The work you will have in that cab roof is monumental, I would recommend doing cab swap. As tedious as that sounds, its just nuts and bolts. I'd pull the windshield out of yours and the new cab and swap everything over including the dash.

Do a Pittsburgh Craigslist search for Dodge truck. There is a guy in New Kensington that advertises parts from Commifornia.

 

Thanks for the lead. Called him but he doesn’t have any cabs currently

 

Altoona

 

Walters auto wrecking just south of Altoona Pa

 

Not many yards have old junk like Walters anymore.

Clarks Auto Wrecking in Duncansville is another.

And there is a big one in Hagerstown MD. LOTS of old iron. Can't think of the name.

You might be able to pick up a gasser 2wd cheap on the Craigslist or one of those socialism media sites. I think most anything will work from mid 80's and up. I can't remember when the HVAC stuff changed.

 

I wish I lived out there, as to not have a 4.5 hour trip to that boneyard. I'd love to just walk about there and check out their old stuff.

 

Found a donor roof

 

Nice score! Where did you get it from ?

 

Found it at Novey Recycling in Clearfield Pa. got a great deal on it

 

Nice score.
Glad you found something close, in good shape and quickly.

I will be watching how you get that rust cut out and replaced with the new metal.

 

How hard is it to match up a new roof with the posts of the lower cab? Wouldn't that be easier than cutting panels out?

Just curious.

Edwin

 

This website shows how one guy did that. My opinion is that it is more difficult and compromises safety as that a pillar will never be as strong, inner brace or not.
https://www.backyarddiyguy.com/galle...uck/index.html

I copied mine from a guy on 1stgen.org whose pictures were a victim of the photobucket extortion fiasco.

And then this guy
https://ramchargercentral.com/projec...f-replacement/
And me
https://ramchargercentral.com/mopar-trucks/1988-w-100/

Lots of spot weld cutting and welding. Otherwise its just simple measurements before and after.

 

That’s what I’m planning on doing. Cut below the window on the back side, so the cut line is below the bed, so it’s not as noticeable. Then cut somewhere along the front Pilar’s

 

I feel your dispair! My plan to get through winter is to put garbage bag in the crack, fill with great stuff to take up space and silicone the heck out of it. I plan to try and learn to make a custom panel over the winter to minimize down time. I scoped inside all the panels and the rust is super isolated to what you can see.

 

I take that back. After taking to my local body shop, cutting along those pillars is a very bad idea. PLEASE NO ONE DO THAT. After a conversation with the guy my local body shop, he told me that yes, it might be the easiest way of gin get about doing it, but you lose all safety aspects of the truck. For what ever reason if that truck was to be rolled, it would crush where the weld is and it could make the difference between life and death.

Rather than going about doing that, I am going to have him help me with the roof for a reasonable price. Couldn’t beat his offer price wise. He claims that he can have the whole roof swapped in one day. We will drill out all the factory pinch welds on both cabs, and re assemble the two into one good cab, and it will not only look factory, but be as safe as factory.

Like I said, please no one cut along those pillars. After talking to him about that, I agree with him about the safety aspect, and no matter what project anyone if building, safety is always #1 in my mind. So if it takes a little longer to do, and it’s a little more expensive, then I’m fine with that knowing that heaven forbid that truck ever gets into a serious crash, I know whoever is in that truck is safe.