steel thickness

[Nick Bombini]

Hello guys and happy holidays to everyone.

I was wondering what the gauge of the steel is on the sides of the open cab. I need to buy some steel so I can repair the rust holes on the sides.

Thank you,
Nick

[joel gopan]

Take a micrometer and measure at the edge of the panel you are working on , or at the door opening, the Open Cab is a mixture of 16Ga and 18Ga sheet metal. The Sheet metal or Steel supplier will translate the micrometer measurement to the proper thickness. Paint thickness will not be a big factor. You will not get a close measurement with a ruler.. From the pics of Owners trucks, if you have a sharp eye, you will get an idea of what to, and what not to do. You may want to get a professional shop to repair your sides as it is a high visibility repair. there ain't an abundance of Cab Panels out there. The best way is corrosion control, and that means the Cab is removed and reduced to its components(about 60), cleaned and repaired, primed and painted. I did that and am convinced that it is the way to go to ensure that the restoration is permanent. I had no rust through, but had multiple layers of paint, and wanted all cab joints to be "squeaky clean" and well defined. Not necessary but am glad I did it. TM9-1801 was my bible on the cab.
NOTE:
There are different levels of restorations, from just slopping on paint, pop rivits and bondo, creating a roaring OD colored mixture of parts, howling gears with leaks, sputtering engine, and idiosyncracies, to that smooth running fine tuned authentic looking machine that runs like it just left the factory. There is a "somewhere in between" happy compromise also.
Take a peek under your cab and and inside at the floor to cab joints, you will get an idea of what to do by the presence or lack of corrosion.

[Nick Bombini]

Thank you Joel.