Is this cab repairable?
 

I'm starting to work on the rust in the cab of my 67 GMC. The rust is pretty bad on the footwells, kickpanels and rocker panels on both sides. Here are some pictures.

It looks like I'm going to have to replace the footwells (or maybe the whole floor), kickpanels and rockers. Are there replacement body panels for the kickpanels? Should I give up on this cab and look for a cab without rust? I expect a rust free cab will be hard to find.

I'd prefer to keep this cab, since I feel it's the heart of the truck I've had since I was 14. I'm not a welder, but am considering learning just for this project - is this something a novice welder could repair?

Thanks for any input.

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

That portion is very repairable. I am in the process of doing it myself. It does look like you are going to need new rockers and possibly inner rockers. Once you get the outer rocker off it will tell you if you need further replacement panels.

I bought a welder and plasma cutter in February of this year and jumped in to do this rust repair with both feet.

The kickpanels, outer rockers, inner panels and lower pillars all can be bought from vendors on the board here. I bought a cab kit from Bill at Athey's here on the boards, but there are other vendors that have the same panels.

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

Looks like mine! But you can see the road through mine! :lol:

I plan on doing mine soon as well. Very repairable area.

Gary

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

I wish mine was that nice lolol

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

Here are pictures of passenger side.

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

Since you live in California, I would look for another cab, Unless you are wanting to weld and replace panels and learn how to do bodywork. I see rust free cabs in junkyards here all the time. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
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Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

Why not save it and learn another skill in the process? Seems too many are still being scrapped and if its close to your heart...well. My cab has a lot of issues and I plan to keep it and fix it.

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

that dosent look bad at all pretty much the norm around here too have to replace that part of the floor oh yhea and the other part of the floor and that other part and the cab supports and the cab corners and the inner rockers and the cab braces and the inner....ok I'll stop.... you guys in cali have it easy

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

I'm only a novice welder, if that, and my cab was way worse than that. Then again, I'm not done with mine yet, either. I think a lot of folks would have said mine wasn't worth repairing, but like you, I've had the truck since I was 16 (42 now), and it just wouldn't be the same with a different cab. But, it sort of depends on how much time you have to do the project, too. Novices like us take a long time to do these types of jobs. Plus, being in CA (rather than northern Wisconsin, where I am), you might be able to find a pretty solid cab for a good price.

A decent MIG welder setup makes it pretty easy to weld the sheet metal required for these types of jobs. I was a little bit nervous about burning through or warping the crap out of everything when I started on the body panels, as all I had welded before was thicker steel projects, but as long as you get the welder set right (practice a bit on some scraps to dial it in) and take your time welding a little here and then a little there, and then back to where you started, etc., it's really not that bad. Plus there's lots of folks here that know tons about these trucks and how to do this kind of work.

Don't let your lack of experience with the welding/body work scare you away from the job. Everybody had to start somewhere. You'll just have to sit down and figure out if you want to devote the time to futzing around with your cab or if you would rather just swap cabs.

Good luck.

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

most non-coastal california cabs are not as bad as yours, but you're likely going to need to replace the kick panel, pillar, and rockers even if you find a better cab. every cab i've seen has rust in the exact same place, just not as much. any cab you buy is going to need those repairs if you want to fix it right anyway, so you may as well replace it and keep it since its YOURS. The other good thing is this area is usually well hidden so you don't need to be a perfectionist...

There is a good thread on here with pictures but I can't find it at the moment.

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

As alot of people have said, it's definately repairable, I'm also in the process of doing mine. It all comes down to your willingness to learn & the time & effort you're willing to put in. It's ALOT of work, and it can be tedious and discouraging. I've been on and off on my truck for over 3 years now (time/schedule constraints), and i absolutley HATE rust repair, and body work in general. But it's an eperience I wanted to go through, so I could learn, and have the satisfaction of knowing when it was said & done, I was the one who put in the hours, and developed the skills to accomplish the project.

Check my build thread HERE if you'd like to see how much of my cab I had to cut apart, and the kind of progress that's been made. Many of the build threads on here have gone through the same decisions & processes you're looking at, and contain huge amounts of tips & tricks to help you along the way!

I wish you luck, and most importantly, stay motivated!

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

That looks better than every cab I've ever fixed in New England. Thats practically mint on the East Coast! Not a hard fix at all in my opinion,especially if you like the truck.

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Do it!!!
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Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

thats not bad at all heres mine all the cab mounts were just the corners left i can believe my cab didnt fall the inner and outer rockers, all 4 cab supports, kick panels, bottoms of the outer cowl, and the a and b pillars were replaced i did all this when i was 70 took about 80 hours start to finish but the rust is gone killed it with por 15
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...15176654_n.jpg
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Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

When you start "cutting'....it will be a bigger mess than you "once thought it was'! Not bad like an illinois truck, but she will be a tick of work? Crank the welder up, & show the midwest "boys", how you fix that tin;) crazyL

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

If you are attached to this cab, it's worth repairing. You can get all of these sections you'll need to replace from numerous venders, and their not all that expensive. Just remember when welding sheet metal don't weld more than 3/4" before moving to a different spot, then when it's cooled off come back and weld some more. This should help to prevent warping. Don't forget also that grinding the welds can heat it up enough to warp as well. These are the worst mistakes I've made when I first started. Another thing, don't let it overwhelm you. If you can't afford, or don't have the time to do it all at once, do one section at a time. In the end I think you'll be feeling alot of satisfaction that you did it yourself, and grow even more attached to that cab. Good luck

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

Thanks for all the input. 69Chevy - that looks like alot of work, but it came out looking great.

I didn't mention that I also have a hole in my roof from prior owner installing a sunroof -and the damn thing has been leaking since about 1980!

I'll keep my eye out for a VERY clean cab locally, but if I don't find one, I guess I'll go to work in this one. I think it's unlikely that I'll find one that needs no rust repair, but anything is possible.

A local community college has a welding class starting in January - I'll sign up for that just in case - I'm sure I'll need to weld SOMETHING on this truck, even if it's not the cab.

In the meantime, I'll try to stop the rust with RustSeal and figure a way to patch the holes in the floor so I can drive around while I sort things out.

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

69chevy lwb - To use an often overused word, that is AWESOME work! Very impressive to save a cab in this condition.

hpcgmc - You can do it if you set your mind to it. I've seen a lot of great results from board members who started out without any real body work experience. Do you have anyone locally that can advise and help talk you through things when you get a little discouraged. I've found having that kind of support can make a lot of difference and help you get through a project! Good Luck!!

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

from a body mans site heck yea it can be repaired and on that truck very easily.

Re: Is this cab repairable?
 

Yup yup yup it is my cab had the same problem

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I would be more overwhelmed by repairing the roof from the sunroof.That floor is'nt bad at all for around here. If you can find a good one without the sunroof I would swap it out though.