Greetings and seeking advice from San Diego!

[Timbotec]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all the input, I guess I have some thinking to do on it. I knew it was bad but I guess I didn't know that the cab was THAT bad. I guess its sucks because it's one of the only Body parts that cant be easily swapped out. Are most of the non running parts trucks that you guys come across coming up on Craigslist or is there another source (junkyards...ect)?

Also, His space is limited so any bodywork would have to be done outside and in stages. Is this a deal breaker? I wouldn't want to weld on a patch panel just to have it rust up in a year because of trapped moisture.

 

[RanchWelder]

Build a

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convertible...

https://www.gmsquarebody.com/attachments/safariburb1-jpg.82529/

You can get creative and still make a cool truck...
This was probably cheaper than a full restore.., if he bent and welded the Tubing himself...

Here's a Blazer...

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Something like this would work as well...
If the rear fenders are beyond repair, fiberglass the roof and weld a flat bed on her...

Here's a C10 headache bar...

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Exterior roll bars are the way to solve your roof rot... interior roll bars should only be used for driving with a helmet on and 5 point harness, or you'll split the pumpkin open...

However there is something to be said for interior roll bars...
Less body work MORE ENGINE...
This is great way to remember the good times:

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It won't matter if it's body filler if it'll run 8.57 sec flat in the quarter... Even if this were to take you 5 years to complete, you would always have one of the coolest trucks at the burger drive through...

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Here's a link:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?p=4644407

This is one of the trucks from the thread above...

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[Ricko1966]

If the rest of the cabs solid I'd have no problem cutting the roof off another cab. and welding the 2 cabs together. The rest of it really is nbd, patch panels or replacement panels. Just my .02 cents.

 

[Grit dog]

If the rest of the cabs solid I'd have no problem cutting the roof off another cab. and welding the 2 cabs together. The rest of it really is nbd, patch panels or replacement panels. Just my .02 cents.

This is something you’ve done and sounds feasible to you? Even more so for someone who is apprehensive about much lesser bodywork?
The kicker is, the chance that the windshield and back window frames, cowl and anywhere else the water that came in the top would corrode due to, well, gravity, are not also compromised is virtually nil.
And many of these areas are not the typical rust areas like rockers floors cab corners. Heck those areas may be fine because the truck rotted out atypically. From the top down from sitting neglected vs from the bottom up due to being used.
That cab is garbage for anything other than a sihtbox beater or a project for Rust Valley Restorers. Period.

 

[Grit dog]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all the input, I guess I have some thinking to do on it. I knew it was bad but I guess I didn't know that the cab was THAT bad. I guess its sucks because it's one of the only Body parts that cant be easily swapped out. Are most of the non running parts trucks that you guys come across coming up on Craigslist or is there another source (junkyards...ect)?

Also, His space is limited so any bodywork would have to be done outside and in stages. Is this a deal breaker? I wouldn't want to weld on a patch panel just to have it rust up in a year because of trapped moisture.

Well that doesn’t sound fun in the Bay Area except in the summer.
CL and FB for trucks. WA, OR, NorCal, lots of squarebodys out there. It’s not like ordering from Amazon though. Gotta wait until the right one comes along. But my point was there are so many trucks in our corner of the country that are rust free or nearly rust free that unlike much of the rest of the country, that are clean body/chassis “junkers” that don’t run and need paint and interior but no surgical bodywork.

Again what’s the end goal and how much $ you think you got to put towards it?

 

[Ricko1966]

Yes I have done stuff like that and so have lots of other people used to be common to build chop tops it would just be a stock height chop top. People used to do a lot of stuff nobody does any more. You are correct it may be beyond his aptitude or budget. Also you do have a point about rust damage that I didn't think about. I do not agree that that cab is good only for a sh t box beater,but that's just me. I've brought way rougher stuff back than that.

 

[Turbo4whl]

Something everyone forgets about 1974 trucks. That was the year of the big steel strike. Many, not all, US made vehicles that year were made with imported steel. The steel they imported was, to be generous, very subpar. I like this line... "ask me how I know". My 1974 has no original body parts.

