Since my 54 really isn't a work truck anymore do you think the seams should stay or go? If they go, how is the best way to clean the calk stuff out?

 

If there is no major reason to fill the seams like rust etc. leave them alone.
The seams make a great place to change color if you have to repaint for any reason. Sooner or later you will have a ding or two and need to fix the paint. The seam will help hide the color miss match even a really great paint shop has trouble matching paint exactly. I do admit that filled seams and shaved body lines look cool. My vote is leave the seams.

 

I opted to fill my cab seams, for the "smoother" look. I blasted all metal before paint. don't recall having to remove any seam caulking but did re-caulk all interior seams before paint.

 

Noted you are right so outside seams should stay, what about inside seams. When ford put my cab together the inside seams are bad. For example if you slid your hand up windshield pillar you could cut your hand on lip. I was going to hammer down trim and weld. I only have 1 that is that bad but it is not a clean line and I though I would fix it. Does anybody else have rough interior seams??? just wondering if this was on odd thing on my truck.

 

Everybody has rough interior seams. But some are probably worse than others. These were crude work trucks and there was little to no thought put toward Lexus-like fit and finish. And they were certainly never intended to last 60 years. If you have the desire to make it better, go for it.

 

Wayne, as you can tell I was planning on it, not that I want to over-engineer anything but my truck has been in family for so long I think it's time to fix some stuff. And yes as I go I will try and post pictures. Pictures will at least be entertainment or don't do this kinda thing.

 

I hammered mine flat and welded the bad ones.

 

Looks like that lower front seam didn't hold too well

 

I view the outside seams as a dirt, moisture collector so I filled them on the '49 with an automotive seam sealer. I used the same sealer to seal seams in the floor, anywhere there was a potential for water or dust intrusion.

 

Unless you weld the 2 panels together the filler will crack, That's why they use the seam sealer as its flexible

 

I cleaned mine out and resealed it with 3M Heavy DripChek along with the drip sill. I was afraid that if I did try to fill it would crack as Bigwin56f100 mentioned. The DripChek went on unevenly but dries to a perfect smoothness.

 

Thanks guys, all good info. I'm still into the pondering stages since cannot work on truck yet. If my dreams were butterflies everybody's yard would be full of them.