The difference between a F100 & F150 I have a questionabout the F100 between 80 & 81.
I am looking at buying an 80 F100 4x2 that I am told thebody is “average” and the interior is “very rough”, it has a 300 I6 & 4spstick (3sp OD?), wipers don’t work, don’t know of working lights and no A/C. Willneed work to get on the road. I have not seen it in person yet hope to nextweekend so that is all I know from being told and pictures I have seen of it.
I also have an eye on an 81 F100 4x2 that looked in greatshape till it was rolled, so body (roof mostly) is junk. Interior looks in goodshape and looks to have A/C. Also a 300 I6 and 3sp OD.
See where I might be going with this? If I could get bothtrucks I would like to take the interior & A/C parts from the 81 and stickit on/in the 80 truck. I do not know what dash gauges either truck has and Isaw a post about switching lights to gauges and the 80/81 I think was an issue?Then again if I took the entire dash / heat/AC box and wiring from 81 I thinkit would fit into the 80 without much trouble I am thinking. I would also saveanything else from the 81 that would work on the 80 just in case needed downthe road like motor/trany/suspension and scrap the rest.
So is this do able, swapping the parts or do I just get the80 and do what has to be done to get it on the road? I am not looking for ashow truck but don’t want it looking like I dragged it off the junk pile either,that’s not how I roll. If I have to drill a hole or 2 to mount the AC/heat boxin a non-AC truck I can do that. And yes I am capable of this swap as I haverebuilt motors & rear gear changes, built a Ford WC T5 for my 70 AMCJavelin that had a AMC T10, installed custom Speed Hut gauges that look stockin same car. Also doing body work, flush mounting of front/rear glass &painting on said car.
Sorry so long but is it do able or not?
Thanks for any information given.
Dave ----

 

Of course it's doable, anything is doable with enough time and room and tools and money.

1980 is a one-year-wonder concerning wiring... mostly with the START/RUN/CHARGE systems, dash gauges & lamps, stuff like that. People here have dealt with the differences before, do some research to see what you're getting yourself into (I think there's stuff in the sticky about gauges, maybe also charging system).

Adding AC to a non-AC truck... I want to do this, too! And will get there one of these days. But it's more than just drilling a hole or two; do some research here, too... in general, because AC was an optional, the wiring is just an add-on harness that connects to the already-existing, heat-only wiring. But how 1980 wiring may differ in this area, I have no idea. And you'll have vacuum lines and pulleys & belts and accessory mounting brackets and idle-speed-kickup solenoids and whatnot but the mechanical stuff should transfer right over.

Everything can be dealt with, you'll just have to figure out what you want to do, what you have, and how you want to get there....

 

I did do some looking on the gauges and I knew of the 80 dash wiring did not know it was a 1 year wonder thing with the charging system too! I will also look into the AC/Heat deal posts on here so I know a little more of that


Because of the 1 year deal it sounds like it would be best to just take everything from the 81 and install it in the 80 body turning it into a 81


BTW what books/tech manuals do you recommend to have on hand?
For AMC cars there is the TSM = Technical Service Manual and it has everything needed to know when working/rebuilding the car. It is like a dealer ship tech book.
Thanks
Dave ----

 

Honestly IF putting AC in, you need to find a cab With AC, Between the Dash cold-air ports (non existent on a non AC cab, and ALL the vacuum lines and ports, Valves, Dash controller, Heater core exchange, Compressor, condenser, wiring, OH by the way your original Non AC radiator core support in NOT compatible with AC, THe core support for AC cabs has a Huge opening and radiator, vs the small opening and rad you now have.
I bought a 1986 AC cab (no rust) with complete dash, heater core, compressor, condenser lines wires, core support radiator Everything for $700.
Good luck getting a compressor and condenser for that price trying to piecemeal it..

 

To be honest, I would seriously consider dropping the '80 truck out of the equation altogether.....not because it's an '80, but because of it's condition.....& look for another.
You could still grab the '81 for spares if a 300 is what you are after.

