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.

[daveshilling]

Update, the guy is selling everything except the bed and the rolling chassis for $500, so cab, doors, hood, grill, emblems, cab trim, etc. I have to pick it up on sheer principle!!

[skymangs]

Man, If it was mine, I'd use the donor cab, and swap dashes. Lots of spot welds, but you are talking a LOT of work on that rust repair.

[daveshilling]

Originally Posted by skymangs

Man, If it was mine, I'd use the donor cab, and swap dashes. Lots of spot welds, but you are talking a LOT of work on that rust repair.

You are absolutely right, i just fear that the same amount of work lay ahead of me to spray this cab to match the patina of the rest of the truck. I think If I went that route, I would put a more interesting dash in there while i was at it For now, I think the plan is to pick up these parts, use what I need for patch panels and part out the rest.

I need to catalog the amount of parts im getting...there is quite a bit. if i go full Porterbuilt , it might be easier to just get a bare frame to do that. That means I would have a stock chassis sitting around, and an extra cab and sheet metal...thats another truck! (=

I have 5 acre taste on a 3-car garage budget

[_Ogre]

you need my barn?

[sqrlnts]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

you need my barn?

I would bet dollars to donuts you have a crazy stash in there.....

[mr48chev]

I'm with Skymags, I'd take the best pieces of the two and make one. You will still have some usable left overs to sell to get part of your money back.

[greystoke]

I have a 59 GMC and the cab needs a lot of work also, like you I've thought of which route to take and the thought of bringing the old cab back to glory won out. So it's patch panel time, I've never done this but am excited to repair this 59 cab.

[OrrieG]

I would personally move the good dash to the good cab and paint it before I would tackle all the body work in the floors, cowl and corners. Lots of guys have successfully did the faux patina. I just delt with a minor redo on my step and the thought of getting the whole cab tweaked is not something I would want to tackle. Guess out west we are spoiled by relatively good cabs....

But if you decide to do the body work, brace it good and get the doors aligned first, then tackle the cowl, floors and corners.

[mvitale27]

I am having a similar dilemma. I loved the idea of having the original cab on the original frame but my cab is in bad shape. It needs floors, cab corners, inner/outer cowls, steps, and a section of the upper windshield frame. I sent the cab, doors, and some other parts to the sandblasting shop last week.

I am past debating whether or not to utilize another cab since I already had mine blasted and begun to order patches BUT I am afraid that since it was not aligned and braced before I tore it down that once I start cutting it up it will not align properly after repairs and reassembly. Any thoughts?

[daveshilling]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

you need my barn?

Don't we all need that barn? That, a huge pile of cash, and no job...happy as a clam.

[_Ogre]

i replaced 2 rear cab corners in and out, floors, hinge pocket repair, steps, rockers and front corner repairs
it would have been a lot easier to do a cab swap, but any cab around here would have been worse off than mine
plus you'd need a vin plate and title for the new cab or at least cut out the vin tag area and transplant it (borderline illegal)

[daveshilling]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

I would personally move the good dash to the good cab and paint it before I would tackle all the body work in the floors, cowl and corners. Lots of guys have successfully did the faux patina. I just delt with a minor redo on my step and the thought of getting the whole cab tweaked is not something I would want to tackle. Guess out west we are spoiled by relatively good cabs....

But if you decide to do the body work, brace it good and get the doors aligned first, then tackle the cowl, floors and corners.

I have seen lots of fauxtina as well...just never seems to look like anything more than fake. I suppose I cant avoid paint if I'm patching corners and the bottoms of doors. If I go with the bodywork, is it better to work with aftermarket patch panels or panels from a donor cab? Or no different?

[mvitale27]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

i replaced 2 rear cab corners in and out, floors, hinge pocket repair, steps, rockers and front corner repairs
it would have been a lot easier to do a cab swap, but any cab around here would have been worse off than mine
plus you'd need a vin plate and title for the new cab or at least cut out the vin tag area and transplant it (borderline illegal)

I dont mean to threadjack but it seems we have a related issue.

