Cab swap

I am restoring a 1982 F-250, I was able to pick up a 1987 or 1988 cab for a very reasonable price. I know the cab will work but I want to be able to keep the bull nose front clip, and bull nose doors. I would also like to install the bull nose dash and interior. Can this be done? Also will all of the body lines work because I am keeping my 1982 bed?

As we discussed on the phone, I'm pretty sure the cab will bolt right on.  But I'm not sure how hard it will be to put the Bullnose dash in.  Hopefully someone else, like Bill, can tell us.

Another issue is the wiring.  There are some differences between the Bullnose wiring and the Bricknose wiring.  But, if you put the wiring from your '82 in that cab I think you'll have it whipped.  And most of the wiring runs across the dash, so will get changed over when you change out dashes.

Yes sir thank you for the advice, I can live without swapping the dash and interior, but I will give it a try to install it. Main concern will be if the front clip will work, I want to keep the front bumper and everything else associated with the bull nose front clip, also will my 82 doors work and will the body lines match up from tip to tail. I am really trying to get the answers pinned down before I start the tear down process. I am very OCD when it comes to a restoration, because I want everything to look like it rolled off the assembly line at the factory. With a bunch of modifications, but looks like it was factory installed. Once I start I will make sure to post pictures and notes with information to be able to help the next person. Big things to come on this build.

From what I remember reading on another forum and I may have some of it wrong.
Don't think the dashes can be swapped as the mounting points / bolts have changed locations and the dash wraps around and ties into the door panels.

Wiring as Gary said it would be good if you could swap in your wiring but ... from what I  remember the fuel gauge works backwards to what your sender(s) do. Full on gauge is empty and empty on gauge is full other than that is all I know of and this comes from tank swaps IIRC.

Now I thought the outside of the doors were the same shape and would line up to the fenders & bed?
Now again what I remember is the door opening & door frames are a little different.
Look at the lower rear area closely as the shape in that area changed and the doors would not fit right.
You might be able to use late doors on an early body / opening or it was the other way around, don't remember but there was something.

I don't know about the door panels or if the door & window handles changed locations so you cant bolt your old panels on or not. Then you have the dash that ties into the door panels that now would hang out in space.

I am pretty sure you can bolt your nose onto the later truck. I want to say someone has don't this but was using the everything from the later truck, read frame, and it was the frame the bumper bolts to that was different and stuck out to far and was a different shape so could not bolt on the early bumper.
Now being you will be using the early frame then the bumper should bolt up.

If it was me and knowing what I just posted and to make sure it fits is take a tape measure to the body lines between the 2 trucks to see if they will line up to the fenders & bed.
If so get the full cab with doors, dash & wiring and bolt it to your frame. This way you have everything if your early parts don't fit but you have them on hand to take a closer look if they will fit or not.

I don't know if anyone has tried to move the dash mounting points between the 2 trucks but there is always a first. We have had a member crazy enough to swap firewalls just to have AC so it may not be that hard for a few bolts & nuts? Then again can you use the early door panels on the later doors and if not just keep the dash & doors as they are.

Because the later year truck will be EFI I think I would see about swapping in your wiring and just live with the backward fuel gauge and not need to deal with the computer junk. Then again if it has power windows & locks I may keep the wiring and pull out the computer junk and re-tape the harness so I would have the power windows & locks.

I would think if the extra parts you end up with are that good that you would use them you sould be able to sell them for a few coin in the pocket.
Dave ----

Dave - I think he's planning to use only the cab.  So the doors, front clip, fuel tanks, wiring, etc will all be from the '82.  So he's just asking two questions: First, if the lines match up.  Second if the dash will fit.

And I think the answer to the first one is yes.  The lines match 'cause I've read many times of guys putting a Bullnose clip on a Bricknose and they line up.  So the opposite should work.

As for the dash, Bill went the other way and put a Bricknose dash in a Bullnose.  So while they don't initially bolt in, Bill was able to get the later dash in a Bullnose.  So we need him to tell us how to do it in reverse.

As for the engine, wait until he tells y'all about that.  

82 PIT BULLNOSE wrote

I am restoring a 1982 F-250, I was able to pick up a 1987 or 1988 cab for a very reasonable price. I know the cab will work but I want to be able to keep the bull nose front clip, and bull nose doors. I would also like to install the bull nose dash and interior. Can this be done? Also will all of the body lines work because I am keeping my 1982 bed?

