How much rust is too much?

[70monte]

My post about possibly buying a 72 GMC that has some rust issues and some of the replies, has me asking a couple of questions, how much rust is too much to consider restoring a truck and what is a desirable configuration that would make you fix more rust than you normally would?

I have seen quite a few posts on restorations here where people are replacing the normal things like rockers, cab corners, cab supports, and outer floor pans as well as the more difficult ones such as the entire floor, roofs, inner roofs, and firewalls. Beds don't seem to be the real deal killers as they don't usually seem to rust as bad as the cabs and it's easier to find mostly rust free beds vs rust free cabs.

Obviously the least amout of rust is desirable but for the ones here that have done or had done extensive rust repair, what was your motivation to buy one with a lot of rust or fix one that you currently owned instead of finding one with less rust to fix. Thanks.

Wayne

[too much stuff]

To answer your initial question, this is too much rust...

[custom1970]

By the time I got my truck the rust was pretty bad, but the truck was originally my grandfathers and it had a lot of personal value to me. I've owned it for close to 20 yrs now and restored it twice. The second time I realized how hard rust was to fix. I replaced both front fenders, one door and the bottom of the other. In short.... I hate rust!!!! Unfortunately it's a fact of life here in Florida.
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But at least my cab was in pretty good shape, that seems to be the most expensive area to fix. Bolt on parts are rather cheap and easy to find
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[Pont406]

I got this 68 c10 for almost nothing. Next morning I found all this rust problems. I gave it away to my buddy. Surface rust is ok but no holes.

[70monte]

Originally Posted by too much stuff

To answer your initial question, this is too much rust...

Wow, that is probably the worst I've seen. Thanks for the reply.

Wayne

[70monte]

How often do you guys actually find this body style of truck with no rust holes that has not been fixed in the past?

Wayne

[Hubscrub]

Just depend on what you want to fix, my truck got rockers, couple cab supports, front cup on one fender, drivers side lower half of door was replaced, cab corners, couple floor patches. Nothing to bad some i had done some i done i have a 59 project comeing up and i plan to do it all myself it need more work than i ever done but thats how you learn!!!

[70cst]

I would say this is to much rust

[matt_field]

wasnt that white truck restored? and looks very nice now? i could be thinking of a diff. truck though...

[69GWC]

To me rockers and cab corners are fine on the cab, and anything that you can unbolt is good but the price of the truck to start with would play a big part of how much is to much I guess.

Still trying to deciede on my 70 what's going to happen with it as it will need a bed and doors but the rest is the normal rust for around here, but a bed and 2 doors can cost..
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[70cst]

Originally Posted by matt_field

wasnt that white truck restored? and looks very nice now? i could be thinking of a diff. truck though...

You might be right...I saved this picture but can't remember the history behind it.

[Lee H]

Guess I'm lucky. My body man charged me 2 hours to repair the rust in my 72. A quarter size hole in one rocker and a nickel size hole in each door. Patch panel and lead. No plastic.
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[Fogline69]

Originally Posted by too much stuff

To answer your initial question, this is too much rust...

But I really like the color!
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[70monte]

What is the average cost to replace rockers, cab supports, cab corners, and the entire floor?

I guess I'm used to cars where you have floor, trunk, qtr panels, and possibly rockers that many times need fixed. My 70 Monte needed both qtr panels replaced as well as the bottom half of both front fenders done. It also had to have the lower part of the rear window channel rebuilt. One of my floor pans still has a crack in it that needs to be fixed.

I guess my point is, is that I've seen a lot of cars redone that needed way more rust repair than a lot of these trucks do yet people seem to be hesitant about having much rust fixed on the cab.

That white 4x4 GMC is worse than I have personally seen and I agree that I wouldn't consider it a canidate for a restoration even though it's a 4x4. Thanks again for all of the input.

Wayne

[Mr Chevorlet]

this one looked like this but now it looks like this. I guess eveybody has different outlooks on what is too much rust.Although there were a couple of pictures posted the even i would not tackle.

[classicundercar]

Originally Posted by too much stuff

To answer your initial question, this is too much rust...

lol.

do you have a welder? do you want to take the truck apart and get dirty?

really it depends on your skillset and time/$. anything (almost) can be fixed, but unless you can do it yourself at some point it becomes easier to replace the cab. esp on these types of vehicles where rust free parts are still around.

very different when you're talking about a prewar ford or something more rare. I've known folks to replace insane amounts of rare cars, because that is their only choice.

[john]

Originally Posted by 70cst

You might be right...I saved this picture but can't remember the history behind it.

70 cst, I think that truck was on classic heartbeat years ago. the guy inherited it when his brother passed. It was restored to like new condition. maybe Wes remembers it.

