Dynacorn cabs?

[TobyArnot]

I am including a copy of the e-mail I sent to James @ Dynacorn. Please take time to send a similar note to them. I believe a volume of request would go a long way toward some action on their part.

Good morning James,

"Short and sweet" ! Due to the popularity of '67-'72 Chevy/GMC pickups and the lack of decent cabs, please have your company investigate the reproduction of these cabs. The OEM design make these cabs very rust-prone. Finding even a "decent" cab, which means a lot of panel repair, is at best, difficult.
I see that you do offer the earlier cabs. PLEASE consider the thousands of us with '67-'72's..

Thanks for your time and hoping to hear from you regarding this

Thanks to this board for allowing me to share this.

[john@thepier]

I 100% AGREE please keep up the prodding, their company would make millions $$$$$$$$

[CG]

To me these trucks are still all over the place (at least around here) and the price they charge for a reproduction cab would go a very long way into restoring a complete truck. I mean cab repaired and a lot more.

[no1udknow]

How does that work with vin numbers? Do you get a new one w I th the cab, or do you hqve to cut and paste the pillar? Just wondering whats legal. I have considered a cab swap but didn't know what I was allowed to do?

[CUSTOM/10]

I don't believe it's legal in any state to mess with the vin-tag ! Here in NH and probably in other states the DMV will issue a new vin number for a vehicle put together from multiple vehicles, and some may just go by the vin-tag on the cab or the frame.

Gary

[Lattimer]

The rules probably vary a lot from state to state. One issue I know of is some states will only issue a salvage title if a new VIN has to be issued.

Interestingly, here in NJ, if you register as a classic there is no inspection required. Classic/collector vehicles are exempt from emissions, and there is no safety inspection. So there really isn't anybody looking. My NJ title was issued with the truck site unseen, as was the insurance. All I needed was the sellers signature on a title. Therefore, the only time someone might look for a swapped VIN tag is when its sold, but that is unlikely as well.

While technically illegal, if you find the correct rivets and relocate a tag because of rust repair, I really don't see an issue. Relocating a tag on say, a base Camaro to make it into an SS and then trying to sell it as a real SS, that's a real problem.

[JointTech]

all the repro cabs ive seen are 9k +. You can have MP&C or some of the other metal gods here fix all your rust like a champ for that kind of money.

I guess if they did sell cabs you could get a cab from them, a chassis from nolimit and one of each item from LMC and have a brand new 2015 1967 chevy truck. for like 80grand. a steal at twice the price

[67ChevyRedneck]

Yes, the dynacorn 47-55 1st series cabs are 9,000 (but you get the doors! )

I can imagine the 67-72 cabs would be even more $ than that.

You can dang near buy a fully restored truck for a few grand more.

As far as the VIN, a lot of states allow the VIN to be removed/replaced if the panel it is attached to is replaced due to rust or an accident repair. This comes up on the Mustang forums all the time because the aprons rot out on the 65/66 mustangs. It's completely legal to replace the rusted out area with new metal and replace the VIN. What's NOT legal is taking the VIN from one car and putting it on another. This is where the complete dynacorn bodies for cars gets really sketchy. But on a truck the VIN is on the cab and anther matching VIN on the Frame. As long as they match...

[68shortwide]

If the 67-72 cabs would be anything like the Camaro bodies, ill pass. I've seen numerous Camaro dynacorn bodies that have horrid fit and finish. All the panels are wavy and the doors and rockers and jambs never line up.

[leddzepp]

Lots of cabs and trucks still around in junkyards. As stated above you can repair a rusty one for far less than buying a new one would cost.

[franken]

For far less than what a new shell will cost, I'll locate complete trucks and ship them to you or your bodyman (such as the famed ones on this site) where their added value will still get a complete truck for less than an aftermarket cab...
67-72 is 6 years and lots built so cabs are still common.
While frames, alternator brackets, beds and such are not expensive, they add up. You still need a parts truck to make the new cab work.

[special-K]

Ehhh... We could just leave our opinions out and still bug them to make the cabs as Tony is asking. You don't have to buy one, but it would be nice for some to have the option. Honestly, I woudn't be surprised if they're already looking at that, if not already working on it.

[franken]

The economics in this case aren't so much an opinion, but a calculation of potential profit vs loss, and availability vs cost to repair existing parts.

Go to craigslist in the Southwest and search for these trucks. You can find them all day for $500-$1500 complete...

Now let's ask how many are willing to pony up $9000 for a cab, maybe with doors, w/o rust to build a truck, when they have to spend 500-1500 on a donor, or spend the money on a donor and fix the cab?

Next, lets ask ebfabman or MP&C the cost for them to do rockers and cab corners.

