Hi everybody. Ive had my 68 for about a month now and im already in love. Now that a month has past..ive given some thought to what id like to do with it. Im 18..and as this truck is my daily driver..i had a couple questions. I plan on restoring this truck to (hopefully) near original condition. I have been looking at the body and it is straight as an arrow..and very little rust. The biggest issue i see..and is causing problems..is both front cab mounts under the tub. The passengers side is bad enough to where its causing a 2 and 1/2 inch difference in (very noticeable) height from one side to the other. I found cab mounts for it and was wondering if replaci.g them could be done myself..or if a bodyshop would be necessary..and if so..as an estimate it would cost to replace the old rotted ones..and install the ew ones.

 

I've done them two ways. First truck I just cut out enough of the old ones to slip the new ones under the truck and bolted them on. Like you I was only 18 and only basic tools(and no money to pay someone to do it).

Another truck(still 20 yrs ago), I pulled the cab off(using 4 buddies) and laid it on it's back and did the work. Still no welder(used rivets), but a much better looking/lasting job. I made wood jig to locate the mounting holes correctly. Worked out nice.

I would guess most bodyshops charge $100/hour anymore, at least that is what most dealerships get. Small shop, might be $75/hr.

 

I see. I didnt even know mine were that bad. The bottoms went soft on em so i figured "this cant b a reason y everything looks crooked" but..it was. I thought my bumber was crooked..but it was straight..and the use of a level assured my fears that the cab was cocked 2 inches lower on the passengers side.

 

Yes, the outside area my look okay, but where the rubber rides it rots out. My one truck was like that. Til I stabbed it with a screwdriver and it went right through!

 

I bet that caused for a bad day!

 

Oh yes the cab mounts that look good Ha. until you do the ole screw driver test.
I had to replace the cheap LMC replacement one with the better one from
D. Carpenter 3 yrs. later cause the bottom split around the rubber mount.
It's the old story of you get what you pay for. And who you buy it from.

If you can pull the fenders it would sure make it easier. I used a saw-all, a hand drill, a grinder, and a few blocks of wood, a jack, and a hand full of Lock-nuts & bolts grade 8 1/4"x 3/4" with washers to bolt the them on. Drilled out the old spot-welds
Orich
Here's LMC after 3yrs


Here the better one on the inside.

 

So dennis carpenter would be better?

 

i got some from my obsolete factory part store. im 19 and i also have a 68 bud. got the same problem but havent put mine on cause i need to put new floor pans in first.

 

Yea..luckily my pans are solid and rust free..i just wanna make sure i get somethong worth my money..but wont break the bank.

 

mine cost 62$ for both and they are "OEM". lol the floor pans cost the same. ill prolly have to replace the rocker pans too...

 

Aw great deals are very hard to find. I paid like $80 bucks for one oem from Dennis .C co. The last time, I was on his web site he was selling those cheap single layer soft metal ones for about haft price of the oem ones.
Also had bad luck with many a rubber produces for LMC so if you want it to last buy by the word of mouth who has produces that will last more then a few yrs...my 2 cents
orich

 

Tried the LMC stamped cab mounts and did not like the fit, so I ordered the Dennis Carpenter reproductions and was very happy with the fit up and quality. I bought a different cab and stripped it done and restored it off the truck. Just finished swapping it this spring, all I have left is the bed to restore. I did use the LMC floor pans and rear cab corners, but just portions of them were patched to repair small rust spots. The LMC floor pans had strengthening grooves but do not match original grooves, so some shaping was required.

 

Yes, I'm bringing up a dead thread cuz, well now i'm once again the new owner of the same truck i've had before! The mounts are still in just as bad of shape, but its good to see it was only the bottom that went soft(i used the advised screwdriver test haha) Now, whilst talking to a few sources, I may have concluded, that COULD(theoretically) it be possible just to cut out the bad metal, and replace the soft bottoms? or while going through the hassle, just to do it all anyways?

 

It seems the front cab mounts are always an issue in these years, probably because of the lack of inner fender splash guards...lol, the 72 I have is terrible,the bed, hood, front fenders are all good, but cab is toast, the rear support across the back is completely rotted out on either end, the floors are rusted trough and the front cab mounts are rotted out too, So now the front of the cab is resting on the inner fenders and the non rusted part of the floor on top of the frame rail. I thought about getting new floor pand, the new stampings for the rear cross member and new cab mounts. After looking over the other bad points in the cab, like the badly welded cab light hols in the roof and the rusted cab corners, not to mention the other parts of the cab that ore rusted, parts that you cant buy. So its getting a different cab....But If your cab just need mounts it probably wouldnt be a huge deal, I wouldnt want to try and put them in while it was on the truck, but ive never done it so i dont know what im talking about.

 

Man o man i hear ya. Im lucky enough tho that i got a texas truck. Rust aint TOO bad on it..but it does have some worry spots such as the mounts..inner cab corners..theres pinholes by the rockers in the floor boards..and under the battery..the fender is completely rotted from acid! Hopefully i can jack up the cab while the engine is out and work my magic!