[RenoKeene]

I personally won't tackle a cab that needs cab supports and major roof repair (I don't have the time or talent). Inner and outer rockers, cab corners, small roof, cowel and floor repairs are all managable for me. I like to keep the metal repair on a cab in the $1500 range (not including doors) or less.
Now if it's a rare and/or super desirable unit I'll consider spending more. Remember they made millions of these cabs so good ones are still out there. You also have to factor travel or shipping costs if thats what it takes to find a solid one.
In my opinion a nice solid a/c deluxe cab and doors (requiring no metal work)is worth $2000 to $2500....here in Florida.

[bbadfred]

Originally Posted by Pont406

I got this 68 c10 for almost nothing. Next morning I found all this rust problems. I gave it away to my buddy. Surface rust is ok but no holes.

LOL thats not rusty here in Illinois!!!!!!

[leddzepp]

Take a trip out west and pick up a rust free truck. You will be $$ and time ahead versus fixing a rusty one, unless you have lots of time and like to weld.
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[70monte]

Originally Posted by classicundercar

lol.

do you have a welder? do you want to take the truck apart and get dirty?

really it depends on your skillset and time/$. anything (almost) can be fixed, but unless you can do it yourself at some point it becomes easier to replace the cab. esp on these types of vehicles where rust free parts are still around.

very different when you're talking about a prewar ford or something more rare. I've known folks to replace insane amounts of rare cars, because that is their only choice.

I have a welder but not the right kind for automotive metal and I don't have the welding skills for this type of work. I don't mind taking things apart or getting dirty as I do most of my own mechanic work myself. Rust repair would have to be something I left up to someone else as I have no experience in that area though I would like to learn how to do it.

Wayne

[Sicklajoie]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

Take a trip out west and pick up a rust free truck. You will be $$ and time ahead versus fixing a rusty one, unless you have lots of time and like to weld.
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X 2
This is what I did... no regrets whatsoever.

[72 K20]

There have been some very reasonably priced trucks on the Las Vegas Craigslist.
I picked up my 72 K20 for under $3500 delivered to my house . It just turned over 66,000 miles. It had sat for over 10 years and I had a lot of dried out seals but, all of the rust on the truck wouldn't cover a paper plate. It has some dents but very little rust.
Most recently I purchased a 72 C20,402 BB,TH400,AC cab,power steering and brakes, front stabilizer, original hubcaps, overload springs,AM/FM with MP3 input, near new dual exhaust, and a tool /stowage compartment,,,,,,,,,,,,,$2k delivered to Iowa. Less rust than the K20.

When I started looking for a decent box I was looking at a grand, or there abouts, for a straight box. A complete cab floor delivered will run around $4-$600 plus the labor to install it.
I got a whole truck , that I could drive, for $2K,,, that's a no-brainer.

Now keep in mind, I bought 3/4 ton trucks, both long beds. A short box will cost considerably more because of the demand. A lot of people don't want a 3/4 ton because they want a daily driver that will seldom pull a trailer, haul a heavy load and desire a softer ride. I wanted 3/4 ton to use. But keep in mind,,a 3/4 ton cab and box are totally interchangable with 1/2 ton. And if the desire to have a short box is on your mind,, there are several members on here that have cut down a long box to a shorty.

Have a great day !!
Tom

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by Pont406

I got this 68 c10 for almost nothing. Next morning I found all this rust problems. I gave it away to my buddy. Surface rust is ok but no holes.

Only in California!

[70monte]

Originally Posted by 72 K20

There have been some very reasonably priced trucks on the Las Vegas Craigslist.
I picked up my 72 K20 for under $3500 delivered to my house . It just turned over 66,000 miles. It had sat for over 10 years and I had a lot of dried out seals but, all of the rust on the truck wouldn't cover a paper plate. It has some dents but very little rust.
Most recently I purchased a 72 C20,402 BB,TH400,AC cab,power steering and brakes, front stabilizer, original hubcaps, overload springs,AM/FM with MP3 input, near new dual exhaust, and a tool /stowage compartment,,,,,,,,,,,,,$2k delivered to Iowa. Less rust than the K20.

When I started looking for a decent box I was looking at a grand, or there abouts, for a straight box. A complete cab floor delivered will run around $4-$600 plus the labor to install it.
I got a whole truck , that I could drive, for $2K,,, that's a no-brainer.

Now keep in mind, I bought 3/4 ton trucks, both long beds. A short box will cost considerably more because of the demand. A lot of people don't want a 3/4 ton because they want a daily driver that will seldom pull a trailer, haul a heavy load and desire a softer ride. I wanted 3/4 ton to use. But keep in mind,,a 3/4 ton cab and box are totally interchangable with 1/2 ton. And if the desire to have a short box is on your mind,, there are several members on here that have cut down a long box to a shorty.

Have a great day !!
Tom

I don't mind 3/4 ton trucks as I have also looked at a few of them and I don't care about having a short box. My problem is I'm leery of buying any vehicle that I cannot physically see since I have found out that most people selling a vehicle do not represent it accurately. How did you go about buying your trucks and how did you know what you were getting? Thanks.

Wayne