Project Update!!!!
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 713
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From: Kearney, Nebraska
More Progress! All Rust has been removed, new panels welded in and Cab is almost ready for removal from frame. I have to finish stripping the Cab and Hood. so body is about 80% completed. Here are the latest Photos.
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Posting Guru
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From: St. Libory
I'm really thinking about it. There's a '74 Highboy at my grandfather's that I could probably get for cheap (free). The body is rough but it's a 360/C6 truck.
I'm not sure how different the frames are. I know the highboys had narrower frames in the rear. I also know that in 73-79 they added 4" in the cab so I'm not sure if the wheelbase was different and if it is, how much. I need to do some more homework. I know 67-72 reg cab longbox was 131". I'm sure what 73-79 was.
-Jake
I'm not sure how different the frames are. I know the highboys had narrower frames in the rear. I also know that in 73-79 they added 4" in the cab so I'm not sure if the wheelbase was different and if it is, how much. I need to do some more homework. I know 67-72 reg cab longbox was 131". I'm sure what 73-79 was.
-Jake
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 208,480
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From: Omaha/Elkhorn, NE
Jake, the frames are identical, from the cab forward. You'll have to readjust the bed, and the axle , otherwise you'll have a big gap between the bed and cab. And the bed bolt holes won't line up, so you'll have to re-do those, since the 73-79 frames are wider in the rear than the 67-72 frames.
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 713
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From: Kearney, Nebraska
Jake:
Just slap the front end and Transfer case out of a 79. I believe it will slide right under your frame and you can then also have power steering. I am thinking about doing that with mine one of these days. I don't think it is much of a job - Not with someone of your mechanical tallent
Then you can come on down to Kearney and help me do mine!
Just slap the front end and Transfer case out of a 79. I believe it will slide right under your frame and you can then also have power steering. I am thinking about doing that with mine one of these days. I don't think it is much of a job - Not with someone of your mechanical tallent
Then you can come on down to Kearney and help me do mine!
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Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: St. Libory
Jake:
Just slap the front end and Transfer case out of a 79. I believe it will slide right under your frame and you can then also have power steering. I am thinking about doing that with mine one of these days. I don't think it is much of a job - Not with someone of your mechanical tallent Then you can come on down to Kearney and help me do mine!
Just slap the front end and Transfer case out of a 79. I believe it will slide right under your frame and you can then also have power steering. I am thinking about doing that with mine one of these days. I don't think it is much of a job - Not with someone of your mechanical tallent
Then you can come on down to Kearney and help me do mine!I'm also slightly disappointed that no one has noticed anything different.....
-Jake
EDIT - After doing a breif bit of research I've found that the 77.5-79 (after the highboys were discontinued) were in fact coil springs with radius arms and all that jazz. However, I read that the radius arms are different lengths, the engine crossmembers were diffferent from 2wd to 4wd, and a few other things that I can't really remember right now. I also know that I'd have to get a rear sump oil pan for my motor. There are also a number of steering issues too. I just don't know about this anymore. It'd be sweet........but I'm not sure how much it's all going to cost and how much of a PITA it will be. It'd be handier if I had my own shop here in Seward, but I don't so I get two days a week to work on stuff and sometimes not even that.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 713
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From: Kearney, Nebraska
Jake - I think if you look at the width of a 79 4X4 axle and transfer case you could slide the axle under the leafe springs of your bump and it would work. You would need to of course transfer some of the hardware to make it work. Of course you would also need to make sure that you had the same size front end to match the rear end. Of course if you put a 3.72 rear end with a 3.50 rear end it would end in a very nasty mess. Get one of these gear ratio specialists to give us some backup on this.
I want power steering on my 69 and I want someone to get this figured out before I have to do it!
I want power steering on my 69 and I want someone to get this figured out before I have to do it!
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Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Omaha/Elkhorn, NE
I'd stay away fromt the the dent frame Jake. Too much hassle. Like George said, there are a lot of the pieces from the dentsides that will fit the bumps. You definitively want to make sure you get the gearing right, that would be bad, bad, bad!
George, if I find the right donor truck, I'll be doing the power steering swap. I'll be hitting the junk yards as soon as all this damn snow goes away!
George, if I find the right donor truck, I'll be doing the power steering swap. I'll be hitting the junk yards as soon as all this damn snow goes away!