Truck question

[1930]

I do not see a truck section but I am sure some of you guys play around with trucks as well.

I bought a 73 D-100, front fenders are not in the greatest shape, beat up and a small spot of cancer coming thru on the drivers lower.

I have a pristine 1986 front end.

Someone told me on another forum that I could swap the sheetmetal no issue. I am a bodyman, I have taken some quick measurements with my tram gauge and things arent looking good.

I know the cabs must be close cause I put an early powerwagon hood on my 86 W-100 recently and only had to relocate the latch assy so hood/cowl grille assy is the same span across the front but rad support definitely does not bolt on in the same way.

Anyway without getting more long winded anyone here tried swapping over the sheetmetal?

 

[daliant]

The body lines are different on 81 and up, the fenders will physically bolt up but in 81 they added an extra body line above the wheel openings that runs the length of the truck so you cant mix n match.

 

[moparmat2000]

The body lines are different on 81 and up, the fenders will physically bolt up but in 81 they added an extra body line above the wheel openings that runs the length of the truck so you cant mix n match.

Swapping the nose you need to swap the doors as well. The upper bodyline on the 81 up fades into the door. The cab corner behind the door goes from 73 to 93.

I have messed with these including being *** deep in a 79 lil red express restoration that took 3 years,to complete. I needed a hood for the 79. Had to use an 82 up hood. Had latch issues with it. Apparantly 79/80 was a 2 year only deal with the latch catch on the hood even though the exterior sheetmetal stamping for that hood goes from 1979 to 1993.

Id find a 79/80 nose so you can keep your existing doors. Plus the 4 square sealed beams grille on those 2 years look classy.

 

[MOBodyman]

Swapping the nose you need to swap the doors as well. The upper bodyline on the 81 up fades into the door. The cab corner behind the door goes from 73 to 93.

Correct. I also remember running into latch/striker issues when swapping parts on these also. Not sure when they changed but the early models had a larger striker bolt (on the cab) than the later ones, and it wasn't an exact interchange to swap them out. I'm thinking I was putting an older cab clip on a later truck, don't remember now what I did to fix the problem but I made it work.

Speaking of cabs, the early cab roof skins were rounded at the back, the later ones were squared off.
Dallas

 

[YY1]

I JUST put an 86 hood on my 80 cab last week.
The striker difference appeared to be outside release versus inside release.
I had to use the 86 latch, and the inside release, and redrill the forward striker hole, and extend the latch mount slots, and shim the latch up with B body seat track donuts.
Whew!

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopar...ar-today&p=910096829&viewfull=1#post910096829

Is that Brandon FL? There's a guy in Inverness I've been talking to that has a 77 he said he'd sell the fenders off of for $250.
I was interested until I found a cheaper set closer.

I'm also looking for a quad headlight setup.

Either of you guys know if van buckets or 77 B body buckets are the same?

 

[Frankie]

http://www.fortrucksonly.com/

 

[1930]

Swapping the doors is not an issue, I also have the doors off the same truck that the 86 front sheetmetal was removed from and so the body lines will not be an issue but I guess my question still is will I need to change too the later core support as well?

Measuring the holes where the core supports bolt to the frame are not even in the same ballpark course I am measuring the 73 with all its sheetmetal still in place. ( hard to really get a feel for things that way )

It looks like the 73 core support and the 86 core support do not bolt on in the same area so how do I get around this?

Id just asssuun using the 86 core support with all the 86 sheetmetal cause its clean and its just sitting around anyway.

Ideally Id like to use all the 86 sheetmetal including the core support but still use the 73 grille. I know that aint gonna happen without some mods but I wonder how big a deal that would really be.

I think Id rather also use the 86 core support cause the earlier powerwagon hood that is on the 73 now is nice, surface rust but nice, Id rather save it for another 4 wheel drive truck that Im more into.

BTW you cannot use an earlier powerwagon hood without moving the latch assy from stock location on the 81 up truck, I recently went thru this. Yes there are ways to J rig it but to do it right its a bit of work.

 

[65Val]

I do not see a truck section but I am sure some of you guys play around with trucks as well.

Look up there^^^^^^^^^..."Pickup Truck Forum"......

 

[1930]

Look up there^^^^^^^^^..."Pickup Truck Forum"......

Yeah I see it thanks. I dont want to get into another forum if I dont have too. Time is an issue and I like the people on the couple forums I do visit.

 

[65Val]

Yeah I see it thanks. I dont want to get into another forum if I dont have too. Time is an issue and I like the people on the couple forums I do visit.

You don't have to join ....you can just browse if you like.

 

[draginmopars]

On our 73 car hauler, while converting it to CTD/5 speed

wanted to keep the 73 look
but had to use the 92 core support and hood ( due to diesel radiator and turbo inter cooler mounts)and clearance for the hood(92- is shaped different under side to clear the taller radiator)

so we sectioned the head lights and lower valance to make it all work

 

[1930]

Nice job on the car hauler.