Possible Front End Swaps?

88pimpin · Jul 28, 2004

I was downtown the other night and my friend has an 86 F-150. I was noticing how the lines on his truck were the same as mine. Like, if I switched fenders, the back of the fender looks like it would match the door perfectly. I was thinking of how all 89-97 T-Birds' and Cougars' front ends are swapable, as in switching out the hood, headlights, bumper, and headlight panel. I was wondering if it was possible to switch out the fenders, hood, headlights, and headlight panel (and maybe have to do bumper) with a different year Bronco or truck. Does anyone know if this is possible? I really like the earlier style front ends, or even the later ones, but I'm not much of a fan of these rectangle lights. (Maybe more once I get clear corners.)

I just wanna know if it's possible to switch front ends with a different vehicle and not have to do anything as far as welding, just screwing and painting.

404PageNotFound · Jul 28, 2004

i posted this sometime last month, and i know that most of the parts are intercahngeable with a few differences (such as rad supports etc), i've seen an 84 with a 89 front end on it and so on.. i want to put a 92-96 front on my 91

to my knowledge it should all just be bolts and stuff.

correct me if i'm wrong

Txquadhunter · Jul 29, 2004

Yep, it's a bolt on swap. Put a 95 fronted on a 87 about 2 years ago.

You'll need to pull the front clip intact because it's not easy piecing these parts together on a diff style truck.

You'll ned full clip. rad. support, hood and cowl. If you go wih the 93-96 frontend you'll have to fab up bumper brackets to mount the newer style bumper.

Took us about 3-4hrs to complete the s.wap

88pimpin · Jul 30, 2004

Very cool. Ya, the hood has a couple hail marks in it. I was hoping that maybe I could get a fiberglass one, but I'm at least glad that I'm able to switch out front ends.

I'll have to check up on doing this sometime...

Justshootme84 · Jul 30, 2004

TXQH is right, any of the front clips are interchangeable with only minor mods. The only one when swapping from an 80-86 to a 87-91 front clip is the rear lower fender tabs. The frame horn is different on 92-96 (safety feature), but the sheetmetal will bolt right up. The styling on the windshield cowl is slightly different, i.e., holes vs. louvers. Most folks that do the swap upgrade to a newer year-model instead of regressing back in years, though. The main difference is in the fender lip bulge on 87-up or recess on 80-86. The biggest change is the core support, hood, and the grille+hdlights changed styles. The frame width and mounting points are the same for 80-96. There is even a company that makes a kit to fit the superduty-style hood and grille on a 92-96. Now that's cool!!!

KCMav713 · Jan 10, 2005

Just shoot me, do you know the website to the company who makes the superduty front end to the 92+ front end? This sounds cool, and i would love to do it.

Justshootme84 · Jan 11, 2005

Give me a little time to find the link, and I'll post it. They had an ad in the back of Petersen's 4WD&Offroad magazine for awhile, too.

O.K., here's the post from FordTruckWorld.com The company is called "Studio Truck Stylists". Check out the cool-looking Bronco!!!

Superduty conversion kit

88pimpin · Jan 13, 2005

Alma Gates (has the JBL sponsored DB drag Bronco) has a 92-96 front fiberglass clip that goes down like semis have. It's bolted above the bumper and folds upward. I'm not sure if she kept her older Bronco, which I believe was an 88, and just upgraded the front end, or just got a different Bronco. I didn't ask her. I also should have gotten her signature on the Bronco Driver magazine I had with a short story about her.

( It was cool to meet her, and see her Bronco, with the 12 18" subs in it!