Replacing Top of Cab

[cyque]

The Back Story
My grandfather bought a 1972 Ford F100 brand new. He used the truck occassionally to haul a some angle iron for his welding shop. It was in great shape until 1994 (I think) when Hurricane Opal came through this area and knocked a tree down on the truck. This tree dented in the very top of the cab pretty badly, messed up the top of the driver's side door, put a dent in the hood, and dented the bottom mount of the cab some so that the cab doesn't sit straight any more.

My grandfather just took a hammer, beat the door and lid back up to where the door would open and close, and continued to use the truck as he had always done. He sold the truck to my brother a few years ago, shortly before he passed away.

When my brother bought the truck, it had never had any significant work done to it, and had only been in the shop for routine maintenance. Before opal took it's toll, it did not have a spot of rust on it. Now, it has some rust holes beginning to show on the driver's door and not much else.

My older brother pulled everything off, cleaned an painted the frame. At that point he had some issues come up and sold the truck to my younger brother. He then put everything back together, added disc brakes to the front, had the transmission rebuilt, and had the engine remanufactured. The truck runs like a brand new one. Luckily for me, I now have the opportunity to purchase the old truck and I don't intend on letting it pass by.

I am going to finish the job my two brothers started and bring this old truck back to the glory it once saw.

The Question
I can probably shim the body up so that it sits like it is supposed to, and a good body many should be able to fix this problem. However, the top of the cab is going to need replacing. I know it would be easier to simply replace the entire cab. Here in Alabama, cabs for these trucks are not hard to come by. Unfortunately, this is not an option. For me, replacing the cab makes it a different truck and I don't want a different truck (even if it is a better truck).

The lid appears to have a seam that runs around it, so I assume it is replaceable. Has anyone done this? How difficult is it?

[rjewkes]

Is it sevearly creased? or just dented in? If it is only a dent in the very top you could remove the headlinder and push gently up on the center of the dent.

[cyque]

It has been a while since I have seen the truck, but I think it is creased up pretty good. I should be picking it up over the holidays, and I will try to get some pictures to show.

I think it will need to be replaced, but you never know what a talented body man can do.

[trukcrazy]

Welcome cyque, stop over at the welcome mat and introduce yourself. I am sure there will be more answers to your question shortly.

[FORDification]

Would it be possible for you to post a pic of the damage so we can see what you've got to work with?

Yes, those seams you see are where the entire roof section is welded on. However, the roof section is held on with about a billion spotwelds, most of which would be next to impossible to even get to, let alone drill out.

But if you're absolutely determined, it's do-able. The spotwelds for the front section of the roof are under the drip-rail sealant.



You scrape that stuff out and you'll see the spotwelds and the edge of the roof panel:



...and here's a drawing I made to give you an idea of how the front part of the roof panel is attached to the top of the windshield area:



Those are the easy ones to get to. The spotwelds for the rear of the roof panel are hidden behind the inner rear cab wall. If you were to completely drill out every single spotweld holding the inner rear cab wall in, so that it could be removed, you'd then see the lip where the roof panel and the lower cab walls are spotwelded together. Here's a couple pictures I took a couple years ago when I was getting started cutting a patch panel from a cab to do some drip-rail rust repair.





You can see how the rear section is welded in here....and how it would be a major PIA to get to even if you did completely remove the rear cab wall. At the very least you'd probably need a right-angle drill to drill out the spot welds on this lip.

It would DEFINITELY be a LOT less work to simply replace the cab....but if you're up to trying this out. take LOTS of pictures and share them with us, so we can follow along.

[kknip]

You could remove the top just like the blue one in Keith's pic and make a convertable!

[cyque]

I went and picked the truck up this weekend. It runs and drives fantastic for an old truck with no power steering. I have taken a few pics, and below are some resized ones of the top. I have included a link to the full size pics of the top.


Full Size Version of this image: http://www.v8rumble.com/72ford/DSC_0059.JPG



Full Size Version of this Image:
http://www.v8rumble.com/72ford/DSC_0067.JPG

Let me know what you think.

[fordman]

either a convertible or another cab or a lot of work to fix that.

[SmokeyBear]

It would be a LOT less work and just as strong to cut the entire roof off of a donor truck at the posts (A pillar and B pillar). If careful measurements are taken and it was welded properly it would be just as safe and look like it never had damage.

[cyque]

Smokey,
that is a great suggestion and something I hadn't considered. I am not going to attempt this myself as my welding skills are not where they could be. I will be trying to find a local body shop that will tackle it for me. Unfortunately, not any restoration shops around here that I can find and many of the local body shops won't touch work like this. However, I have a couple in mind that might make an attempt at it.

[SmokeyBear]

It's not that hard of a job. Once the glass is removed and the measurements are taken, it should only take about a days work to get it cut, welded, ground and in primer.

[cyque]

I got a few recommendations of a local body shop that will actually bother with this type of work. He comes highly recommended and is a "good ole boy". Took the truck down there today to get a quote. Turns out he knew my grandfather (and the truck).

He said that the best way to do the job and get the best overall results were to replace the top of the truck as well as the back of the cab. To cut it at the top of the windshield pillars and to split it just behind the floor plans (where the pans raise for the seat). This is not the ideal solution, but for me is a good compromise. It also fixes the problem with the rear body mount rail (partially flattened whent the tree hit the truck). He said the back pillar was three layer's thick and that he couldn't get in there to do it properly. He said you wouldn't be able to see it, but he wouldn't feel that it was done "right" if you cut it there. He also said that is a highly visible area and would require more body work prior to paint.

If I bought the new floor pans, the lower door patch panel, and brought him a good cab, he would replace my pans, fix my door, and replace the cab lid for about $1,000. This doesn't include any other body work as I will be doing most of that myself. I felt this to be a good price (less than I anticipated). Now I just have to come up with the money. I still have some to pay on the old truck, and my car is supposed to get a $600 sandblasting in December. Oh well, hopefully I'll pull in a nice project to pay for all of this.

[rjewkes]

Almost sounds better to get a new cab with decent everything and swap the vintag for the original off the old door.

Could probably do that for 100 or 200 for the cab. swap it all yourself with a friends help and a cherry picker. Or an aframe.

[rjewkes]

Yeah I can see the Sentimental side of it. Was just offering a more pocket book friendly option.

Ultimatyely it is your decision. How ever you go about it I hope it comes out the way you want it.

[FORDification]

You know, as long as you're cutting the entire roof off and replacing it, it really wouldn't be THAT much more extra work to just leave a few inches off the posts when you weld it back together.