Can anyone school me on how the 73-75 k5 doesn't collapse on itself?

[donnieray]

It only takes about two feet of wet snow to collapse a square cab that doesn't have the front and rear glass in it.

****, I'm assuming you learned that the hard way.

 

[shiftpro]

****, I'm assuming you learned that the hard way.

Indirectly, yes. I now have a a snow wrecked cab on my property. It was delivered here this summer. My engine builder buddy who is also into square has been downloading parts on me. I got the cab with the ****** roof and it's a real shame because the rest of the cab is on great shape. It can be fixed.... but most likely I'll keep the cab for firewall metal or whatever. I have another cab with the typical Flintstone floor and no rockers but the roof and fine! Sometimes you just can't tell until the glass is removed. I've seen great cabs but the windshield flange was gone.

I'm turning my new country home into a Chevy Truck Ranch.

 

[Vbb199]

It wasn't needed for the 'half-top'. Cheaper, lighter, faster to assemble, gained MPG.
Whoop dee do.

.002 mpg?

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[rpcraft]

I know the full convertibles flexed a lot. Most anyone one I have ever seen with an original top usually has a part of the top that is separating at the top corner due to flexing if it has been offroaded much

 

[Rusty Nail]

Simple enough.
"what keeps it from bending"

Cuz 'Merica.
That's wut. Duh.

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[dcameron787]

I’m in the process now of building a 75. My original 75 was completely rusted out so I cut the windshield frame off of it, kept the doors and interior. I sourced a clean 85 and just cut the roof off it this weekend. I added poly body mounts and did not reinforce the rockers. I’m not getting much flex but will have to see once I get it on the road. The plan is to just add a roll cage if I’m getting to much flex..

 

[tobiahr]

You would be surprised how flexy they are. Even the body mounts play a role in keeping the body from flexing. My friend 75 K5 I'm working on, the doors would rub the rockers (doors sagging) with the old body mounts. He put a set of new mounts on and the body lines lined up again and doors no longer rubbed the rockers. Driving it down the highway the firewall/windshield frame would wiggle/bounce. The inner to outer rocker connection plays a big role on full tops to as it is what connects the floor to the pillars, so when that rusts out it gets floppy

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I am currently working on the front end of mine and can tell you that even the frame flexes quite a bit as well. I had to weld a plate on the side where the shock mounts and you could see the bare frame flex just from the position of the jack stand

 

[Vbb199]

With the sub frame under my truck I'm welding up, and the additional tubing crossmember I'm adding, I won't have to worry about frame flex. It's more about the doors not closing

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