Difference between a 77 and the 78-79
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Cross-Country
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Difference between a 77 and the 78-79
Could someone please tell me the differences between the 77's and the 78-79's? Basically, I have a 97 powerstroke motor and tranny that I'm in the middle of rebuilding and I want to stick it in a crew cab 4x4 with a long box. But I can only find the long box in the 76-77 models. Personally, I'm biased towards the 78-79 because my first truck was a 78, but I can only find a short box in those years. Could someone please help me out with this?
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From: Oregon
Crew cab long box
The only '78-'79 crewcab long boxes that I've seen were 2wd. I've only seen two. Years ago, I had asked my father-in-law (ford lover and ford mechanic from the '60s-'90s) about a crew long box and he said they never made one, just the short box.
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Cross-Country
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Mil1ion, I realize that the 78 is the same as the 79, but I wanted to know what seperated those two years from the 76-77. Is it the front clip or what? And the 2wd doesn't bother me at all, I'll gladly convert it to 4x4.
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The only 4x4 '76 trucks that I've seen had the steering knuckle front axle instead of the 77-79 ujoint. Also, most of the '76 trucks I've seen had the coil over front end instead of the leaf springs.
Really, really look at the two wheel drive front ends. Where the control arm for the coil over axle hooks up to the frame is very different then the 4x4.
I gave up on my '78 4x2 conversion idea and just went out and bought a 4x4.
Oh, yea. All or most of the sheet metal that I've seen is the same. The trim work is different and the '76-'77 grill / blinkers / headlights / etc. are different.
I think it goes like this:
75-76 / same everything -----mostly
77 / shared some of the 76 grill and sometimes the gas tank location
75-79 / mostly the same sheetmetal, mostly same interior
78-79 / newer grill, tank location, same everything----mostly
Really, really look at the two wheel drive front ends. Where the control arm for the coil over axle hooks up to the frame is very different then the 4x4.
I gave up on my '78 4x2 conversion idea and just went out and bought a 4x4.
Oh, yea. All or most of the sheet metal that I've seen is the same. The trim work is different and the '76-'77 grill / blinkers / headlights / etc. are different.
I think it goes like this:
75-76 / same everything -----mostly
77 / shared some of the 76 grill and sometimes the gas tank location
75-79 / mostly the same sheetmetal, mostly same interior
78-79 / newer grill, tank location, same everything----mostly
Last edited by Dallenx; Feb 3, 2006 at 07:38 AM.
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From: Victoria BC Canada
ford never made a 4 door long box 4x4 in any year. Like was said '77 and up had proper open knuckle front diff. older had the closed knuckle.
Grilles are different, inst panel is different.
I would try and find a '78-79 f350 they will have a dana60 in the front already!
I looked at converting a crewcab 2wd to 4x4 and it is alot of work. (and I have put coil springs on all 4 corners of a toyota leaf sprung truck before!) The frames are different and you willneed to fab custom spring hangers and stuff.
A guy in town here has the truck your talking about with a power stroke in it and it is simply unreal. the fit is good and makes real good power.
Grilles are different, inst panel is different.
I would try and find a '78-79 f350 they will have a dana60 in the front already!
I looked at converting a crewcab 2wd to 4x4 and it is alot of work. (and I have put coil springs on all 4 corners of a toyota leaf sprung truck before!) The frames are different and you willneed to fab custom spring hangers and stuff.
A guy in town here has the truck your talking about with a power stroke in it and it is simply unreal. the fit is good and makes real good power.
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Your best bet might be to get a 90's 1 ton crew cab frame. Add your powerstroke and put a 73-79 crew cab and long bed on it. Mechanically the 77 is simular to the 78-79's. The Lariat was introduced in 78 and also the tilt colum came along in 78.
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From: St Andrews West, CANADA
Converting a '78 Ranger to pre '78 appearance
My question is similar to Srokerin's so I jumped in to this thread to ask.
I am contemplating the purchase of a '78 F150 Ranger but I want to
make it look like a pre '78. The difference I see from photos on this site
is the grill.....chromed metal instead of plastic, round not rectangular
head lights, no bumper overriders and the F O R D lettering repositioned. Do any of you more knowledeable folks know if this can be done inexpensively. I would actually like for it to look like a 1973 model. This is not a show vehicle,
so used parts are OK. Is the hood the same on both? Willl I have to get new
pots for the round headlights. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Carl
I am contemplating the purchase of a '78 F150 Ranger but I want to
make it look like a pre '78. The difference I see from photos on this site
is the grill.....chromed metal instead of plastic, round not rectangular
head lights, no bumper overriders and the F O R D lettering repositioned. Do any of you more knowledeable folks know if this can be done inexpensively. I would actually like for it to look like a 1973 model. This is not a show vehicle,
so used parts are OK. Is the hood the same on both? Willl I have to get new
pots for the round headlights. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Carl
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Welcome to the site Dancer.
In 78 The round headlights were on CUSTOM trim trucks.
Ranger trim and higher got the rectangular headlights.
In 79 all trim lines got the rectangular headlights.
There were 3 grilles available for 78.
Argent,Argent with chrome, and Black
Yes, F O R D letters went on the Hood
There are a few year change front ends on this site.
You will need everything from the 73 to make the change.
The hood is the same, of course without the FORD holes.
In 78 The round headlights were on CUSTOM trim trucks.
Ranger trim and higher got the rectangular headlights.
In 79 all trim lines got the rectangular headlights.
There were 3 grilles available for 78.
Argent,Argent with chrome, and Black
Yes, F O R D letters went on the Hood
There are a few year change front ends on this site.
You will need everything from the 73 to make the change.
The hood is the same, of course without the FORD holes.
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Cross-Country
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The custom fabbing doesn't scare me, I've done all those things before and can always find a way. But it is good to know that there was never a 4x4.
FordTrucksKickGM, how similar are the two frame? Will I just need to make new mounting locations to get the cab and box to fit on the early 90's frame?
FordTrucksKickGM, how similar are the two frame? Will I just need to make new mounting locations to get the cab and box to fit on the early 90's frame?
Posting Guru
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From: Northeast Nebraska
I saw a 73-79 Crew 4x4 with a lengthened frame for an 8ft box. It looked pretty good and I think that would be easier to do than converting a 2wd to a 4wd.
As for putting an older cab on a newer frame I dont know what it would take. But the good part would be that it would already be setup for the powerstroke and tranny. Maybe ask one of the guys in the newer truck forums to give you some dimensions for the cab mounts.
As for putting an older cab on a newer frame I dont know what it would take. But the good part would be that it would already be setup for the powerstroke and tranny. Maybe ask one of the guys in the newer truck forums to give you some dimensions for the cab mounts.