Is this cab worth trying to save?!

[HotRodPC]

The other reason is, the Transfter case will hit on the bottom of the cab if it's not a high hump. Your other option is to do a 2 or 3 inch body lift. Then then the Transfer case will have enough room under the cab. However, this does make the Transfer Case shift stick a longer reach from the driver seat, which is easy corrected, especially if going with an NP205. You can aftermarket Twin Stick your NP205 and use taller sticks or put an extension on your OEM shift stick.

 

[chengny]

Your other option is to do a 2 or 3 inch body lift.

That's the workaround I was leaning towards - if I have to.

 

[MadOgre]

Your other option is to do a 2 or 3 inch body lift.

That's the workaround I was leaning towards - if I have to.

Body lifts suck!

I know some of the pre 80 cabs have raised tunnels that are bolted and epoxied into place. One of those would have the 205 opening anyways and you could mount one of those in there so it would look nice and factory.

Plus if your gonna paint then it will look like its supposed to be there.

That's what I would do but hey that's just my opinion

 

[chengny]

I am still not convinced. It appears to me - just by looking - that there is sufficient clearance for that new cab to sit atop my drive train without any interference.

I can't imagine the transfer case presenting any problem. It appears to be well below - and behind - the areas where the clearances are at their closest.

Below are some images showing the clearance around my transmission (and T/C) as they currently exist - with the original cab. The blocks of wood and folded up manuals are what I use to maintain the transmission/TC at their normal angle whenever I pull an engine. I find it much easier to do it that way (than to use a floor jack for support and have to squeeze myself around it):

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[DoubleDingo]

I am definitely interested to see how this plays out. If the low hump can actually work with a 4x4 using an automatic between the engine and transfer case. I was always under the impression that the manual transmissions got the high hump, as well as a 4x4 regardless of transmission. I also thought the trucks had the bolt in high hump like the 60's series trucks.

I know my '65 has the outline stamped in the floor, and can be cut out and a high hump will fit perfectly, just needs a flange to fill the gap between the front of the hump and the firewall. If it came factory with the high hump there are nuts welded to uderside of the cab for fender bolts to be bolted into, and the flange is tack welded to the firewall. The shop manual actually says to remove the hump when servicing the transmission or clutch. The transmission is supposed to be installed or removed from the top through that hole in the floor. Sure wish i had known that when changing transmissions long ago. It was an all day affair with 2 people wrestling that beast of an SM420 on a floor jack to get it lined up and slid into the clutch assembly.

 

[HotRodPC]

I hope it works about too. If so I may go through with my cab swap with the 85 C20 cab I have that I have that is about 98% flawless. I was going to do it but would have to do the tunnel swap. I then realized, the labor in the cab swap and tunnel swap, I might be better off just to plan on doing cab corners and rockers if needed on the original cab.

 

[MadOgre]

I am still not convinced. It appears to me - just by looking - that there is sufficient clearance for that new cab to sit atop my drive train without any interference.

I can't imagine the transfer case presenting any problem. It appears to be well below - and behind - the areas where the clearances are at their closest.

Below are some images showing the clearance around my transmission (and T/C) as they currently exist - with the original cab. The blocks of wood and folded up manuals are what I use to maintain the transmission/TC at their normal angle whenever I pull an engine. I find it much easier to do it that way (than to use a floor jack for support and have to squeeze myself around it):

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Totally slipped my mine until looking at your pics lol.

The shifter is bolted to the adapter so as long as you have clearance then no issues ! The 208/241 transfer cases are the ones with the geometry issues.

I would think that you will have sufficient clearance by looking at the cab pictures because the T-case sits behind the part of the hump that is lower on the C cab

 

[MannyDantyla]

Lmc has good stuff a little bit pricey but the patch panels they make aren't THAT expensive.

Well LMC don't really make them, they don't even rebrand them, it could be the same patch panels from any classic parts catalog or ebay or amazon. I don't remember what the labels said, except "made in Taiwan" and some serial numbers and a generic looking logo.

I don't know what kind of welder you have but do not use flux core wire for body work. I use .023 wire when I weld sheet metal it is the thinnest wire you can get and it generates less heat when welding.

I used flux core wire to weld and it is harder but it can be done if it's all that ya got. The smallest flux core wire available is 0.030, the guy at the welding supply shop assured me that no one makes flux core wire any smaller. Just make sure you do lots of practicing first. I found that my butt welds were a lot stronger than the lap welds for some reason, so that's what I went with. But with butt welds you have to be very very good with getting the patch panel to fit perfectly or else the flux-core will blow right through the gap.

and you might want to get some weld threw primer to help prevent rust in the future. paint the insides of where you are going to weld. that way the bare metal is covered on the inside where you can't paint after the repairs.

That's excellent advice too

 

[MannyDantyla]

Well LMC don't really make them, they don't even rebrand them, it could be the same patch panels from any classic parts catalog or ebay or amazon. I don't remember what the labels said, except "made in Taiwan" and some serial numbers and a generic looking logo.

CORRECTION:

That patch panels from LMC are generic. But I bought an inner fender from LMC a few days ago and the sticker had the LMC brand on it. It was still made in Taiwan of course.

 

[crankenstein racing]

Lmc sheetmetal is junk. Get browns of 2 river stuff. Much thicker and better fit and quality

 

[Old77]

Not heard of "brown of 2 rivers"

 

[HotRodPC]

Sounds like something for the poop thread and someone having the *****.

 

[chengny]

Sounds like something for the poop thread and someone having the *****.

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[74propu]

ok back in the 80s I had a 4x4 c30 that the cad was bad fell down on the frame bad I found rust free 2x4 c10 cab I unbolted the hump and layed it on the floor of the new cab marked the shifter hole and cut it out and with the help of some friends and 3 cases of beer picked up the old cab abd set the new cab back on bolted it down and never had a problem with the shifter in the low hump .it was a th400 trans and t/c shifter set a little hirer un the tunnel so lmo don't cut that floor up to put in a hump

 

[chengny]

Thanks for the confirmation Austin. After a lot of measuring I was feeling confident that - even though the contour of the floor pan is different - there would be no problem with clearing the drive train. Then I talked of a couple of guys that had set 2WD cabs on a 4WD drive train - and they both assured me that it wouldn't be an issue. The new red cab is now black and is standing by while I gut the old cab and pull it off.

I am going to try hydro-blasting the frame. The hot dip galvanize option was way too involved, expensive and not really necessary. I'm up in hillbilly country and so can't get anyone to do on-site sandblasting. I will rent the most powerful pressure washer available and see what that can do.