01. Jake Brazille takes inventory...
01. Jake Brazille takes inventory of the LMC repair panels that we’ll use to bring the forlorn F-100 back to its former glory. And yes, that is a big window conversion kit, but there are a few other things to be done first.
One of the favorites of Custom Classic Trucks fans is the ’56-F-100. With their wrap-around windshield and clean overall look, the styling has stood the test of time. Unfortunately time is often unkind in other areas and as a result it’s not unusual for the elements to have eaten away the once pristine sheetmetal.
At one time finding a solid F-100 was relatively easy, after all, Ford built over 160,000 of them in various configurations. But it has been 56 years since ’56 pickups rolled off the assembly line, so today many builders are saving trucks that they wouldn’t have looked at twice in the not too distant past, but now bringing one back to life has never been easier. A case in point is shown here.
Jake Brazille, of Jake’s Place in Florence, Oregon, came across an F-100 that could be charitably described as rough. The inner and outer rear corners, doorsills, lower cowl panels, lower hinge pockets, and portions of the floor were all riddled with rust. At one time that much damage would have relegated any cab in this condition to crusher status, but thanks to LMC’s assortment of correctly contoured patch panels they can get a reprieve and escape the scrapheap.
02. This cab is in rough,...
02. This cab is in rough, but redeemable, shape. The hinge and latch posts, sills, and cab corners will all be replaced. To make repairs easier it was placed on its back.
In this particular case the truck was disassembled, so to make repairs easier some were done with the cab on its back (and as a result some of the photos may seem to be turned). However, in most cases repairs can be mounted with the cab on the chassis. In any case, the real secrets to successfully installing patch panels are to cut carefully so the replacement pieces fit properly, solidly clamp the panels in place to keep them aligned and use plenty of tack welds and proceed slowly so as not to warp the metal.
Follow along as we give a rusty Ford a new life with a variety of patch panels, then stick around to see how we turn a standard cab into a custom with a big window conversion.
03. The first step was to...
03. The first step was to cut the sills away from the floor. Jake cut around the center reinforcement bracket (arrow), as it will be welded to the replacement panel.
04. Although the front cab...
04. Although the front cab mounts could be saved, the floor above them was rotted away. At this point a portion of the original doorsill remains.
05. The cab mounts were removed...
05. The cab mounts were removed by drilling the spot welds, then the rotted floor was cut away exposing the inner portion of the mount that attaches to the hinge post. The remaining section of the doorsill was also removed.
06. After removing all the...
06. After removing all the loose rust with a wire brush, Eastwood’s Rust Encapsulator was applied to all the surfaces that can’t be painted later.
07. A cut-off wheel was...
07. A cut-off wheel was used to remove the remaining portion of the doorsill from the latch post and the floor.
08. The LMC replacement...
08. The LMC replacement sill was slipped into place. Thanks to the “dog leg” where it joins the cowl, the replacement panel is easy to locate properly.
09. With the sill tack welded to the floor, the homemade patch panel above the body mount was welded in place.
10. Holes were punched in...
10. Holes were punched in the new sills for rosette welds. Clecos held the panel in place while its alignment was checked before welding.
11. Once the sill was secured...
11. Once the sill was secured the bead-blasted body mount was welded back in place. Note the holes for rosette welds to the sill.
12. After cutting away a...
12. After cutting away a portion of the lower cowl, the damage to the lower hinge pocket could be evaluated. In this case a replacement was in order.
13. The distance between...
13. The distance between the bolt holes in the hinge pockets was carefully measured before the post was cut to accommodate the replacement.
14. LMC’S replacement hinge...
14. LMC’S replacement hinge pocket can be trimmed to fit. We elected to carefully trim the body to use as much of the new metal as possible.
15. The remaining portion...
15. The remaining portion of the lower cowl was removed by drilling all the spot welds. Again all the inner structure was wire brushed and coated with Eastwood’s Rust Encapsulator.
16. With the body upright, the cowl panel was welded in place. Jake elected to weld the top joint solid to eliminate the seam.
17. Here’s the finished...
17. Here’s the finished lower hinge pocket. Note how the new section fits over the sill, which is why it was replaced first.
18. A common problem on F-100s,...
18. A common problem on F-100s, the rear cab corners collect dirt, which holds moisture, and this is the result. The round hole on the back panel is where the cab mount attaches.
19. The rotted portion of...
19. The rotted portion of the original inner panel was trimmed leaving a lip around the edge of the floor. Holes were drilled in the replacement panel so it could be rosette welded in place. The cab mount was transferred from the old panel.
20. Jake carefully marked...
20. Jake carefully marked the rear of the cab before trimming it for the replacement panel. This is a critical cut as the panels will be butt welded, not overlapped.
21. Satisfied with the fit,...
21. Satisfied with the fit, Jake held the panel in place with Eastwood welding clamps (item number 19016).
22. They leave a small gap...
22. They leave a small gap for welding and are removed after the panels are solidly tacked by loosening the wing nuts and then pulling out the crossbars.
23. Some light taps from...
23. Some light taps from a body hammer brought the replacement panel into alignment; the adjacent clamp was then tightened.
24. Our antique inside radius...
24. Our antique inside radius tool was used to perfect the alignment of the door opening.
25. After tack welding and...
25. After tack welding and light grinding the fit was perfect.
26. At this point all Jake had to do was grind some welds—well that and replace all the same panels on the other side.