Fiberglass cab?

[kaputafj]

My daily driver 67 C10’s cab is in pretty rough shape after 45 years and almost 600,000 miles (new rockers, floor, corners, etc. 1992), and I was thinking about a fiberglass cab. Any thoughts? I know US Body lists one, does anyone else? I've seen one thread here and it seems people were not happy about how it looked. I’m not sure if they were building show trucks, I’m just needing it look OK for a daily driver.
Thanks,
Frank

[mcmlxix]

I would just find a rust free cab out west and protect it properly.... it will last another 45 years....

[bk2life]

Originally Posted by mcmlxix

I would just find a rust free cab out west and protect it properly........

i knew of 2 or 4 cabs in phx for around 300 bucks each. az, rust free az truck cabs

[prostreetC-10]

I would think that the flex of a glass cab for ANYTHING other than drag racing would absolutely drive you crazy.

[Street Smart]

I have a couple of early 30`s style kit cars i work on. They are nice to look at, but the small stuff isn`t great. Inside edges are terrible, weather strip areas never seal.

[Shaky]

So how do the Corvette's do it?

Anyway - one way or another this guy NEEDS a cab. I saw that truck a couple of weeks ago and it's heavily air conditioned...

[Street Smart]

Originally Posted by Shaky

So how do the Corvette's do it?

Anyway - one way or another this guy NEEDS a cab. I saw that truck a couple of weeks ago and it's heavily air conditioned...

Big difference when a company like G.M. builds a car out of fiberglass vs. a smaller aftermarket company.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by Street Smart

Big difference when a company like G.M. builds a car out of fiberglass vs. a smaller aftermarket company.

Everyone here is forgetting that Corvettes have a steel inner layer frame commonly known as a bird cage. This is part of the reason the Corvettes aren't as light as people think they are.

I also think a rust free steel cab would suite you better. I saw a $5000 price tag on a street fiberglass cab and thought that was kind of crazy. Maybe if you are trying to cut weight for a street/strip truck.

[bollybib]

US Body's fiberglass parts are specialized items that require beaucoup geedus to acquire (IMHO).

[Longhorn 70]

Originally Posted by Shaky

So how do the Corvette's do it?

There are a lot of Corvettes that have cracks in the floor pan. Under the driver's or passengers feet in a C4 is a common crack spot. Even though the cars have a stiff box frame, they still crack there. The roadsters even have an additional X brace underneath to help counteract this.

You may get away with it for a street truck that is driven occasionally. An every day driver with a flexing frame would be at risk for cracking.

It'd be cool for a dropped hotrod truck though.

[prostreetC-10]

For one thing the Corvettes are a tub design, much shorter, NOT aftermarket and not made for drag racing. I'm sure if they made a street version cab, it would have the crap re-enforced out of it but those cabs are for drag racing only.

Imagine if a school bus was all glass. It would flex like a sum *****. This is why a truck cab and a Corvette are very different.

[kaputafj]

US Body has 2 models, a racing one, and a reinforced one.
A C10 cab isn't all that long -compared to a car for instance.

Also, steel has a tough time in New England, especially a daily driver.

I'm not bent on fiberglass, but want to understand it as best I can.

[prostreetC-10]

It's not the length but the height since they both are on a solid frame. IT's all about structure.

Have you priced them out? I looked into some glass parts awhile back. The shipping was as much if not more for it going "freight". Just doesn't seem like a viable option or more guys would be running glass cabs. Great thing is you can do what ever you want to do.

BTW.......Welcome to the board! This is a great place for owners of these trucks. You will certainly get guys thinking outside the box, and inside, and on top.......etc. LOL See you around.

[Tinkermc]

wekcome to the forum, my 2 cents is buy a nice steel cab and save a lot of money and like said b-4 should last another 45-50 years with a little care, also will not leave splinters in your azz if you happen to be involved in a collision

[kaputafj]

thanks all for you comments. It seems no one is keen on a fiberglass cab. I'd really love to see one for myself, but that may not be possible.
So where does one simply find a rust-free cab?
Thanks again.

[Shaky]

And once you find it, how do you keep it from rusting when daily-driven through the calcium-chloride winter? Even POR-15 doesn't get on the in-between.

I watched my '68 Biscayne evaporate when driven in the winter around here. God I miss that car...

[clhinze]

ok, so i was thinkin about doin the US Body cab also, thanks for the info guys, I am convinced that would be a bad move for me.

[special-K]

Dealing with rust is a breeze compared to repairing busted fiberglass from body flex, doors open/closing,etc...again and again

[jjzepplin]

I want to eventually get a fiberglass tub for my Blazer. I forget the company I was searching but it was bigtime reinforced. As much as I drive it I don't think it would be an issue.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I wouldn't want an aftermarket fiberglass cab or tub protecting my family. I would have to run a full roll cage welded to the frame with side impact bars to even consider it.

When compared to modern trucks, these trucks provide a lot less protection during a crash with all the steel in good rust free condition. Can you imagine a new full size truck hitting you broadside in the door in a fiberglass cab?

[jjzepplin]

I guess it wouldn't be any different driving a Corvette around. It's not like I drive it every day. I never imagine anyone T boning me or my family. After my last accident (old fella couldn't see my big ol Blazer) I drive a lot differently. Due to the amount of work it takes to rebuild these babies I don't even like to take them out much. But when I do I get into driving them how they are supposed to be driven. I've been in one accident in 27 years. I guess if I'm gonna go it may as well be in my truck. Aint never selling them any way. And the kids are all grown up and driving their own cars.

[67ChevyRedneck]

No, it would be a lot different. A corvette is designed with safety in mind now a days.

Old corvette... yeah, probably not great in a wreck, but the new ones built in the last 30 or so years are pretty stout because the inner structure is designed to take the hit, not the outer body. With a fiberglass tub or cab there is nothing there to "take the hit."

I'd stick with steel unless you want a drag racer or offroad rock crawling rig (would have roll cage anyway.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9lSwjHY00Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yoa8McfOY0

[jjzepplin]

Well I guess you have convinced me. I will just buy this instead.http://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/pts/4872995114.html

[67ChevyRedneck]

I consider driving a 20's/30's car/truck about as safe as riding a motorcycle. There's just not much you can do about it except watch for other idiots. I can't imagine a wreck in a 32 fiberglass roadster, or even a steel one. But with these trucks, aside from horrific wrecks, with simple 3 point belts you can walk away from most wrecks. Just not sure about a fiberglass cab. I have visions of it shattering like there's nothing there then being ripped from the frame and flying off... What would you even anchor 3 point seat belts to without a roll cage?

In all seriousness... 6K seems really "cheap" for that car??? Or is that what those go for now a days?

[jjzepplin]

In all reality we are all gonna go sometime. I don't think my fiberglass truck is any more unsafe than walking down the street. Heck a guy got hit by a plane jogging down the beach. Who says my truck ever gets hit at all. Lots of these trucks have never been in an accident. That's why we can still have one. Weather seems to be the big culprit on damage to them.
Yes $6000 does seem cheap for that ride but it is a "kit" and prolly needs some attention in all the right places. Cheap enough though.