ok so what the difference between an 86 and an 87? why is there such a hard break on parts like exhaust, engine etc? I know question. like i said I am coming from the mustang world where a fox body is still a fox body. the outside looks different but it's all the same underneath.

 

change in fuel and transmission management. change in front clip design and bed design.different interior

 

would exhaust and suspension still be the same or was that changed as well? sorry to ask so many stupid questions.

thank you

 

as far as i know they would be.but I'm not 100% on that

 

exhausts should all be the same.
they kept all of the engines from 85-86 in the 87, so there shouldn't be a problem with that

 

Well, 1987 was a change in generations, so it's the same sort of thing that happened between 66 and 67, 72 and 73, 96 and 97, etc. That's why the "hard break" exists that you noticed, Ford was just updating the F-Series again

 

I don't agree with the change in generations thing, although I understand why people have that opinion. It's more accurate to call it a face lift of the older 1980 design.

1980-1996 is basicly the same truck design and platform, with major upgrades in 1987, and again in 1992. Most of those upgrades were cosmetic in nature.

It's not like the total redesigns that happened in 1973 and 1997. But that is a matter of semantics.

Basicly all parts between 1980-1996 are swappable. It's just how much work you put into it to make it work, and how far you are willing to go.

For instance, you can put a 1996 cab on a 1980. You can use the front clip of a 1996 on a 1980 as well. But you have to use the whole front clip, not just parts of it. Doors, bed. All swappable really easily.

You cant put a front clip of a 1980 on a 1979 as example, it wont work.

But from 1996 to 1980, it works fine. Just ask the people here that have done it.

As for engines, exaust, etc... I don't understand where people get the hard breaks in parts from. There were major breaks in parts for engines, taransmissions etc... every single year. Sure there are parts differences between the years on the engines, with the most major being the switch between Carb to EFI. But it's all swappable. Just depends on how far you want to go, and how much you want to spend. There is no reason why you cant put a 1996 engine, transmission or rear end in a 1980. You just need the management computer as well if you tend to keep it EFI, keep the rear anti-lock brakes, or computer controlled tranny.

Sure there are parts that you cannot swap without swapping the other parts that go with it as well. But basicly anything is swappable 1980-1996 it just takes skill and $$$.

 

Exhaust would be slightly different between different models because the fuel injected models would have things such as oxygen sensors where some of the carbed models would not. Other than that off the top of my head there really isnt that much of a difference.

 

81f150explo, i'm not disagreeing, at all, but......i once put a dodge bed on a 77 ford. didnt have no money or skill! lol got a good buy on some jeep wheels....they fit! she had a t-bird carb,bronco steering column, block was a merc, and thats all i can remember right now. had a ramcharger and a spare off a dodge truck wouldn,t fit!? go figure

 

This goes along with a question that I had about the aftermarket for these trucks. One prime example is that superchargers are listed as fitting both '86 and '87 models. However, for ANY of these types of parts, the smog certification is for '87 and up. If the part fits, why are they screwing us '86 owners out of doing some legal modifications??

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by bedmondo

If the part fits, why are they screwing us '86 owners out of doing some legal modifications??

I would suspect for CYA reasons; they may or may not be legal and it wouldn't
surprise me if California were involved....

-ct

 

not exactly what I meant, but...

 

It wouldn't surprise me either. Not at all.

 

wasn't 87 the year they went to the MAF setup on fuel injection and 85 and 86 are the SD?

 

No they do not have the mass air until 1993.