s10 swap- 1950 rear cab spacer question

[vintage_car]

Do you chop out the 'C' channel on the bottom of the rear of the 50 cab and let it sit flush on the new cab mount bushings?

[rhodog77]

Vintage,
on my first cab, I cut the rear channel out. IMO its not the best thing to do. On my good cab I ended up using a 4inch by 4 inch square piece of 1/4 steel as a flat spacer between the channel and the rear cab bushing. I hope this makes sense

brian

[vintage_car]

Thanks. Is the goal for the cab to be level?
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[RootBeer 6117]

We decided to add a plate to the channel to reinforce the cab, it didn't seem to me like the floor alone was strong enough to hold the cab.

[rhodog77]

that pic from rootbeer is exactly what I did. Make you plate, drill your hole, slid the bolt thru the cab,thru the plate and then weld the plate to the channel. Much easier to drill the hole before you mount it, especially if you have a drill press. Learned that the hard way.....ugh!!!

[vintage_car]

should the cab be level or have a slope to it? Thanks for the pics of reinforcing the rear.

[Thadious]

When I was doing my floor replacement... I thought the same thing... "That can't be really strong enough to support the cab in the rear." So I went to one of the local sheetmetal shops and had them bend me a 1/8" (10ga) by 5' length of channel, notched the ends in a couple spots, bend down on a 45 deg angle, then again another 45 (on each end) so that it fit right in where the originals did, but went all the way across.... Weld it in, call it a day. Worked out well since it's also where I'm bolting my seatbelt brackets into!

Cheers,
Ted.

[blitz'd]

Originally Posted by rhodog77

that pic from rootbeer is exactly what I did. Make you plate, drill your hole, slid the bolt thru the cab,thru the plate and then weld the plate to the channel. Much easier to drill the hole before you mount it, especially if you have a drill press. Learned that the hard way.....ugh!!!

Why is no one using the factory rear mounts? When I was mocking up everything it looked like they would work.

[RootBeer 6117]

Originally Posted by blitz'd

Why is no one using the factory rear mounts? When I was mocking up everything it looked like they would work.

Mine looked pretty bad I didnt trust them.

[RootBeer 6117]

Originally Posted by vintage_car

should the cab be level or have a slope to it? Thanks for the pics of reinforcing the rear.

I believe I set mine level I figured I could shim it if I needed to.

[rhodog77]

I set mine level as well. I guess it all depends if your trying to give it a "racked" look or not. the more you tilt the cab down the less room you will have to work with the radiator. If I ever do the s10 swap again I will start with the radiator and work back.

[johndawelder]

That looks like a gorilla weld-big,strong and ugly.

[RootBeer 6117]

Originally Posted by johndawelder

That looks like a gorilla weld-big,strong and ugly.

John do you mean the photo,If so these are high school kids doing most of the welding,One is a really good welder the other two are working on it.
All I can say is thank God for grinders bondo and paint.

[vintage_car]

Originally Posted by rhodog77

I set mine level as well. I guess it all depends if your trying to give it a "racked" look or not. the more you tilt the cab down the less room you will have to work with the radiator. If I ever do the s10 swap again I will start with the radiator and work back.

That is what I was figuring on the radiator and clearance.

thanks for the help guys- great forum!

[Tatt2d51]

Originally Posted by johndawelder

That looks like a gorilla weld-big,strong and ugly.

My motto for welds and soldering - Bigger the glob, better the job...

[Dan Bowles]

No reason for booger welds. They don't hold anything and chances are, they don't have the heat for penetration, it is lost in the "glob." Is your safety worth doing it wrong?

Also, no reason not to use stock rear shackles. For $15 you can get a kit with new bushings for them and it takes 2 holes drilled into the frame and a pair of grade 8 bolts.

Yes. Make it level.