Yesterday I decided to start on the cab. From the outside it looked perfect. I knew I had a couple places to patch in the floor area so I turned the cab up on its back to have better access to the floor. The inner cab corners had some MAJOR rust out. Right at the bottom edge of the outter rear cab corners and front cowls you could see some bondo work and it was cracking so I started to dig it out and this is what I found! I love PO's!



Left Rear Inner

Left rear cab corner

Left Cowl Corner

Right Cowl corner.

I could not believe the amount of bondo they had packed in there right over the rust! LOL when I pulled the bondo out about 2 pounds of sand/dirt poured out of the right and left cowl corners.
OK here is my questions, Is this to far gone and should I look for a cab in better shape? Or can it be saved by replacing the corners both outter and inner pieces? I also know that the rocker panels will have to be replaced. I'm looking at about $450.00 for all the pieces from Mid Fifty. If I do go with the patch panels, how would you brace everything to keep the cab square durning removal and replacement of the corners and rocker panels. I would only do one side at a time. Any other info or suggestion you might have are greatly appreciated.

 

I had all the same questions after I ripped into my '56. I found an overwhelming amount of rust and the list of repair panels needed kept adding up. Since I have no restoration experience I went with a better cab. Sure, it's a '53 cab but in the long run I'll save money and frustration. Maybe I can sell the '56 cab for a little $.

Look close at some of these pics, they look alot like what you're starting with.

56 f100 pictures by 71mach351 - Photobucket

 

Yep, it does look a lot like mine. What really got me was the way it was repaired by someone else. It looked really good from the outside, but the bondo was 1/2 inch thick in places and in one of the corners looks like they packed the hole with diamond expanded wire and then mixed up a batch of fiberglass and poured it in! But they still had all the rusted out metal it was attached to! BTW: Does anyone sell the left rear corner with the gas hole stamped in it? The one from Mid Fifty does not have the indention in it. If not what has others that use this patch do about the gas filler neck? I want to keep the stock location for the gas tank.

 

More ideas from a search are in here Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - Search Results including this one https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...-an-bondo.html

 

That cab looks very savable,I would only buy the patch panels that have compound curves and that may be visible from the outside finish.
My cab was just as bad maybe worse..and it was a replacment cab for my first that was completely gone.. this cab was claimed to be rust free, and after the 10hr drive (one way) I brought it home anyway..
check out my cab gallery for some Ideas on making some of your own patches.
Good Luck

 

Thanks Morris I had actually posted in that thread and forgot about it.

mt54 You have some mad skills! after seeing the shape of your cab, I believe you are right. My cab is worth saving. I had the same idea about making my own inner patch panels and buying the outer curved pieces.

 

Thanks for the compliment
I think with very little skill (like me) and a lot of TIME most anyone can can get it done.

 

I would check around the rain "gutters" on the top to see what they're like before making a decision. My cab was in similar shape prior to replacing all of the panels you're about to replace. The rear cab corners I bought from Mid-Fifty were impossible to get right. If you can avoid cutting anywhere within an inch of the door, they might match up (or maybe not). I'd suggest buying these from an American manufacturer if possible.

 

i had the same if not worse problems with my cab.i opted to have them fixed by a body man. Found a guy to do it all and paint it up for about 3,ooo. I was afraid to try the metal work. Pictures in my gallery. Good luck.

 

The drip rail area is what drew the line on my first cab, it was rusted thur the whole way arround.

I agree about the cab corners, they do take some tweeking to get in place