I believe the front fenders attach different at the bottom. The bottom bolt that secures the rear of the fender the cab on the Bullnose is vertical, and this attachment point on the '92 cab will be for a bolt that is horizontal. This is not a big deal...lots of guys have done this swap, you will just have to cut the tabs off the '92 cab and weld in tabs for the Bullnose clips and vertical bolts.

Body lines line up, yes. The cowl panel on the '92 cab won't match the lines on the Bullnose hood, so you'll have to swap this part also. No big deal if you have the Bullnose front clip and still have the cowl panel. For some reason or another the cowl panels are galvanized or something...they are the only part of the truck that never rusts out...lol.

Awesome thanks for the input and advice guys on the front clip being able to swap over, and body lines matching up. Just for clarification will my bull nose doors that are not PW/PL work on the newer cab? As far as the engine we will be swapping a 12 valve Cummins that is coming out of a Ford F-800.

I know he ask only 2 basic questions, sometimes it the questions not asked that kills a project

On the doors I remember reading something about the door and the jambs being a little different at the rear bottom of the opening.

I did not want him to get the dash all swapped in with the doors off as it is easier to work on it that way, and then find out the doors don't close because they hit at the bottom rear of the opening.

Wont that 12 valve be too heavy for the smaller trucks suspensions?
This must be out od a newer F800 truck then as I think the larger truck older diesels were Cats or Detroit Diesels.

So when do we see a post on this project
Dave ----

Alright, so if anybody remembers, yours truly stuck a bullnose dash and front clip on a bricknose cab.

So here's my thoughts, from somebody who has done everything you're planning on doing.

#1, it's almost not worth it. But if you already have the cab, let's move on to #2.

-The front clip from your 82 will bolt on, aside from the aforementioned difference in the lower fender mounting point. Also, I noticed that the upper two bolts for the fenders are in a different spot between bullnose and bricknose. It's a pretty small difference, and you can work around it, but don't bother trying to align the fenders using the old stripped paint under the bolts on the fenders, it won't match up.

-Dash. The dash will not bolt up on the four corners. You would have to make and weld in your own mounts to adapt the older dash into the newer cab. The support bars in the center of the dash however, do bolt up. But that's not enough to mount the dash.

-E-brake. I've read that the E-brake is different between bullnose and bricknose cabs. I couldn't find a difference, so I kept the bricknose e-brake.

-Upper Pedal mount. The top two bolts on your brake/clutch pedal assembly from the 82 will not bolt up to the bricknose cab. You will have to modify the mount/support (welded to the cab) to adapt the older pedals, or do like I did and drill out the spot welds from both cabs and weld the 82 support in the bricknose cab.

-Wiring. The hole for the wiring is in a different spot on the driver's side. The bricknose uses a multi-section harness on the driver's side, the bullnose uses a one piece harness that passes through the firewall, into the cab, and then back out the other side of the firewall. The existing hole from the bricknose cab on the driver's side is too low and will interfere with mounting the fuse box. The passenger side hole will need to be drilled into the firewall. Also, if you have any computer wiring going through the firewall, you'll need to drill that hole as it won't exist in the bricknose firewall. Any existing wiring in the bricknose cab (such as cab lights or the dome/cargo light harness will not play with the bullnose harness since the plugs are different.

-Doors. They will bolt up and work just fine, my 1990 cab is running bullnose doors.

-If your 82 cab has the B-pillar trim, you will have to drill the holes for that, especially for the sections of trim that go above the door.

That's all I can think of right now. If you have any other questions, I'll be monitoring the thread.

Shaun - Sorry, I forgot.  

Clay - I think you've found just the right guy to help you through this.  Welcome to the forum!

Clay, I can offer this.

The front fenders of the bullnose attach to the rocker differently.
You'll have to cut off the tab and tack weld a wellnut or something in place.

The front fenders of the bricknose have round arches, where the bullnose are squared on top.

The radiator supports are completely different. (Headlights, radiator mounting)

The doors of the bricknose have a wider divider between the vent window and the door glass.
One track will not fit the other.

In the lower rear edge of the door jamb where is a plunger for the seatbelt retractor of the bricknose.
So, doors will swap one way, 87> onto an <-'86 truck but not the other way.

Shaun has already pointed out the difference in pedal,supports and dash mounting...

