Author Topic: need clarification on cab swaps  (Read 7213 times)

Offline bake74

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 5871
    • Build Thread
need clarification on cab swaps
« on: January 02, 2011, 10:12:10 pm »
    I searched and could not find the answer to my question.  If there is an old post on here about it that someone can let me know about, it would be appreciated.  My question: I want to swap a 78 cab that is a automatic to my 74 that is a stick.  I want to keep the stick shift. Is this a direct bolt in swap with transmissions and linkage/clutch pedal or do you have to fabricate to make it work?  Thanks in advance.
#1: The easiest and most obvious solution to any problem is 99% of the time correct.
#2: There is no such thing as impossible, it just takes longer.
  74 k10, 77k10    Tom

Offline KY..Rob

  • Registered Users
  • *
  • Posts: 185
Re: need clarification on cab swaps
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2011, 10:54:47 pm »
Yes, This should be a direct swap. You will need the Hump from your 74. Cut the Hump out of the 78 and Bolt the 74 onto it, seam seal the area around the hump and roll on. You might have to spot the hole in the driver side floor pan for the clutch, everthing should bolt right up.

Offline Irish_Alley

  • Tim
  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 13333
  • Family is not an important thing. It's everything.
Re: need clarification on cab swaps
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2011, 05:17:08 am »
or you could just cut the 78 floor to make the stick fit. also are they both the same drive 4x4 vs. 4x2
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth ~Sherlock Holmes

Offline bake74

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 5871
    • Build Thread
Re: need clarification on cab swaps
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2011, 06:36:47 am »
     Yes, they are both 4x4.  I was hoping all I had to do was cut the floor for the stick shift.  Thanks for the quick responses.
#1: The easiest and most obvious solution to any problem is 99% of the time correct.
#2: There is no such thing as impossible, it just takes longer.
  74 k10, 77k10    Tom

Offline thirsty

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1289
    • Suitor's Garage
Re: need clarification on cab swaps
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2011, 08:31:42 am »
Real trucks are built, not bought Build thread

Give me a long enough lever and a place to stand, and I shall move the earth or break this bolt...Whatever, just hold my beer!

Offline KY..Rob

  • Registered Users
  • *
  • Posts: 185
Re: need clarification on cab swaps
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2011, 01:57:17 pm »
Aren't the 4x4 humps bolted / screwed in? 

Offline KY..Rob

  • Registered Users
  • *
  • Posts: 185
Re: need clarification on cab swaps
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2011, 02:02:40 pm »
After looking at Thirsty's link, It looks like all the standard shift Trucks have removeable humps. Just swap humps, it will save you some cutting to locate the shifter. It should be a direct bolt on.

Offline bake74

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 5871
    • Build Thread
Re: need clarification on cab swaps
« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2011, 05:42:05 pm »
     I understand about the humps, my question was on the actuall clutch pedal and linkage, and swapping cabs from a automatic to my 74 that is a stick and I want to keep the stick.  I wanted to know if everthing to do with the clutch pedal, linkage rods through the firewall, and in the engine/under truck will bolt up if I took it all out of my 74 and put it on the 78 cab, or will I have to fabricate brackets to put my clutch/stick shift onto the 78 cab.
     Thanks for all the replies for anyone that can tell me if the above items will bolt on or have to be fabricated.
#1: The easiest and most obvious solution to any problem is 99% of the time correct.
#2: There is no such thing as impossible, it just takes longer.
  74 k10, 77k10    Tom

Offline Grim 82

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1651
Re: need clarification on cab swaps
« Reply #8 on: January 03, 2011, 07:08:10 pm »
Take a measurement of the bracket that the pedals hang from, and see if the width is the same. With the manual, the brake and clutch pedals hang from the same thru-bolt in that bracket. I'm not sure, but I'm guessing they are all made the same and automatics use spacers of some kind instead of the pedal hanger, OR, the width of that bracket will be completely different, width-wise. Measure the width of both pedal hangers and see what you come up with. You'll need a hole in the floor for the linkage rod to go to the bellcrank, which you can measure from the other cab. It shouldn't be too tough since you have all of the parts. If the hanger bracket is completely different though it might be a pain. I think it's welded in, but again, not sure about that.
Give a man a gun, and he might rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he might rob the world.

Offline Irish_Alley

  • Tim
  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 13333
  • Family is not an important thing. It's everything.
Re: need clarification on cab swaps
« Reply #9 on: January 04, 2011, 06:09:02 am »
you can take them off and its a bolt in swap but there is a bracket for the clutch you have to cut off the frame and bolt it to yours might have to drill the holes
If you can’t tell yourself the truth, who can you tell it to?~Irish_Alley

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth ~Sherlock Holmes

Offline bake74

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 5871
    • Build Thread
Re: need clarification on cab swaps
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2011, 07:28:29 pm »
     Thanks Irish, that was what I was looking for.
#1: The easiest and most obvious solution to any problem is 99% of the time correct.
#2: There is no such thing as impossible, it just takes longer.
  74 k10, 77k10    Tom

Offline 86Chevy3

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 12
Re: need clarification on cab swaps
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2011, 08:07:41 pm »
Me and my buddy did this we put a new cab on his 85 4x4 that has a standard tranny, the cab we put on it was from a 2wd with an automatic, all we had to do was cut a whole in the floor for the shifter then another one for the clutch rod and we just swapped the whole clutch and brake assembly over to the new cab and it works perfectly

Offline bake74

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 5871
    • Build Thread
Re: need clarification on cab swaps
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2011, 11:50:31 pm »
     Thanks 86chevy3, I always love to hear everyones opinion, but it's great to get some real world expertise... ;D
#1: The easiest and most obvious solution to any problem is 99% of the time correct.
#2: There is no such thing as impossible, it just takes longer.
  74 k10, 77k10    Tom