1970 F250 2WD PB PS 360/C6 LWB= Daily driver
Truck A has severe rust around the drip rail all the way around the top of the cab. It also has what can only be described as a rats nest for a wiring harness causing electrical gremlins that I can no longer deal with.
The dash is busted up pretty bad, The AC unit is beat up a little but it works.
The good thing about truck A is that it has had new floor pans welded in just two years ago so the bottom of it is solid.
Truck B:
1972 F100 2WD PS 360/C6 LWB = Doner truck
Truck B has a light surface rust on the outside and NO rust thru anywhere on the top or around the drip rail. It has an almost virgin wiring harness in that the only splicing I can find is where someone installed an aftermarket radio.
The dash is unbelievably in perfect condition. No cracks or marks anywhere.
The AC unit looks to be in excellent condition although I have no idea if it works. It does look like a bunch of mud dobbers made a nest in there though.
Unfortunately, the floor boards are rusted out so that will have to be dealt with to use this cab
Scenario:
I dont have much cash left over after purchasing the doner truck and I need to keep the cab swap time to a minimum because truck A (the swap recipient) is my daily driver.
My biggest problem is that I am usualy a victim of the "as long as your doing that you might as well" syndrome and I either drag a project out too long, costing more than I have, or cant complete it. I dont have those options with this one and Im not going to neglect my truck.
I purchased this doner truck (truck B) specificaly for its cab.Ive been proud to help a few others out with spare parts from it also but its main purpose has been to provide a rust free base for me to work with on my 70.
I do wish I could take the time and had the money to do a complete custom resto like Keith or some others Ive seen here. Maybe someday.
Objective:
To use the 72 cab on the 70 frame with the best of both cabs operational as a daily driver and to complete the task with minimal down time.
Progress:
So far I have already removed the seat, tank, and doors from the doner cab (Truck B) and actualy removed the cab itself from the frame.
Its now sitting on the ground in my driveway.
Im trying to get as much done as I can while still driving the 70 so Im trying to consider any cab prep that can be done in advance before actualy removing the cab from the 70.
Complications:
1) My garage is only large enough to store my tools. I dont have the luxury of an enclosed shop to work in so I have to do it in my driveway.
2) My drive way is narrow. Its only wide enough for one vehicle at a time.
So I have to figure out how to pull my truck up into to back yard where the doner cab is, remove the existing cab, and then somehow jockey it out of the way to make room for the new cab to go back on.
Its gonna be a trick to say the least.
Questions:
1) I have removed the doner cab with the steering column still attatched. Both trucks have power steering with identicle gear boxes.
Do I have to change the steering column from the 70 to the 72? is there any differences I need to worry about?
2) The 72 cab has a good wiring harness and Im assuming a good guage set. Ive read here that 70 and 72 guage sets are different and cant be swapped.
Is it because of the wiring harness difference or some other reason?
Should I just leave well enough alone and leave the 72 guage set in the cab and be happy?
3) Both trucks have factory installed AC. The AC in the 70 works but the external case in the cab is kinda beat up. The case in the 72 is in almost perfect shape but the condistion of the AC unit is unknown. It does look like a bunch of mud dobbers made a nest in it while it was sitting though.
Would you?
A) Just swap the cabs and try the AC out later? If it dont work you can always fix it after the cab is swapped.
B) Remove both AC units and go thru both of them keeping only the best of both for installation of the keeper cab.
4) Will the fuel tank out of the 70 fit in the cab of the 72? I want to use the tank out of my 70 because I know its clean inside and it dont have the extra tubing/venting mess sticking out of the top of it like the72s tank does.
I have more but Im afraid if I keep going on that soon a posse will form and not allow me to post again.
