73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Body, Glass & Paint => Topic started by: WalkeJ1 on January 16, 2019, 09:45:28 PM
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Sorry if this question has been asked before but I'm new to the site and couldn't find an answer using the search function. I have a 77 Bonanza C10 that has a lot of cab rust and I'm afraid I'm in over my head. I have access to an 84 C10 cab and was wondering how hard it would be to swap the 84 cab onto my 77 frame and use the 77 front sheet metal.
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Welcome
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IIRC There's something that needs to be done with the cab and radiator support rubber mounts.
I believe if you use the nose that matches the cab you just need to use matching year group rubber mounts (73-80 mounts with the 73-80 sheet metal and 81-91 mounts with 81-91 sheet metal) but I'm not positive on that... Hopefully someone will pipe up and correct me if I'm wrong.
You can swap the 84 cab harness into the 77 cab to keep the additional circuits and more reliable ATC/ATO plastic plug in fuse block. The 84 steering column should fit the 77 cab to keep the column mounted dimmer and wipers. The 1977 100MPH speedo and gas gauge will fit in the 84 pod so the 84 cab harness cluster plug doesn't have to be re-pinned for the 77 pod. You really want to keep the 84 temp gauge with the sender that matches it.
The 77 cab has the VIN plate on the LH door pillar IIRC. You'll need the matching title.
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Make sure you talk to your DMV and find out the proper way to sort out the VIN numbers and registration when you swap. If you just swap cabs and then have the wrong VIN on your cab it could really complicate your life if you wreck or sell the truck.
You probably want to keep it titled as a '77, since a lot of emissions control stuff was changing in the late 70's and it got more restrictive by '84. For example, if your '77 has a high enough GVW it may be exempt from having catalytic converters. That unleaded fuel and catalytic converter exemption was what drove Ford to start making the F150 (vice the F100), since the F150 could be optioned for a higher GVW and qualify for the exemption.
Bruce
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One difference in the cab is the seatbelt anchor points
I think the 76/77 cab has the separate shoulder belt anchor higher up the door post than the lap belt anchor
And the newer cabs had belts with both anchors in the same retractor
Someone chime in and correct me if I’m wrong
Regarding VIN plates , Swapping cabs is a don’t ask / don’t tell kind of thing
If you just remove the VIN plate from the new replacement cab and install the VIN plate from the old rusty cab , which in most states is technically against the law , but don’t tell anyone
Then No one will ever know ,
If your 77 has it in the door post I would just keep it and move it to the replacement cab and make sure the replacement cab doesn’t have any VIN on the windshield to conflict or confuse any cops
So it’s like the if a tree falls in the forest but no one is there to hear it , did it make any noise when it fell ?
If , however , you move or alter a VIN plate for the purpose of fraud , I’m 100% sure that it’s against the law