A few years ago I wouldn't have passed on those trucks, but now I'm finally accepting the reality of starting with the best example you can of whatever you're restoring, & saving a lot of time, money & work in the finish.

But that said, yes, certainly what you are suggesting can be done.

 

Reamer thanks for that information just what I was looking for. I think the core support & AC / cooling is not hurt in the roll over from what I see from pictures.


Where did you find a non rusted cab in CT? Everything up there has rust rolling off the truck! I moved to NC April of this year from CT so I know rust!


The 81 truck is listed for $800 and thinking the same thing "where could I get all the parts for inside the cab for that price"?


Guys keep the info coming thanks
Dave ----

 

Yea it sounds ruff but if it has no rust or very little I am in as it is a step side for one and that is what I want, any one can have a flat side p/u


Also I don't mind a little rust where I came from we had a lot of rust on older cars/trucks so a cab mount or 2 is no big a deal for me.
Beside what can you ask for in a $1000 dollar truck?
Dave ----

 

I was quite honestly thinking the exact opposite. Sure, you could swap the 81 into the 80, but it's gonna be a wholesale harness change - EVERYTHING.

And this is gonna have some mechanical implications to it, too... for example, the 1980 has the Neutral Safety Switch on the column behind the dash, all the others have it on the transmission combined with the backup light switch (at least for the C6, or so I seem to remember). And there will likely be some other differences, too, which very well could include the HVAC stuff.

Oh, one or two gas tanks is a harness difference, not add-on wiring.

For what you are thinking of doing, at a minimum, you should get the EVTM (Electrical and Vacuum Troubleshooting Manual) for each year; these things show the electrical circuits but only in a simple, logical depiction. The true-to-life Electrical Wiring Diagrams would also be good; these things show the physical wiring - color codes of the wires, their placement in all of the connectors, what the connectors look like and their colors, what literally connects to what, etc. etc. etc. While the EVTM contains much (but not all) of the same information, it's just presented differently in those things.

The Body/Chassis/Electrical Shop Manual for each year would be another good thing to have; much of the two are the same, but certain things aren't.

All these manuals are Ford Factory documentation; check eBay, Faxon, and other places that sell used automobile literature (Google is your friend here).

This is a place I've purchased from, I got a shrink-wrapped, 3-manual set for something like $25.

Welcome to Lloyd's Automobile Literature

Oh, BTW, the charging system is different depending on dash gauges or idiot lights (in addition to 1980 vs. 1981).

See? It's more than just drilling a hole or two.

 

Why not get both and use the 80 to replace the beat body parts on the 81? No funky wiring to change and A/C is already there.

 

I got a 98% rust free, good running and driving, good interior, 30k on a new engine and rebuilt rear axle truck for $900.

If the truck is as rough as it sounds it would be a $400 truck here.

 

2 reasons 1: the 81 I think is a flat sided long bed where the 80 is a step side or what you guys call a flare side and I want the flare side bed truck bed.
2: the 81 is a roll over so the cab / roof is crushed. From pictures the rest of the body looks OK but would not know till I put eyes on it.

It's never easy if so every body would be doing it right?
Dave ----

 

From pictures it looks like someone primed the whole body & wheels so looks bad on the outside. Yes the inside is trashed from pictures I see. They are asking $1000 and not seeing it thinking $800. So we will see when I look the truck over next weekend I hope.
Dave ----

 

Thanks when I get a truck or trucks I will get some manuals for them.
They sound like them list more than the TSM for my Javelin and I thought it was pretty good.
Dave ----

 

It's not "us guys" that call it that. It's Ford. GM has always used the term "step side" while Ford has always used the term "flare side". "Us guys" are just trying to be true to our brand!

 

I am new to the ford (truck) side of things so I am learning.
For Fords I have worked on the older stuff late 60's Mustangs & Broncos and early 70's trucks: crew cab p/u and a tow truck. Even had a 76 E350 w/460 & C6 used to pull a 2 car trailer for racing jeeps off road.


OK flare side it is from now on
Dave ----