Cab Rust Repair
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Joined: Apr 2011
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Cab Rust Repair
Hey I just bought a 1965 M250? (1 ton/4x4 fenders on it and no warranty plate) cab for a frame swap and wanted to know what you guys have done to repair/prevent rust in these trucks. The cab I bought has horrendous rust in the: cab mounts under the firewall, the floor between the trans tunnel and rocker, and cab corners.
I'm fine with cutting up rust and welding in new sheetmetal but I don't want to put it back to the way it was so it'll rust out the exact same way. I was thinking of eliminating the "Box" style cab mounts off the firewall by removing the part of the floorpan that covers them and using some 1/8" steel for new mounts. Would that be asking for trouble?
I'm a big fan of making things easier to work on and it will be driven on lots of salt/gravel so fighting rust will be an issue. On a side note has anyone swapped out the heater core/blower for something with a bit more oomf? The factory ones aren't the greatest and I do have a 1976 f150 for parts if that helps.
I'm fine with cutting up rust and welding in new sheetmetal but I don't want to put it back to the way it was so it'll rust out the exact same way. I was thinking of eliminating the "Box" style cab mounts off the firewall by removing the part of the floorpan that covers them and using some 1/8" steel for new mounts. Would that be asking for trouble?
I'm a big fan of making things easier to work on and it will be driven on lots of salt/gravel so fighting rust will be an issue. On a side note has anyone swapped out the heater core/blower for something with a bit more oomf? The factory ones aren't the greatest and I do have a 1976 f150 for parts if that helps.
More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 707
Likes: 2
From: Sauk City, WI
I have the same issue as you Sloth here in Wi. Im betting on new steel replacement panels, and a good coat of POR15 to seal everything. I bought new floor pans, front cab mounts, cab corners, and door pillars. POR15 getting ordered this week.
Go look at the link below for pics of what Im fighting:
Fail Truck | Facebook
Go look at the link below for pics of what Im fighting:
Fail Truck | Facebook
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Haha that looks like my donor truck! That's quite a bit worse as far as the floor goes. I decided to make drainage for the crossmember that goes under the seat to help keep it from rusting into nothing. I've had nothing but good experiences with tremclad implement paints and even their regular stuff and now I swear by it not too mention its a fraction of the cost of por15. Almost all my rust was caused by mice living in the cab mounts and dry rust because the PO hauled cattle with it in the 70's then parked it. Yours looks like it was driven on salt and never cleaned and then mice got in it just to finish it off.
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This is my 63 wrong bed M100 i painted last year so I could have a cheap vehicle to drive. I didn't prime it or anything and the paint looks like it sealed the surface rust in and even the fender lips haven't bubbled up yet so I cracked it up as preserving good metal
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This is my 63 wrong bed M100 i painted last year so I could have a cheap vehicle to drive. I didn't prime it or anything and the paint looks like it sealed the surface rust in and even the fender lips haven't bubbled up yet so I cracked it up as preserving good metal
More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 707
Likes: 2
From: Sauk City, WI
"preserving the good metal" I like that!
Yeah, mine is rough, but up here most of these trucks have rusted away to nothing. I bought it in NC when I was in the Marines in the 90s and it wasnt perfect then. It only seen 2 winters in WI. Just goes to show how bad salt is on that old mild steel. I didnt have any issues with mice, mine was just dirt inside of things. The truck was an old farm truck, so it probably seen plenty of dirt in its day, then the salt got mixed in and finished it off. Last I had it titled was '98, so 13 years it sat.
Yeah, mine is rough, but up here most of these trucks have rusted away to nothing. I bought it in NC when I was in the Marines in the 90s and it wasnt perfect then. It only seen 2 winters in WI. Just goes to show how bad salt is on that old mild steel. I didnt have any issues with mice, mine was just dirt inside of things. The truck was an old farm truck, so it probably seen plenty of dirt in its day, then the salt got mixed in and finished it off. Last I had it titled was '98, so 13 years it sat.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
The issue as I see it, dirt, moisture, salt residue get in but can't get out. The moisture stays in the collected area not drying.
After 30-40 years of growing unattended, cancer appears.
Make large drain holes or slots in the parts, so you can shoot a little water at the area and rinse the crud out. Pre-treat with POR15 or the like will help too.
I doubt your build will be exposed to the same as it's first 40 years.
John
After 30-40 years of growing unattended, cancer appears.
Make large drain holes or slots in the parts, so you can shoot a little water at the area and rinse the crud out. Pre-treat with POR15 or the like will help too.
I doubt your build will be exposed to the same as it's first 40 years.
John
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