I already posted in the conversion forum, but I figured more hardcore 1st gen guys might be able to answer this..............

Will a 1970's Dodge pickup interchange parts with a newer 89-93 CTD? I am talking doors, fenders, hoods, etc. I am looking at buying a 1979 Dodge crew cab and want to make sure it will work with my 93' CTD. If not, I just don't want to buy it and waste my time/money. I have heard rumors that the body lines are different on the 70's stuff. The mid 80's are a direct interchange? I really would like to get my facts straight before I go over later today to look at this 79' crew cab. Thanks folks!

 

yes the 80's are direct check this , this is my 93 with 88 w-150 tin everything got replaced doors,cab,fenders,hood aginst this this is wannadiesels truck idon't think there is any differance com'on guys bumpitybump

 

The body lines are different yes, but everything is bolt on. 72-93 is the interchange.

 

what about the 70's stuff? specifically 1979?

 

So how far off are the body lines between the 70's and 90's stuff? Will it look goofy if I use the 79' crew cab with my 93' front fenders & bed?

 

72-80 will have a different body line than 81-93. But it will all interchange. The ideal thing to do would be to update the bed, fenders and front doors. So your body lines match. From what I understand the rear doors on the crew cabs are the same from 72-85, the last year of the crew cab.

 

Oh wow! I didn't know that! Yeah, I was only planning to use the crew cab itself and the rear doors. The doors, bed, fenders, and hood from my 93 CTD will be mated to this. Basically, I shouldn't have to worry about buying this 1979 crew cab and making it work with my 93' CTD. Thanks a bunch!!! I am off to check out this crew cab now!!!

 

The late (91-93) clubcabs use the same bodylines as the 70's trucks. Note the rounded rooflines as opposed to the more angular lines of a regular cab. As long as you keep the fenders and doors together in respect to 70's vs 81-93 you won't have problems. There are some differences in the firewalls of these trucks and some fabrication is necessary if you are using a manual trans, but these trucks are very interchangeable back to 1972.

 

In reference to door/fender match, I was referring to front doors only. If you study the character lines on the front doors, the lines end at the door lock, and follow the original 72-93 curve at the back of the door. The rear doors were the same on all crews from 72-85.

 

One minor thing,you'll need to swap over the striker bolts from the newer truck.

 

Ok guys,

I bought a 1980 Dodge crew cab 3/4ton 2wd. The whole truck is complete without the engine. Who on here has done a crew conversion by stretching the existing frame on their 1st gen CTD? I am looking at doing this and want to know more info, drawings, pictures, and measurements on how to do it. I would appreciate any help I can get. Thanks

 

Hey Firstgen you want a 4x4 crewcab frame ? PM me cause I am going longbed and don't need the frame so it's available .

 

Be advised, the hole in the firewall for the HVAC is different on the '79 vs '93. I just found this out this weekend. So, I'll need to cut out that section of firewall from an '81-up truck and weld it in the '80 crew.

 

Bigredbrick,

It sounds like you are trying to do the same exact conversion as me. I currently own a 1993 club cab 4x4 and just bought a 1980 Dodge crew cab 2wd longbed. I only wish more folks on here had pictures or a sticky of all the little details on doing a crew cab conversion. I just don't want the truck all ripped apart and then I'm stuck on some unforseen detail. Do you have pics of your rig?

 

Here are a couple of firewall measurements for the drivers side:



When mounting the clutch master cylinder there is a 1/2" space between the face of the mounting bracket and firewall measured at the BOTTOM of the hole: