I bought an 85 f150 4x4, because of all the new drivetrain, but the body is completely shot on it. I have a 96 body i want to put on it, but this is kind of something ive never done before. The body will fit on the truck, but is there anything i need to know before switching these bodies out? Will my dash cluster match up or is there some kind of conversion kit for my fuel gage hook ups and speedometer? just looking for some help, ive put over 2 months straight building this thing and this is all i need to get it on the road, thank you.

i just hope this is possible, any help would be greatly appreciated

 

The 80-86 dash stuff does NOT match up to the later doors (not sure about the firewall) nor
do the later pedal assemblies match up to the earlier dash (you'll need the assembly out of
the older model) nor does any of the electrical.

Or, so I'm led to believe from guys here, anyway, I've never done this.

After you have 25 posts, you can send a PM to Sycostang67 he's done this and can tell ya
all about it.

In fact, there might even be some stuff from him in the Tech Tips sticky at the top.

 

there is a few wiring issues you may run into. closest i have come, i swapped a 460 from a 90 into a 94. some of the wiring plugs are a little different. a buddy of mine swapped 80-86 front clip and doors. I think only problem in that little bit was the hood latch didn't line up perfect, but that was an easy fix, just had to adjust it.

 

oh yeah, forgot to touch on that. the wiring is not the same. if you have access to good wiring diagrams you could probably figure it out. I had chassis electrical diagrams from a ford dealership when i did mine.

 

It can be done, like said already, but it is not going to be easy at all.

1: The weight of the cab, bed etc. Just for starters.
2: Electric as mentioned above.
3: You have to consider braking and steering systems. What can you convert or modify to work properly, and safely.
4: Even with a lot of buddies, it's going to take time. Lots of it.
5: Murphy's law. Something WILL go wrong that sets you back monetarily and time. Trust me.

I did a similar swap years ago in my front yard by myself with the exception of swapping the cab (4 men and a wife) and the bed (2 men). I had issues with the transmission linkage, steering shaft, and brakes. Expect to buy new brake lines throughout, fuel lines, body mounts and new bolts and an assortment of other things I can't remember.

If you have the time, tools and resources, go for it. But get some books and manuals, a multimeter, use the search on this site regularly, and since you will have the body completely off, now is a great time to replace things you normally would have a hard time getting to. Spring hangers, metal brake lines, etc. Clean up the frame and undercoat it. Also a great time to check out your fuel tank or tanks, and make sure your filler door/s will line up.

And take lots of pictures for reference.

Good luck and welcome to FTE!

 

Opinion? would it be easier, to swap the engine and drivetrain rather than swap the body? I do agree, if you do a body swap itd be a good idea to get into the rest of it too. Fuel tanks is a very good thing to consider, havent had a truck that didnt seem to leak somewhere.

 

If I had to do it now, I'd do a engine and drive train swap, however depending on where he lives he might run in to smog test problems. Older engine in newer body can be a no-no. When I did mine, I had a screamer for an engine and hd running gear but the body was rotting off. I found a mint 2wd flareside with a locked up 4.9 for $400 so a body swap was my only option, and intention from the start. Took me 11 months to complete, working on it 2-3 hours in the evenings and most of the day Sunday, my only day off, but I did replace just about everything I could while the body was off.

 

Oh yeah, didnt consider that either. I live in small town IA, smog checks arent something I think of.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...body-swap.html

I sent a PM to Sycostang67, maybe he'll show up here sometime.

 

I just looked at the link ctubutis posted I think it will help a lot. think it made me decide that id leave a cab rather than try to swap it. I get confused and frustrated easy... lol

 

When I did mine, I had a bad bad temper At least five times I said "screw this" only in a more colorful vocabulary, and take a few days off to calm down. If it hadn't been for the mess, the money I'd spent and the fact I went from two trucks to none, I would have quit. I can promise that I know I'll never attempt it again. But doing so back then taught me a lot about vehicles in general, stuff I'd have never known before.

 

I agree with this too. As much a pain as it was, I did learn a lot from it. Not afraid to attempt to play with wiring.

 

It actually landed me a pretty good job. The finished product and photo documentation was my resume getting a technician job.

Hope we didn't hijack this thread but I think like you said, the link ct posted is about all the op needs

 

that was something i failed to do, document. yeah it does kinda seem like we diverted a little. well cambell, keep us up to date on how it goes.

 

Huh? Diversions? Methinks you guys haven't been here long enough and seen the
discussions on Mel Brooks movie that crop up....