Dose anyone know if it would be possible to hot dip galvanize a truck cab? I was looking at all this bare metal on my freshly media blasted cab and wondering just what I should seal it with so the rust stops here.
So I figured I'd come here and ask if anyone has tried it or knows a reason why not to try it…

Cheers
Cyrus
_____________________
My Grandpa told me once that you have to learn by the mistakes of others because you will NOT live long enough to make them all yourself.
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... HELL YEAH!!! What a trip!

 

the only real problem i could see is the heat. might cause the metal to warp especially on the roof.

I think it was GM that used to galvanize their truck boxes in either the mid 70's or 80's for a time.

i don't know about down there, but up here galvanizzing is not cheap by any means.

Rgds
Mike

 

and one more thing, if you do decide on this, do all your welding before you get it dipped.

galvanized metal gives off some pretty wicked fumes when welded that act as a pretty good laxative if you know what i mean.

Rgds
Mike

 

I can't see a value in doing it. A good epoxy primer will do a excellent job of sealing the metal. You're already behind the ball if you didn't have the bare sheet metal epoxy primed as soon as possible after have it blasted. The metal started rusting as soon as the metal left the blasting area if it has been exposed to moisture in the air. You have to get it covered ASAP. Whenever I blast a piece of metal I prime as soon as I can.

As mentioned above welding on galvanize metal is very nasty stuff for your lungs.

One more thing to think about, as with any other aspect of restoring an old truck is you have to consider the life the truck has has so far. Most likely the truck was used and abused for the last 50+ years. It's sat outside in the elements slowly rotting away. These old trucks were poorly made. They were assembled using the technology of the day with poor quality metal primer and paint. I have had, at last count, 15 '48-54 trucks and all barely had any remaining paint and most only had primer where it could be applied with the painter a standing position, I doubt they ever crawled in or under the trucks, there usually isn't any primer under the dashboard or inside hidden areas.

Now you have it, it will receive a complete stripping, dipping and you will take hours, not the five minutes allowed on the line, to prime every crevice and behind every panel possible with the highest quality epoxy primer. Afterward you'll apply four coats of almost indestructible acrylic urethane paint that will outlast the sheet metal in the same crevices and hidden panels. After everything is done it will sit in a nice, dry storage area only to taken out for the occasional drive on a nice, sunny summer day.

Believe me, if you do the above the truck will out last you and your heirs. It lasted this long with poor construction, paint and maintenance. I don't think you will have to go the extra expense of hot dipping it to make it last.

 

NO NO NO it WILL buckle big time dont even think about it get that primer on ASAP Good luck with the rebuild post some pics as you go cheers kiwi

 

Hmmm… I guess I had not thought of it that way Bobj49f2. Your right there was no primer under the dash or inside the door jams or anywhere else that could not be hit easily. I did epoxy primer all the upper portions of the cab save the lower rear and front sections that need welding work done. I was actually only thinking of dipping the lower 14 inches or so, just enough to cover the floor. Ya don't see a lot of really bad rust above that.

And to you Kiwi I think if I had put my mind in gear before my mouth I would have remembered trying to weld a straight sheet metal panel as far back as shop class in school. Heat does some pretty funny things to sheet metal.

Cheers

_____________________
My Grandpa told me once that you have to learn by the mistakes of others because you will NOT live long enough to make them all yourself.

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... HELL YEAH!!! What a trip!

 

As long as the whole piece was blasted, or dipped, I would prime the entire piece even if it looked like Swiss Cheese. You can also grind off the primer, patch and weld and prime again.

 

If you are talking about an industrial galvanizer...forget it.

I worked in a steel fabrication shop for many, many years. Dad still does. Most of what we did (do) is stainless. Almost all of the hotroll we did was hot dipped galvanized.

I have seen them warp and twist a 36" tall X 40' long I beam. Do you realize how hard that would be to do cold?

They can totally destroy thinner items. It is so hot in the dip tank..that thin stuff acts like cooked spaghetti when they pull it out.

I have sat and watched the process several times. It is wild to watch heavy angle irons bow between the lift point. Channels do the same thing.

I cannot imagine how bad a cab would be when they got done with it.

 

Use a good metal etching primer and you will be happy with the results.

 

Thanks for the reply guys. I guess the reason I did not see any info on this is because it's not done for a reason.

Cyrus

_____________________
My Grandpa told me once that you have to learn by the mistakes of others because you will NOT live long enough to make them all yourself.

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... HELL YEAH!!! What a trip!