73-77 headlight conversion
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,812
Likes: 15
From: Central Ohio
73-77 headlight conversion
I am trying to do a unique look on my 78 bronco by putting in a grill off a 73-75 with the lights on the bottom. I have everything except I am not sure how to attach the headlight buckets to the radiator. I got round 7" headlight buckets from a round equiped '78. I figured since they used the same headlight they should be interchangeble? Is this true? Is there maybe a bracket or something I need to get of a 73-77? Or do I need to get the whole assembly off a 73-77? And are there holes already drilled for the lower mounted lights on my 78 radiator bracket (are all the radiator brackets universal between the years?). Thanks if anyone has any thoughts to share...
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,812
Likes: 15
From: Central Ohio
73-77 headlight conversion
Any ideas were I can get em? Anything before 1990 is pretty rare to find in any junk yard around here. I have looked at *** truck and they show it but doesnt appear they carry it wich confuses me... they sell every other part of the front end there is. I suppose worse comes to worse I could make a custom bracket to mount the 78 round buckets.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
73-77 headlight conversion
I did this swap on my '79 F150. I'm pretty sure the '78 round headlight buckets will not work with the 73-77 grill because they hold the headlight in the wrong position. On my '79 I used the buckets and bucket mounts from a '73. Not all of the holes are are there to mount the buckets. I installed the buckets using the existing holes that would work; then I installed the grill surround and grills in order to make sure the buckets, and the bucket mounts, lined up correctly. Then, I marked where the new holes needed to be and drilled them. On my '79 I had to scrounge some "outer support brackets" off of a '73 to '77 (I don't remember what years I used but it shouldn't matter). Those are the pieces that mount on the top corners of the grill and connect it to the fender area under the hood, I cannot think of what the proper names are. Other people had told me that they needed to lengthen their wires for the headlights/parking lights but I didn't need to. Some places sell those bucket assemblies new, check the online store here and other places.
