I'm looking for advice. Not trying to start a sob story but it is my story. I was diagnosed sept 22 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. My course of treatment is going to be a long one, so now I will have something I have been missing which is time. My project is, I have a 76 4x4 with 390 4speed. I used this truck as a hunting truck/mud truck. My last "wreck" was due to the rag joint breaking in the steering. My damage includes "a"arm into header, sheered pitman arm, terribly bent tire rods. Truck has been parked now for 5 years. I love my truck and my project is to make it a looker/daily driver. I am not one to look at a truck, a truck needs to be a truck. After this wreck I started looking for a donor truck, as I am done with the four wheeling and have yota now for hunting. My donor is a straight bodied 76 two wheel drive, 302, a/c, auto. I have been gathering the parts to repair the front drive. I believe I have "most" of the parts I need to complete my truck. I have never taken on a project of taking one truck apart and another to put it back together, or anything close . I am going to look at older posts to see projects similar to this but any advice is definitely appreciated.I will try to post some pics of both trucks. One off the wall question I was pondering would it be simpler to put the 4 wheel drive under the two wheel truck or change the bodies. Never heard of anyone on any project converting running gear instead of body. Thanks again for the help.
Wayne

 

Welcome to FTE, sorry to hear about the 2 bad events in your life, leukemia and wrecking your truck.

You will get thru both with some help from the doctors on one and some help from all of us right here on the other.

Changing bodies (2wd onto 4wd chassis) can be done in a weekend with a few friends and is the easier route. Making a 2wd chassis into a 4wd is a long painful process and $$.

Hang in there with all you have coming at you and keep your chin up and you will get thru it.

Also ck out your FTE state chapter to locate some assistance with the body swap and friendly in state neighborly advice.

 

Like he said ^.

I swapped the body on my truck from a 2wd frame to a 4x4 frame by myself, in two days. ......but I'm a special case.

As far as doing the swap, NOTHING from the 2wd drive set up will work with the 4x4 set up. Am I correct in saying you want to make your truck 2wd with the donor truck and use what ever body parts from the donor truck to fix the damage on your truck?

Using the 2wd drive chassis and extra body panels would be the cheapest, fastest way to go. Are you going to use the 390 out of the 4x4 in the 2wd truck? What engine is in the 2wd drive truck now? If it's different, you'll need the FE frame stands for 2wd. 4x4 and 2wd frame stands are very different. The trans will have to be swapped out too.

Let us know exactly what your plan is and we can tell you exactly what you'll need.


Oh, ...and you're going to get bombarded by people telling you you can't legally do the body swap because of VIN's. Some states go by the VIN stamped on the frame and some go by the VIN on the VIN tag. My frame was never stamped by the factory by accident. (good for me) so my title swapped with the body. If you have a title for both trucks, it's a non-issue.

 

Thanks for the help already. Trying to be more specific, I intend on using the body only off the two wheel drive, possibly the ac since it worked very well. when this project is over I want my 76 looking like it is new with a 6" suspension lift which is already under it. I plan on loosing the body lift since I don't need to be that high anymore. with the front fenders trimmed a little it cleared 40" tires when I got the truck 20 years ago. I plan on running 36" tires no more when complete. I do have titles for both trucks so licensing should not be an issue. I have been collecting for a while now it just seems now is the time to start.

thanks again,
wayne

 

Both bumpers first, put mount hdwr back in the piece that came off or back in the hole it came out of. PB blaster the radiator core support bolts and bed mount bolts now.

Scribe the hood hinges on the underside of the hood before you take it off, so it lines back up easier come reinstall time. 2 people makes it easier.

Same 2 pull the rest of the front clip off as a complete assembly, radiator and inner fenderwells and all, the bolts that hold the radiator core support will more than likely have to be cut with a sawzall.

Run the blade under the support on top of the frame. Be ready for the smell of burning rubber, but hopefully some PB blaster will work??

Scribe the doors before removal to make the cab lighter, use the saw horse and schedule 40 PVC pipe roller to the side trick or a eng lift arm inside to the seat belt bolt trick, but be careful with that one.

4 big friends and the bed is a snap, of course a tractor with a bucket makes is SO much easier. A1 to A1, B1 to B1 ect....for the tape tag connector marking plan.

Take pic before you disassemble and items or draw a diagram, well thats it in a pinch.

 

Wayne,

Welcome to the forum. I too am sorry about your medical situation, but it's nice that you'll have a project to take your mind off things, and you'll have something to show for your "downtime".

I've had success doing it this way: Liberally apply the penetrating oil of your choice to the core support bolts a couple of days before you're ready. Loosen the bolts somewhat, but leave enough in the female end so all the threads are engaged. Take a long (18" or so) rod and place it on top of the bolt head (I shouldn't admit it, but I usually use a very long 1/2" drive extension). Use a decent size hammer and give it a hard WHACK. That will (or should... it's always worked for me) allow you to separate the two mount halves. It's quite likely there will be some spacers used as shims. Keep track of how many and on which side.

When I take stuff apart I have a couple of boxes of Zip-Lock bags and a black Sharpie. Everything goes into bags and the bags get labeled. If there are differences in say bolt length I'll put a note with details in the bag. I find it much easier when it comes time to put things together.