putting a no-cowl front on a cowl truck

[76c10burban]

i have been campaigning my '76 c-10 suburban forever and have put a ton of lifetime warranty parts on it since my '75 suburban was wrecked and lots of ITS stuff got transferred.

but, it is a real rust bucket so i got an excellent 91,000 original miles/original doctor-owned '84 c-10 suburban from texas (i live in michigan so corrosion is a REAL issue due to winter road salt) but its left and right fenders, hood and grille/trim parts aren't straight.

the truck isn't WRECKED but the owner had a front mounted trailer hitch to launch his boat and there a a lot of little dings dents and bends in the front sheet metal.    that is why if i'm going to replace this stuff, i'd like to put on '76 suburban stuff when i get rid of the damaged parts.

now for my question: can i put my radiator core support and hood on the '84 suburban along with two new "Taiwan-special" front fenders?

i have the complete '76 suburban still. it has a good radiator core support, good hood, good grille and  good bumper w/brackets but the fenders and inner fenders are hopelessly rusted away. are the inner fenders interchangeable (i know they have SOME difference as they aren't the same part number) with a little "massaging" or do i have to buy new "Taiwan special" inner fenders, too? what about the cowl on the '84 suburban?

on my '76 suburban, the hood fills the entire front up to the windshield.

this makes me wonder...is this a true bolt-on? i'm hoping i can
just buy two '76 fenders (plus inners if i have to) and put my hood, radiator core support, grille, bumper etc on. i know guys put the later (little headlight, like '89-'91?) fronts on the '81 and up trucks, but i really want to put my '76 front parts on this otherwise perfect '84 truck.

is this a bolt-on affair?  what are the BODY differences at the cowl on the 73-80 versus the 81-91 versions?  is it just a bolt on plate?   can i pull it off (unbolt it?) and put my coil spring hood hinges on the 73-80 fenders then?  i do NOT have any welding skill, but am perfectly capable of putting the truck together otherwise.  

so, can a guy BOLT-ON a complete '76 front onto a really nice rust free, low mileage texas '84 suburban body?

[Blazin]

It is a bolt on with a few minor hicups. Instead of me going it to detail, take a look through some of the older topics we have discussed this at length before. Hope this helps.

[Blazin]

Page two in the body section. Subject front clip interchangeability.

[76c10burban]

hi Blazin, thanks for your response.  

yes, i did look up the interchangeablity postings on here and read 'em all.    i see conflicting info regarding hinges and the cowl panel.    

the early ('73-'80) hood doesn't use a cowl panel and the '81-'87 pickup does, yet the   catalog sells a cowl panel (their part number 38-7539) but it fits '85-'91 only.  

does that indicate the '81-'84 trucks are different in this area?     my truck is an '84.    

what i'm trying to avoid is having the front of my truck off, with new parts bought only to discover i can't put my '76 front on my '84 truck due to the cowl/wiper transmission difference.  

my suspicion is the front of the cab is the same from '73-'91 on ALL the suburbans, but know there may be subtle differences that could prevent a smooth swap.

i have a complete '76 to harvest all the parts i need including wiper motor-arms-transmission, hood, radiator support, grille,etc. but will have to buy new fenders and inner fenders.   the rest of the front sheetmetal is serviceable after wire-brushing and Rustoleum application.

sorry for going on and on, but the devil is in the details.   these trucks are very similar year-to-year-to-year, BUT they're not "all the same"!





Re: Front clip
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yes going older is a little more involved but not too bad...mainly due to fenders and hood cowel.........but you need the whole front clip for either mod.
Toys are my game

Blazin
Registered User
Posts: 331
(4/8/03 6:20 am)
Reply  Front Clip
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How do you figure going older is more involved? Going older dose not require any cutting, welding, or fabrication of hood hinge pockets, to me that sounds like a lot less work. I have swaped 81 and up noses onto older trucks at least half a dozen times, and swaped a 76 nose onto an 85 last summer and it was alot easier going to the older nose.

RSBAD454  
Registered User
Posts: 168
(4/8/03 10:06 am)
Reply
 Re: Front Clip
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i have done both myself............they are both easy to me, but you are right for the hood hinges i forgot..........
Toys are my game

[73K20]

81-87 had bolt on cowls, while the 73-80's had cowls that were built into the hood.  This means that to put a 76 front end on an 84 you need to ditch the 84 bolt on cowl and wiper assembly.  The older wiper assemblies were shorter to fit under the cowl hood.  On the 84 all you have to do is remove the cab mount hinges and use the ones that are mounted to the 76's fenders.  A possible area of complication is the wiring of the front clip.  Some years used windshield washer fluid pumps that were mounted in the resevior (read: newer models) while other were mounted on the pump itself (read: older models).  The newer models had the wiring for the pump on the headlight wiring harness while the older ones had it on the engine harness.  Since you will have to use the older headlight harness from the 76, it will not have the windshield washer fluid pump wiring in it.  If your 84 has the pump built into the wiper motor, your golden  .  The 76 headlight harness should plug right into your 84 harness.  I think that 73 and 74 where the oddball ones.  If for some reason your 76 headlight harness doesnt work simply go the local junkyard and pick up about a 78 or so, it will work.  I currently have an 84 or 85 cab on  my 73 with the older front clip and it all worked out easily.

EDIT: One thing that i forgot to mention, the older wiper linkage will fit in the newer cab, but you will have to drill one new hole (i think) at both locations to mount them.  I would recommend doing this before painting (don't ask how I know this ).

1973 K20 - 350/350/205

Edited by: 73K20 at: 9/9/03 10:02 am

[76c10burban]

thanks for your help.   man, it is reassuring to hear from someone who has done this before.  i'm confident i have the bases covered now (famous last words, eh?).   well, we'll see once i park the truck for the michigan snow/salt season and i do the changeover.    

on the rust free '84 suburban i brought up from texas in may, the two front fenders, bumper, the grille trim pieces (price THAT stuff!) and hood are just not perfect and since i have a good '76 hood, grille, radiator support, bumper etc i want to make the truck all straight and nice.

PLUS i much prefer the single 7" headlight front end and already have H-4 lights in the old '76 (man, i DO like these old trucks), i'm going to do it.