Need advice on rust issues on a 68 Panel

[68PanelTruck]

Hi guys,
I picked up a 68 Panel truck and need some advice. The truck has a lot of rust, some that I can fix and some I'm not sure what to do. Things like door skins and rusty fenders I'm fixing now. The cab floor will probably be replaced with a new pan (full pan with braces). It needs some frame/body mounts replaced.

The areas I need help with what to do is the barn door sill area. It is still there and functional but is almost rusted through. I'm not sure if I could even weld a patch to it as it is very thin from rust. I wish a new piece was available. Should I look for someone parting out a Panel Truck sill and try to replace it? I'm not sure what my options are.

Another area I need help with is the where the cab floor meets the bed floor area. The cab floor pan sits on or is spot welded a crossmember(?) spanning the width of the truck. This crossmember is also rusty and may have to be replaced. Not sure until I remove the cab floor. Again, I wish I had a good replacement but....
Should I be looking for a donor crossmember or try to fab it myself?

So here's the deal. This is a Loooong term project so I'm not in a hurry to knock it out. I have a lot of experience with the mechanical side of things but bodywork and welding are new to me. I'm a "figure it out as I go " type of guy and I'm doing ok with welding in the metal patches I've done so far so I believe I can do this myself. I'm not scared to try to fix this, just need a little direction. I know it would have been easier to find a truck in better condition from down south or out west but that's not the point. This is what I have and I'm up for the challenge ! I really bought this truck to learn new skills and practice on it before I get a nicer truck down the line.

[HO455]

Welcome aboard! There are lots of panels and Suburbans that have been brought back from the grave around here. It will help if you can post pictures of the problem areas as that will help folks answer questions. And we also just like pictures too!

I'm not 100% sure but I believe the rear door sill plate in a Burban and a panel are the same. My hatch and gate Burban has the recess for barn door latches. (See photo) I would bet that LockDoc will know for sure.

Plus if you use the search box (I have heard that it only works in desktop mode at present) you may be able to find where someone else has already solved the problem you've encountered.
Looking forward to more.

[68PanelTruck]

Thanks for the welcome! Bringing it back from the grave is exactly what I'm doing, lol. I also think the sills are the same. I have a few pics of that show the damage. From the top it doesn't look so bad but from the underside it's another story. I will try to post pics.

[68PanelTruck]

Sill area from the top:

[68PanelTruck]

From below, looking rearward toward the back bumper:

[Getter-Done]

Originally Posted by 68PanelTruck

Hi guys,
I picked up a 68 Panel truck and need some advice. The truck has a lot of rust, some that I can fix and some I'm not sure what to do. Things like door skins and rusty fenders I'm fixing now. The cab floor will probably be replaced with a new pan (full pan with braces). It needs some frame/body mounts replaced.

The areas I need help with what to do is the barn door sill area. It is still there and functional but is almost rusted through. I'm not sure if I could even weld a patch to it as it is very thin from rust. I wish a new piece was available. Should I look for someone parting out a Panel Truck sill and try to replace it? I'm not sure what my options are.

Another area I need help with is the where the cab floor meets the bed floor area. The cab floor pan sits on or is spot welded a crossmember(?) spanning the width of the truck. This crossmember is also rusty and may have to be replaced. Not sure until I remove the cab floor. Again, I wish I had a good replacement but....
Should I be looking for a donor crossmember or try to fab it myself?

So here's the deal. This is a Loooong term project so I'm not in a hurry to knock it out. I have a lot of experience with the mechanical side of things but bodywork and welding are new to me. I'm a "figure it out as I go " type of guy and I'm doing ok with welding in the metal patches I've done so far so I believe I can do this myself. I'm not scared to try to fix this, just need a little direction. I know it would have been easier to find a truck in better condition from down south or out west but that's not the point. This is what I have and I'm up for the challenge ! I really bought this truck to learn new skills and practice on it before I get a nicer truck down the line.

Welcome
You are in the right place.
Let me search and I will send you a link that you can get a lot of info from.









.

[68PanelTruck]

Originally Posted by Getter-Done

Welcome
You are in the right place.
Let me search and I will send you a link that you can get a lot of info from.









.

Thanks! I have seen a few threads of builds in similar condition and they all seem to use a donor truck for parts. I think that is probably the route I will have to go IF I can only find a donor cut.

[68PanelTruck]

Some pics of the step-up area crossmember from above:

[Getter-Done]

Here is the Man you can get a lot of Info from.

Link below. This link starts on page 8
So you can go back to page 1 If you choose

Link:https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...=491574&page=8











.

[68PanelTruck]

And from below:

[richard2717]

The front cab floor can be replaced with a 2wd blazer front floor pan like I did in mine. There are some minor differences and one of them could affect your seat mounting. The original panel floor tapered off on the passenger side to allow easier access to the back floor which means you seat brackets for the utility buckets may or may not work without fabrication. Either way you will have to modify the mounting holes as they will not be the same. second difference it the rear attachment lip for the floor that mount it to the step up. On the original panel that lip was bent down under the truck, on the new floor it bends up. I left it in the up position and it works fine. As far as the step up cross member I am not sure if it is the same as the suburban 2nd row step up but I have an extra one here & i will pull it out to see if it is the same or could be modified easily to work.

Richard

[richard2717]

Also,
The rear sill for the panel is the same as the suburban. There are 2 different sill panels, one for barn doors and one for gates. Both will physically work but the one for the gate has recess and slots cut for the gate hinges as HO stated above. If one for a gate is all you can find still grab it and just weld or plug the hinge holes.

[68PanelTruck]

Thanks Richard for your reply. For the past few months I have been reading many of your posts before I was able to register here and have learned a lot. I have seen some amazing work done here by some members and sometimes when I'm frustrated and think I'm over my head, I see a post that shows that it can be done!

I am planning to order a Blazer floor but you said to get a 2wd. I have a c10 Panel with a big block and 4 on the floor shifter so I was told I needed a hi hump Blazer floor. Sound right? I'm planning to get it from GMCPaul. I would also leave the lip as is. If you could get a pic of that extra step-up, that would be greatly appreciated! No hurry. From what I can see, it doesn't look too hard to fab up a new one out of a piece of heavy gauge steel.

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by 68PanelTruck

Thanks Richard for your reply. For the past few months I have been reading many of your posts before I was able to register here and have learned a lot. I have seen some amazing work done here by some members and sometimes when I'm frustrated and think I'm over my head, I see a post that shows that it can be done!

I am planning to order a Blazer floor but you said to get a 2wd. I have a c10 Panel with a big block and 4 on the floor shifter so I was told I needed a hi hump Blazer floor. Sound right? I'm planning to get it from GMCPaul. I would also leave the lip as is. If you could get a pic of that extra step-up, that would be greatly appreciated! No hurry. From what I can see, it doesn't look too hard to fab up a new one out of a piece of heavy gauge steel.

You are correct, you will need tall hump blazer floor if running the 4 speed. I am running a car 4 speed so it was not needed. GMC Pauls is where I got mine and they were great to deal with. I checked the Suburban support this morning after I found it and it is totally different than the panel cross member. it is way shorter where it is further back on the frame.

[68PanelTruck]

Originally Posted by richard2717

You are correct, you will need tall hump blazer floor if running the 4 speed. I am running a car 4 speed so it was not needed. GMC Pauls is where I got mine and they were great to deal with. I checked the Suburban support this morning after I found it and it is totally different than the panel cross member. it is way shorter where it is further back on the frame.

Thanks again for checking that out for me. I guess I'll keep looking for a used one in good condition. Same for the rear doors sill.

[carryall]

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