I want to know what all the 80-86 trucks have in common with the 87-91/92-96/7, other than the basic look of the trucks what else do they have in comon. For instance say I get tired of looking at my 83's interior, and that long steering column(hard on fat guys), or my cab just rusts out, would it be possible to put a cab from the newer body style trucks on the 83 frame, and maybe keep my nice front end(80-86 looks the toughest in the front end)? Also if there is anything else noteworthy they all share in common I'd like to know.

 

Most things will swap out, except you have to pick and choose were to make the swap. For instance the cabs are the same, but the dashes and the wiring are different, and swapping dashes is a little bit of work.

The front ends will swap, but you have to swap the whole frontend as a unit, and do some mods to the lower fender mounts and the front bumper.

So for most major assemblies, including drivetrains, all the holes will line up, but it's the small things like wiring that you have to work out.

 

Yeah I kind of figured there would be wiring differences since the interiors are way different, and 80-86 was MOSTLY carb trucks and not EFI. The only thing I have really noticed that is way different between my 94 and my 83 other than the interior(and looks) is the hood release is different, in fact I love the push down hood release on my 83, I know thats weird but I think it's awesome.

I have another question. Do the seats from 80-96/7 all bolt in the same? My seat sucks so I was wondering if I could go to a junk yard and get a nicer one from a newer truck, and just bolt it in right where the old one crappy one was.

 

The 1980-1996/7 seats Bolt Right in, and is a very popular swap.

 

Now for clarification I have a bench seat, so I'm sure based on what you told me 81-F150-Explorer I could find a straight bench seat in a newer truck and swap it, but lets say I want a split bench with a reclining seat(not the captains chairs) would it also bolt into place of my current bench seat, or does it only work straight bench to straight bench?

 

All the 1980-1996/7 seats are swapable. Split Bench Included.

Captains chairs and consoles may require a couple of new holes drilled in the floor at the center, if not factory equipped.

No Major modifications.

Be aware that you can only recline as much as the back wall of the cab will let you, say if it's a regular cab. Super or Crew cab wouldn't have that problem.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Going back to the frame compatability for a bit.
How interchangable is the frame from 80-96?
Most bolt holes are similar and such?
...probably be different crossmembers for Automatic or Manual transmissions and a transfer case if the truck is 4wd?
So if i bought a parts truck from 80 - 96, i could probably expect the cabs, axles, front clip (as a unit), fuel tank, and steering components to bolt up?

 

1980-81 or thereabouts had the holey frame that nobody likes.

f150 compared to f250/350 frames are different in the front.

I have heard of the 460 equipped trucks having a little bit different front crossmember for oil filter clearance.

But if you get the same wheelbase, and stay in the same family of truck you have now(f150 or f250) everything will bolt up. If you want to convert a f150 to a 250, you can swap a f150 body onto a f250 frame and running gear.

 

The frame horns where the front bumper bolts up are different throughout the years as well.

 

what stosh said. The 80-91 frames are one style and 92-96 are another

 

The 460 and diesel trucks do have a different shaped engine crossmember.
Other than the bumper mounting portion of the frame(rad support forward) the 80-96/7 chassis are all pretty much the same.
The F250HD/F350 chassis do have taller, wider rails, built out of far more substantial material, but, all the mounting points and boltholes are located the same. 2wd and 4wd F150 frames are the same, and 2wd F250/350 stuff will also interchange. The 4wd's with leaf springs of course are not exactly the same.

Just to put the interchangeability into perspective, here's 2 good examples:


That's my "F350" Cab is 1982 F100, chassis is 86 F250 ex. cab that I chopped 22" out of the middle for the reg cab... Front axle and steering are 93 F350, gears in the rear diff are 93 also, engine is 97 block, pistons and rods, crank is 88, heads are 86... LOL. I've got all kinds of other little stuff from newer trucks in there too... Battery mounts are 87-91, fuel tanks are from an 89, there's all kinds of other little stuff I've swapped around in the last 13 years I don't remember... LOL The only non factory 80-97 stuff on the truck besides engine goodies are the electric fans, and the Toyota mirror heads. I even just dumped my aftermarket high torque mini starter for a stock 97 PMGR one.

This is my buddy's old 86 mid cab swap:


That's a 94 cab on an 86... By the time the truck was done it was all 93 drivetrain with sub 60 k miles in it....
The 86 pedals hung in the 94 cab:

It took a bit of fab work and welding to get the 86 dash in there, but, it is entirely doable.

 

they changed the rad supports in the mid 80's as well.you need to make sure your rad matches the support.uncle.stosh was the one who brought this to our attention.

 

The early rad support is very easily modified to work with an 84+ rad, just need a donor support to get the lower brackets from.

 

Will a 87-97 Bed look ok on a 80-86 truck? I can't find a bed for my 86 but it seems like there a bunch of early to mid 90's beds out there.

Will the early tailgate work on the later bed? I can definitely see the difference there and would like to keep the older style tail gate if possible.