74 F-350 Dump cab swap

[mycapricess]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the forum but am hoping you all can help me with some issues i have ran into on my cab swap.

First off the truck is a 74 F-350 but the cab came off a 250 and i believe it is a high boy. The rear cab mounts are farther inboard then the old cab. Can i just drill new holes or does something else need to be done? Otherwise will the cab work? Fenders still bolt up the same?

Second the truck had a behind seat tank the new cab was not set up for that. We got the mounting brackets installed in it but is there a template for drilling the hole in the pillar?

Finally i need a radiator support and front inner fenders. Anyone know were I can get them? LMC list them for the 250 and 100 but not the 350 and the girl i talked to today could not confirm they would work.

Sorry for being so long but i am new to fords and want to make sure it gets done right.

Thanks

 

[1970Custom]

I would say yes on the re-drill. Should be able to relocate the bushings as well...

Bodywork should be all the same.

 

[Big Jim F150]

Welcome to the ol FTF! The sheet metal which includes the core support is all the same for 73 - 79 F-100 to F-350 is all the same, what you need is the core support for a 73 - 77 F-100 to F-350, although the difference between the 73 - 77, and the 78 - 79 core supports is the position of the headlights, although you could use the 78 - 78 core support, and the only mod you'll have to make is reposition the headlights, that's what I had done with a 77 F-350 that I had , I had to put a new core support in that. But all I could find at that time for a good used core support out of a 78 F-150 four wheel drive, and it fit, and the only mod I had to make was to lower the headlights, for the turn lights on the 73 - 77
sat lower on the core support because the 73 - 77 turn lights were above the headlights, and the 78 - 79 turn lights were below the headlights. The mod I had made was to dril two holes per side, after I found that two of the original holes per side lined up after I had set the headlight buckets on the core support, but I can't remember which holes I had to drill, whether it was the upper or lower holes. Hopefully you find this rather helpful to you. By the way you could go a frame mounted fuel tank, instead of cutting a hole in you cab, you probably could find a good used one at a salvage yard.

 

[m78]

If I remember correctly, the high boy frames were a little narrower. What year 250 cab is it ?
If it were me I'd cut and reweld the frame mounts under the correct location. The body should be reinforced at the mount.
Also I've read where highboy owners have used Bronco II gas tanks in between the frame rails behind the rear axle. It's safer to have the gas outside rather than in the cab.
Not sure about those inner fenders.

 

[mycapricess]

Talked to my body shop they were able to get me the support and innerfenders. Also It appers the cab has the enough support just needs holes drilled.

Thought about putting the tank under It but with the dump set up keeping It the cab is easier.

Thanks for all the info

 

[Big Jim F150]

The inner fenders are the same on the F-100 to F-350 for the top edge of the outer fender bolts to the inner fender, for Ford had made those all the same on the smaller F-series (100-350) until 1997 when they redesigned the F-150. The reason why LMC lists things for the F-100 to F-250, is because they're the more popular models that people are restoring those instead of the F-350, but the body parts and interior parts WILL work on an F-350. Ford made a lot of that stuff so that it was interchangeable. For example I needed tail lights for my 78 F-150 to pass inspection, and I had found a pair of tail lights out of a 75 - 91 Econoline van that were a dead on match to what I had, and I ended up with two pair of tail lights and another little item for the paltry sum of $25.00 and the side marker lights from the same vans will also fit the 73-79 Ford F-series light trucks, and the 78-79 Full Size Bronco. So also check your local salvage yards and you'll be amazed at what parts you'll find, at a reasonable price. Hopefully this will help you.

 

[m78]

^
Somewhere along the line the dents had a removable panel against the cowl on the drivers side, inside the inner fender. The panel accessed the bottom of the cowl to clean it out.
Whether the inner fenders all fastened to the wheel well the same,in all years, I don't know.

 

[Big Jim F150]

Glad to hear that you were able to get you core support, and inner fenders. Like I said in one of my earlier posts, also check out your local salvage yards, and also check with your body man, to see what else he can help you find for your project. Also please put up some photos of your project, for it would be nice to see it done. Well another piece of history, and yet another Dent gets saved from the crusher.

