Body Swap
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Body Swap
Hey fellas, I think I finally found a sweet donor body to go on my '77.5 4x4 "lowboy" chassis. The body being swapped is a '69 F250 2wd, very straight and rust free. Is this a good candidate with minimal issues for making the swap or do I need to stay with '73-'79 bodies?? Any advice will be appreciated!!
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It was stolen and recovered with a beat up '79 front clip and cab and the bed was swapped for a flat bed. Just want to turn it back into a nice lookin classic with attitude not some beat-up wheeler/work truck. Really hoping someone knows if the '69 body will fit my frame.
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BODY SWAP
Not trying to be annoying here guys but time is slipping away quickly for me to be able to purchase a very nice '69 F250 2wd body to swap onto my '77.5 F250 4x4. Hopefully someone with experience can let me know if this is a good swap or do I need to stay with '73-'79 bodies??? Can't find any old posts regarding this swap...
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No doubt "nutter3" but I have limited space so I can't really have another rig that can't be used for the swap. I figured this was the place to get an answer since there isn't any useful info. online.
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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
Best to get a tape measure or locate another diagram like this and get to work comparing.
Wiring will have to be transferred over from the old frame.
Wiring will have to be transferred over from the old frame.
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Wow, slightly confusing... my issue is that I still have the '79 body and flatbed on my '77 chassis so I can drive it from 1 garage to another and the fact that I can't measure the mounting points on a rig that I don't own yet "the '69". I really figured someone in here has done a late '60s-early '70s body swap onto a late '70s 4x4 chassis. The diagram is much appreciated though, I will have to study it for a while.
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Moderator & parts slinger
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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
Your biggest issue will be the older body mounts measurements, versus the newer frame.
I am sure if you look for a diagram like the one I posted, you can get a older truck series....
The issue might be the rise and fall length wise on the frame too? But I am sure its overall doable. FYI the truck title goes with the frame. But your DMV might want the truck title for the doner body to be able to make sure its all on the up and up.
I am sure if you look for a diagram like the one I posted, you can get a older truck series....
The issue might be the rise and fall length wise on the frame too? But I am sure its overall doable. FYI the truck title goes with the frame. But your DMV might want the truck title for the doner body to be able to make sure its all on the up and up.
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I will check the 'ol interweb again for more info or diagrams. I'm confident in cutting the transmission tunnel and don't mind some minor fab work for brackets and drilling new mounting holes, getting a painless wiring harness to ease that process as well. Just wasn't sure if someone had tried and failed miserably because of something I forgot to take into consideration. Thank you very much for trying to help.
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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
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You found an example!! That gives me confidence that I can make the swap, thanks for finding that ad! Picking up a '69 F250 2wd rig this weekend, it's got no motor or trans but the body is lazer straight with no rust and still has the factory green paint in nice condition. Probably the best $1,000 I could spend! Thanks again
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Hmmm, really don't want a big gap between cab and bed. I wouldn't have known that since the picture above shows the '69 with a flatbed on it. I will look through the bumpside forum to see if I can find that pic. Thanks for the heads up!!
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Gap
This is a swap I'd like to do myself one day. What I found when researching it is the issue of the space between the bed and cab as was mentioned. The wheelbases are different as I recall, 133 for your 77.5 and 131 for pre-73. So you might need to relocate the bed mounts and the spring perches to make everything line up. Been awhile since researched this, BUT I know people have done it, so go for it. One other thing to consider and what I think would bother me is when you put the pre-73 body on the later frame it will sit lower and I am used to seeing the highboys higher stance. Some have swapped highboy springs onto their 77.5 and later (heard that works, haven't seen it myself.) Or you can do your own lift somehow if you are after that look.