This stage of LokJaw is about getting the cab structurally right before the custom engine bay work moves forward. Rusted roof, floor, rocker, and lower A-pillar sections were repaired with new metal, while non-structural surface rust was left alone to preserve the truck’s character. Openings that no longer serve the build, including the original gas door and unused firewall holes, were shaved clean. From there, the firewall was laid out around real packaging needs, including clearance for intercooler fittings at the back of the engine, so the transmission tunnel and driveline tunnel can be built off a solid, accurate foundation.
The episode returns to the Lockjaw build after earlier work on the engine-bay and transmission-tunnel layout with Sean from Empire Fab. With the cab back in focus, the fabrication work has moved into rust repair, structural patching, and preparation for the custom firewall and tunnel work that will follow.
The roof has been fully welded in and dressed smooth. Before the roof skin was installed, rust inhibitor was applied inside the roof structure, and new insulation matting was laid down. That sequence preserved the internal metal while restoring the roof assembly in a way that still addressed long-term corrosion protection.
On the passenger side, the rocker was skinned and the rotted floor section was replaced from roughly the kick-panel area downward. The damaged metal was cut out and a new section was grafted in, restoring the lower cab structure. New repair pieces were also prepared for the bottom of the A-pillar, including the missing lower section where corrosion had removed material entirely.
The work proceeded in stages: first rebuilding the inner structure, then repairing the A-pillar down to the lower section, and finally refitting and fully welding the rocker back on. By the time of the update, the passenger-side rocker was completely welded in place, with the surrounding structure re-established so the cab geometry could be maintained.
The driver side required less rocker replacement but still needed floor and lower-side repairs. The rocker itself was considered usable because the visible corrosion there was only surface rust and not structural. Since the truck is Lockjaw, that weathered appearance is being retained where it does not compromise strength.
The floor on the driver side was cut out where necessary, and rusted sections were patched back in. That included the side footwell panel, the floor itself, and the hat channel that had previously been skinned out. The goal was not to erase every sign of age, but to restore the structural metal while preserving the truck's character where the remaining rust was cosmetic rather than load-bearing.
Attention also turned to the front valance. To correct the gaps, the openings were cut out completely and swapped from side to side. That change produced the alignment needed for a cleaner, more consistent fit.
The lower scoop that had originally fed air behind or to the lower portion of the radiator was removed. In its place, a new panel was fabricated with the proper bead detail carried all the way across. The new piece also flanges downward underneath and includes bolt holes so it can mount like the original part. Rather than simply patching the old panel, the valance was reworked to restore both fit and factory-style attachment details.
Once the rockers and floors were nearly complete, the fabrication plan shifted toward the firewall. The stated sequence was to finish the rocker and floor work first, then make a cardboard pattern for the firewall, transfer that layout into sheet metal, and install the new firewall panel. After that, the transmission tunnel and driveline tunnel would be fabricated.
That order was driven by packaging constraints. There was only so much that could be finalized before more front-end components were in place, so the firewall and tunnel work became the next logical step. The engine-bay sheet metal would follow once enough of the front structure and component placement had been established.
With the fuel cell being relocated to the rear of the truck instead of remaining in the cab, the original gas door opening was no longer needed. The decision was made to shave the gas door and delete the opening entirely.
A 20-gauge patch panel was used for that repair. Layout fluid, identified as Dykem, was applied as part of the metal-finishing and marking process. Once the gas door area was completed, the fabricator noted that the next tasks would likely be either fender repair or beginning the firewall template work, depending on how the evening progressed.
The firewall work began by cutting out the remaining original firewall material and preparing the surrounding edges for the new panel. The lower flange was straightened because it had several factory steps and irregularities that would interfere with fitting a clean replacement section. Some unused holes in the firewall and floor area were also shaved. The reasoning was straightforward: if any openings are needed later, they can be added back in the correct locations rather than working around unnecessary factory penetrations.
One section required more extensive reshaping. The metal was heated and hammered flat to remove factory stampings, and a flange was pushed back to create a straight line across the opening. That gave the new firewall a consistent reference edge so it could be installed straight from side to side. At that stage, a firewall template had already been made, and the body was set back on so it could be bolted down, located accurately, and used for final fitting.
The firewall could not be finalized until clearance for the rear intercooler fittings was established. To solve that, a bracket was planned off the back side of the firewall area to define how far the recessed pocket for the engine would need to extend. A simple formed piece was to be made from sheet metal with a 90-degree break and holes punched in it so it could bolt to the top of the intercooler.
That bracket would represent the space required by the fittings coming out of the back of the intercooler. Once installed, it would determine the setback depth of the firewall recess. In other words, the rearward pocket in the firewall had to be built right to the back of that clearance reference so the fittings would clear the engine-side structure without guesswork. The fabricator traced the needed cut area and prepared to trim the firewall again based on that packaging requirement.
As the firewall template was refined, the plan was to split and graft the new section at a point that preserved the important structural areas while allowing the custom recess to be integrated cleanly. The side structure was treated as the critical reference, and there was also consideration that an additional lower piece near the fender interface might need to be fabricated if the bottom of the fender would not sit correctly on the modified structure.
That captures the state of the build at this point: the roof is welded and protected, both sides of the cab have undergone structural rust repair, the valance has been reworked for proper fit, the gas door has been deleted, and the firewall is now being laid out around real engine and intercooler packaging constraints. The next episode will shift from sheet-metal restoration to wheel design, as Gale meets with Jonathan from Spark Industries to create custom one-off wheels for Lockjaw.