went and looked at a '57 today. Truck is pretty much all original and complete. Owner is trying to get the 223 running now. I was a little leary of the pics he sent. Door line not lining up with box, door opening bigger at the bottom then the top. Figured it had some floor issues.

it needs front floor pans, front cab mounts, foot wells, and I am sure some other patches to the underside of the front of the cab. I can do the work but is it worth the time? It is not a big back window, just a standard.

How good are the floor pans and patch panels that I see are available? LMC is the only vendor I see making the front cab brace/mount. Do they not make rear cab corners for this truck? He is asking a little on the high side and for all the fab work needed to fix the cab I am just wondering if I should wait for a better one.

 

Depends on where you live. Most of these old trucks have a little rust somewhere in the cab but personally, one with the cab mounts and floor bracing rotted out, I would pass on if it's just a plane jane truck and holds no sentimental attachment.

 

Based on you description I would keep looking.

 

I passed on it. After looking through my catalogs of what it needed, the sheet metal alone came to $1000. I would rather spend that money on shipping for a truck with less rust.

 

http://classicfabrication.com makes cab braces and a few other parts.

 

Ended up with an OK job, but it'll work. The new floor pan didn't meet exactly with the left side cabin, so I welded a piece of small angle to the cab support on a slant that matched the floor pan, and slid the pan under that and then wire welded the pan in a long series of little welds, and it worked out good. I did that all with the cab raised so the door closed properly. The floor pan connection to the cabin on the left side at the cab support and where it's welded to the rocker is what gives the whole cabin support. By tucking the pan under that angle iron, I obtained the proper strength and tension so once I dropped the floor jack, the cabin is pretty close to where it should be, however, I did have to put some chunks of wood between the floor pan and the frame. When I lowered the jack, the cab support flexes on the bushing and that's where the give was, which was disappointing. But it's my wood hauler/plow truck, so I'm fine with it. It's no restoration. Now on the passenger side, I notice that the cab support has ripped away from the cabin along the rocker, and the square metal part that rides on the bushing has rusted. I haven't decided if I want to get another cab support, or if I can somehow refab/reweld that. Since it's heavier metal, I can use my arc welder. Might be able to save it.

It's a fun project to have done, and fortunately my wire welder (Lowes) on min worked perfect. On Max, it burned through the floor pan metal. That tool has saved me so many times, it's great for little projects like my mower bracket that ripped, or for some exhaust work I did. Anywhere you have lighter metal and an arc welder is too hot, it's great. So easy.