body parts for 91 reg cab

[DThibault]

I have a 91 reg cab that I have been keeping up to snuff mechanically but the body is starting to fail me. I either need a junk cab or a source of fenders, rocker panels and believe it or not I see a spot on my roof. What is that? I have seen Model A's in the weeds with no holes in the roof. I am not a body work kind of guy but I love this old truck and want to keep it going so if anyone knows of a good source for new panels or a good junker in the Northeast let me know and we will attempt a fixup. Thanks

 

[Philip]

You don't have a signature line filled out so we are not sure what exact model you have. To fill one out. Go to the top of the page and the button that says discussion forum. Hit the drop down menu and go to the user control panel. You have a place in ther to list the spec's of your truck and any mods you have done. It helps use troubleshoot a little easyer.



The rust in the cab roof is normaly caused by bad body sealer in the drip rails letting water into the roof area or a leaking marker light will cause the same problem.



I almost forgot about the bed light. It can let water in to the roof area and cause rust out also.



Most of the time when I see rusted out roof section. I tell the person to find a cab and replace it. With the roof rust. You can repair the rust threw. But it most likely will be back in another spot not to long after the repair.

 

[Niki]

You don't have a signature line filled out so we are not sure what exact model you have. To fill one out. Go to the top of the page and the button that says discussion forum. Hit the drop down menu and go to the user control panel. You have a place in ther to list the spec's of your truck and any mods you have done. It helps use troubleshoot a little easyer.



The rust in the cab roof is normaly caused by bad body sealer in the drip rails letting water into the roof area or a leaking marker light will cause the same problem.



I almost forgot about the bed light. It can let water in to the roof area and cause rust out also.



Most of the time when I see rusted out roof section. I tell the person to find a cab and replace it. With the roof rust. You can repair the rust threw. But it most likely will be back in another spot not to long after the repair.

Have you had any experience replacing cabs? The VIN plate is on the dash, so you just have to keep the original dash, right? What about the sticker in the drivers jamb, is that necessary? I also have a very rusty truck... :{

 

[Philip]

Most state have provisions to replace cabs legaly. Most states issue a rebuilt or assembled title. Call you local DMV and ask what your state requires.



In IN they require the title from the truck you are replacing the cab on. For the replacement cab if it is from out of state all they require is a bill of sale. But the title for it makes it easyer. If you have the title for the replacement cab. The numbers will have to be inspected by a police officer to make sure they haven't been tampered with. After the swap you need to have the police check it over to make sure everything is safe and road worthy. Then the state issues an assembled title and issues you new numbers for the vehicle. In this state a assembled title drops the value around 50%. So you only do a swap if it is the only way out and you want to keep the vehicle.



The numbers are not only on the dash. Most likely they are stamped in other places where you will not find then easy. The police has the location of the other numbers or can get the info. To get caught in this state with nonmatching numbers means instant towing and impoundment. Then expect to have the truck in impound for at least 30 days while you do the correct paper work. Tow in storage fees run around $25 a day and up. So getting cought with nonmatching numbers is costly that way.

 

[Niki]

Thanks for the info Philip, Maybe I'll just put my new rockers and a bed on... A bed shouldn't matter at all, right?

 

[DThibault]

Thanks for the reply Philip. That's not what I really wanted to hear but so be it. Have you heard of anyone successfully replacing just the roof? I have seen wrecks with good roofs but with other crunched areas. Also what years will work with my 91? Sounds like cab replacement would be a good winter project but the vehicle in question is the one with the plow. We will see what we can find.

 

[Philip]

I have only seen one roof change on a Dodge pickup. A friend bought what was supposed to be a new truck in 92. It was a D150. He fought with the dealer on wind noice and leaking doors. After fighting for a year he finaly good to talk to a distrect rep. When the rep run the numbers on the truck he found it had been toped out on a rail road overpass in OH. Then some dealer replaced the roof section and traded it to the local dealer as a new truck. When it was all said and done. My friend got a new 94 D150 short bed for $500. over what he paind for the 92.



In my area most body shops will not touch a roof replacement.



I know this wasn't the info you were looking for. Rockers aren't to much of a problem. But roof sections are a pain. The roof is double wall construction. Getting it off and replaced without getting metal distortion is a challenge.



Niki swaping a bed isn't a issue. As far as I know there are no VIN numbers on them. Rockers you can still get from Dodge. The rockers are listed for the regular cabs. The CC used the same rocker. The reg cab rocker comes with the cab corner attached to it. If you have a CC you just remove the cab corner.



The CC cab corner is N/A now. Unless Dodge does another production run. Me and Case500D got the last 2 in stock last year.

 

[Niki]

I figured a bed wouldn't be an issue, since they are swapped all the time. I got some new rockers w/ my truck, there just isn't much left on my floor... I actually got 3 rockers, so I have an extra drivers one.

 

[Kernel]

Go to Mexico and they will piece together anything. I have gone to salvage yards here in Texas and just looked around for this and that and found whole half cabs split down the middle and roofs missing. People from Mexico cut them and piece them together to fix up wrecked cars. Not safe and against the law here in the U. S. I think.



Good luck.



Scott

 

[1stgen4evr]

Matching numbers

The simple soultion is to buy another truck. These first gens are getting on down where you can have a spare for parts or for a second truck for whatever need that may arise. Shop carefully and you might put less in a second truck than you would doing all the required repair and *** kissing they want you to do at the DMV. Plus as mentioned, they will give you a second class title that will lower the value of your truck. But that may not be a factor as you probably aren't even thinking about selling your truck.



James

 

[Excessive Force]

The vin plate is held in place with pop rivets... The sticker on the door jam means nothing . It was mostly for warrantee id. just remove it before you repaint the cab and forget it.

After replacing the cab just rivet you old vin tag back on the dash or replace the whole dash with your old one... . Say nothing to the dmv and no one will know the difference or care. The serial # and or the vin # is stamped on the frame in various places. Remember... ..... The frame is the truck... not the sheet metal. Even if you changed the frame and said nothing. It is unlikly that anyone would ever notice or be able to find the stamped #'s on the frame to compare... ... .

I think they're special shaped rivets,but this is what i intend to do.

 

[TKingsbury]

I agree, replace the cab and don't worry about it. If you do a nice job and swap everything over, nobody will be the wiser.

Travis. .