I've seen a lot of people doing this swap. My truck is manual everything, so I'm considering this or the cv front end. What are the pros and cons of both? Cost especially as I'm clueless to what a 73-79 front end would cost from a junkyard etc...

 

What do you mean by "front end"? Discs? Power steering? Power brakes? What??

Ask yourself other questions related to time, tools, facilities, and motivation. Be honest.

 

'73-'79 front suspension is a bolt-on. CV isn't.

CV swap will give you an automatic drop in height, 12" front rotors with 5-on-4.5" lug pattern, twin-piston front calipers, beefy front sway bar and a power rack and pinion unit.

Dentside front end will get you 11" front discs, single piston calipers. --depending on what truck you get the parts from, you may or may not get a power steering gear box or a front sway bar. If you do get these items, it will likely add to the cost of the front suspension components.

CV front suspensions can usually be had for $250-$350 dollars. You'll have to gather materials to fab mounting plates for the lower control arms.

The Dentside front suspension ranges in price. It just depends who you get it from.

I have both a 2003 CV front suspension and a complete front suspension from a '77 F100. I gave $350 for the CV front suspension. I gave $125 for the entire front '77 disc brake/I-beam front suspension. --I recently installed the '77 F100 suspension under my '69 F100.

2003 CV suspension being lifted out of my truck (1990 Thunderbird IRS rear suspension still in the bed).



1977 F100 donor front end.



Stock '69 front drum/suspension before swap.



After '77 F100 disc brake swap.

 

1973-79 Every thing is a bolt in except in 78-79 the brake pedal hole is in a different spot and the pedal will be close to floor. Also the 78-79 steering column the safety neutral switch is mounted to the trans not the column.