Spent the weekend removing bed and cab from my 1962 f100. The cab floor and step plates have some major cancer and I will be going in with the knife as soon as I finish my Mig practice.

The new backing plates, step plates, cab corners, lower door pillars, rocker panels, and floor pans are sitting on the porch ready to go.

What I don't know is what parts to start on first to avoid any twisting or irregularities (like the doors not fitting after I'm done). Would you just cut out enough of the old metal to weld in the new before you start on the next, or just remove everything at once? I'm thinking lower door pillars and cab corners first, rocker panel next, step and backing plates, then floor pans and finally cab mount.

How would the pro's do it?

 

Tack weld in some bracing before cutting out anything and that will help with the twisting. Also I was told it was best to do it in sections rather than cutting out everything at once.

 

I did the same to a sedan. First I spent lots of time tack welding in 3/4 or 1 inch square tube that criss-crossed the door openings and from the lower right floor board passenger to upper right driver side by the dashboard. I also did the same lower right driver side to upper right passenger. And I did the same at the rear a the area by the forward trunk and behind the rear seat. The passenger space (cab) stayed on the frame the whole time. It took about 20 feet of tube but these vehicle are assembled at the plant in jigs before spot welding. You are basically cutting apart a superstructure and one cut too far really can go to a bad place of re-squaring things.