Interchangable years for grille inserts
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 13,128
Likes: 347
From: THIS IS SPARTA!, ...Mo.
'73-'77 are interchangeable and '78-'79 are interchangeable if all you are doing is switching out the inserts. If you swap the entire grill shell, they all interchange. I have a '79 and I put a '77 grill shell and inserts on it.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 10
From: West Virginia
I think if you have round lights already you can keep your stock buckets. I measured once because I have an older (73 maybe) grille shell with inserts at home in perfect shape and I was considering swapping it onto one of my other trucks.
decided not to. Still have it. If anyone is close and needs it, $40.
decided not to. Still have it. If anyone is close and needs it, $40.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 10
From: West Virginia
customs still had round headlight buckets in 79, square came on the higher trim models. My '79 custom had round lights. also have seen this information online.
the '78 lariats came with square headlights, too, from what I understand.
the '78 lariats came with square headlights, too, from what I understand.
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Lead Driver
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 15
From: Costa Mesa, CA
huh. I could have sworn in 78 the higher trim level trucks came with square & customs, etc. came with round - and then in 79 it was only square for any trim level.
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Save the old ones
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 666
Likes: 4
From: Boyne Mich
The round headlight bucket mounts to the Radiator support using different bottom holes than the 79 square light buckets.
Meaning it can be done but you will need to drill the bottom two bolt holes for each bucket mount.
Heres a cheesy drawing I made from three truck at a junk yard. they all measured the same. I just like measuring three time before I cut into a perfectly good Rad support.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 8,261
Likes: 15
From: Big Sky Country
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 15
From: Costa Mesa, CA
Nice info Drac. There's also a couple other threads on here with the info. I seem to remember there being dimples for the different headlight bucket locations but I could be wrong. Ed (75F350) did a write up on swapping from early to 78/79 that covers a bunch.
And yes highboy - it is Ford so you never know. I've seen so many different things they supposedly never built or put on the same truck that not much really surprises me anymore. It's all just fair game as to whatever ends up on these trucks!
And yes highboy - it is Ford so you never know. I've seen so many different things they supposedly never built or put on the same truck that not much really surprises me anymore. It's all just fair game as to whatever ends up on these trucks!
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,250
Likes: 10
From: West Virginia
My '79 custom was all stock, a rusted piece of crap, and the paint was all original. It had the round headlights. That doesn't mean it came with them from the factory; who knows what happened to it. however, I did read it somewhere else. Number dummy probably knows or could probably look it up.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,170
Likes: 101
From: darlington
Headlight Buckets
I thought the headlight buckets for the 78/79 were of a higher elevation,I was going to address that when i picked up the 75 grill,and let it self explain location,also I thought the 78/79 buckets protrude further out,than the lower profile early years
Save the old ones
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 666
Likes: 4
From: Boyne Mich
I believe the square light bucket mounted about 3-1/2" higher.
I think the top bucket mounting, attached to the top of the radiator support. Meaning the bolts went straight down from the top. ( I cant remember for sure).
The bottom bolts point in straight back. through-bolt the face of the rad support.
The round buckets, all 4 mounting bolts through-bolt the face.
Remembering back now, I had to drill and cut all 4 mounting slots for the round light and welded up the 2 old bottom slots from the square light.
First pic shows the front view of drivers side. all four vertical slots were drilled and cut.
Just above the bottom slotted holes, about 3-1/2" there's a recessed flat area (right below the 2 threaded inserts).This is were the square light bucket bottom bolts mounted. you can almost see the weld mark on the right one.
Only after I went through a lot of time measuring and marking the front side, and cut the holes did I realize that on the back side there were cutouts in the back side second layers. My holes look a bit off center, but I'm going with the measurements for now.
I think the top bucket mounting, attached to the top of the radiator support. Meaning the bolts went straight down from the top. ( I cant remember for sure).
The bottom bolts point in straight back. through-bolt the face of the rad support.
The round buckets, all 4 mounting bolts through-bolt the face.
Remembering back now, I had to drill and cut all 4 mounting slots for the round light and welded up the 2 old bottom slots from the square light.
First pic shows the front view of drivers side. all four vertical slots were drilled and cut.
Just above the bottom slotted holes, about 3-1/2" there's a recessed flat area (right below the 2 threaded inserts).This is were the square light bucket bottom bolts mounted. you can almost see the weld mark on the right one.
Only after I went through a lot of time measuring and marking the front side, and cut the holes did I realize that on the back side there were cutouts in the back side second layers. My holes look a bit off center, but I'm going with the measurements for now.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 842
Likes: 0
From: Palmyra
I just rebodied my 76 with a 79 cab & front clip and kept the 76 grill. I just bolted the shell in place then mounted the head light buckets to the inserts and then screw the inserts in and bam mark my spots for the mounting holes when I swapped the 76 grill on my 79 front clip. Also on the 78/79 with square head lights the upper head light bucket mount bolts bolt into the rad support to fender plate I belive. I remember I had to go dig thru a few box's of parts to find a pair to replace mine.