Cab "A" pillar repair/replacement

[Gettysburg150]

I have 3 cabs, all shot.

The best one is a 69 with the drivers door folded backwards. Previous owner let the truck roll away and it folded the door back.

I want to replace the A pillar where the door mounts. I'm planning on robbing parts from the other cabs unless someone knows where I can buy some nicer steel.

Anyone have any tips on getting the new parts welded into the right spot so the door closes properly and has the right gaps?

[cep62]

Anyone have any tips on getting the new parts welded into the right spot so the door closes properly and has the right gaps?

Measure carefully.
Pull the bent pillar back as close as possible , Before you cut it off.
If you have to cut and mangle it to do so it doesn't matter because you're replacing it any way.
it'll help pull the inner construction back into place.

And fit the door before you weld everything.
you can screw it together to trial fit it.

[Busboy]

This will be interesting and educational, please post photos.

[Gettysburg150]

Measure carefully.
Pull the bent pillar back as close as possible , Before you cut it off.
If you have to cut and mangle it to do so it doesn't matter because you're replacing it any way.
it'll help pull the inner construction back into place.

And fit the door before you weld everything.
you can screw it together to trial fit it.

That's pretty much what I was thinking. Luckily for me I have a couple cabs to compare to. I'll have to wack the pillar with a hammer to get it pushed back in. It did a pretty good number on the pillar

I'll try to get some pictures then once I start tackling it. Goal right now is to get the engine running properly. Had to remove the drivers door to be able to get in and out of the cab, but phase 1 has begun

[Jacksdad]

Go slow, tack everything up before you commit and finish weld it, and check your gaps often.

[Ranchero50]

Set your donor body on a concrete floor and build a framework that ties the hinge mounts to the door latch pin on the back as well as a couple other bolt on points like the seat mounts on both sides and maybe even the passenger door hinge bolt holes. The goal is to lock the donor part and frame work into the cab and then transfer it into the new cab using the same reference points. The more points you use, the better chance of having it align well.

I'd also plan on cutting out the whole lower A structure at the pinch welds, truing the flanges and then installing your new A structure in place. It sounds worse than it is and if you take time to make a decent framework it'll turn out factory fresh. A couple sticks of 1" x 1/8" angle for the frame will be a valuable investment. You can use sheet metal screws through the old spot weld holes to hold it together while you fit it up.