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Cab swap

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Fordboy300

Cab swap

Hi guys so as some of you many know along with my F150 I have a 86 F250 4x4 and the truck is a champ I love driving it around this time in the snow it's a long bed so if it gets a little squirrelly I can keep under control also I gave this truck to my dad since I took the f150 from him.

Now the truck is a great running truck and we do have plans for it but the cab of the truck is really rough who ever decided to put galvanized metal and rivet it to the floor is a low life the floor doesn't even connect to the fire wall and when you hit a slight pot hole or bump in the road inside the truck sounds like it's leaving parts behind. My dad was looking to replacing the floor but it would end costing him a arm and a leg. I mention to him it would be best to just get a cab from another truck and using it instead.

I was looking for 87 to 91 cab would our dashing just bolt in or would it be better to leave the existing dash in place.

This is old blue in all her glory. She has a camper on her now.

"Big Red" 1986 Ford F150 XL

Ford 300 i6 4.9L .20 over bore(303 cubic inches now), p&p head, Crower 19212 cam, crower lifter spring kit, cloyes timing gears, EFI manifolds, Offenhauser C-series, Edelbrock 500cfm, DUI Ignition Dizzy, dual in single out magnaflow exhaust dumped before the rear axle.

85lebaront2

Re: Cab swap

Administrator

Short answer, no, look at my white paper "Darth Vader" in projects and mentally reverse the process. First, VIN number location is different, second, 1986 dash is built up and installed, 1987-91 are a plastic dash over a metal matrix and mounting is different angle completely, pedal bracket is different along with parking brake pedal, about the only thing the same (and it requires you swap the bracket) is the steering column mount.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

"Getting old is inevitable, growing up is optional" Darth Vader 1986 F350 460 converted to MAF/SEFI, E4OD 12X3 1/2 rear brakes, traction loc 3:55 gear, 160 amp 3G alternator Wife's 2011 Flex Limited Daily Driver 2009 Flex Limited with factory tow package Project car 1986 Chrysler LeBaron convertible 2.2L Turbo II, modified A413

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Cab swap

Administrator

This post was updated on .

In reply to this post by Fordboy300

The whole cab would swap, but the harness is different where it all comes through the firewall.
And the lower fender mounts are in a different spot.
And the blower plenum.
And....

If you got the title with the cab the truck could become a '87-'90, but Idk what that would mean for emissions and such where you live.

ETA: the '87 dash is also a completely different contour where it meets the door panels.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

NotEnoughTrucks

Re: Cab swap

My Frankentruck is running with an 87 cab. Yes, there are a lot of differences and I kept the 87 dash and wiring. Lower fender mounts need a little reworking, but the bullnose sheetmetal fits just fine.

Couple of things I have found out.

Back in the day when these were current production, Ford did offer replacement cabs without a VIN. I have never seen any official procedure for transferring the VIN to the new cab, but it was a recognized repair. I think there is a lot of merit to having your cab VIN match your frame VIN. How much metal do you have to replace before your cab loses it's identity is a matter of debate. Local laws regarding title prevail. There are no federal laws governing VIN rivets. Door stickers can be reproduced and are not usually considered "official" or "public" identification.

Doors are different between the bullnose trucks and the 87 and up models. Bullnose doors will fit the later cabs, but not the other way around. I put up a post in FTE about this sometime back.

Windshields are not easy to find with the bullnose VIN location. Most, (if not all) replacements have the VIN window in the 87 and up location. Glass is identical otherwise.

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Cab swap

Administrator

Yup, bricknose trucks have a seatbelt retractor in the lower rear edge of the door jamb.
This caused me some trouble when I had to replace the B pillar 'shoe' because Tabco only makes the bullnose version.

Lots of details, like the vent window/front track, door handle, etc... are different

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

85lebaront2

Re: Cab swap

Administrator

In reply to this post by NotEnoughTrucks

Damn, I'm glad you told me the later doors won't fit. I must be like a bumble bee, NASA says they can't fly because the wing are is too small. Apparently no one told the bumble bees because they seem to fly just fine.

I have a 1990 Left front door, a 1988 right front door and a pair of 1996 rear doors on my truck, no one ever told me they wouldn't fit.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Cab swap

Administrator

AFAIK later doors will fit an early truck but bullnose doors won't close over the metal hump and seat belt retractor of a bricknose cab.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

NotEnoughTrucks

Re: Cab swap

In reply to this post by 85lebaront2

Like they say over at NASA, Houston, we have a problem.

Trust me Bill, there is an issue.

Here's the link to the FTE discussion.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1460926-all-80-to-96-doors-are-not-the-same.html

Jim, I found the problem when I tried to hang 87 doors on an 86 cab. It is that hump on the bottom corner of the door itself, but it is part of that seat belt retractor change.

Fordboy300

Re: Cab swap

Wow I would have never know my truck has doors from a 93 ford truck they seem to close just fine. I've notice the vent is different from my 86 f150.

Also thanks guys for all the replies great info!

85lebaront2

Re: Cab swap

Administrator

In reply to this post by NotEnoughTrucks

Ok, now I put the 90 front end on for two reasons, first the PO had apparently parked by feel, second I needed the mountings for the EFI air filter and coolant/washer reservoir. The rear doors are from a 1996 F350 that a tree fell on. I salvaged the innards from both front doors so I now have four door power locks and windows on a 1986 truck.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

NotEnoughTrucks

Re: Cab swap

Aha!

Crew cab. Gotta concede that one. My net experience with the 4 door cab is zero.

Any chance you have a pic of the bottom of that B pillar? Clearly it must be quite different than the 2 door trucks.

That bulge in the bottom of the later doors made it impossible to close the doors on my 86 cab. Pics in that FTE thread show that clearly. You might be able to adjust the doors to close, but the gaps would be all wrong and the door to fender gap may be too close.

85lebaront2

Re: Cab swap

Administrator

These are the ones I took when installing the rear doors, rubber plug was there when I bought the truck in 1994, the hole above is for the rear door wiring.

You can see that the crew cab B pillar is pretty open, and since the cab is a 1986 the seat belt mounts are at head level. The rest of the interior is now changed to Opal Gray including the carpet and rear seat. Problem on a crew cab, rating sticker is on the back of the left front door.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Cab swap

Administrator

Can't you get these stickers reprinted?

I thought there was some place that would do that from a picture of the original.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

85lebaront2

Re: Cab swap

Administrator

I tried, I have an excellent picture of the original, even the dealer couldn't help. They were able to get me a new emission label so even though it diagrams a carbureted vacuum nightmare, the important piece is there "NON CATALYST" in big bold letters. We ended up using one of our calibration label makers and making one that way, it had to be in two parts because of the size.

Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

NotEnoughTrucks

Re: Cab swap

In reply to this post by 85lebaront2

Thanks Bill. That certainly clears things up.