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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Body, Glass & Paint => Topic started by: landman911 on May 11, 2012, 02:23:51 pm

Title: How To Swap The Front Clip: 73-80 onto 81-87, 1/2 Ton, Regular Cab.
Post by: landman911 on May 11, 2012, 02:23:51 pm

Hello,

I have an 87' SWB and want to swap the front clip for a 73-80 because I think that front end just looks more tough.

Can anyone send me some links or give me some detailed advice with pictures?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Josh

Title: Re: How To Swap The Front Clip: 73-80 onto 81-87, 1/2 Ton, Regular Cab.
Post by: slammed79 on May 11, 2012, 03:22:59 pm

Basically the reverse of this. The main thing to remember is the wiper gears from the 73-80.


http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php/topic,9070.0.html

Title: Re: How To Swap The Front Clip: 73-80 onto 81-87, 1/2 Ton, Regular Cab.
Post by: landman911 on May 11, 2012, 03:52:07 pm

Please excuse my ignorance, but what did you mean by wiper gears?

Would that be the alignment of the wiper holes in the hood with the 87' cab's wiper location?

Also, will the core support mount to body in the same location, and the same question regarding the fender to cab mounting?

Thanks for the info.

Title: Re: How To Swap The Front Clip: 73-80 onto 81-87, 1/2 Ton, Regular Cab.
Post by: slammed79 on May 11, 2012, 04:41:39 pm

The gears in the cowl

Quote from: landman911 on May 11, 2012, 03:52:07 pm

Would that be the alignment of the wiper holes in the hood with the 87' cab's wiper location

Gears was rhe wrong wording, sorry about that.

Yes. You remove the wiper arms and the cowl cover, then the splined nubs that the wiper arms attach to need to be changed to the 73 versions.
As far as the panel line up, I'm not 100% on that, the core support will bolt on, but I think the mounting bushings are different. I've never done the reverse swap.

Title: Re: How To Swap The Front Clip: 73-80 onto 81-87, 1/2 Ton, Regular Cab.
Post by: landman911 on May 11, 2012, 05:08:05 pm

Thanks man.

I see, so those splined wiper arm mounts are shorter for hood clearance?

Is the hood latch mount in the same location, and I guess if it isn't, I could modify the core support and hood to use the In-Cab hood release found in the later models.

Title: Re: How To Swap The Front Clip: 73-80 onto 81-87, 1/2 Ton, Regular Cab.
Post by: Blazin on May 12, 2012, 01:03:39 am

You will need to hog out two of the three holes for each of the wiper stubs. The ones I have done only one of the three holes lines up.

There has been some that say you need to move the core support mounts on the frame? I have done this swap several times. I have never had any problems mounting the radiator / core support to the frame in the same location. There has been discussion on this subject if you search the site.
If you use a late 1980 core support it will have the in cab hood release.

Cab mounting points for the fenders are the same for both the inner, and outer fenders.

You will want to make up plates with gaskets. Or weld patches over the old hood hinge mounting holes in the vowel.