OBS to Bricknose?

[Danoflapper]

OBS to Bull/Slant nose?

Hey everybody, I've got a question for ya.

I am under the impression that it is a bolt up affair to convert my '94 to an '80-86 front clip? All that is needed is a complete front clip, including the hood, cowl, bumper, and most importantly the diesel specific radiator core support?

If there is another thread about this subject out there would you please direct me to it?

Thanks again, you guys are great!

 

[bghnkinf350]

If you were closer, I would offer to do a straight swap for my 85 front end!

 

[Drew2010]

If you were closer, I would offer to do a straight swap for my 85 front end!

Me too, Im always looking for a 92 and up front clip

 

[Danoflapper]

So it is a direct bolt up with the complete clip?

I have a feeling you would change your mind once you saw my fenders haha I would be happy to trade though. I still need to locate a rust free front clip,,

 

[Diesel_brad]

No. not entirely. The sheet metal will bolt up but you will need to splice your wiring harness to the 80s harness.

Also i have no clue as to how you will bolt a 80s bumper to the 90s frame.

good luck finding a rust free diesel 83-86 diesel core support in the salt belt

And the 80-86 is a slant nose or bull nose NOT a bricknose. The brick nose is the FUGLY 87-91 style

 

[Danoflapper]

No. not entirely. The sheet metal will bolt up but you will need to splice your wiring harness to the 80s harness.

Also i have no clue as to how you will bolt a 80s bumper to the 90s frame.

good luck finding a rust free diesel 83-86 diesel core support in the salt belt

And the 80-86 is a slant nose or bull nose NOT a bricknose. The brick nose is the FUGLY 87-91 style

Okay thank you, and by wiring, that just means headlights, turn signals, and running lights?

I'm sure I can figure something out bumper wise, That's the least of my concerns, the biggest is finding something that salt hasn't already dissolved.

And yep, I goofed up, edited it, but it still says bricknose on the main page, but slantnose once you click on the thread? Weird.

Thanks Brad!

 

[Diesel_brad]

Yes. splicing of the lighting system. I have done the reverse of what you plan on doing in a couple trucks and it takes about a weekend to do

 

[Danoflapper]

Okay thank you! That is what I wanted to hear. Will the inner fenders bolt up to the slant nose fenders?

Sweeet. Now I just need to locate a front clip. Thanks Brad!

 

[Diesel_brad]

Okay thank you! That is what I wanted to hear. Will the inner fenders bolt up to the slant nose fenders?

Sweeet. Now I just need to locate a front clip. Thanks Brad!

The 80-86s come down further in the front due to the fender comes down to the bumper height and the 92-97 dont, so i would say to get the 80-86 inners as well.

You can probably find all the other sheet metal pretty easy and if your 92-97 rad support is not rotten(which i highly doubly) you can section the lower half of your diesel rad support into the 80s gasser rad support.

Are you going to change the bed to so it all matches?

 

[Danoflapper]

The 80-86s come down further in the front due to the fender comes down to the bumper height and the 92-97 dont, so i would say to get the 80-86 inners as well.

You can probably find all the other sheet metal pretty easy and if your 92-97 rad support is not rotten(which i highly doubly) you can section the lower half of your diesel rad support into the 80s gasser rad support.

Are you going to change the bed to so it all matches?

Okay perfect, thanks for the advice!

yeah, my support doesn't appear to be 100% shot but it's hard to tell. The welds are bubbled up. And yes, i do plan on getting a different bed. I'm thinking that buying a parts truck with a blown motor or tranny would be the best route, and parting/scrapping what's left. I just got out of school for the summer so I'll have enough moola for a parts truck here in the next few weeks, i have a feeling that locating one will be difficult. :/

 

[Sycostang67]

I would keep the newer cowl panel, smaller holes allow less debris into your cowl area. The only real area of difference will be the very bottom bolt on each fender. On one, the bolt goes in vertically, on the other it goes in horizontally. This can be rememdied by bending the tabs or using some "L" brackets.

 

[Agnem]

Or just don't bolt them at all. Worked for me. As for the wiring, why bother splicing and crap? Just free the harness from the sheet metal, and keep your original harness in tact. Get one of those LMC relay kits to adapt your lighting as needed.

 

[biggin92]

you cannot use a cowl panel from a obs with the slant nose front clip or vise versa

 

[Sycostang67]

you cannot use a cowl panel from a obs with the slant nose front clip or vise versa

Really, that sucks. I have only ever swapped an entire clip, didn't do any mixing and matching.

 

[biggin92]

yeah the hidth's are different between the two, i tried it on my 80 cause i didn't like the openings on the slantnose cowls