The clusters also have far different gauges.
These are not cross compatible. So keep that in mind.

yes you are correct the Ford medium dutys did come with Cats and Detroits  but back in the 90's and up to the early 2000's Ford medium dutys had 5.9 Cummins in them as well, then around 2003-2005 no more Cummins engine option. Then i believe starting back in 2009 or 2010 Ford Medium dutys powertrain was a 6.7 Cummins engine and Allison Transmission, and that engine and transmission combination ended in 2015. Because starting in 2016 and moving forward Ford medium dutys started running the 6.7 power stroke and there 6 speed torque shift. Also one thing to remember on the 2016 & up medium dutys with the 6.7 power stroke is detuned to a 270 hp, 300 hp, and 330 hp depending on what option code you order. And all F-350, F-450, and F-550 Cab and Chassis are detuned to 330 hp. That is only on Cab and Chassis. But on the the F-350 pick up and F-450 pickup they are not detuned.

Shaun-
Thank you for you help and advice on this cab swap. I look forward to any more advice and help you may have.

This is going to be interesting!    

I kinda wish I was down there to help (and learn, a lot)
This is the time too!
Midsummer hill country Texas is fine but too damn hot for this cranky old yankee to be busting my butt under a truck.

How do you plan the engine cradle?
How much does that combo weigh, and what do you use for springs?

I will add some from my experience in installing a bricknose front clip on a bullnose cab and frame.

Bumper, you are keeping the bumper, no problem.

Front fenders, bullnose fenders are held on at the rear by two bolts up into the cab bottom rail, bricknose and aeronose by a single bolt into a clipnut.

Seat belts, bullnose seat belt retractors mount up high, almost at the roofline, lower attachment is on the floor or in the trough behind the trim, bricknose and aeronose seat belt retractors are low down and "bulge" out on the B post (back of door). The inner door stamping has a recess for this at the back.

Steering column has been discussed, but, if you can get the mounting plate for the bricknose, it can be swapped to your column.

Dash, mostly covered, but two items, VIN number will need to be transferred from the old cab, and it is in a different location on the bullnose, roughly 2" further in than the later trucks.

Wiring, loads of fun. A bullnose front harness is a single continuous assembly from left headlight, through the inside, across the dash, back out on the right side and to the battery and right headlight. Bricknose has a split harness, cab is separate from underhood and there is a round bolt on connector through the firewall on the left side that connects the two, engine connections are different, transmission and chassis harness also different and the bricknose front harness changed several times between 1987-1991.

Door glass, all of the innards of the doors can be swapped, all the mountings are the same, power doors can be changed to manual and vice versa.

Shaun-

My truck is a 4x4 with an automatic transmission. The cab I purchased to swap  is a 4x4 cab but with a manual shift. Which is great because I wanted to have a floor shift automatic. Do you think there will be any issues with this?  I have done floor shifters on cars and 2wd trucks but never put a floor shifter in a 4wd. Basically I am asking will the 4x4 shifter be an issue where it is located or will I have to relocate it. I plan on putting the automatic floor shifter where the manual shifter would go. Please advise. Thanks

Clay

P.S. anyone can jump in on this if they have some insight on this plan of action

82 PIT BULLNOSE wrote

Shaun-

My truck is a 4x4 with an automatic transmission. The cab I purchased to swap  is a 4x4 cab but with a manual shift. Which is great because I wanted to have a floor shift automatic. Do you think there will be any issues with this?  I have done floor shifters on cars and 2wd trucks but never put a floor shifter in a 4wd. Basically I am asking will the 4x4 shifter be an issue where it is located or will I have to relocate it. I plan on putting the automatic floor shifter where the manual shifter would go. Please advise. Thanks

Clay

P.S. anyone can jump in on this if they have some insight on this plan of action

Cant say if the added auto shifter will hit the 4x4 shifter or not but my under standing is the auto trucks did not have the floor hump you could remove to access the transmission like the stick trucks have.
My 81 4x2 with T18 and you can see the part you can remove.

I could also be wrong.
Dave ----

Dave, he bought a manual cab.
His floor mat might not fit....

Clay, three things, depending on the cab you bought. (So you might check the VIN for year)

The E4OD is tall!
And needs room that some trucks don't have.
The Zf-5 trucks have a raised and elongated floor panel.
Gary documented this in his dad's truck build.

2) A some point early in the Bricknose era the transfer case shifter moved from on top of the transmission tunnel to the side.
The linkages are not the same.
AMHIK!
My Zf came from a 1990 truck.

3) if your cab is Bricknose, the hood will line up fine, AND you get the more desirable polka dot cowl.
It's not until the Aeronose trucks that the hood shape changed up there.

Thanks Bill for addressing what I forgot.

The auto floor shifter will be fine if you put it where a manual shifter would go, and I doubt it will interfere with the transfer case shifter.