I started out removing the driver side rear bottom cab corner from my 56 F100 cab to repair rust damage. As I tried installing the patch panel, I realized that in order to align the bottom of the cab corner with the door I probably needed to work on the door bottom that was totally rusted out. I removed the inner and outer bottom of the door. I have reinstalled the lower inner door skin and was preparing to install the outer skin. See the attached picture. The patch panels are terrible! I have three cab corner patch panels that I've tried to modify to fit. Two of these patch panels have larger bottom areas and one purchased many years ago has a smaller area on the bottom and from what I can see is closer in shape to the original. The outer door bottom skin patch panel has a different curve then all the cab corner patch panels.

I stare at the truck from long periods of time trying the figure out how to proceed. I am thinking is that I need to start from bottom of the Cowel and trim the inner and outer door patch panels until the bottom of the outer door patch panel aligns with the bottom of the cowl. Then trim the inner and outer door patch panels so that the bottom back side of the door matches previous measurements that I took. Then I would modify the crap out the cab corner patch panel so that the bottom matches the bottom of the door and matches the curve of the outer door skin.

Anybody have experience with this challenge that you can share?

Thanks,
Jerry

 

Well, I am not a expert, in fact the only metal work I have ever done was on my truck. I was told to keep as much of the original metal and cut the patch as big or small as needed. On one side of my truck I only used about 2" up on the patch. I also only did one piece at a time, using the "swiss cheese" as a guide. Looks like you have nothing to fit to as your bottom of door and corner are gone. I am not picking on you, but later others may look at this thread as a guide. I think I would tack your corner on loosely or even use sheet metal screws. Then do door skin tacked and/or screwed. Then you can get them to fit each other and go back and attach properly. It will be OK , Metal is forgiving. You'll get it.

 

Check out my build thread below about pages 4-7 to see what I did.

 

I have a rear cab corner I have been staring at for a while as well. I have cut the nasty stuff out, but still have the door to align with etc. The aftermarket piece I have is a fair fit except for the grooved part that snugs against the inner door sill. My skills are not strong when it comes to body repair, so I will be farming this part out as it's gotta look nice

 

All,
I have had much difficulty with the patch panels that I have purchased! In particular I spent much time cutting and welding the driver door inner lower door patch panel to fit! Thanks, Greg Rogers, for your link. It does look like the inner patch panel fit much better than
mine did. I will change vendors to one that reports making their own patch panels when I work the passenger door and cab corner. Concerning the cab corner, I have not been able to find any reference material on working that grooved part that snugs against the inner door sill. Most of the info I have found shows work on the rest of the cab corner but not the inner door sill area. I cut the old, grooved part off and welded it to the new. I temporarily attached the cab corner at Roger's suggestion then installed the door.



To address my challenge of getting the bottom of the cowl post, door and cab corner to align I installed new door hinges. What surprised me is that the door set too deep into the frame. I had to add 1/8" shims between the hinge flange and the door to get anywhere close to flush at the door and body junction. I have the door aligned as much as feasible, but the gap is not consistent. I have found that the gap specs for 53-55 F100 is for a 5/32" gap but have not found what the 56 should be. I imagine it would also be 5/32"? Does anyone have this info?


I installed small pieces of sheet metal to simulate the outer skin at the bottom corners of the door to see how each aligned with the cowl and cab corner bottom. They are close but need some adjustment. I am not certain how much I can manipulate the flange on the inner panel bottom to move it up a bit. I can bend it inward some but am not certain how that would impact the curve of the door bottom outer skin and how that would impact its installation.






The back corner bottom aligns pretty close to the bottom of the cab corner but on the other bottom corner the door extends down further when compared to the cowl bottom. I could trim some of that flange that the outer skin folds over, but the flange isn't very wide, maybe 1/2".

So, I am looking for two things. The specified door gap for the 56 F100 and information and guidance from anyone that has worked the bottom of the door to get the cowl, door and cab corner to align.

Thank you!
Jerry




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Hi Jerry,

I am not a body guy and lack the skill and talent level to do any sheet metal work like you have been doing. But I have aligned my doors on my 56, and I just wanted to confirm for you that yes you are correct, the factory service manual says the door gaps are 5/32". I found on a Chevy Tri-5 forum a handy tip that might help you get those gaps. Use slit 5/16" rubber hose to act as spacers on the doors' edges. The outside to inside wall thickness of 5/16 hose is 5/32". My gaps aren't perfect, but it sure helped make them much better!

