Rear cab half

[mikeal]

So im still tackling rust repair on my cab and figured id pick brains for alternative ideas. I need to replace the back half of my cab some genius decided to cut it for a blow through box then just seam sealed a piece of sheet metal over the hole. Problem is my roof and back cab are rusted like no other now. I bought a replacement and now its just going through how to tackle it. Just wondering if anybody has done the same and if so if they would like to give some pointers on how to proceed. Thanks in advance

 

[Ricko1966]

Pics

 

[legopnuematic]

Got some pictures to show the extent of the rust/damage?

Did you get new reproduction metal or used/salvaged metal?

The back of my 79 is a mix of original 79, homemade, a 74, and repop cab corners. Depending on how the rust and damage is would direct how I would go about it.

 

[Grit dog]

Being in Texas, my recommendation would be to find a bare cab that isn’t rusted out and hacked up and do a swap. Spend the time to make sure you can transfer the vin tag to look OE.
If you were way up in the rust belt of something, might be a different story based on logistics.
I’m not a great fabricator or body man though. So I’d weigh the effort expended for the desired results.

 

[mikeal]

Pics

 

[mikeal]

I have 2 more cabs but they are on full trucks, want to finish up as many projects as possible this year tired of seeing everything jist going to waste. And ive always been a built not bought type of person ready to learn new things

 

[Ricko1966]

So are you replacing the roof also?

 

[mikeal]

Yes i need to replace roof as well, supposed to rain tomorrow but have it planned for sunday will take pics and post progress but i got off early enough today to cut off the replacement cab corner. Inner cab corner and outer rockers. Made a jig for inbetween doors to be sure i keep it same distance and probably gonna make a measuring stick out of some spare square tubing i got so i can get precise measurements before i cut it off and before i tack the new one on.

 

[mikeal]

By the way, im just a barber. I love cars and trucks and my old man was a grease monkey so i get it honest just have never tackled a project like this but i want this truck rust free before i waste my time painting it. Honestly will probably keep this one and fix other 2 to sell.

 

[Ricko1966]

This is going to be a huge project and honestly you'd be better off just getting another cab. You are going to need to drill out a million spot welds around the roof skin perimeter to seperate it. And you'll have to do the same to your truck then weld it back on. I wish the replacement chunk had longer chunks of A Pillar left still, that would make things easier.if I were to try to graft it at the a Pillar instead of doing the roof skin,I d cut a piece of plywood to fit as much of the windshield opening as possible and secure it top and bottom with several screws to the lip for the windshield seal.That would be my jig to get my windshield opening right.I'd be tempted to cut the cab you have to match the patch section you bought. Put the doors back on and align them,use the plywood and your doors to align your patch weld up what you can then put in the rest of your panels,you could use pieces of sheet metal screwed to the rear edge of the door and screwed to your patch to hold it located until you get things secure enough that it won't move.

 

[mikeal]

I was going with an idea similar to that honestly. It was either drill out all spot welds and replace roof and back cab in 2 pieces or just replace whole back cab.i made a jig for the doors and i am going to see how the windshield lays in the frame and take measurements and pictures before i cut. Yes its gonna be a big project but if i put it on as one solid piece ill just have to weld at the windshield and the cab floor then redo rockers and double check cab corners. As long as i take good measurements and be sure that it ends up square at the windshield and the doors line up should be able to wel it all together same day. Honestly i see it like shortening a bed... It has enough past the roof skin about 2 inches so ill cut that off my cab and weld in the frame first then patch the piece i cut off. Im confident in my skills as far as the welding then blending goes its just a big project for a first timer. But as long as i measure, measure and measure again ensure the cab is level and use jack stands, jacks and blocks, then test fit parts with everything clamped down, i honestly dont think itll be too bad.

 

[Grit dog]

Can’t wait to see the progress!

 

[bucket]

In my experience, there's enough a-pillar there to work with. I'd just section the pillars and not worry about all the spot welds.

The floor work will be covered and not seen. I'm assuming new rockers will be installed.

Personally, I don't see any big issues here. Worst case, it all goes wrong and you are just out a junk cab and a butchered section of another. But I don't think that will be the case since you know the importance of the door openings and windshield opening.

 

[mikeal]

Fixing to start cutting her now... yes i have new rockers i just cut them off made a couple jigs for window opening and am gonna measure length of cab on both sides and mark where i measure idk if ill get her done tonight or if itll be a tomorrow thing but im for sure gonna cut the old cab off tonight. Decided to use tape to have exact measurement of where to cut on the windshield like fabricating a piece from scrap will take pictures to post the before during and after.

 

[mikeal]

Heres the road so far got it cut and tacked in tonight