The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Painting the bottom of the cab?

I am in the middle of a frame off on my 54 GMC 5-Window 1/2-ton and I want to paint the bottom of my cab when I pull the cab off the frame. Everyting is off the cab except the Windshield and rear glass. Will I hurt the cab or glass if I roll it onto the firewall or back while I work on the bottom? Is one position better than the other? Thanks.

Cujo8,

My cab is not the same as yours, 1940, but I had problems rolling it on the back because of the very back edge of the cab is just sheet metal and can't hold the weight of the cab. Check yours out and look to see if that edge can hold up. Otherwise roll to the front and lie it down on the firewall.

Bill Schickling

On my 54 I tipped it onto the firewall. The back panel is not strong enough to support the weight of the cab in my opinion. As for painting the bottom of the cab I used Zero Rust. If you are doing a show truck then painting it like the topside would work but you will have fun keeping it clean.

remove the glass.

Houston54, Did you remove the glass when you rolled yours over onto the firewall? I do not wish to remove the glass on my truck, since the truck was just painted and the glass was reinstalled with new gaskets just before I bought the truck. The logistics of trying to do a frame off on a freshly painted truck is a real PITA.

If you are careful I do not see why you could not leave the windshield in. If you do make a mistake it will cost you about $225 to fix it though. I did not have a windshield in my at the time I was working my cab. Still waiting on the SWMBO to give me the green light for that purchase. I have put it on my Christmas list though.

Wurth undercoat system is the very best way to go.
period
http://www.autogeek.net/rubbervinyl.html
or
http://www.gowesty.com/Merchant2/me...W-08909071&Category_Code=ac-e-miscor

http://search.store.yahoo.com/cgi-b...d4j/o%26s%3DaFxCtRuZsIBVa9A5yCNiug65dI4-

you can buy a bottle or use a special gun and spray a case or two under the truck, frame, cab, etc.

I also rolled my 39 on to the firewall. Worked great.

I was able to tip mine backwards without any problem. I put a 4 x 4 sheet of plywood against the back of the cab and the other end rested on the shock mounts. Lay down some blankets and then lift the firewall with a come along and tip it. If you tip it on the firewall you have to completly remove it from the frame. I tipped back, did the rear floor and then cut along the seat line almost thru. Then I tipped it back down to use the frame as a jig to relace front floorpans. (Not relevant to you though)I second Houston on the use of Zero-rust and then I put undercoating on top of that.

http://image44.webshots.com/44/9/63/2/377796302iiUZdN_ph.jpg

Stea, When you rolled yours onto the firewall, did you have your glass installed in your cab?