I have been searching for pictures that are years old, and many computers ago. I can't find the ones of all of the cab repairs, both lower door hinge pockets.
I brazed up the radio control holes and gas filler hole. This was before mig welders were even around. I finished the hole plug for the gas tank by learning how to use lead and filing it off.
My passenger’s door well was rotted out, but I had to stop because the heat from brazing was really messing it up. When mig welders became available, and I learned how to weld sheet metal, I was able to replace the door well and rear cab corners. Without a mig welder, I would not have been able to do the rust damage repairs.
I have included a picture of the donor vehicle that I took the running gear from, at the time it wasn't worth anything. The next pic is right after I put the running gear under my truck.
Every part that I have added to my truck was modified if needed to fit the truck. It sits on the stock frame, and stock suspension. All original parts could still be bolted back in place.
The next faze was tear down after a few years as a daily driver.
The cab was lifted off the frame using camper jacks. It worked surprisingly well without any issues. Because I was a mechanic first and foremost, I tackled the mechanical first. I stripped it down to the frame, cleaned it and painted it, rebuilt the brake lines, brakes, engine, etc. and put it back together. I wrapped it in plastic to keep all of the dust that was yet to come off of it.
Next was the bottom of the cab. My floor boards were in good shape so I tipped the cab on its back, cleaned and used rubberized undercoating which could be painted using a flexible additive. At the same time, I painted the firewall so that I could place the cab back on the frame. This is when I made the repairs to the cab.
Next came the doors. The doors were relatively dent free, but the bottom and lower part of the door were rusted out, "a typical Washington old vehicle." At the time, no door bottoms were available as repair panels. These had to be hand made. I was granted access to a metal brake which was really helpful. The lower door skin panels were available, as well as the back lower cab corners, and the door well outer edge for the passenger’s side. More pics to come.
