Pulling my roof to replace or shave the drip rails. I know its a lot of work, but I want the rust gone, not just welded over and hidden for a few years until it rears its ugly head again.

The sides and front are pretty easy to drill out (I may even just cut the welds out with the grinder and cut the lip off the rail). The problem is at the back of the cab. I plan on welding the seam above the window so I could cut it across the seam as a last resort. I would much rather prefer to drill the spot welds, I just can't figure out how to get my drill in there!

 

No one? Reall, no one has this problem??

 

If your cab is rotted to the point where the seams are all falling apart, you're likely in the market for a batter, donor cab. There's lots of solid cabs around still. But if you're seeing benign rusty coloring and thinking you have a problem, you're going to make a bigger problem out of it trying to "fix" it. My 2c. Can you show us your concerns?

 

I just need to know if amyone here has undone the spot welds along the back seam of the cab, and if so is there a trick to getting to them.

Most guys here would have passed on this cab a long time ago.

 

No trick that I know of, just a lot of slow work. I used a dremel tool and cutoff wheel that was big enough to reach around the lip of the bottom cab section. I cut the spot welds one at a time. It was pretty much working around a blind corner most of the time. I had to use a little mirror to see where I was cutting.

I should also point out several of the welds had rusted and popped on their own as I pried the two sections apart, which made it a little easier. Be careful you don't damage it too much, it might be hard to get the seam to line back up and close when you're done. I had problems with the two short cowl seams.

 

"clontonvilian" has some very nice pics of his cab work in his albums. Very nice work, way above my skill level.

 

I use a spot weld chisel made by Steck...here is a link to one on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Steck-Manufacturing-20015-Seam-Buster-Spot-Weld-Chisel-/331079866984?_trksid=p2054897.l4276The trick is to insert the blade into the seam and then tap the back of the blade with a hammer to cut the welds. If you use this tool you will finish the roof seam job in less time than it would take to grind out just one spot weld...AND you will end up with a much better seam/flange.

 

Cool beans. It's got my vote.

 

I remove my roof to install a fiber:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...rd-f100-9.html

 

Please take plenty of pictures of the various subassemblies when you take the roof off, I have never found any good pictures of how the roof skin, drip rail and sidewalls are assembled/joined. it's a more complex joint than most realize.

 

I didn't have any fancy tools so I used an old wood chisel and that work great. I even used it on the floor when I removed it for channeling. My original top had some pretty bad dents in the top and some nasty rust.





_______________________________________
48 Ford F1 - Darkside
46 Ford Tudor - Street Rod

"It's amazing how big of a Chevy you need to replace a Flat Head"

 

Wow... Mike... I never relieved you had removed the drip rails before... Looks great... you have talent to spare...

 

My question about the fiberglass roof......how could you fill the seam after gluing it together.

Looks like anything you did would still have a hairline crack if you tried to fill it?

 

Who is putting on a fiberglass roof? Mine is steel and it is welded at the seams from the inside.

 

Are you talking about the rear seam? I'd say most that are using the fiberglass roof are looking for a stock look and aren't concerned with filling that seam. The gutters are used to hide the side and front seam.