FuzzFace2 Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 I got to ask you guys doing the cab swaps how you going to deal with the VIN being different than the frame VIN? You have paper work on the frame & cab to show the DMV that you own both? Dave ---- Dave, Cab swaps are not a big deal where I live. You would just swap the VIN from the old cab to the new cab and nobody would even notice. Even if they did notice, I don't think they'd care. There is a process that you're supposed to go through here for modifications like tubbing a body/frame to fit giant pro-street tires, etc but for everyday body swap parts and panels, swapping a cab here would be as simple as swapping a bed. We have inspections here, but only for safety related items, and these days RUST. It is possible for somebody at an inspection station to get really fussy and fail something, but I've not heard of it personally. Ya know, I see trucks on the road that have had solid axle swaps in the front, and I know they haven't been through the engineering modification approval at the DMV. It sounds like you guys have it covered. I fear doing a cab swap and then stuck not being able to get plates because of miss matched numbers. I guess if you had paper work from both trucks so if the VIN miss match came up you have the paper work. Dave ---- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salans7 Posted February 25, 2019 Author Share Posted February 25, 2019 Nothing really new to report, although the engine is now gone, and aside from the radius arm mounts, the frame is now stripped for the solid axle. Figured I would share this little gem with you guys. I pulled it off of the bed before the teardown. Long gone are the days where a rear bumper was an option, and no rear bumper was standard. Even though this means my truck left the factory without a bumper, there was a pretty mangled dealer bumper mounted to the truck, so this was basically hidden for 30+ years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 Nothing really new to report, although the engine is now gone, and aside from the radius arm mounts, the frame is now stripped for the solid axle. Figured I would share this little gem with you guys. I pulled it off of the bed before the teardown. Long gone are the days where a rear bumper was an option, and no rear bumper was standard. Even though this means my truck left the factory without a bumper, there was a pretty mangled dealer bumper mounted to the truck, so this was basically hidden for 30+ years. Are you going to blast and paint the frame? That is a lot of work, and leads to lots of other detail work. Best to steer clear of that briar patch. Seriously though, looks like you are making progress. And, as Jim says, progress is good. But will a Bricknose cab let you mount a Bullnose dash? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 Are you going to blast and paint the frame? That is a lot of work, and leads to lots of other detail work. Best to steer clear of that briar patch. Seriously though, looks like you are making progress. And, as Jim says, progress is good. But will a Bricknose cab let you mount a Bullnose dash? Based on what I had to do to get an Aeronose (which uses the same upper mounts as the Bricknose) it will be a bit difficult. At least the steering column mounts are similar. The Bullnose dash is essentially built up in sections, part metal and part plastic. The upper section is several pieces that bolt down with small screws in four locations just inside the windshield. The other item is the VIN location, the Bullnose is further inboard than the Bricknose or Aeronose. The other big item is the wiring, the Bullnose front end wiring is one continuous harness from the right headlight through the firewall, across the dash then back out through the firewall to the left headlight. All the later models have one or two multi pin bulkhead connectors and the only thing on the right side that penetrates the firewall is for the HVAC system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 Are you going to blast and paint the frame? That is a lot of work, and leads to lots of other detail work. Best to steer clear of that briar patch. Seriously though, looks like you are making progress. And, as Jim says, progress is good. But will a Bricknose cab let you mount a Bullnose dash? Based on what I had to do to get an Aeronose (which uses the same upper mounts as the Bricknose) it will be a bit difficult. At least the steering column mounts are similar. The Bullnose dash is essentially built up in sections, part metal and part plastic. The upper section is several pieces that bolt down with small screws in four locations just inside the windshield. The other item is the VIN location, the Bullnose is further inboard than the Bricknose or Aeronose. The other big item is the wiring, the Bullnose front end wiring is one continuous harness from the right headlight through the firewall, across the dash then back out through the firewall to the left headlight. All the later models have one or two multi pin bulkhead connectors and the only thing on the right side that penetrates the firewall is for the HVAC system. Thanks, Bill. That's exactly why I was asking the question as I remembered some of those things from your quest and thought Shaun should know what he's getting into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1986F150Six Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 Figured I would share this little gem with you guys. I pulled it off of the bed before the teardown. Long gone are the days where a rear bumper was an option, and no rear bumper was standard. Even though this means my truck left the factory without a bumper, there was a pretty mangled dealer bumper mounted to the truck, so this was basically hidden for 30+ years. My truck also has this little jewel still in place. No need to remove to install the bumper, so I imagine many are still hidden away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuzzFace2 Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 Are you going to blast and paint the frame? That is a lot of work, and leads to lots of other detail work. Best to steer clear of that briar patch. Seriously though, looks like you are making progress. And, as Jim says, progress is good. But will a Bricknose cab let you mount a Bullnose dash? Who said you have to run the brick dash it the later year cab? Why not use the cab as a whole with wiring and use the brick nose so it looks like a brick? Once the cab and bed are off the frame he has already gone down the briar patch Dave ---- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salans7 Posted February 26, 2019 Author Share Posted February 26, 2019 Most I'll do to the frame is degrease it, prime it, and paint it. Maybe throw some rust converter in the mix, but I can assure you guys this is simply a refresh, not a complete rebuild like Gary's 81. As for the firewall, I've previously documented with pictures the differences between all three cabs via my local junkyard, so I'm well aware of the differences. The biggest thing I'm worried about is the firewall, and the aeronose firewall is just way too different and not worth the extra work, at least for me. The 87-91 cab is much closer, but still a ways off from a bullnose cab. I did keep the entire firewall from the 86, from the center of the A-pillars down to 1/4 of the rockers. So I have the entire firewall that I can either rob parts from, or use as patch panels to make the bricknose cab work for my purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuzzFace2 Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Most I'll do to the frame is degrease it, prime it, and paint it. Maybe throw some rust converter in the mix, but I can assure you guys this is simply a refresh, not a complete rebuild like Gary's 81. As for the firewall, I've previously documented with pictures the differences between all three cabs via my local junkyard, so I'm well aware of the differences. The biggest thing I'm worried about it the firewall, and the aeronose firewall is just way too different and not worth the extra work, at least for me. The 87-91 cab is much closer, but still a ways off from a bullnose cab. A bricknose cab will only be used if I cannot locate a decent bullnose cab. Just in case I end up with a bricknose cab, I did keep the entire firewall from the 86, from the center of the A-pillars down to 1/4 of the rockers. So I have the entire firewall that I can either rob parts from, or use as patch panels to make a bricknose cab work for my purposes. Prim the frame before paint?? I did the degrease, hit it with an acid that kills any rust then paint with TSC black paint. I used the same paint on all the suspension parts so it all looks pretty. See someone else crazy enough to change the firewall Its what you do to turn a non-AC firewall into a AC firewall. Mine is also a cab off frame rebuild but no where near like Gary is doing, I could not drive the truck is I put that much work into it and looked that nice. Dave ---- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 See someone else crazy enough to change the firewall Technically speaking, you also changed the whole floor...lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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