend a hand, as long as my schedule and wife will allow it.

[El Campo]

I sure appreciate it knomadd! I will see if I can find an original or not and go from there. Well, I didn't get as far as I had hoped because my small air compressor crapped out on me and I had never known how to wire the big compressor I purchased about 7 months ago. The other night my younger brother had a bunch of his friends over and it just so happened that one of them is the son of a very well known electrician here and is a journeyman himself so I picked his brain how to wire the motor. He told me how but it still took me several hours to get all wire and other paraphernalia around to complete it. It runs though finally so all I need is a few fittings and I will have lots of air tomorrow!
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[El Campo]

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