The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop 5 WINDOW CONVERSION

Hi all. I'm new here. I found a nice 1952 1/2 ton chevy nearby, priced right, with little rust. But it's a 3 window. Is there any article/discussion around describing how i can cut out and add the 2 additional curved windows at the back of the cab, in order to convert this 3 window into a 5 window? I did several searches in "tech tips" "paint & body" as well as "general truck questions" with no results.

Thanks

Tom Brownell's book How To Restore Your Chevrolet Truck covers the conversion to some degree, but not really very in depth. Most of the conversions I've seen involve finding a 5 window doner cab and either swapping the entire cab, or cutting the 2 cabs apart and swapping the rear section of the 5 window with the cowl and A pillars of the 3 window.
Another option might be to check with the parts houses. Some are starting to carry the larger replacement panels from Dynacorn, inclusing the outer and inner panels for the 5 window. The body components are different, so it is more complicated than simply cutting the openings, as there are reinforcement strucktures in the inner stamping.

Thanks LONGBOX55 :-) appreciate the info

I know they are now making complete new cabs (for ungodly amounts of money). I believe they also make just the rear half of the cab along with all of the other parts.

I would just find another 5 window cab and rebuild that. You'll still most likely have to go through and fix the same things like floor boards and cab corners. Look for the old grain trucks too. Most of them were probably 3 windows, but, you might get lucky and find a low mileage truck.

Most that I've seen and I sold a guy a 5 window top that was going to do this. Find a Donor cab that's too far gone to use for anything else. Separate it at the belt line and where the windshield posts are leaded together, swap the top.
Like longbox said the tops are different.
Mongo

I have sold two donor 5-windows for this purpose this year. Replacement panels are over $700 for this change not counting the glass (another $150) find a donor! The grain truck is a great idea one of the ones I sold was a deluxe (see picture) the stainless was like new and I only gave $200 for the whole truck.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2382591780102454676nskSQH

Here is a link to another bolter's (Wallybody) webshots with great photos of how he did it. I have the windows and have split the inner and outer. I just can't work up the nerve to cut the corners out of my cab. I have almost decided that I like the look of the 3 window cab. Here is a link to the thread I came up with thread is here I did a search +5 +window +conversion the plus signs tell the search engine you are looking for all of the words. If you do it take pictures.

See my Webshots albums to see how I did it without butchering the cab and losing all the panel gaps.

I performed Wally Body's 5 window conversion to the letter on my 51 3100. He has good pictures of the entire process. It is a lot of work keeping everything straight, but mine came out well. I used a Mig welder. Wally used a Panelspotter that doesn't create as much distortion as a Mig. I had to do a little more filler work.