A friend bought this 53 2 weeks ago. Decent driver, good deal, life was good. Tuesday night in the Walmart parking lot it caught on fire. The roof is warped, the back of the cab is warped, it looks like the top of the p***enger side door is warped. Can it be repaired? I am thinking replacing the cab is the best bet. School me how to fix this.
X3 on the new cab. You are going to have to do some serious work on the hood to make sure it isn't warped, same with the fenders. That is a shame, it looked like a really nice truck
It's on F/Book......https://www.facebook.com/groups/53to56FordTrucks/ Located in So. Calif. in Ventura County .... '56 doors, Hood, 2 grill's, & misc parts ... Must go ... Price will be right .. Can ship but Prefer pick up. Truck has been dis***embled & Bed is Gone.
I'll agree with changing the cab.. ****s that it happened!! I've been there but I got my fire out before it did much damage. Just bubbled the paint on the firewall and the hood. That was disheartening enough! Mine was from a Holley carb backfire and think the rear was stuck open and pumping lots of gas.
When it caught fire he opened the hood. It looks ok, fenders as well. It started on the engine but once the interior got going that is where all the heat was. I cant tell the cause. I am thinking electrical. Not many fuses. Any leads on a cab preferably in Cali would be appreciated.
I am thinking I will get "Flamed" for this but it has that rusty look that some call "Patina". Maybe post on the auction site as such.
If you go the repair route, I would install a "chopped top" (without the chop). The next step would to sand blast all the burnt steel, you cant do anymore damage than there is already. Then primmer with epoxy, blasting it into all the seams and cracks. Let it run out of voids to make sure you get everything. This will keep out water and add strength to the body. Step two, get out the body hammers. Step three, get out the Bondo. Step four, install a new hood and paint.
FYI, the cab on a bigger truck, like a 3 ton, will work for you. Easier to find than a half ton, and much cheaper, I would think.
get anew cab. bangin on that metal is gonna be next to impossible.next to but not impossible. really sorry about the fire.this happens a lot more than it should. ives seen 3 cars and 2 trucks burn down since may...onlt one was gas related. theothers were electrical..good luck with it.
i would replace the cab. that being said i would keep the other and practice body work on it. chop top and anything else. if you screw it up no big deal.
I'd look at the rest of the cab carefully. It looked like it was nice. If the floor and lower portions are nice you might be able to put a roof on what you have. Chopped or not. It will be well worth stripping it to really see what you have. I'd still blast it gently, last thing you want to do is lock that up any more.
Bad move. If you have an underhood fire, leave the hood closed. It will hold the smoke in and smother the fire somewhat until you can shoot a fire extinguisher in the grill and under the fender wells. If you have a fire in the cab, get out and close the doors so, again, the smoke can smother the fire.
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