 

When I was doing my truck, I was trying to get things perfect. After a while, it became close enough. These trucks were not perfect compared to new trucks right from the factory. Trying to make things perfect is doable but takes a lot of time. Depends on the final goal of your truck, driver only, showy, million dollar showy, etc.

 

I feel your pain. I am currently trying to get the front cab corner to fit. It's not close but I do at least have a plan now. I think you will have realised by now to tackle one thing at a time and don't cut away anything you don't have to until you get it close. This will be my final corner and what I have learned so far is that the flanges are not close to being right and are best cut away and re-made - the lower 3 or 4 inches at least. The rest of it varies a lot in its usefulness.
If I were you I would forget the door skin for now and get the corner completed first. Then correct the door to match. If the opposite side is still intact you could make a template of the contour of the cab corner where it meets the door and use it as a guide.

Edit to add - the new door hinges commonly need shimmed. There is an option to buy hinges with some adjustment in them but shims will do fine. You may need longer screws though if they are thick. It can be difficult to deal with the door shutline if the latch pulls it around so I would remove that and weld a couple of temporary washers to simulate it's position when closed so they overlap the door/gap/B post

 

It's best to remove door latches when aligning doors to avoid the latch " pulling " the door .

 

All,

I haven't posted on this for a while but am making slow progress on the cab corner install.

While working on the cab corner I have been searching for better lower outer door patch panels. In past I had purchased an outer bottom driver door patch panel but it measured 35 1/2 inches while the existing panel is 35 5/8 inches.




I reached out to several vendors and chose one that reported that theirs measured 35 3/4 inches. I ordered and received two of these patch panels one for each side of the truck. Both were 35 1/2 inches wide. The company was kind enough to refund my money.

I am posting this because I discovered that the patch panels I received were manufactured in Taiwan and many vendors sell these. They are advertised as 35 3/4 inches wide but are all mostly 35 1/2 inches wide. I heard that the U.S. manufactured patch panels were of better quality and would most likely fit so started searching for a pair. Unless someone knows of a source for these outer lower door patch panels, I believe that they are no longer produced within the U.S.

If you know of a source for a U.S. made outer bottom door patch panel please let me know where to find them.

Otherwise, I am left with the patch panels that need to be widened 1/8 inches. I could cut them vertically along the edge and add material and, but this scares me as the panel covers a large area and I fear I would cause distortion. Another options is to install the patch panel then add material to the edge. I am not certain how easy this might be. A final option is to make my own patch panel, but I do not have the skills or equipment to get the vertical and horizontal curve needed to fit the door.

If have modified and used these shorter patch panel, can you share your experience and pictures with me?

Concerning the inner lower door patch panel as you can see in earlier pics, I've installed one on the driver door. I had to cut and cut and bend and reweld much of it to get it to fit. The reliefs stamped into the panel were much shallower than stock and the side was not as thick as the thickness of the door, so I had to add material. I have a second inner patch panel for the passenger door but it looks exactly like the driver door patch panel that I installed. Both were made in Taiwan. I have found a U.S. made inner bottom door patch panel and I'm thinking of purchasing it in hopes that it fits better thus requiring less modifications. Anyone work with U.S. made inner bottom door patch panels that can provide their review?

Thanks all,
Jerry

 

Hi Jerry.
For the door bottom panel - the panel is short by a distance no question. Just concentrate on the shape of the section itself (which is already bad enough). As long as it reaches the edge that's fine. You can then weld a return to it by welding along the edge before grinding it back smooth. There are quite a few YouTube videos with that technique. I'll dig one out and post it here.

 

This is one example. Look at the bit at 43 to 45 mins.

 

I started at the door and went around the back of the cab. I have to say however, that no decent person would have stayed within hearing range of what was coming out of my mouth well working with this thing; Once I got it in place I discovered that the sheetmetal indentation didn't line up with the patch panel no matter how I tried to fit it. It was about a 1/4 inch off and I finally cut that amount out of the panel and welded it back together, as shone in the second photo.

Cut to match

 

I purchased both front and rear aftermarket cab corners for my '51, and they definitely needed some massaging to make a nice fit. The fronts, they are stamped a little bigger than the factory contours, I ended cutting up most of the first one I installed to make it fit and blend in. The other side, I didn't even try to use the new one. Fortunately, I have two extra cabs, where I can steal good sheet metal from. I stole the other lower front cab corner, and it fit much better.
As for the rears, they weren't as bad, but they also are stamped a tiny bit bigger, and with thicker steel than the stock metal. They both required quite a bit of massaging around the jambs.

 

I pretty much had to do the same thing !!