Hi to all, Sy here, came visiting for some info. A customer complaining about rear cab corners mentioned everyone on this forum was complaining about them as well so I thought I better see what all the problems were. Don't know if anyone has gotten one of our catalogs recently but a few months ago I wrote a complete history and explaination on Front cab corners. If anyone is interested I would be happy to post it, but like I said it is a whole page. Quick explaination, well not exactly quick, is: Currently there are the
(1) old 22" ones which are ok but not right along the door post area, have no holes of any kind, at this time there are no plans to run any more of these as we, and everyone else still have stock it seems. We quit doing the 13" ones years ago but some dealers still have a few left.
(2) The new 22" ones made from the dies that do the full length ones, but door post area is again, terrible, flat angles no sharp 90 degree turn, has mounting holes and inspection hole. (inspection hole was a 56 thing only but not a problem for 53-55).
(3) are the full length ones with the "antenna" holes in the sides, (truck China made them from had a bolt on antenna on one side, they very carefully put both holes in both sides) I almost fainted but they did not care about an old girls vapors and went right ahead stamping them out.
(4) they finally relented and agreed to get rid of the holes so now we have ones without the offending holes.
(5) as of just last month we have the passenger side with the louvers in it for the fresh air heater. Bottom line is all of the front corners are made from pretty much the same dies with just some minor changes.
Rear cab corners, only 2 to choose from no matter what anyone may tell you.
(1) the old "Mill Supply" they don't make them but this is the die that has been around since '60's. What we call the econo, it is good for the round part but not the door piller area, and is too short when going over the 53-55 gas indent.
(2) the China one, fits some trucks better than others as the lower cab area is slightly different (one Ford die was flatter & more squared off at the bottom than others) Door pillar area is not perfect. All are made from same dies but trimmed by hand, and have noticed some are more wrinkled than others.
Hope this helps in choosing the right piece. Sorry it got to be a book.
Sy

 

Hi Sy,
Glad to see you took the time to come by and set the record "straight" on the patch panels. That's the kind of service and concern that sets Mid Fifty apart from the other vendors IMHO, and why I always sing your praises. Don't ever stop publishing all the extras in your catalog, I for one refer to it and quote it constantly, and it's the first place I check when I need any information or parts.

 

Does anyone know if there is anything available for the front upper portion of the front fenders? I realy don't want to replace the entire fender as I understand there are no replacements for the F-250 but the F-100 fenders will fit but have smaller wheel openings.

 

Sy,

Thanks for the information. It is very refreshing to hear from a vendor and get the insights from the other side.

Thanks for taking the time to give us the info
Bobby

 

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up for me too.
Metal working skills? No. I'm a working street medic. I do this stuff to "relax". Guess what! Wrestling with a patch panel that needs 2 hrs. of massaging isnt relaxing. I'd save my dabloons and buy a patch that fit over one that "is guaranteed to be reasonably close to the same general shape of one of the panels on your truck! Generally speaking."

 

welding straight is not a skill required for installing patch panels. You want to install them with just tacks no more than 1/4" long. Patience is a major virtue in this operation, but it will pay off in the end! Round the corners of the patch panel/cutout with as large a radius as possible first, curves are a much shorter distance/weld length than square corners, are much less likely to burn thru or warp from heat concentration and are much more easily finished out.
Place your tacks as far apart as possible and allow each to cool to bare hand cool before adding another closer than 6" to it. This is critical!!! Do not force cool the tacks! adjust any misalignment between tacks before adding any additional ones. Have another project to work on between tacks so you are not tempted to rush. Keep adding tacks between the previous ones (but NEVER closer than 6"!) and cooling between until you have completely welded in the patch. Use a 60 grit flap disk to grind down the welds with a light touch, being VERY careful to not overheat the area and warp it after all the time you took to weld it in without warpage. Using my recommended ESAB Easy Grind wire will help to not overheat. When the weld bead is nearly but not quite gone, check the panel with a straight edge across the seam and correct any heat shrinkage with a hammer and dolly, hammering "on dolly" along the seam to stretch the seam and raise the seam back up to flow into the panel contour. Now use a body file at angles across the seam to finish removing the weld bead down flush. This whole operation may/should take a full day on a small patch and several days to do a major patch, but done with care and patience should require little to no filler (no more than an 1/8" skim coat) to finish out to perfection.

Don't skimp on the size of the patch! Poke hard along the most likely rust line with a small screwdriver or awl on either side of the rust out to be sure you have more than foil thin metal to weld to. better to cut away more than needed than too little. After cutting out the damaged area recheck the remaining edge and backside to see it is full thickness. Hint: It is much easier to weld and finish out along a corner than in the center of a panel. Carrying the patch up to the door opening bend is much better idea than ending it a couple inches away.

 

Ax, I would take time off and drive down your way just to pick your brain while helping with your truck. I think what I would learn while helping you would pay back the expense ten times over. I appreciate how thorough you are in details. Besides I would love to get a close up of your garage to pattern mine after it. Now that all the house is new, I can spend some $$ on finish touches for the garage!

Kevin

 

As they say on the game show: "COM'MON DOWN!" I can always use an extra set of hands. If there is anything in particular you want to know about the garage or whatever, PM or email me your actual email addy so I can attach pics to my email replies. I am always glad to help in any way I can. I've mentioned it many times before, but once again for anyone who is just starting off doing body repairs, I highly recommend Ron Covell's video "Basic Techniques for Working with Steel" www.covell.biz
There is nothing like seeing and HEARING the sounds to decrease the learning curve.
I am not a pro bodyman, and am still learning something new every time I do another project or read another article (I just learned from an article in Street Rodder that the PO mounted the AC condensor 90* to the way it is supposed to be, so I may have to redo the new mounts I made) but a lot of the techniques we use on the metals in creating our jewelry are similar to body work, but on a much smaller scale.

 

Yep, guess Im the only one that makes CORRECT rear cab corners!
Photos of the "Good Stuff" in my gallery.
Reamer

 

You need to expand out your offerings to the F100s. You heard their clamorings and willingness to pay a substantial premium price, now fill the need.

 

What are you guys doing to fill in the gas filler neck holes?

 

I replaced the entire corner on my 55.. was rusted thru anyhow..

Sam

 

Do u guys know of a panal the will replace above windshield frame or the whole frame because i have alot of rot in it and it is to small to patch neatly

thanks

 

Reamer, will your patch panels work on a cabover? I need both sides.

Ax, when you have a couple of days your are going to work on it let me know. I will make my way down. I can adjust my schedule to any days. Anytime I can learn something or improve on what I do I make time.

 

When I bought the rear lower corners, they were tall enough to cover the filler, but I only had rust at the bottom. I cut a patch panel out of the patch and welded it in. Here's a pic before primer.

Jeff