Would it be a good idea to reinstall the doors and front sheet metal before I start cutting the cab up? That way I can check the gaps and brace the cab or will the alignments be off just from having new metal. I suspect the current rotted metal is "off" compared to spec

[57taskforce]

Mine got a complete floor, steps, rockers, cab corners, real floor lip, some firewall/Cowel patches, and a little bit of patching around the rear window frame. Was it a lot of work? Hell yes, was it worth it not having another of these trucks getting crushed? Double hell yes!
I braced my cab on the inside with the original doors on and shut with good gaps. I braced it across the door openings and across the cab with 1/2 rebar. Then I pulled the doors and got the plasma/cut off out. The only issue I've run into is my aftermarket doors fit like aftermarket doors. I bolted the oe doors up to test everthing after it was all patched up and they good... Needless to say I'm on the hunt for some good south west rust free doors.

[daveshilling]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

i replaced 2 rear cab corners in and out, floors, hinge pocket repair, steps, rockers and front corner repairs
it would have been a lot easier to do a cab swap, but any cab around here would have been worse off than mine
plus you'd need a vin plate and title for the new cab or at least cut out the vin tag area and transplant it (borderline illegal)

I do have a title for the new cab...and found some rust on it too, albeight significantly less. Hey, its not my fault if the metal around the VIN was the only good metal left on the truck... had to replace the rest to make it a safe driver

[daveshilling]

Originally Posted by 57taskforce

Mine got a complete floor, steps, rockers, cab corners, real floor lip, some firewall/Cowel patches, and a little bit of patching around the rear window frame. Was it a lot of work? Hell yes, was it worth it not having another of these trucks getting crushed? Double hell yes!
I braced my cab on the inside with the original doors on and shut with good gaps. I braced it across the door openings and across the cab with 1/2 rebar. Then I pulled the doors and got the plasma/cut off out. The only issue I've run into is my aftermarket doors fit like aftermarket doors. I bolted the oe doors up to test everthing after it was all patched up and they good... Needless to say I'm on the hunt for some good south west rust free doors.

Yeah, I got so much sheet metal in the deal that i may succumb to guilt for not making another truck out of it and look for yet another cab. Especially if I rip out my trucks guts for PB goodies and an LS...I will basically have a complete truck, just need a bed. These are all lofty ambitions though, considering I've never restored a vehicle in my life, welded anything to anything, or revived an engine.

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by daveshilling

Yeah, I got so much sheet metal in the deal that i may succumb to guilt for not making another truck out of it and look for yet another cab. Especially if I rip out my trucks guts for PB goodies and an LS...I will basically have a complete truck, just need a bed. These are all lofty ambitions though, considering I've never restored a vehicle in my life, welded anything to anything, or revived an engine.

no better time to learn new skills. It's really not hard to patch these trucks up. Sometimes it takes some imagination but I think one of the most important skills Is common sense. If you use your head and except that you'll make some mistakes as you go, you can learn the skills necessary to pull it off. For the cutting/welding part of the build, you might see if a local community college or trade school has a welding program with night classes. With a little practice and background knowledge a mig welder will practically run it's self.

[daveshilling]

Originally Posted by 57taskforce

no better time to learn new skills. It's really not hard to patch these trucks up. Sometimes it takes some imagination but I think one of the most important skills Is common sense. If you use your head and except that you'll make some mistakes as you go, you can learn the skills necessary to pull it off. For the cutting/welding part of the build, you might see if a local community college or trade school has a welding program with night classes. With a little practice and background knowledge a mig welder will practically run it's self.

Apparently many other people are interested in welding too.. fall classes are booked solid for all CC in my area!! I'm going to get a MIG, find a mentor, and start making mistakes to learn from I think.

[daveshilling]

So I'm signing up for a MIG welding class...something tells me patching this cab is going to be an epic journey full of money and cusswords.

[_Ogre]

consider it shop time therapy
there's a reason mine took 8 years to make it a driver
life and family get in the way... and they should

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by daveshilling

So I'm signing up for a MIG welding class...something tells me patching this cab is going to be an epic journey full of money and cusswords.

Don't forget to make your wife a couple of plant stands as early mig welding projects. Those were the first things the AG shop teacher had the beginner welding kids build after they learned to run a bead. Moms always tended to pay for them. I have one I bought when one mom had too many kids in welding class at the same time.

[roger55]

Check out the build thread on my '57.

I posted detailed photos of all my patch panel installation and metal work. It doesn't start until post #43.