Hi, I have a 73 F-100, and i have seen people put older dashes such as the dash from a 67-72, and i have seen some with the newer 80-86 style, so i was wondering how hard is it to take the whole dash assembly out of an 80-86 and put it in my 73. to specify i mean the whole assembly, pad, cluster, glove box, the metal back. would i need the steer column out of one, as well



not my truck but good dash pic





also not my truck but good dash pic

 

Why would you change it? I for one love the 73 simplicity.

 

It is easy to take either out, but what a PITA IMO to put/make a newer (80-86) one work in an older (73-79) truck. I'd leave well enough alone.

Over all mount and fit differences, a/c and heater box possible fire wall differences, wiring connections, pedals, yes you would need to swap the steering column...well I am pretty sure anyway.

I have to ask, why in the world would you even want to try it? That 80's and up dash is fuggly.

Why do you NOT like the 73-79 design? Maybe telling us what you do NOT like about it, and we can give you some easy improvement ideas and save you a ton of hard work.

 

^ thank you for that..

 

I have a newer Heater panel in my '78 and the plastic mounts were very similar. Just a slightly different height.

a Picture:


as for the rest of, ?? no idear! I'd head to the junkyard, or pick-a-part and start pulling junk off and comparing them.

And get pics so we can look too!

 

For the most part here is what is behind the dash on a 73-79....2nd pic has aftermarket a/c.

 

Really i was just wondering how hard it would be or if anyone has already done it, personally i like the 73-79 dash, just wondering what else you could do.
On the same subject how hard would it be to put the older 67-72 dash in

 

Zark-eh, what does it take to put a radio like that in one of these trucks?

 

Oh, I dremeled the original piece and bent it. Then drilled holes to screw the radio into it. The DIN is a little to far to the right and am contemplating adding another piece to remove the left side you see in the picture. But that's for another summer day.

edit: You can see the original hole the two post radio used to go in the picture as well.

 

Just take off the dash bezel, then take out the environmental control panel (4 screws) slip it out the back of the mount panel, NO disconnecting reqd.

And then take out the mount bracket (4 more screws) and mod it like this.

 

78&79 f250, is that white gauge original or is it an aftermarket thing, ive seen the white face inserts, but not like that, i been thinking about going with the white dash look.

 

I do believe it is not white, but just looks white in the pic. I'd bet it really is factory silver. Not my truck in the pic, but a fellow FTE members, I just save pics that show details.

You know you can take the instrument cluster out and apart very easily and paint it what ever color you want...I was goofing around with some red paint one day after taking to many shots of Jagermeister in the shop. lol
Do not drink and wrench it's known to cause bad ideas and unplanned pregnancies. lol

No worries as far as that idea got was the work bench, then is got trash canned along with the empty bottle of Jager.. lol

 

would i have to cut the stock dash bezzal for the radio to fit?

 

More than likely yes...here is how it is now I imagine? Do you have a stock stereo and the dash bezel 2 post stereo insert?

Once you remove the dash bezel and get the new stereo fact plate you will be able to tell way before cutting time.

A dremel works great to trim off what is not needed.

 

Here is what you might have to trim off, as long as you new stereo fact plate will cover it in the 1st place before the trim job, if not, its time to find a bigger face plate?

Better to have to much face plate and trim down, cause you can not stretch it to fit. lol