Body swap

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:15 pm

here is the front. the angles look almost the same.

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:26 pm

here is a few pic's of the motor next to the fire wall.
it looks like the firewall is bubbled out on the drivers side, so it is a little closer to the valve cover. I think once the 5.0L is in it will have enough clearence. I have checked the frame and body with a tape and it seems to be centered well. the body will be a little lower because I used the body lift blocks to set it up where it is now. they will become history as soon as the new poly bushings get here.

FatMan · Post by **FatMan** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:31 pm

!!!! look's familiar

there are alot of thing's im gonna do over. you've got the idea though with taking your time. i wanted to wheel so bad that i did whatever popped into my head (well not realy but close). lot's of room up front for a winch. if i had it to do again i would'nt have cut so much off the front of the frame. second i would have stretched the body in the rear a little. all in all im happy just have to get my suspension completed and next is the front a rear bumpers which will just consist of some flat stock to close up the frame. then a cab exo.

looking good though cant wait to see what she look's like complete.

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:40 pm

my biggest thing is I have untill April until the baby gets here, so I need to get it done soon. it will probably be an all winter thing but it's ok. I can always put on coveralls and weld

Post by **Nobody** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:46 pm

DBrown wrote:here is a few pic's of the motor next to the fire wall.
it looks like the firewall is bubbled out on the drivers side, so it is a little closer to the valve cover.

The heads are offset slightly

FatMan · Post by **FatMan** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:47 pm

carefull with that welding in the winter. winter is when i was building my rig and man was it cold but i have some good buddy's so it came together pretty well.

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:56 pm

The heads are offset slightly

I forgot all about that.....

after I get the body bolted down the only thing I really NEED to weld is the track bar mount for the rear. and maybe some stuff on the inside. but if I can get some time I would like to get the dove tail done before it gets cold. the rest is just wrenchin'

FatMan · Post by **FatMan** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:24 pm

i thought about the dove tail but room is already limited so im not gonna atempt it. i will also be try'n to make my rig street legal do to me not being able to talk my brother-in-law into sell me his trailer. as far as i know i need bumpers, some huge removable finder flares and light's.

madmark · Post by **madmark** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 5:34 am

Hi guy's
Heres my question,I have a 78 bronco that I have done a lot of work on to make a trail rig,but I blew the 460 up and the body on this thing is junk.Its rusted to bad to mess with.I know where I can get an 85 b2 with a blown engine,but the body is in real good shape.I think I can sell the parts off the 460 and get enough to buy a decent 302.Do you guys think it would be easier to swap the body or to put the full size drive train on the b2 frame.If I swap the full size axles over to b2 what kind steering linkage trouble am I gona run into.From I what have read you have done the body swap,How hard was that and would you do this way agin?
The b2 I been looking at has the c-5 auto tranny.Can my NP 205 be hooked up to it easily?I am just trying to decide which way to go on this,the body on the 78 isnt worth meesing with.It will cost an arm and a leg to rebuild the 460.Which is what I should have done.I did put in a new cam,lifters and double roller timing chain.then spun a rod or a main.Havent tore it down yet.

FatMan · Post by **FatMan** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 2:11 pm

hey madmark welcome...
well to help, or not! i hope this heps you.
i built my rig on a budget. i had most of what i needed to build my b2 with 302, t-18 tranny, np208 or np205. i had eb axles to replace the d28, and 7.5. my problem was lack of fund's to rebuild the axles and engine. if i would have had the money i would have gone that route. my mistake was i try'd to do everything at once. before you know it i had the whole b2 gutted and no money to install and rebuild the parts that were gonna go on.

cheap alternative for me was to do the body swap. i had a '79 bronco that was lifted and ready to go. it had taken some body damage on the trail and so i figured what the hell. body swap is not hard at all but neither is the axle swaps in my opinion. i think your decision will have to be on whats best for you. a couple of use have done axle, and 302 swap's and others body swap's. well hope that help and did'nt make it any harder of a decision tha it already is.

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 5:24 am

I will have around $300-$400 in my body swap. and all that is left after that is the suspension parts I want to run. I also figured that it will take a week to two weeks total time to swap it where it would have taken me alot longer to do the swaps on everything. the FS frame is really not that far off from the BII frame but it is beefer, so I think you come out ahead.
oh, and my wheel base is now 104.7 instead of 94.

FatMan · Post by **FatMan** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 1:01 pm

i have about $500.00 into mine with the rebuilt radiator and the wristed arm. everything else was free or i already had. next money spent will be suspension for me also. steel for bumper's and then i need to save for the tool's, and tube to do the cage.

madmark · Post by **madmark** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 12:20 am

Thanx for the replies guys!My problem now is I have the 78 with 4in sus.lift ,locker in the 9 in rear,new m/c,booster,calipiers,rotors,c bushings 7*,radius arm bushings,and extended rear driveshaft.Do you guys think I could do the body swap and make it work with the 460.The porblem is my c-6 wont bolt up to a 302.If I swaped the axles and put a 302 in the b2 i would definatley want to use my np205.I guess I could always sell the axles from the b2.I dont know the more I think about it the more I'm leaning toward the body swap,that way I wont have to mess with the steering set up.Do you guys think I can make the b2 body fit with the 460?Man when it was running it had all the power you could ask for,if I put the much lighter b2 body on and rebuild the 460 it would run like a striped assed ape lol!I guess I need to do some more thinking.Either of you guys have any idea how much defference there is in weight between the 78 body and the b2 body.I would think at least 500 Lbs.

DBrown · Post by **DBrown** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 8:11 am

yes, the 460 will fit. with my 351M I have about a foot of room on top of the motor between the hood.

FatMan · Post by **FatMan** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 4:51 pm

i think with a 460 your definetly gonna have to run a rear mounted radiator. 460 is also gonna give you a crap load of front end weight. dont know if i would want to be on the rock's or even the trail with it. i do think it would kick some serious A$$ in the mud, and you'll be able to smoke the tires up with that bad boy with ease. the body weight of a 79 is about 6200lbs the cab i would amage to weigh aboutat least 1500lbs. it took me and 5 decent size friends of mine to lift my tub off. no doors, tailgate, finders, hood, or top and it was a bit-- . it only took me, and 3 guy's to lift my b2 over the 4" lifted rolling chasis. we lifted the tub over the chasis forward to aft.