charm
Active Member
My 75 is running well but has some rust issues. Yes, floor pans, but even with my lack of welding skill, I would feel comfortable replacing those. The real issue is the upper cab corner along the drip rail. It appears that the rust extends down below the gasket line for the windshield so I'm looking at replacing a good chunk of the corner of the cab and probably a portion of the A-pillar. This is a welding job way beyond my lack of welding experience. I did pick up a corner from a 74 so I have the sheet metal to replace the rusty stuff with, I just lack the skills to do it.
Alternatively, there's somebody near me with a rust free (so he claims) cab from an 81. It's cab only, doors, glass, dash, etc. So, even if it truly is rust free, it would still be a project!
First question. Would the cab from an 81 play nicely with the doors, fenders, hood, and cowl from a 75? It's got a flat bed on it so compatibility with a bed isn't relevant.
The truck is a beater (or I could call it a rat rod to make it sound cooler). Could I just cut out the rust from the drip rail, re-seam seal the drip rail where salvageable, and then use some sort of a putty to keep the water out where the drip rail needs to be cut off? I would probably need to use some sort of putty along the fin that holds the windshield gasket in places as well.
Mostly, my goal is to have a dry interior so I can add some sound deadening and make it a little more comfortable to drive. I can make hideous booger welds for the floor pan and hide them under carpet and seal up anything I miss with seam sealer and undercoating. I can't do the same thing, exactly, if I'm cutting out 20% of the cab roof and A-pillar.
Alternatively, there's somebody near me with a rust free (so he claims) cab from an 81. It's cab only, doors, glass, dash, etc. So, even if it truly is rust free, it would still be a project!
First question. Would the cab from an 81 play nicely with the doors, fenders, hood, and cowl from a 75? It's got a flat bed on it so compatibility with a bed isn't relevant.
The truck is a beater (or I could call it a rat rod to make it sound cooler). Could I just cut out the rust from the drip rail, re-seam seal the drip rail where salvageable, and then use some sort of a putty to keep the water out where the drip rail needs to be cut off? I would probably need to use some sort of putty along the fin that holds the windshield gasket in places as well.
Mostly, my goal is to have a dry interior so I can add some sound deadening and make it a little more comfortable to drive. I can make hideous booger welds for the floor pan and hide them under carpet and seal up anything I miss with seam sealer and undercoating. I can't do the same thing, exactly, if I'm cutting out 20% of the cab roof and A-pillar.