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Hello all long time lurker first time poster here. I have been wanting an older truck to fix up with my two boys. I was at my dad's place the other day and seen his 2 old F150s a 1984 2x4 with a ran when parked 300 engine and a 4 speed but has a bed frame. The other is a 1992 4x4 with a non running 302 and a 5 speed and decent frame but has a rough body. My question is what kind of challenge would it be to take the 1984 engine and body and put it on the 1992 frame. Thanks in advance.
It’s definitely possible, just a matter of how much work you’re willing to put into it. This video may be of interest, it’s the first thing I thought of when I read your post…
Hello all long time lurker first time poster here. I have been wanting an older truck to fix up with my two boys. I was at my dad's place the other day and seen his 2 old F150s a 1984 2x4 with a ran when parked 300 engine and a 4 speed but has a bed frame. The other is a 1992 4x4 with a non running 302 and a 5 speed and decent frame but has a rough body. My question is what kind of challenge would it be to take the 1984 engine and body and put it on the 1992 frame. Thanks in advance.
You will have to keep the 5 speed and put it behind the 300. The 5 speed will be a 4x4 trans and you need that for the transfer case. Your 84 should already be hydraulic clutch so no problems there. The overdrive 5 speed will be nice and work well with the 300.
Check the 84 truck and the 300 out. It may be computer controlled. See what type of distributor it has. You need to get rid of the computer control if you are going to do this swap. I would do the conversion first and get rid of the computer system, get it running good, then pull it and do the frame swap. The conversion is just buying a HEI distributor for the 300, and a new carb without all the wires on it.
That's good to know. I didn't realize some of them were computer controlled. I was planning on going through the 300 figured it would be the time to do it when it was out. All this info is really flattening the learning curve
No one in my state looks at the frame VIN. To them, it will still be a 1984. That should keep your taxes lower also. The only thing late model will be the frame and most of the driveline. No one will know the difference.
You could only swap the newer frame and keep it two wheel drive. The front of the frame and how the bumper mounts will be different than the ‘84. It was the first year of the crush zone frame ends. I don’t know how the newer bumper will line up with the ‘84 grill.
You could only swap the newer frame and keep it two wheel drive. The front of the frame and how the bumper mounts will be different than the ‘84. It was the first year of the crush zone frame ends. I don’t know how the newer bumper will line up with the ‘84 grill.
I thought that also, but we have had several people on here say they put a later frame under a earlier truck and did not have any problems with the older bumper on the newer frame. It may be certain years? 87-93 ok? 94-96 not ok?
I did just about those exact years myself and everything was a direct bolt up except the front bumper. We cut the horns off the 84 frame, bolted to the 84 bumper, and like magic there were a couple of existing holes in the 92 frame for two large bolts (no drilling).
I used a NP205 which meant fabricating a cross member. If you stay with the stock transfer cases then a factory cross member will work. Probably can use existing drive shafts going this route and save some bucks and complications.
There are engine mount "pads" that bolt to the frame of the I6 trucks that mate to the I6 motor mounts that you will need off the I6 truck.
I have a zillion pictures on my thread, but a serviceable truck can be had for less effort.
Here's my cheap fix for the bumper horns being different between the 84 and 92:
It makes the bumper stick out a little. May do a winch someday to make this better.
I thought that also, but we have had several people on here say they put a later frame under a earlier truck and did not have any problems with the older bumper on the newer frame. It may be certain years? 87-93 ok? 94-96 not ok?
I swapped in a 87 4x2 300 frame on my 86 4x4 302. The frame was pretty much identical apart from the transmission cross member, motor mounts, and rear spring hangers (all either swapped over from my old frame or bought new). I am not sure when the crumple zones were added to the frame horns which would affect the bumper fit.
I am not sure when the crumple zones were added to the frame horns which would affect the bumper fit.
Sometime during the 1992/1993 model year. I was looking at putting a plow on the ‘94 Bronco. Some of the manufacturers listed a plow for 1992 and others did not because of the crumple zone.
