Cab / Body Change

[53flathead]

I have a '72 F-100 SWB that I bought for a parts truck and I'm considering putting it on an '84 F-150 4X4 SWB frame and chasis. Has anyone done this switch? Any thoughts, advice or ideas are greatly appreciated.

[Joshpow]

Got similar question. Hopw someone has answer.

[fordman]

you'll just have to make some frame bracket to put on the 80's frame. or maybe you can use the old frame brackets onto the new frame.

[70 ranger]

Hey there I am almost finished the body swap on my 70. I have done a bit of reseach on this and found that it was common for guys to swap bodies with the 73-79 chassis so I did a little home work and found that the 80-96 chassis was not much different. 2" longer wheel base. I used a 95 f150 I fully restored the body then placed it on the chassis. The cab mounts holes needed to be drilled out about 2" back and 1" to the side. The back mounts I just drilled through the floor were they lined up with the chassis. Rad mounts I made to fit the 70 rad mount. The frame has some high spots and low spots. (Not two flat rails from front to back) to deal with this I used a 2" body lift kit. I trimmed the blocks down to be the right hight. for the steering column I made a custom end where the rag joint was to fit the heim joint to extend the linkage to the steering box. (It is forward about 9" further than the 70 box.) The power brake booster needed the plunger extended to fit the 70 pedal assembly. The shift lincage had to be a custom piece to adapt the cable to the 70 column. I cut a piece of the fire wall out of the 95 where the wiring went in. This was installed in the 70 fire wall so that I can run all 95 wiring(Plug and play). I trimmed the 95 gauge cluster to fit behind the dash of the 70. This is a very quick summary of my project. I had to figure out a lot of stuff but nothing was all that complicated. If you have any specific questions just email me

[basketcase0302]

70 ranger on Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:31 am
Hey there I am almost finished the body swap on my 70. I have done a bit of reseach on this and found that it was common for guys to swap bodies with the 73-79 chassis so I did a little home work and found that the 80-96 chassis was not much different. 2" longer wheel base. I used a 95 f150 I fully restored the body then placed it on the chassis. The cab mounts holes needed to be drilled out about 2" back and 1" to the side. The back mounts I just drilled through the floor were they lined up with the chassis. Rad mounts I made to fit the 70 rad mount. The frame has some high spots and low spots. (Not two flat rails from front to back) to deal with this I used a 2" body lift kit. I trimmed the blocks down to be the right hight. for the steering column I made a custom end where the rag joint was to fit the heim joint to extend the linkage to the steering box. (It is forward about 9" further than the 70 box.) The power brake booster needed the plunger extended to fit the 70 pedal assembly. The shift lincage had to be a custom piece to adapt the cable to the 70 column. I cut a piece of the fire wall out of the 95 where the wiring went in. This was installed in the 70 fire wall so that I can run all 95 wiring(Plug and play). I trimmed the 95 gauge cluster to fit behind the dash of the 70. This is a very quick summary of my project. I had to figure out a lot of stuff but nothing was all that complicated. If you have any specific questions just email me

Would really like to see the above!

[71highboy]

yes pics please would like to see what it looks like

[Joshpow]

[70 ranger]

I will take my camera to work tomorrow, but I have to tell you I am not much of a computer guy and I don't have a clue how to post the pictures. If some one can walk me through that, I will post some shots of my 95/70.

[fordman]

you just have to plug your camera into your computer. the cameras software that was downloaded oto your computer will downlaod the camera pictures onto your computer. once that is done you can usually edit them. making them brighter and cutting off that ugly woman in the back ground etc.

now to upload them directly here. you scroll down to where it says upload attachment. click that tab. then click the browse button that will let you find your pictures. doulb eclick the pictures . and then wait. the picture will either appear as it is ready to be seen or you will get amessage saying the picture is too big or the wrong format. if the picture is too big then yo uhave to upload the picture to a photo hosting site such as photobucket. (chumbucket more like)

once they are on chumbucket then you hover over the picture. and links will pop up for you to copy. then come back here and right click and then paste the link.

chumbucket

[70 ranger]

http://s1080.photobucket.com/home/70ranger/index I hope this works! This has pictures of the cab mounts. ( I miss labelled the left front cab mount as the right.) The rear of the cab has a block about 1 3/4" inch. The box is 2" on the front and rear blocks. the rad support I had to use a piece af angle iron to mount to the stock support holes. I am running all 1995 wiring in this truck. The firewall has a piece of the 95 firewall attached to it so that the whole harness is installed in the 70 cab. The dash has a 95 guage cluster tucked into it with a trimmed up cover over it. The 70 column has a piece of the 95 welded onto it so that the steering knuckles can directly bolt on. the intermediate shaft was shortened to fit the new column. I made a bracket for the 95 tranny cable to shift of off the 70 column. The 95 power brake plunger was extended to fit the 70 brake pedal. I hope this all makes sense to you guys.

[Joshpow]

{Pretty neat. Have to tell my buddy bout this. He wants to do this to a swb.

[67mann]

pm sent

[basketcase0302]

Good job on the pictures! If you want to post a single picture here you simply copy the url (direct link) from photobucket / come here and insert the above IMG / then "paste" what you'd copied from photobucket in between the Img letters in your post here.

That instrument panel looks pretty nice!


I believe his username is "Spectre" , (we haven't heard from him in awhile. He's doing a cab swap onto an 87' Bronco. Was as close as I remember anyone here doing a similar swap to yours.
http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... lit=bronco

[70 ranger]

Thanks for all the help getting the pictures loaded guys! I will add some more later. I was just browsing this site looking for other guys with twisted ideas of what to do with an old bumpside and a newer chassis.I have been looking for a few years to see if anyone else has done it, but have never found anyone. When I saw you guys asking questions I thought I would try to help. That is why my post was thrown together so quickly with no idea how to post pictures.
I haven't mentioned the fact that the chassis on the 1995 has a 2" longer wheel base ( not to noticable on a 4x4). It also has a wider frame starting in the front cab mount area and getting it's widest at the back cab mount area. . I found the frame specs for the 95 on a site called www.yankeeetoys.org. The frame mounts for the box have to be moved and strengthened. I have not done this yet but will keep you posted. the other thing is that the newer fuel injected truck needs to keep the 95 gas tanks and in tank fuel pumps. This means you have to keep the filler pipes and vents. You can either put the filler pockets from the newer truck into the old box or make new filler necks that resemble the older style. (this is what I am going to do, note the picture of the left side has no filler necks at all right now). I also removed the gas tank in the cab. I love the look of the old filler neck on the cab but I didn't want to have three necks coming out of this truck.
I also should mention that before starting this I would be planning on replaceing the front cab mounts and possibly the floor boards as they are usually rustier that suspected at first. While you have your fenders off there is a double wall at the lower rear of the fender... you know the place that is always rusty? cut out a pocket in the back of the fender so that you can get access to this. then after you patch the front of the fender you can under coat this area. You can also clean this out with an air gun or hose from time to time so that it says in good shape. I also sprayed a sprayable box liner on the inside of my cab with a large nozzle spray gun so that it is not as lumpy as in a box, yet just as durable.This will protect my cab from any water leaks rusting out my cab. If anyone has any questions feel free to contact me.

[OldNewFordOwner]

I am so happy I found your post. I have a 1968 F-250 and would like to put it on a 1995 F-150 frame. That will give me all of the upgrades in one shot that I wanted to get anyway like disc brakes and still keep the classic body. Is there really only a 2 inch difference on the frames? Did you split that between the front and rear giving 1 inch extra at each end? Any other advice you can give?