hi i'm looking into replacing the cab on my f-250 for one with a lot less rust and that is easier to fix. Anyway, today i went and looked at a cab off of a '85 f-series. while looking it over i noticed that the cowl panel is slightly different as well as the heater box (the heater core is inside the cab whereas the heater core on my '80 is outside the cab) the entire heater box isn't there so i can't tell if the one off my '80 will fit either or if it is just an ac/non ac difference. This cab is mostly stripped clean so i couldn't tell for sure about some of the differences i did notice but one thing was that there seemed to be more holes in the firewall that aren't on my '80. I know the cabs are basicly the same but i did notice a few changes, does anyone know how many changes were made between the cabs for my '80 and the '85 i looked at. i need to know whether or not the trim i have will still work or atleast that some of it will work for me. I really need some quick responces because the guy is selling this cab really cheap ($50 bucks and id be looking at about $200 plus in patch panels if i were to fix the cab i have) and i have no idea how long it will be there. the cab corners a fixable, inner cab corners a perfect, lower door posts are perfect, there are only a couple of other small spots i would have to deal with.

FORDS_FORLIFE

 

it will fit..... 80-96 will work those holes are prolly different cuz of the type of engine that was in those trucks.. and of course everyone hates RUST, but mine re RUST-free

 

they'll all fit, the only difference is if you have a stick and you have a non-hydro clutch and this one has a hydro clutch, but you can probably swap everything now anyways.

the heater core differences are just ac - non/ac.

you could actually put on a 96 cab, but the dash wouldn't fit.

 

thanks for the replies, i knew the cab would mount to my frame. i was mainly concerned with having to swap parts over and what holes i'd have to fill (i know there is atleast 1 big hole that the control modual stick out of, and also if there might be holes i'd have to cut out. Then, if it is just an ac/non ac thing for the heater box is that area different or will my original heater box still work. My heater box is as basic as it gets, i think all it has is defrost, maybe floor vents but i'm not sure. Oh, with the ecm in the '85 cab do they still have the fresh air vents in the kick panels, i'm sure by '85 a lot of the trucks had courtsy vents in the dash so the kick panel fresh air vents weren't needed or am i wrong. I'm pretty sure i'm going to get cab, the hardest to fix areas are stll 95% or better, the inner cab corners and lower door posts. Thanks agian!

FORDS_FORLIFE

 

Can't say 100% sure on everything but:

on both my 84&85 (300 w/ TFI) the ECM in under the dash. I'm pretty sure the 85-86 302s are the same way. The courtesy vents in the dash were only if you had AC.

not sure about the heater core, but if bad goes to worse, cut the AC one with a sawzall and bolt your old one back in.. (the outside box is bolted on.)

With fords, most everything can be swapped fairly easy.

 

1980-1986 Cab, bed,and most suspension parts will interchange.

1980-1996 Cab, bed, and most suspension parts will interchange with some modification.