Well, i finally was able to start work on the 55.I now have a bet going with a few people that my truck will be on the road by April 1st.I have my work cut out for myself!!! I was able to cut the rear section of the floor from the wrecked 55 and use in the new truck.I was very surprised of how well it worked.I had to repair the rusted front door posts and rockers before i could place the new front floor pans in.I had to hand make a piece of the lower door post from sheet metal, and use some of the rocker panel from the wrecked 55.After placing the floors in and making a couple of patch panels, i moved on the right rear cab corner.What a pain in the a##! the patch panel i got, did not fit whatsoever, especialy the door edge area. I had to do some major work to the door area just to get it to fit.Im still not happy with it, i may have to work the door edge more....Being that i was slight ly burned out on the cab corner i moved on to the front cowls.Theses panels fit a bit better but not by much.Not much to complain about the install of these except the door edges( bends are not sharp enough)This brings me to today where im going to bang my head up against the left rear cab corner.After this i have a bit of finish welding and alot of grinding.Check out the gallery for all the pics.
Thanks

 

i ran into the same problem with the rear corner repair sections, we had to pie cut the door edge on both, then try and get a sharper rear cab body line as the repo , as u say , does'nt have crisp enough lines, having said that ,it still looks better than rusty corners, although on cabs i intend to keep, i am more likely to pay a primium just to have nice factory lines, by the time u buy the different repair sections ( even at discount)then fit them, its still cheaper to buy a nice cab if u can find one.
cya....gary

 

Well, the cab that im repairing now, i bought from a guy in oklamoma. he said the cab was very solid and would need a drivers side front floor pan only.even the pics he sent were deceiving.When i got the truck it was 20 times rustier then it was desrcribed.I thoght about getting another cab, but i thought it would be good practice as this will not be any type of show truck.I just got done tacking in the left cab corner and that went in with no problems.Maybe i had a defective one?

 

I am curious about the mfr of the rear panel as it looks just like mine from Blue Oval. Mine fit so perfect that I am not using any filers and the corners and edges matched real well. Perhaps the cab parts come from different dies or something. I just finished doing everything you are doing. All black panels are from BO and the silver panels are from Carpenter which need a little massaging. See gallery. And don't bang your head, the panels bend easy.LOL, E.L.

 

E.L., I got all the panels from dennis carpenter.Tonight i just installed the left side corner and that went in fine. it may have been a crappy right side panel.By the way your gallery is great!Very nice work.

 

So I never did see did you atleast get your money back out of the deal?

 

Yea, i did get back all the money i put out plus i got to keep the truck.The shipping company used a carrier that wasnt insured, it was a shady deal, but i made out.

 

Kevkel

I bought all four corner patch panels from carpenter they were black primer and all four had the same prob. Called them up and of coarse I was the only one that had ever complained, they are made out of country.

I also bought there running boards and the ones that I got were great.

Chuck