i got a 57 chevy cab that has a partial crushed/dented roof on the driver side door. it looks like a lot of work to fix. i do have the tools (welder, grinders, torch, hammer dolly, etc) to fix it. i also have a spare roof that is good to the rain guard that wraps around the back of the truck. figuring i have to cut my roof off and weld and body work the new one to fit nicely and look good sounds like a hell of a time and patience. i got patience but time is short when you work a lot. my buddy has a cab that is in better or fair condition then mine is but his cab is from a 59 chevy pu. they both look similar. is there a difference between the years when dealing with cabs. such as body mount location, doors fitting the 59 cab even though they came from a 57. i know that the tri fives are compatible but unsure about 59. can some one fill me in. i do know that the tri fives differ from the 58 and 59 in the front fenders and nose of the body but thats about it. thanks.
In the same way that rain breaks into a house with a bad roof, desire breaks into the mind that has not been practicing meditation. '55-'59 chevy is the same cab.
I think that those cabs have the VIN number riveted onto the cab. Check with your DMV before starting. You might have to have change your VIN on the ***le or have a police department verify your numbers. I have a later truck that I will be changing the cab on, the Washington State Patrol told me whenever, at least in Washington, there is a cab change the VIN is affected.
All of the 55-59 Chevy and GMC cabs are basically the same. The GMCs do have a different dash, though. Here is a link to the build thread on my 55 1/2 ton. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=371458 It has some pics of the different cabs. I used a cab from a 1959 Chevy 60 series grain truck to replace my original 55 cab. It worked out very well. There are a few differences, such as the lower hood hinge bolt locations, and how the wiper motor mounts, (along with the part of the cowl where the wiper motor mounts to). The holes in the firewall may also vary as to size and location.
That's about it, the 58-59 electric wiper motor won't fit in a 55-57 cab, the lower hood hinge hole is lower on a 58-59, and the heater hole locations for the "standard" heater are in a different place. The doors won't fit but that's not because of the year difference...
59 cab should work. Use the doors on it if possible. Swap the vin tags so you can use your ***le. It's not rocket science...
OK. I get it now. The doors on my original 55 cab didn't fit worth a damn, either. There was about an inch gap at the base of the windshield post.
thanks guys for the input. i got the whole front end body parts from a 57. two drivers foors, p***enger, and roof with spare window. when i go visit my buddy i will look to see how bad it is. as of right now my cab roof is smashed in on the drivers side. the rear cab corners are gone. and there is rot that looks like swiss cheese with holes no bigger then quarters all along where the fire wall ****s up to the floor. but the steps and rockers are mint. are there any spots on the cab i should check into before buying the cab from my buddy?
Look over everywhere for rust. Door hinge pockets and rear cab corners usually have some, I don't think I've ever seen one that didn't have some rust along the bottom rear of the cab somewhere. If it has doors, see how they fit, although usually the lower hinge attaching point on the door is broken, so it's kind of hard to tell if the cab itself is bent or the hinges are just loose. Beware that the 55-57 front sheetmetal is all completely different from 58-59, you have to change everything if you want to change any of it, and the 58-59 frame is a couple inches longer than the 55-57, too.
Probably every place that the one you have is rusted out. Replacing cab corners is the norm an not a deal killer. Hang onto to the vin tag from the cab you are replacing though. And it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep a few detailed photos of the damage and rust on the cab to show why you replaced it if the question ever comes up along with a bill of sale for the other cab from your buddy. I'd just move the vin tag myself but you may feel the need to jump through all the proper hoops to have it right.
i took a look at my cab again. the floor is not a problem to fix. ive done floor work before on Vhicles. the cab corners wont be much trouble, i got replacement panels that fit nicely. as for the roof i will cut off the top only down the rain guard. i do know once i get the new roof on the doors will not fit snug or properly the first time around. might buy my buddys cab off of him if sections are nicer then mine, cause i can always cut and weld.
Hey, If the body mounts on the cab you now have are sound, and the rockers and floors dry, maybe you can jus clip the roof & align the replacement doors to the openings, whyle you trim and weld in the roof clip? Cab swapping will probably solve more of your problems, but could eat up more down time depending on your experience/skills I think vin swapping is a felony in The Peoples Republic of Kalifornia " Life ain't no Disney movie "
Why not just remove the roof tin and replace it with the spare? Or repair it and re-install it. It s a bit of work, but so is swapping cabs. Just saying.....
You can buy virtually any part for a cab. If you have a small rear window this is your opportunity to go with with large rear window. By the way, you can buy a whole repop cab for around $9,000! I guess the vin is your call. If you were about 1200 miles closer, I've got a super solid '55 Chevy cab.
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