 

[mycapricess]

Well parts should be in by next week. Brother in law is finishing paint this week so by the time i pull the old cab off and swap on the new weather should be nice again. Will post pics when i get back in town.

 

[Big Jim F150]

Awesome!!! Would like so see them

 

[mycapricess]

Well the supplier told the shop they could get the parts but they cant. Trying a couple other suppliers otherwise LMC has them Just trying to avoid freight charges. Pics in current state in garage.

 

[mycapricess]

Some more pics from last nights work

 

[DNFXDLI]

I know that look!

 

[bucks77ford]

First off, nice project. In addition to the core support, there are some differences in the radiator mounting and the size of hole for the radiator. Some had smaller size holes for smaller radiators. Also, some had flanges for a rear mount radiator vs front mount radiators. The front mount radiator core supports are the ones you want because you will have more options for radiators. There aren't many out there to support a rear flange mount radiator.

The cab may have template holes underneath for the wider mounting for the rear mounts. I did just the opposite and mounted a F150 cab to my highboy and I had to drill for narrow mounts. When I put the cab on the frame, I looked through the frame mounts and saw a hole template for narrow mounts to drill from underneath and just used a long drill bit. Hard to notice at first.

 

[BKW]

I'm late to the party, but wanted to correct a bit of wrong info: The inner fender aprons for 1973/79 F100/350 are NOT all the same!

D9TZ-16054-A (replaced D3TZ-16054-A) .. Right Fender Inner Apron / Obsolete

1973/79 F100/350 2WD/4WD / 1978/79 Bronco.
------------------------------------------------------
D9TZ-16055-A (replaced D3TZ-16055-B) .. Left Fender Inner Apron / Obsolete

1973/79 F100/350 2WD
----------------------------
D9TZ-16055-B (replaced D3TZ-16055-A) .. Left Fender Inner Apron / Obsolete

1973/79 F100/250 4WD / 1978/79 Bronco / 1979 F350 4WD
--------------------------------------------------------------------
D3TZ-16138-B .. Radiator Support-Use with Round Headlamps / 28 1/2" between radiator mounting holes / Obsolete

1973/79 F100/350.
----------------------
D3TZ-16138-D .. Radiator Support-Use with Round Headlamps / Two sets of radiator mounting holes: (1) 23" between centers (2): 25 1/2" between centers / Obsolete

1973/79 F100/350.
----------------------
D8TZ-16138-A .. Radiator Support-Use with Rectangular Headlamps / Obsolete

1978/79 F100/350 & Bronco.

 

[mycapricess]

Checked out the cab last night and there are marks for the other set of mounts So Should not be to bad to do. The radiator support is on stock with lmc for the correct one i need. The fendre aprons looks like they need some patching were they bolt to the rad support but otherwise in good shape so looks like i will be using them over. Will keep updating as i go along. Next thing to do is repair the rusted mounts on the frame for the cab. Hope to get the welder out and do that over the weekend.

 

[mycapricess]

Update and a question. Ordered inner fenders and rad support from lmc truck. Frame was cleaned hope to get paint on it this weekend then if time permits drop the cab on it. After that things should move along faster.

The question I have is this truck has split rims on it. I have a set of rims off a late 80 f350 what do I need to do to use them. I assume change the wheel studs and buy lugnuts but any help would be great.

 

[Fellro]

You can try to upgrade to the 9/16" studs, but I can't give you any info on how to go about such. The later trucks use a nut with the washer built into the nut, which I don't know if would be available in a 1/2" lug. You could try to find some GM pinch plates, which would then let you use the tapered lugs. Split ring rims aren't a total big deal to use, but fewer shops are available to work on them. These are not the notorious widow maker rims, and split rings are not all that uncommon on some medium duty trucks.

 

[mycapricess]

Main reason I want to get rid of them is there pretty sad shape bent up and can't find a shop that wants to work on them without wanting to charge way to much.

 

[BKW]

You can try to upgrade to the 9/16" studs.

OP's F350 has DRW

The rear studs are 9/16" -18 x 2 3/8" long and are right (D0TZ-1107-A) & left (D0TZ-1119-A) specific.

The right & left front studs are same, and are also the same as the right rear (D0TZ-1107-A).