The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Inner to Outer Replacement

Had a busy day tearing out rusted sheet meal, hence I have a few questions.

My floor pan is in decent shape, except for the far left side (where the parking would go). I have the resources at work to fab up a replacement piece so I can cut and weld what I need on the floor pan.

The piece that bolts to the fender has me scratching my head. I was not able to find anything in the assembly manual, and LMC has a part that looks similar but I have no clue. Picture below.

http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r568/nebuhr/IMG_0058_zpsfaa1d552.jpg

The LMC part I mentioned is number 3.
http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/ca/full.aspx?Page=24

Second question. I have read horror stories in regards to purchasing new Inner to Outer Cowl's, but most of the threads are a couple years old. Have the vendors gotten any better in terms of fit (maybe one vendor better than another)?

I would say I have about 50% left of the original piece. It would be a stretch to make them useable, but I could make it happen if the reproductions are not worth the money.

Inner to outer panel - left

fender skirt - parking brake brace

I have used the first part with no problem (but, that was a few years ago), but I have not used the second part.

Thanks, it looks the same as the LMC part (but cheaper).

Hard to go off pictures when most of the original metal is gone.

Redlegs48,

On your 1 ton truck (like mine), the parking brake is the hand operated lever next to the shifter. The spacer between the inner fender and the toe board that you refer to on the left edge of the floor is not the same piece as the 1/2 & 3/4 ton trucks. The vendors do not offer the correct piece for the 1 tons. I don't know if the ones they sell will fit in there. Other wise it's looks like a fairly easy repair to the one you have. Mine is in about the same condition, and I am just going to get some sheet metal and repair mine. Good luck with your repairs.

I bought a Big Bolt '53 cab to replace a damaged cab on my 1/2 ton '51. One of the ways in which I could tell it was a Big Bolt was by the tranny cover. The tranny cover had a hole for the parking brake lever.

Although there was no foot-actuated parking brake bracket on the '53 cab, there were still holes for the parking brake support to attach, and holes for the anchor rod, etc. I easly attached the parking brake support (like the one Tim linked) and the other parts of the parking brake assembly to the '53 Big Bolt cab that had been on the '51 cab.

The area where the left fender attaches on the Big Bolts is the same as on the 1/2 ton. A parking brake support would work on your Big Bolt, but, of course, you need only the brace which attaches from the toe pan to the fender skirt and not the rest of the gobbledygook that makes up for the parking brake.

Maybe Peter52 will jump in here, he's had a lot of experience
with the inner/outer parts that you are working on.
Several years ago Jim Carter was having the parts made locally
and they needed to be reforms before they would fit properly.
That's about all I know about it since I haven't had to go thru
the exercise myself.
Denny G.

I have read a lot of threads from the '08 - '10 time frame about how they never fit.

I am thinking about buying new pieces then using the old pieces as a template, maybe frankenstein something together.

That's what did out of frustration
...click...

Ugly but worked and fit

I bought both sides, couldn't get them to fit, then cut them up and replaced the rusted areas with the cut up pieces. Pretty expensive way to buy sheet metal. Live and learn. They reproduce more complex replacement parts than inner-to-outer panels that work just fine (like the right side louvered outer cowl), but nobody can stamp out an inner-to-outer cowl? Just about every restorer should probably replace these pieces. Seems like there would be a huge market for one that fits.

Everyone knows there is a risk with repop parts but when push comes to shove they buy the part because they is what they need.

If people stopped buying parts it might force a redesign, but it also might lead manufactures to just stop making part.

I just placed an order for both sides, I want to get my truck going for the Summer and ready for some wedding photos.

I ordered two pieces from the same vendor....the outer and the inner to outer pieces. They were from the same vendor and THEIR own two pieces did NOT match up to each other. Sent them back and a local guy cut/bent and repaired my old inner to outer for 25 bucks. I did use the outer piece because my inner to outer did match it.
I've said this before on here....at that time I offered up a nice original to the vendor to study. I was told they had been selling them for 20 years and had no problems. Didn't even want to talk about it although I offered it free if they would promise to return it to me.

Its a hit and miss. You may have good luck. I know at one time Classic Parts were buying inner to outer pieces from JimCarter as Jim was the one having them repoped. Classic told me this themselves on a visit there going through their operations.

I have not used a welder for a couple months, so the working on these repopped parts will give me a little refresher course.

Its good the hear the outer cowl matches the OEM parts. I will need to replace those once I have the means/time. My goal right now is to the get all the inner components in good shape, then the outer cowl will (hopefully) be as painless as possible.

I found that the left side inner to outer pieces fit terrible and I only used the upper third and had to cut it apart and re-weld in proper shape.

Now I am working on the right side and the inner to outer piece fits much better than left side. I need to use the entire piece and to me, the import lower section is fairly well shaped and matched to the original. The side portion still flares out too much, but I can force it into shape well enough. I just hate all the labor required to make a replacement piece fit.

Look thru my site I've got on there how to rework the inner outer so it fits right .

http://s559.photobucket.com/user/sparky52/library/inner%20outer

Pete

Has anyone tried LMC for this part?

There are about $20 more expensive so I just went on to the next vendor during my price comparison.

I started thinking some more this afternoon; they might be $20 more expensive due to better fit? ... or they are laughing on their way to the bank.

...I wouldn't be surprised if JC supplies them the same as he does Classic Parts.

I made new ones from sheet metal. Look good works well, had to weld the corners.

http://www.chevroletrestorationworld.com/history.htm

Anyone every ordered from Restration World?

I was thinking about driving up on night and seeing what they have to offer... maybe they have an inner to outer cowl that fits.

Just tried to install my inner to outer from Brother's. After a couple hours of fudgeing with it, still no progress, started to look around at other vendors and it looks like everyone is getting the parts from the same place. Does anyone have the measurements if they have made a custom piece for them?

I am tudoring myself recently with a new mig and gas setup to tack and weld the inner and outer pieces. Seems to be a fraternity here if you own such a truck. I bought them locally here in vancouver bc. I had to cut and grind to match up and need some finasse where the inner meets the floor and the outside cowl meets the frame under the cab. Will probably have to weld some pieces so that I can get rid of the gaps in this area. And if need be some seam sealant might help as the last resort to keep water out. just want to get it down for driving

Unless JC inner to outers have gotten better over the years, they didn't fit worth a dime back in the late 80's. I ordered a set from them, and ended up sending them back. At the time I patched up the old ones. Now I need to replace them...... Seems like mnost of them lack the "twist" in them at the top portion.

John