Re: cab mount ?s

[tsm1@domain.elided (Tom Mandera)]

>The cab mounts definitely need replacement, but part of the floor is rusted
>through, too.  It's the typical pattern:  a strip of rust along the door,
>angling over toward the tunnel as it approaches the firewall.  My question

What about your kick-panel / fender?  My '72 has a rotten body mount, part
(apparently a good part) of the floor, and a bit up the side of the
kick-panel area (fender). 

I don't know if the cab mount will replace the floor (doubt it), but it
certainly won't fix any rust damage on the side of the kick panel area.

As I understand the process, you lift the body, cut off the mount, and
replace it.  If the body tub needs fixing, that is a DIFFERENT task.. as I
recall, there are some C-channel supports that run along the body and such,
and I think it is one of these support channels that the body is supposed to
rest on (this is all from my foggy recollection of stuff I've picked up on..
haven't done this yet!)

My '77 *does* have good body mounts and floor (up front anyhow.. bed has a
hole or two, along with the rear fender lips), so I can check and confirm
proper "stock" items if you want (should be out under the truck for a minute
or three tonight)

My approach, will be to replace the body mount using the appropriate part
from a vendor, then just section in some reg'lar old sheet metal.  The bend
in the floor isn't important to me.. I'll either borrow a brake to bend the
sheet metal the proper angle, or just use two sections of steel, and
butt-weld 'em together at the angle.

I then plan on applying Durabak over the floor, to cover up my poor body
working and welding skills! :-)

>time to grind out the old cab mounts, cut away rusted floor, cut out old
>rocker panels, and weld in all the new stuff.  Can I grind and cut away one
>week, then drive around for a week with that body mounting bolt
>disconnected, then weld in the new stuff at the next class?  Basically,

How many weeks? :-)

I think I'd try to replace the body mount one week, then the floor pan the
next week, and the rockers the third.  K.I.S.S. :)

Also remember you don't want to take too much out from BOTH sides (or any
ONE side) at a time.. I've heard of folks going nuts with the torch/sand
blaster and cutting out all the rust on their Scout's floor and body
mounts.. only to find that when they sectioned in new metal, they couldn't
get anything to align properly!  d'oh!

Keep the hardtop on.. it'll help hold things together.  

The above about too much and things sagging out of alignment holds DOUBLY
true if you plan on driving your Scout between sections of the repair!  If
it'll sag bad sitting on stands while a body man repairs all the metal,
thing what happens when you just cut it out, and then drive on it!

>Thanks for any help.  This is a daunting project for me.

It's *going to be* a daunting project for ME... luckily, I have two Scouts..
so I can 1) drive one and work on the other, and 2) if I screw up, I still
have the other around to compare notes with!  (or, I'll end up with double
the parts.. heh)

Good luck!

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout
'72 and '77 Scout IIs