63/64 Front End Swap
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From: Dallas/Fort Worth
63/64 Front End Swap
Can anyone tell me If you can swap the whole front sheetmetal, including the core support, between 63 unibodies and 64 standard longbeds? 'Eyeballing' it looks identical, but I've found some wierd stuff on the unibody that I thought would be the same as 'regular' trucks and later found out otherwise... I know the bumper mounts are different; I was hoping to still use the 64 bumper (that had already been replaced by the kid I bought it from, so it's like-new).
Some will probably consider it a no-no, but my 63 is apart right now anyway - and the front sheetmetal is straight as an arrow. It's a 4x4 that I'll probably end up beating up a bit in the long run anyway... while my 64 has a 'slightly bent' right front fender, core support, and grill... the rest of the truck is straight. I was thinking about swapping things around before I put the the 63 back together.
I'm good with mechanical stuff and troubleshooting, but I don't seem to have a lot of aptitude for bodywork 'cause things never seem to come out quite the way I picture it in my mind beforehand, so I thought I'd ask before I went to a lot of work for nothing!
Some will probably consider it a no-no, but my 63 is apart right now anyway - and the front sheetmetal is straight as an arrow. It's a 4x4 that I'll probably end up beating up a bit in the long run anyway... while my 64 has a 'slightly bent' right front fender, core support, and grill... the rest of the truck is straight. I was thinking about swapping things around before I put the the 63 back together.
I'm good with mechanical stuff and troubleshooting, but I don't seem to have a lot of aptitude for bodywork 'cause things never seem to come out quite the way I picture it in my mind beforehand, so I thought I'd ask before I went to a lot of work for nothing!
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Escondido, CA
63/64 Front End Swap
I can tell you that the alignment after you go to install the front end again is going to be a pain in the _ _ _. I took my front end off twice now. The first time was piece by piece do get rid of any rust hiding areas I wouldn't noramlly see. The second time was to install my 460. As for the swapping of the years. I wouldn't see why not. The part #'s for the panels are the same from 61-64.and I found my frame part # under the driver side shock tower
and it was made in 62 but my VIN stamping says it's a 64.
and it was made in 62 but my VIN stamping says it's a 64.
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From: Dallas/Fort Worth
63/64 Front End Swap
Thanks Mark!
The alignment is part of the reason I wanted to do the swap as an assembly instead of doing just the fenders and straightening the core support (the valience (spelling?) and header are ok, it's just the fender that bucked by about 3" or so, so I know the core is pushed back some too. I'm not the best at body work - I figured this would be easier.
I mostly wasn't sure if the mounting holes for the core support would be the same distance from the firewall; a couple inches fore or aft would have been a bummer! I know the grill mounts are different - I have two nice 63 grills but my 64 was butchered sometime in the past. I was going to swap it for a 63 when I did the wiring but found out the holes don't match, which is what got me worring about the core being different in the first place...
The alignment is part of the reason I wanted to do the swap as an assembly instead of doing just the fenders and straightening the core support (the valience (spelling?) and header are ok, it's just the fender that bucked by about 3" or so, so I know the core is pushed back some too. I'm not the best at body work - I figured this would be easier.
I mostly wasn't sure if the mounting holes for the core support would be the same distance from the firewall; a couple inches fore or aft would have been a bummer! I know the grill mounts are different - I have two nice 63 grills but my 64 was butchered sometime in the past. I was going to swap it for a 63 when I did the wiring but found out the holes don't match, which is what got me worring about the core being different in the first place...
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Escondido, CA
63/64 Front End Swap
LOL I have done the swap using the "one piece" idea that was even a pain. The core support didn't want to slip into place. So I resorted to the famous "donkey kick" to drop it in place. Just remember that you are going to scratch up some paint doing it this way. When you go to open the doors to get to the two bolts on the inside of the cab push in on the fenders, or keep the doors open. Two people can easily move the whole front end around.
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63/64 Front End Swap
Cool, thanks for the tip!
once I got it dropped into place I was thinking put the bolts in by the doors and line everything up there first, then the inner fender supports, and do the core last... sound like the right procedure? Both trucks could really use a coat of paint anyway - a couple more scratches and touch-up spots will blend right in... :-) The plan is to get all the mods I want done to them finished before I even think about paint so I don't scratch it up again...
once I got it dropped into place I was thinking put the bolts in by the doors and line everything up there first, then the inner fender supports, and do the core last... sound like the right procedure? Both trucks could really use a coat of paint anyway - a couple more scratches and touch-up spots will blend right in... :-) The plan is to get all the mods I want done to them finished before I even think about paint so I don't scratch it up again...
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63/64 Front End Swap
They swapped out fine... woo hoo! The only problems I had aligning the 64 was the lower-right fender bolt where they had tack-welded the old one on (I had to resort to the same fix... 
), everything else aligned without trouble. Even though it's straight, I did notice some body rot on the 63 core support though (bummer), so now I have one rusting straight one and one bent clean one... I know better than to ask if anyone knows where I can find repro core supports for these years...
), everything else aligned without trouble. Even though it's straight, I did notice some body rot on the 63 core support though (bummer), so now I have one rusting straight one and one bent clean one... I know better than to ask if anyone knows where I can find repro core supports for these years...
