Body experts, please help.
 

Posting this here, because it's a 71 cab that had cab corners and rockers welded into. Got it from another member and this project's really killing me.

How do I fix this?

You're looking at gaps at the cab corners and where the rockers were welded in. This was supposed to be a turnkey cab and I truly suck at body work.

I shined a flashlight through to make it more visible. The passenger side has the same gaps in the front the driver's side does. I can stick my hand through the gaps in the passenger side cab corner.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Looks to me like someone needs to do some more cutting and weld in another patch. I would be really upset if it was sold as a ready to go cab.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

I am really upset. The more I work on this project, the more upset I get.

This was sold as "Cab, body work complete sitting in primer " here on this board.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

grendel, can you move back a little and use the camera flash on the areas you're talking about?

The second and third pics looks like somthing rusted away???

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

More pics with flash.

Is that orange rust?

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Still hard to tell. You're to close, but its clear something is rusted away. Just a guess from the pics, you will have to do some more rust repair. There is more than one way to do it, but the best way to make everything solid is to start with the inner most areas and work out. Its very likely you will have to remove the cab corners and rockers then address any rust on the floor,cab supports, and inner rockers. Also be sure to check the lower "A" and "B" pillars. Check out the kick panels where they meet the floor as well.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

How about some pics of the cab? Did you buy the cab with doors? Have you had doors mocked up yet? If so how do they fit?

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

I'll take some in a bit. The cab had rust bomb doors on it when I got it, but I have different doors for it.

The rust bombs fit decently though. They didn't have any weather gaskets on it.

Now you have me very worried. Looking at that large gap, it looks like a torch cut, not rot. At least I hope so. I also hope the orangish color I am seeing is some sort of rust inhibiter or seam sealer.

hard for me to tell, I suck at body work.

I really, really don't want to get into cab work on this thing.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Its a lot of work no doubt. Could be the rust was torched away then only outer rockers and cab corners were replace without doing repairs to the inner areas. unfortunately its very common.

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Take some better pics far away so we can see the areas you are talking about. Hard to tell what you are looking at so close and we could advise you better maybe.

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More pics.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Still hard to tell what area it is. Still to close. Adjust your camera maybe? It looks like maybe the rear cab support area??? Could be not all the rusty parts were removed??? New parts put over old rusty areas???

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

its the rear cab corner. the cab support looks solid.

Hard to take pictures further back, when I am on a creeper on the ground.

Looking like I have to roll this thing on it's back and chop out the rot.

Sadly, it's looking like undercoating with rust peeking through.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

More pics...


Looks like whomever did the repair didn't have the floor meet the cab corner. Also, I hope they used a crappy sealer instead of not getting all the rot.

Hard to tell, as I don't know what one is supposed to look like.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Is this area (circled in red) supposed to meet the cab corner and completely seal it?

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Ok, yes I see its the rear cab support area where the cab corner meets the inner rocker. It looks like only part and not all the inner rocker was replaced. It also looks like the rear flange of the rear cab support is rusted away. It also looks like there was paint or something put over some rusty sheet metal. Are you where you can gently set the cab on its back and lightly blast the bottom to reveal the rotted areas? You may be able to "patch" the worst spots. Then coat everything, inside and out, with a coating such as epoxy primer and some top coat of some type.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Well, it's currently sitting on the frame I've been working on.

I don't have a sand blaster, either.

But it looks like that's what I have to do.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

At a closer look, the repairs were not done, IMO, in a proper manner. It appears that the bolts and welded nuts that hold the lower "B" pillar to the cab support were left out. Not a huge deal if everything was welded together. It would be hard to tell with the outer rockers on.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

What about the fronts?
I'll dig up some pics and post them to show you how under the cab should look.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

I posted pics of the front. Looks like the inner rocker doesn't line up with the floor or the outer rocker. There's a small gap, that could probably be welded shut or seam taped?

I appreciate the pics.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

rear

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Front

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

That's awesome. Thanks.

The gent I bought this from didn't do the work. However, he's going to help me. We're going to sandblast this and replace whatever needs it.

What panel manufacturer to do you recommend?

Although it looks like yours doesn't completely seal, either?

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

They will require some seam sealer. However it shouldn't take very much to make a seal if your fit is close. This cab is still being repaired so the fit will be a little closer. Blast or clean the the entire bottom side, epoxy prime, seam seal, then paint. Do the same on the inside and you should be good to go if your cab has no leaks.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

That's our plan. Blast, patch, acid etch, epoxy prime and seam seal.

Although I prefer welding over seam seal, myself.

then again, I've said several times that I suck at body work.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Once you guys get into it, if you need some help let me know. I'd be happy to help where possible.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Thanks. I appreciate it.

Sad thing is that this cab looks great. It just won't 3 years from now and I am building this for my 5 yo kid to drive in 20 years :)

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

hey thanks for the pics ebfabman :cool:

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

bumping up your reputation a bit, EBfabman.

I still need to send money for one of those filler plates...

Any ideas on repair panels?

What are the best ones out there?

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Hey Grendel if you do not want to completely undo what is done there, weld in a patch to connect your floor support to the corner of the cab. The biggest issue I see there is rust coming from underneath the undercoat they sprayed on the repaired areas. It is going to rust again. You need to clean up the welded areas with a wire wheel or something first if you do not have a sandblaster.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Thanks. I thought about that.

The guy I got it from has access to a sandblaster and body shop. We're going to do it right, blast it and do it right

I am not cheaping out on this, in any way. Glad that he is standing behind his statement and we're doing this right.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

I've used mostly tri-plus and tabco. Both have good and not so good aspects to their parts. Seems like all aftermarket replacement parts are just decent starting places as far as rust repair (and other) panels go. To get really good fits and crisp lines, you will have do some fabrication and have some degree of welding and metal finishing skill. Fortunately its not real hard to learn and I think its fun :)

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Thanks for the information! I've heard tri-plus. I think I'll give them a try.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Efabman on a side note to this all of the rear cab supports I have bought dont have the back flap that goes around to cab corner.Just a flange like the front edge of the support. is this something you have added or did this come on the rear cab support all ready?
The part you circled in red

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Mine had it... it's chunked up.

BTW, I circled that. That's where I have problems with mine.

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The ones I use have the flange. Its flat so you will have to form it to the cab corner once its fitted.

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So, Ebfabman, want to come for a foliage visit :)

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

grendel, after another look at your pics I noticed the seat belt nut that should be welded to the front of the rear cab support is missing. You will have to drill a hole through the floor and weld the nut to the underside of the floor on the front flange part of the rear cab support.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

We'll fix that when we get into it. However, I plan to use late model seats and seatbelts.

Re: Body experts, please help.
 

Couple pics that might show what's going on a little better.

Inner rockers (rear) were not continued to/welded to the rear of the cab corners.

Inner rockers (front) were not welded all the way forward either.