Rust opinions

[legopnuematic]

It really is all about how much you want to put into it. The cab to my 79 is one that most would have sent to the scrap heap, I have/have to patch things everywhere and a lot in the places that nobody makes patches for, like the firewall. For me however I would rather fix the rusty cab and save having another square being decommissioned and its cab taken for another truck. This cab is the cab that the truck was born with, if I put a cab from an 83 on it would it really be a 79 anymore? To me it wouldn't be. Its history of being a sheet metal company's work truck and its abandonment behind a machine shop for over two decades would be lost with a different cab. To others that just want a truck and don't care the history of it, that might be just fine, I personally like knowing the history of it and trying to keep that history. You could get screwed too with a replacement cab if it had previous body work done to it that might be hiding lots of ugly stuff underneath, putting you back to square one.

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[eskimomann209]

That too, makes sense.
I had originally planned on cutting the roof off another truck including the a pillars.

What gauge is everyone using?

 

[legopnuematic]

That too, makes sense.
I had originally planned on cutting the roof off another truck including the a pillars.

What gauge is everyone using?

If you are talking gauge of metal, then 18 gauge cold rolled is the standard for making replacement panels

 

[eskimomann209]

If you are talking gauge of metal, then 18 gauge cold rolled is the standard for making replacement panels

Sweet thanks

Thinking about looking for something like this
It’ll help out with a good chunk of my problems

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[Rusty Nail]

It don't look terrible to me but i'm easy. I'd fix it if I was in love with it..if it needs replacing later you will at least buy PLENTY time to find another cab while you keep driving it without spending too much time and money!

Voted sand and float.

 

[DanMcG]

How was the roof panel done? Welded? Glued?
I'd take a grinder to some of the heavily bubbled areas and see how bad it is. I'd consider a new cab if it all rusted through.

 

[eskimomann209]

It don't look terrible to me but i'm easy. I'd fix it if I was in love with it..if it needs replacing later you will at least buy PLENTY time to find another cab while you keep driving it without spending too much time and money!

Voted sand and float.

Truck has sentimental value indeed
And I am driving it! Seems like a decent idea if I get enough good Steel.
I’ll sand n post some updates

How was the roof panel done? Welded? Glued?
I'd take a grinder to some of the heavily bubbled areas and see how bad it is. I'd consider a new cab if it all rusted through.

Looks tacked but never fully seamed
Then bondo’d over .
The sheet looks galvanized and the area around it the original roof is pitted pretty good

 

[eskimomann209]

Hey is the metal dash section in the cab removable ?

 

[bucket]

Hey is the metal dash section in the cab removable ?

A bolt on each lower corner and a series of spot welds along the lower windshield opening.

 

[beaugranbois]

Go with a donor cab. There’s a lot of rust and I can almost guarantee you that it’s just the tip of the iceberg. If it was just rockers and floor pans I would say repair but the roof, cowl and pillars are rusting so I just see a can of worms as you start opening it up.

 

[eskimomann209]

Well... peeled some stuff back
Turns out they installed the patch panel from underneath and tacked outside
So it created a track that lead the water inside as well as outside
One pinhole in the cowl and one corner of the window

But since it’s being attacked from the inside and outside
It looks like a new cab
Also significant bubbling between the cab and bed because water sat in the back behind the seat
So it would take an entire cab to try and save this one...
seems like a decent donor is my best option
Thanks guys

 

[eskimomann209]

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[eskimomann209]

So a list of Damage
Floor
Rockers
Back wall
Lower windshield track
Lower windshield corners
A pillars
B pillars
Roof
Inside and out

New/ used cab it is

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Yeah, that thing is smoked, good luck on your search! I found mine on car-part.com

 

[Swims350]

That roof is the bad part. There's no good way to fix that without skinning it. The rest of the stuff is insignificant compared to what I'm used to.

remind ya of anything LOL.

with that said, find another roof and repair the rest, IS an option, BUT by all means IF you can travel, find a better cab, afford it, haul it home, AND get it right with the DMV, DO IT!!!!!!!!!