 

[WFO]

Welcome from the Texas Panhandle.

 

[Grit dog]

^I would think differently if the guy was in the rust belt. I grew up in Chicago and many of these trucks were worse than that one by the time they were 10 years old.
But he’s not and that cab is junk out here. Heck rust free cabs get scrapped up here left n right because after trucks get parted out, no one needs the cab because a much higher % are clean or minor rust.
I got all the patch pieces for my resto from a guy who parted out squares as a side hustle. Charged me like $25 for all the chunks I needed, cut out of a cab that had zero rust. He had to leave the vin attached like the nuts on a dead buck as “evidence” for the scrapper that title matched.
Cost for the entire cab would have been the same $25 or maybe $0 because someone would save him the trip to the scrap yard.

 

[DrvnDrvr]

I'd take out the seat and whatever flooring it has and get a good assessment of how far the rust has gotten.
I don't think that cab is not worth saving.
Hopefully you can find a front end wrecked or motor blown truck and swap out the front clip, doors, hood, interior and whatever else isn't shot or nostalgic . Use the best engine, running gear, frame and anything else of the two.
That makes it a remove and replace operation.

The hardest part of automotive repair is fabrication and diagnostics.

You're gonna need some room and time to do this.

Short term just get it running pretty well and take dad for a ride..

Patina is priceless.

 

[Ricko1966]

^I would think differently if the guy was in the rust belt. I grew up in Chicago and many of these trucks were worse than that one by the time they were 10 years old.
But he’s not and that cab is junk out here. Heck rust free cabs get scrapped up here left n right because after trucks get parted out, no one needs the cab because a much higher % are clean or minor rust.
I got all the patch pieces for my resto from a guy who parted out squares as a side hustle. Charged me like $25 for all the chunks I needed, cut out of a cab that had zero rust. He had to leave the vin attached like the nuts on a dead buck as “evidence” for the scrapper that title matched.
Cost for the entire cab would have been the same $25 or maybe $0 because someone would save him the trip to the scrap yard.

Wow,here they came new with rust,you won't find anything that doesn't need major rust repair here. If rust free cabs are easy to find and cheap,great. Not around here. Now I did find this kind of interesting and cheap,anyway I think so. Hardtop convertible kit for c10 the instruction pdf was to large to attach.

 

[Grit dog]

Wow,here they came new with rust,you won't find anything that doesn't need major rust repair here. If rust free cabs are easy to find and cheap,great. Not around here. Now I did find this kind of interesting and cheap,anyway I think so. Hardtop convertible kit for c10 the instruction pdf was to large to attach.

Those are cool! And cheap! The pic sucks though. Is it the top and b pillar/back window as well?

I mean, the OP likely has cowl and windshield frame damage as well. But would be neat to have a targa top squarebody.
And yeah different story in different locales. Which I based my recommendations considering.

 

[Ricko1966]

I can't find anymore information, the end result I think is the pic I'll put at the bottom its an s10 but best pic I could find. After looking and reading it looks like abs plastic caps to cover where you cut the roof and hook and latch type fasteners to hold the top back on.

 

[Mr Clean]

IMO the truck is worth saving! What part of SD are you from? I'm from Lakeside, born and raised. I have a few buddies out there that got me into Squarebodies. If you want I can get you in contact with one of them. I have a cab I can cut the rear cab section off. $40 bucks and pay the shipping. You will need to find a good body man. As mentioned you can replace the fenders, and stuff like that. If you want or need any other cab parts let me know.

Maybe it's me, but I'm shocked as hell it has that much rust being in Cali. Let us know what you decide to do.

 

[Dryriver1]

Welcome from Ohio. Yes, it's worth saving especially with sentimental attachment JMO. It's just time and money!! I've seen much worse restored.

Welcome from far west Texas!
I hope all is well and that it works out in the end for your Pops and you.

Best wishes to you and all of your loved ones always!

Dryriver1