Hello everyone we will first start with a little back story. I'm currently looking at purchasing a 1978 ford f250 and I was wondering how hard it would be to swap in a 1976 grill (prefer round headlights personal choice ) anyways I know that it would consist of getting a 76 shell and inserts but I guess what I really need to know is will everything line up ok in the sense that I wont have to drill any holes or modify the hood. This is just my second dent side and I'm still learning but it never hurts to ask
Any advice is helpful
Thanks

 

I did this to mine not hard, took me about an hour. FYI you can get round headlights and inserts for the 78/79 grilles. But anywho, you need obviously the shell and inserts, 73-75 inserts work as well, the headlight buckets for the pre 78 style (they bolt to the radiator core support) blinkers are needed, and i cant remember if you have to have the 76 light harness ends, or if the interchange, i just remember changing mine. All you have to do is drill the holes for the older buckets in the core support, 4 holes each. I dont remember that well, but i think you can tell in the newer core support where the older buckets are supposed to go pretty easily. then just bolt em on. and swap harness ends.

If any of that is confusing PM me or something and i can refine it a bit, trying to hold a conversation while i write this lol.

 

The grill shell will bolt right up. The headlight buckets are in a different position so you will need to drill new holes for them.

 

I believe you will have to drill some holes in the core support to mount the 76 headlight buckets. Maybe your 78 round head light buckets will work with the older grill?

You will have double FORD (grill and hood), a flat old style bug guard will cover up the hood FORD.

 

It is extremely easy to put the 73-77 headlight buckets on a 79 FORD rad support. The 79 rad support has a pattern which almost lines up perfectly with the old 73-77 buckets. Mabye I can find a pic for you... Also the headlights and blinkers will plug into your old wiring harness. Then the grille shell itself is a direct bolt on.

 

Heres a pic for you. You can see how the top of the headlight bucket contours to the rad support. It`s a piece of cake once you get started.

 

Haha i remembered that and totally spaced writing it. Of course you can always spot weld in the holes in the hood for the letters if youre planning on painting in the future.

 

I would put the a clear bug guard on there, but paint it black on the back side first.

Saves hood to original condition.....

You might ck your 79 bumper angles/clearence after the grill shell swap, you might have to get a earlier style bumper???

 

I just did this about a week or so ago. You'll need your inserts, shell, L/R 73-77 headlight buckets and the piece of metal above the buckets that bolts to the inner fenderwell, quarterpanel, and grille shell. Your 78 buckets are different and will not work.

Take the inserts off your old shell. Then unbolt the grille. There are bolts behind the bumper attached to the quarterpanels, and attached to the headlight bucket guard as well the hood latch. Unbolt the headlight bucket and the little metal piece above it.

Take your new shell and bolt it "for now" up to the quarter panels. Don't do it to tight. Hold the bucket up to the rad support, and pencil in where the little bolt holes are. Then take the shell off.

Where you marked with a pencil, drill it out to 3/8". That way you get some wiggle room, which you're gonna need. You'll see once the holes are drilled where the little eccentrics are on the back of the rad support that suggests the design of the core support wasn't changed.

Put your headlight buckets in. Using a plumb line or a level make sure that the body of the headlight bucket (the flat part) is as close to perpendicular to the ground as possible. It'll help when you try to align the headlights later. You may need to use a few washers, like I did.






After that, put bolt on the piece of metal from above the headlight buckets. Then put on your grille, and your home free.


You DO NOT need to get new turn signals. The socket will twist out of the '78 turn signal housings and twist into the '76 turn signal housings. Both use 1157's, but if the housings are clear you will need to get 1157NA's. All of your old lights will work, because you aren't changing the harness at all.

As far as the double FORD, I just pulled out the old letters, bondo'd the holes and primed and am in the process of painting.

Let us know if you have any other questions