The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Rear Cab Panel Replacement

Just curious on thoughts about replacing the rear cab panel from the belt line down? I have seen were people have replaced the entire thing panel and other were they left an inch of original sheet metal along the top and sides and patched the new one in place. The results looked really good in both cases. My rear cab panel has a fair number of small dents but is oil canned quite a bit in a few spots and I am not comfortable with the shrinking process or chasing oil canning from one spot to another. Also, to be honest Im not sure I really need to care about the oil canning since it is predominantly behind the bed but just wanted to see what people typically do.

Thanks!

I have a bit of that on the lower rear of my cab, but replacing the whole thing would be more than I'd want to tackle. As far as shrinking, that's not that hard, and MP&C's posts here and on the forum that he has a link in his signature to have some good tips on that. Any dent is going to stretch the metal a bit, and you have to deal with that. Hammering each dent flat contributes to the oil canning. I have some dents in the vicinity of the three stretchers inside the cab that will be hard to get out, and I'll probably use a bit of filler to deal with those. As far as behind the bed panel, I may not get too carried away with getting that perfect either.

There is no typical. It all depends on the severity of the issue. It seems your issues are "a fair amount of dents" and "oil canning". This does NOT fall into the category of panel replacement unless you have bad rust also.
It also depends on your own feeling and anxiety about an issue. It depends on the level of "restore" you envision. It depends on if you are dwelling on something that is not a big deal to live with.
"Dents" are intentionally put into large flat panels to stiffen them. They are called dimples and beading. Linear or cylindrical. these are put in before the metal is "retained" by welding or other means. Your dents/dimples were put in after. Small dents stretch small. Big dents stretch big. They may or may not have a small counter effect somewhat in strengthening the panel but not near as much as a well designed dimple before retention.

As has been said, you would have to dolly the dents carefully or heat/disc shrink them and avoid further oil canning. All without experience and at a place that offers no way to get a dolly on one side and a hammer on the other if that method is used. When someone says "it's not too hard to do" it's always hard to do for me for the first time. A large rear cab panel is way too risky for you to do any hammering or shrinking or replacement, according to the reported location, severity and type of issue.

The small dents can be filled, as said, and the oil canning stiffened by using some sort of large pieces of sheet material bonded on the inside, if it all bugs you that much. If you fill, apply thin fill to entire panel and sand down to flat. Don't fill each hole.

If it's not making noise and it is 75% covered by the bed bulkhead and not rusted......leave it alone....but you are an engineer so you can decide what makes the most sense.

I have to agree with what Bartamos said. Good advice. You have to assess your own situation and capabilities.

A shrinking disc is probably the easiest way to eliminate 'oil canning'.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=using+a+shrinking+disc

Welding an entire rear panel will have its own risk of warping and oil canning it is a huge panel with little to any structural support of its own.

Very true.

You will have to join All Metal Shaping to view the pictures in the link below, but this thread is of a 41 Chevy pu where the area above the rear window is replaced to get rid of inside deep pitting, also includes roof repairs and rear cab panel fabrication and replacement. May give some insight to the job.

Regarding the warping from welding, that issue gets fixed by planishing, and is covered in the MIG welding tips and tricks sticky at the top of the page here in the paint and body shop forum. Looking at this link below, you can easily see the results of proper planishing of the weld.


https://www.allmetalshaping.com/showthread.php?t=19718

Here’s a picture of the cab from the link above. You won’t believe the number of welds on the back of this cab....


[img]https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...838C7C6-270C-4DB7-8433-C35121F64BD4.jpeg[/img]

What are you talking about??? That awesome really. Cant see any of em. Great job. In fact looks like id be afraid to touch it, as opposed to drive it. Ha.

"Borrowed" some of the pictures from that link so you guys could see them.. This work is done by a guy named Scott in Adelaide Australia. Beautiful work when one puts their mind to it.



[img]https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...ilename/user1092_pic19841_1587812765.jpg[/img]


[img]https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...ilename/user1092_pic19894_1587901745.jpg[/img]


[img]https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...ilename/user1092_pic20358_1609928737.jpg[/img]


[img]https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...ilename/user1092_pic20392_1609969098.jpg[/img]


[img]https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...ilename/user1092_pic20397_1609969484.jpg[/img]


If you say you can't do something, it most assuredly will be so. There is an annual metal meet in Oblong Illinois where one can learn to do exactly what is shown in the pictures, or other regional events all across the country/globe.





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Robert, you're right, that was a LOT of welds. Was that done with TIG? If I had a project that needed that much welding, it would be a valid excuse to buy a TIG machine and learn to weld with it.

Yes, done with TIG.

Here’s another project truck that shows quite a bit of work in the roof to fix someone’s botched chop job that was left to collect dust. Some impressive work, and inspiration


https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=461712

Bartamos, the part really doesnt have any rust and since I am so new to metal work and welding I think I will hold off on it. I have visions of the panel not fitting well and the cab shifting once the back panel is off and that is enough to keep me from attempting it. Typically any panel work I have done so far I do the passenger side first then the drivers side. The first side is always rough because I haven't done it before and the second side is typically better and a little quicker. I did buy a dent puller from HF that for getting out the cab dents that don't have access to both sides so that should be a fun new adventure, lol. Thanks of the advice on applying a thin coat to the entire panel and not each small dent or depression. I definitely would have just filled individual holes.

Thanks,
Eric

Robert, That is amazing work I would love to take a class in something like that some day but unfortunately work gets in the way for now. Do you know if anyone offers classes on metal forming or I have seen it referred to as coach building? I follow a Facebook page called coach building and they create entire automobile exteriors, just unbelievable workmanship.

Thanks,
Eric

Dongray Have had some shrinking lessons from the lead bodyman of old. I once had an oilcan panel he went and got a FLAT round body hammer ,it was not well-used but he did say it had to be flat. He heated up a spot about like a silver dollar-it just puckered right up and he dollied it from behind and hammered it FLAT 2 more times of that and that panel was streched tight. Scuffed it primed it blocked and painted looked fine !

MPandC That oblong matal meet is in the only oblong in my county ! It is well attended !!