The point is, we aren't the cubic money folks here. We get into these trucks for low bucks and work on them.

[Turbo1dr]

I'd be interested in a complete cab shell. Not for $9000 though. Maybe for $2500. If that was true, you could buy a completely new sheet metal truck for under $10K. If a person could do all the work on the truck...including the paint, it appears it could be restored for $20k or less. This would be without any fancy after market hot rod parts. I'm talking a stock truck.

[TobyArnot]

Originally Posted by special-K

Ehhh... We could just leave our opinions out and still bug them to make the cabs as Tony is asking. You don't have to buy one, but it would be nice for some to have the option. Honestly, I woudn't be surprised if they're already looking at that, if not already working on it.

Thanks Special-K,

Don't mean to offend anyone, but only for some extra motivation for Dynacorn.

I live in the South and most of the "fixable" cabs I have seen are pretty well shot. I priced all of the panels required to rebuild my cab and the sheetmetal itself was nearly $3K. By the time I pay a good bodyman to piece together all these mis-matched panels, I'm likely in the $5-$6k range. One of you fortunate West Coast residents should find and resell all these "fixable" cabs. A few years ago, I spent some time with member, Doug Martan (?) in Victorville and even then, the shipping charges from Ca. to S.C. were in the $1K range.
I'm not asking anyone to buy a Dynacorn cab, but adding a number of responses instead of a bunch of non-constructive comments just might help some of us who just might be willing to.

Thanks again for the use of the board.

[CG]

You're not offending me in the least. This board is all about info and opinions. When you post a thread like this and only want ideas and opinions that agree with yours, you need to post that up front (doubt that would help lol). You took the first step, good for you, I hope it goes your way.

But I think instead you should start a thread that asks "Would you pay 9000 dollars for a complete new cab for your project?" I'm actually curious what the ratio would be yes to no.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I'm curious as to how many Camaro/Firebird/Mustang/Chevelle complete bodies they sell and 47-59 truck cabs. We've all thought about it, I'm curious as to how many people can actually pay 13K for a complete shell. I've yet to run into, speak to, or read about anyone that has except for an episode of muscle car? a few years back where they used one for a 69 firebird? project.

[CUSTOM/10]

I know of at least one person ( Friend of mine ) that bought a comaro body, and the body shop had to do a lot of work to get the doors and front fenders to line up !

[Doug's68SS]

In Texas according to a Highway patrolman that worked auto theft prevention. The title has to show the VIN that is on the frame. I told him i was putting my Cab on another frame and was going to use my title and he told me i had to have the Title that went with the frame. So a new cab should'nt be a problem so long as your title matches the VIN on the frame.

[dirtyjim]

instead of reproducing an original cab what would be nice would a slightly extended cab and doors for more leg room along with shortened bed sides to keep from having to extend the frame to match.
maybe even options like a smooth firewall, chopped tops etc.

[Turbo1dr]

Originally Posted by dirtyjim

instead of reproducing an original cab what would be nice would a slightly extended cab and doors for more leg room along with shortened bed sides to keep from having to extend the frame to match.
maybe even options like a smooth firewall, chopped tops etc.

Basically like these photo-shopped image's of the extended cab AND lengthened doors. This would get involved in other things having to be lengthened also; like the glass, rubber seals and the bed. To be honest, the lengthened cab/doors does look a lot better. I've also included a picture of just the rear of the cab extended, leaving the doors untouched. This would also require a shortened bed.

One picture is the original and the other two are photo-shopped.

[kaputafj]

I might dump $7K for a new cab. It's a lot of work and money to repair an old one, and compared to a new pickup it's cheap.
FYI fiberglass cabs from US Body are about the same price.

[skorpioskorpio]

Originally Posted by dirtyjim

instead of reproducing an original cab what would be nice would a slightly extended cab and doors for more leg room along with shortened bed sides to keep from having to extend the frame to match.
maybe even options like a smooth firewall, chopped tops etc.

Not to divert the thread from the topic, but I am putting some Recaro seats in my Jimmy project, as part of this I bought seat brakets from Wedge Engineering for them. Point is they made the brackets pitched, a little lower in the back, and a little higher in the front. These brackets from Wedge with the seat set with plenty of room to clear a half top (so similar to the cab room of a pickup) offer a huge amount of leg room. That little drop in back and a little rise in the front make a huge difference, went from cramped to can't touch the pedals.

[dirtyjim]

some seat options do offer more room but I'm keeping a bench in my current truck, i'll probably do a scotts firewall on mine for more leg room

[skorpioskorpio]

I guess my thought was if you take whatever seat you have, raise the front, dip the back and maybe reduce the seat to back angle a few degrees you'd gain leg room without sacrificing headroom. Seems a whole lot easier than a new firewall.