Howdy folks, I've lurked an learned quite a bit for quite a while but I figured its time to contribute to the fray...

Bear with my blabber typing but Im trying to give y'all a little info.

So, Heres the story and all the details you'll need

I have a 96 f150 xlt 4x4 long bed with the 302. Its got a pretty nice cab, just needs new rockers and cab corners... and a passenger side window. haha.
It also came rigged with a dump body set up that is one big piston in the middle of the bed, and a hinge on either end of the frame. The bed is mint and the lift works great, only problem is the darn tailgate is stuck and I haven't bothered to pull her open cause I haven't needed to dump anything.

Had her for about a year, drove her from the east coast to the rockies and back last summer, didn't do much, just usual ya know? plugs wires distributer...
For some reason this old 302 ate starters up every couple months but for the 3 or 4 I replaced I only ever did pay for 1... from a napa and its lasted actually..

But to get to the dirty..

Rotten frame on this thing, had to bolt angle iron onto each side of the rear frame to get the dump hinges back on and some new spring hangers with a nice piece of steel where the frame should have been
Frames nearly cracked right through at the drivers side coil.. she makes an awful scrapy noise when I move her round the yard. Steering has gone out, lots of electrical issues... plenty of banging on the radio and jiggling the window switch as well as occasional light issues..

But that 302 starts right up with a shot of ether even on some nasty old gas (15 gallons for free from the mechanic.. drained from running cars.. He even strained the rust out for me) and the 4x4 works great.. best 1200 ive spent on a truck so far I think..

I'm in the process of getting a one owner 97 F250 HD 4x4 5.8l manual trans (a zf5) with the 4.10 gears I know its a Heavy duty too because theres one old paper from the dealer labeling it as a HD package and it has the heavy stock axel (free floater)

She was a work truck but was loved by her previous owner, he took good care of her. After he passed away a few years back I think she got a bit neglected, left out of the more garage and allowed to be driven by the hired help, not the boss man.

But she runs strong shifts good, 4x4 works has a tow package and for 2500 I cant complain. Also has a dump body set up like my 150, but we will get to that..

A little love is always necessary with a 17 year old truck right?

Frames a little scaly in places, a little rough on the ends where dump hinges are but nothing like the f150, the hydraulic lift isn't working right now so its just a plain jane pick up.. And the radiator support looks like its just become dust in the wind. The only other rust is in the bed, and its rotted out the length of the cab right up at the front of the bed, pretty badly too.

So my real questions are

Will my f150 radiator support and bed fit into/onto this f250

and will the doors/quarter panels/headlights, and a few other easily removed from the dead, damaged on the living parts be an easy swap or is this 97 F250 Heavy duty a one off pain unable to accept pieces of his smaller F150 brethren?

If you've made it the far, thank you for reading. Now go collect your self while I await your reply

Thanks for everything again, all the past and future knowledge you have and will dish out! g

pictures soon to come.

 

99% of body and interior parts on these trucks are identical.. differences are from the frame down.