I measured the opening in a few different direction before I took the door out so I think i am good to go, but great advice. We will see how well I measure tomorrow. A

I already have a large roll of dynamat I bought like 6 years ago and never used, so if i need more than I have i'll try the audiotechnix.

 

i will agree used dynamat and while it helped it was not as much as i had hoped and i did the whole floor, back of the, cab, doors, and roof

 

A couple of comments....

1. Fleet vehicles are generally white for three reasons - it's the cheapest color to to put on a vehicle, and white goes with just about everything - logos/strips/signs/markings/etc.

A green logo looks good on a while truck. Not so good on a red truck.

The marketeers researched and found that white is a color that least offends the most people. Add the other two reasons into the mix and now you know why most fleet vehicles are white.

2. I've personally saved vehicles that were far more rusty than this, and they didn't really come out this nice. So kudo's to the OP for taking on a potentially miserable project and turning out fine results.

I think you fibbed about being a newbie ;-)

3. The reasons why vehicles of our vintage and older go right into the squasher, baler, or chipper is in part because the government is making it increasingly difficult to run a "parts yard" profitably, with all the rules, disposal and environmental requirements. Add to that the endless plethora of idiots who get hurt in u-pull-its and sue the yards to make a buck - insurance premiums are generally the highest cost of these yards. So from a business perspective, can you blame them?

The days of 50 years of rusty cars put out in rows for a decade are gone.

Also, China and other countries are buying steel like it's going out of style - because it is - and big ol' American cars had lots of steel on them, so it's profitable to to squish, chip and ship. So, that's what is done.

Sad, I love older vehicles too - simpler, easier to service, less "junk" to break, and of course the most important reason for me - no monthly payment.

If I were to buy a 2012 F350 crewcab SRW V8/stick with the bare minimum of options, what would that cost? I have no idea. I bet it costs "far more" than keeping my '93 on the road, even in a bad year. And, I bet they don't get significantly better gas mileage than my tried ol' truck either.

Of course this is just my opinion. I use my truck as a truck. I've owned many trucks over the years and it usually took me less than a week after driving it off the lot to bork the paint with something I loaded, hauled, or dragged. Heck, this one I ruined the tailgate on the very first day - wrong size ball, the trailer tongue popped off and went right through the tailgate.

So, old trucks for me. I don't need leather-clad fanny warmers, automatic telescoping mirrors, massaging steering wheels, and voice actuated "are you dead sir?" telekinesis links to some headquarters in a third world country after an accident.

I have a come-a-long, some chains, a box of bandaides, and a Ford. What more can you need.

 

Frederic- You said a couple different mouth fulls there. I'm shopping for a used car right now. It'll be used for family road trips, and a backup in case anything happens to mom's DD. The whole process, and people's complete ignorance, made me so angry I stood up in the dealership and said 'I've gotta go hit golf ***** before I start screaming"


Op- Sounds like a plan. Reason I Asked about the undercoat is O'reiley just opened up some franchises around me. First people I'd seen to carry stuff like this in-store. Been working very well for 6mos. on my cousin's rat rodhttp://www.shop3m.com/60980109254.html?WT.mc_id=3M-com-AtoZ-Underseal-Rubberized-Undercoating

 

thanks mredington!... thats exactly what i was thinking im not going to stoop down to his level....thats all i had money for and by the way i got a ton of complements on how good it looks thanks ...............

Back to the OP's project its looking great! and should be back on the road in no time

 

looking nice 05victorylly! keep up the good work.

 

Rocking ! looks sweet.. I may have to just pay you to fix the cab I was gonna scrap. inspiring 4 sure I may just have to get cutting (then make a profit off my new cab lol) ...

Plain Jane- pleasure was all mine and thanks for the shout!

 

Really isn't too bad, and I had a lot of rust as you saw! If I had a better welder it would have been even easier. Just as you offered, I would be happy to lend a helping hand if you need the help.

 

^^^^ and THAT'S what the FTE community is all about.

 

Don't let that guy(DB) discourage you! Keep up the good work!! We dont need guys like him on these boards.
I'll be keeping an eye on your progress.

 

Good work.

Thanks for saving another one.

 

Thanks guys. Waiting for new rubber floors. After those come in I will do a little bit of bondo work on the cab corner and I need to patch a 3" hole I found in the passenger side floor. I also still need to do some dynamat/insulation. The truck is really loud right now, very annoying up hills. I undercoated both sides of the truck underneath to avoid this problem again.

I needed to use the truck today, had to bring a bunch of sheet rock to a job. First load I put in the truck and it handled great. I had 30 sheets of 1/2"x4x10 and 30 sheets of 1/2"x4x8 in the dump bed and it handled the weight really well. I figure its around 3900lbs according to the manufactures posted weight per sheet plus another 200 in misc materials. Truck was still 4" + from the bump stops and stopped and accelerated totally fine. I was impressed.

 

Undercoating is good.
Be sure to get inside the boxed in cab support section at the front edge of the floor.

Just remember that most of that rust starts on the inside.
Look at how it follows the seam along the door sill.

That's why I used cold galvanizing before I painted my repair panels.
The black primer the come with is just to keep them from rusting during shipment.

 

What's the latest?

Progress and picts., please!!!

 

did you over lap the metal where you welded in the new panels or did you butt weld it all?