Besides the front fenders where they bolt onto the running boards, I’ve got rot on each side of the bottom front cab windshield (1952 Bonus Built). Is that a common place for rust on the F1’s? I’ll probably get a body man to cut it out and weld in new metal. How is a job like that done? With a stretcher/shrinker?

 

Yes I believe there and the lower cab corners behind the doors.

 

The more typical rust locations (in addition to the running board/fender joint you mentioned) are: the upper front fender just above the joint with the lower fender, the lower fenders by the frame horns, the running boards under the doors, the rear cab corners, and the rear fender/running board joint. Some rust by the kick panel floor area isn't unusual. The windshield seal area is less common. Much of the rust pattern for the Bonus Built trucks is related to the use of stiffening metal in the above areas. In nearly every case, the backing material was a trap for road debris and moisture that promoted rust.

 

Yes, and not just F1s. On all cabs the lower corners of the windshield frame are a common place for rust. Somewhere on this forum we have gone into this in detail with pictures but I can't find it right now. Maybe somebody else remembers and can post the link. The short version is that there originally were small drain holes in that area that were there to drain the water off into the cowl. Unfortunately they are easily clogged. The windshield frame in that area should have been designed to drain outboard which would have meant changing the radius of the frame. That would have been a big deal if they found this problem years after full production had started. Hence they added small holes.

With all the new metal coatings that are out there it would probably just be best to protect that area with lots of layers. That is what I did. That will probably last your lifetime. If anyone has a better solution I would like to see.

 

I have a perfect lower half of the window opening on a 52 I am parting out if you might be interested.
TractormanBill in San Antonio