Front body swaps
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Front body swaps
I've looked and looked all day long...
I just aquired a 79 f100 and it needs a new grill, Ive been looking around and I really like the earlier 70s grills and the late 60s. Any idea if anything is interchangeable? Is it possible to put a late 60s- early 70s front on a 79? I know the generations change at 73 but the cabs look very similar. If I got the hood, fenders and all the other front parts, would anything line up? Im not worried about mounting brackets or anything, I can make those but wouldit actually fit? Would the door to fender seams look funny? Are the fronts wider then the others? Has anyone done this?
I just aquired a 79 f100 and it needs a new grill, Ive been looking around and I really like the earlier 70s grills and the late 60s. Any idea if anything is interchangeable? Is it possible to put a late 60s- early 70s front on a 79? I know the generations change at 73 but the cabs look very similar. If I got the hood, fenders and all the other front parts, would anything line up? Im not worried about mounting brackets or anything, I can make those but wouldit actually fit? Would the door to fender seams look funny? Are the fronts wider then the others? Has anyone done this?
Moderator & parts slinger
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
Do you see the blue line with User CP, Albums, FAQ? See the SEARCH on that line? It has a drop down search menu arrow, go to the "Advanced Search" option, top left side (search block) type in there what you are looking for and then go to the lower right column and high light 73-79 forum. Select it and then you will have a detailed search just in the 73-79 forums.
I would guess a 60 ish to 72 might work out, but I sure the body lines (bump versus dent) with the rest of the truck would not line up. Have you even seen a 73-79 with a 80 ish bed? UGLY
You can put a 73 and up outer grill shell/inserts, hood and fenders on the 79 with only a little drill mod of the core support to get the round headlight buckets to mount up.
If you want to swap the complete 60ish /pre 73 body that might work out easier I'd guess? All that would take is body mount/cross member, bed fuel tank filler neck mod along with a few other things that some other members will chime in about.
I would guess a 60 ish to 72 might work out, but I sure the body lines (bump versus dent) with the rest of the truck would not line up. Have you even seen a 73-79 with a 80 ish bed? UGLY
You can put a 73 and up outer grill shell/inserts, hood and fenders on the 79 with only a little drill mod of the core support to get the round headlight buckets to mount up.
If you want to swap the complete 60ish /pre 73 body that might work out easier I'd guess? All that would take is body mount/cross member, bed fuel tank filler neck mod along with a few other things that some other members will chime in about.
Tuned
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 342
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From: Big Sky MT
The sheet metal is way too far different in body lines to work. You can put all the early sheet metal on a later 70's frame.
73 to 79 is the same 67 to 72 is the same & 61 to 66 are the same. You cant mix & match between the generations.
73 to 79 is the same 67 to 72 is the same & 61 to 66 are the same. You cant mix & match between the generations.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2013
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From: clovis, CA
We are actually doing just the opposite we have a 74 which is the same as a 73 LS front end and grafting the 79 7879 Big Mouth front end on to this death side. It is straightforward swap accept that you have to get a light buckets from a 73-77so that you can use those on your newer body style that's the only difference. We did the opposite on my sons75 Explorer below.
This is after the conversion and paint and body and more. At the in-laws so will post pics in a bit.
This is after the conversion and paint and body and more. At the in-laws so will post pics in a bit.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: penn twp.
I agree with 77&79 F250's post. Use the advanced search feature. This has been discussed before. And there are photos in a thread about this very topic of where guys have put a 67-72 grille on to a 73-79 truck. Unfortunately I don't remember what that thread was. It's now several years old. Also do a search on IMDB movie cars site. IIRC the show Emergency used a dentside ambulance that the movie production company had a bumpside grille onto the ambulance. There are pictures of a screen shot in that other thread that I cannot remember the title of showing this swap. IIRC it was just a grille swap. The hood and fenders were still the dentside hood and fenders.
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From: penn twp.
Not exactly. The wheel base is different. The 73- 79 and actually all the way up to 96 on the 150 and 97 on the 250 and 350 trucks are 133" for a regular cab long bed truck. Where as 67-72 (and not certain on the 61-66 gen trucks) the wheel base for the same truck was only 131". And the same 2" difference is true for all of the wheel base lengths between these trucks.
Moderator & parts slinger
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
Tuned
Joined: Nov 2016
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From: Shelbyville
I've looked and looked all day long...
I just aquired a 79 f100 and it needs a new grill, Ive been looking around and I really like the earlier 70s grills and the late 60s. Any idea if anything is interchangeable? Is it possible to put a late 60s- early 70s front on a 79? I know the generations change at 73 but the cabs look very similar. If I got the hood, fenders and all the other front parts, would anything line up? Im not worried about mounting brackets or anything, I can make those but wouldit actually fit? Would the door to fender seams look funny? Are the fronts wider then the others? Has anyone done this?
I just aquired a 79 f100 and it needs a new grill, Ive been looking around and I really like the earlier 70s grills and the late 60s. Any idea if anything is interchangeable? Is it possible to put a late 60s- early 70s front on a 79? I know the generations change at 73 but the cabs look very similar. If I got the hood, fenders and all the other front parts, would anything line up? Im not worried about mounting brackets or anything, I can make those but wouldit actually fit? Would the door to fender seams look funny? Are the fronts wider then the others? Has anyone done this?
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