I was concerned with this area before separating the cab
My plan was to cut the A pillar in half and use the front half from the parts cab
But it's worse than I thought inside. The inner reinforcement has rusted away from the A pillar on both sides.
I didn't take a good shot from further back on the parts cab, but this is how it's supposed to look. This is the inside of the driver's A pillar at the base of the windshield.
Cleaned up the garage and pushed it back in to mull over my options.
I'd need to have it blasted to know for sure, but I suspect the metal in the A pillar is too thin to be saved. My biggest issue is keeping it all square. If I cut the A pillars off I don't have a good way of properly placing their replacements. Really wishing now I had left the parts cab alone and simply cut the A pillars halfway down the windshield , then grafted the front end onto my cab.
Which brings me to my next though. Currently, I'm thinking the best plan of action is to:
-blast/wire wheel/treat all the bits of the parts cab I removed removing all rust that wasn't reached when it was blasted all assembled
-re-install the panels back onto the parts cab. I should be able to line up everything pretty easily just by matching the spot welds drill holes.
-cut back the floor of the parts cab where it meets the firewall to allow room for...
-tack new firewall onto parts cab along the cowl and A pillars
-cut the A pillars of the parts cab about halfway down the windshield, and cut the base of the A pillars away from the floor and rockers
-after lots of measuring, tack the assembled front half of the cab on to the remains of my "good" cab
-test fit windshield, hang and test fit doors to confirm measurements
-weld A pillars together in solid with some sort of internal fish plating or sleeve
-fit new floor pan to the cab at the back, slice and dice as needed to join firewall to floor.
Opinions? Hoping someone has a better plan (other than buy another cab...)
I am so over my head it's not even funny.
