Patch everything or swap cabs?

[daveshilling]

Not quite ready for a build thread yet, but the 59 GMC Short Fleet I picked up has cab cancer...Here is the cancer list so far:

• all four cab corners
• floor from the seat mounts forward , up the firewall 4 inches or so
• passenger door bottom is gone, crept up the exterior door barely
• passenger door upper section it meets the cab above the hinges is gone
• both steps are pretty rough

As far as I know, these all have repop patches available (except the upper door area) that I can use to repair these areas. My other option is to pick up a clean cab locally, and I think I have a line on a cab that also comes with the doors, front sheet metal, emblems, grill, etc. I also need a window, and i can get that from the donor cab as well. Seems like an obvious choice to swap out the cabs entirely for $500, except...



The cab I have now is an untouched GMC interior, and granted it needs new everything that isnt metal after sitting for 30 years, the original paint is still nice, and naturally, the exterior above the rust has matching patina, including that perfect eggshell white roof that im bringing back to life by wetsanding off the single layer of blue shot over it 30+years ago. So I need to keep the original cab where I can, just basically replace the bottom 12 inches.


For anyone who has done both, which path keeps the most hair in my head?

1. -grab all the patch panels for my GMC cab, weld those on, paint-match, and let someone else have the donor cab+front end for a complete truck?
   
   -OR-
   
2. -grab the donor cab and front, cut off what I need, and sell/repurpose the rest? This also means storing the parts, and I'm in Suburbia.