Putting a 1998+ Cab on a 1993-1997 frame

[legoms013]

If you could please host your pictures on another site or upgrade your Photobucket so we can get the photo's I will move this to the staff section for tech submission.

This is something that I had always wanted to do to my '97.

Will do, in progress

 

[Jim Oaks]

Added:

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/newer_cab_on_older_frame.shtml

 

[legoms013]

Added:

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/newer_cab_on_older_frame.shtml

Thanks Jim, means a lot

If my photobucket account hits its bandwidth limit again, will the pictures not come through on the article page?

 

[Jim Oaks]

No, thank you. Makes me want to replace my 96 cab with a newer one, but keep my current front clip. Imagine how confused people would be if my 96 hard the 3rd door?

Those pics in the article are on my server now.

 

[legoms013]

No, thank you. Makes me want to replace my 96 cab with a newer one, but keep my current front clip. Imagine how confused people would be if my 96 hard the 3rd door?

Those pics in the article are on my server now.

Haha! They would be confused! You'd have to cut and transplant the old core support into the new cab though, otherwise the 96 front clip wouldn't bolt up

 

[94 lngbd]

*Front bumper:

"""since body lines won't match up and frame is different between the two generations."""


&

You'd have to cut and transplant the old core support into the new cab though, otherwise the 96 front clip wouldn't bolt up.

Both are actually incorrect
93-2012 body lines remained the same for Rangers as my 94 has a 2000 bed on it & I slightly trimmed the front inner section of each front fender & drilled extra holes in fender mounting area of cab & enlarged headlight area on my 94Core support to mount up 2003 front fenders, grille, headlights & EDGE power dome hood. Hood is held down with Daystar's Polyurethane hood pin kits, due to difference in hood latches.

 

[legoms013]

*Front bumper:

"""since body lines won't match up and frame is different between the two generations."""


&

You'd have to cut and transplant the old core support into the new cab though, otherwise the 96 front clip wouldn't bolt up.

Both are actually incorrect
93-2012 body lines remained the same for Rangers as my 94 has a 2000 bed on it & I slightly trimmed the front inner section of each front fender & drilled extra holes in fender mounting area of cab & enlarged headlight area on my 94Core support to mount up 2003 front fenders, grille, headlights & EDGE power dome hood. Hood is held down with Daystar's Polyurethane hood pin kits, due to difference in hood latches.

Let me clarify the body lines statement. An older bumper wont work because the way the grill drops down on the 98+ trucks. A 98+ bumper won't work because the mounts on the frame are different. I was referring to the geometry of the grill not the actual body lines down the entire truck. Those haven't changed since 93. Also, the fenders haven't changed since then either so it's okay to mix and match.

Jim was wanting to go the other way opposite of what you did, older front clip on a 98+ cab. And to make this look factory one would need to swap in the older core support in order to have the most "factory clean" install. That's where my second statement came from. That doesn't mean it's the only way or the best, just another method and the way I would do it.

You and others have done the 98+ front clip conversion on 93-97 cabs, but there is lots of fab work to make it work. It isn't nearly "bolt on" just like you mentioned. In my mind I would swap the core support, but there is more than one way to skin this cat

 

[a22ord]

First off, I have to say: great write up good pictures. Love the outcome. One question: what options are there for a bolt up bumper for this swap? Any possible combination that will work bolt on?

 

[legoms013]

First off, I have to say: great write up good pictures. Love the outcome. One question: what options are there for a bolt up bumper for this swap? Any possible combination that will work bolt on?

Not that I know of but I also haven't looked into it very hard

I had a shop build me a custom one

 

[dogboy]

Nice swap! For what it's worth, the factory 93-97 bumper WILL work with a nose swap like this.
I just put a 2004+ nose on my 94, and used the factory bumper. I doesn't match perfectly, but close enough to not look too out of place, because the bumper does have a dropped area right where the grille happens to be.
It could be moved up more too, if it weren't for the off-road light brackets, and my lazyness.

 

[legoms013]

Nice swap! For what it's worth, the factory 93-97 bumper WILL work with a nose swap like this.
I just put a 2004+ nose on my 94, and used the factory bumper. I doesn't match perfectly, but close enough to not look too out of place, because the bumper does have a dropped area right where the grille happens to be.
It could be moved up more too, if it weren't for the off-road light brackets, and my lazyness.

Bumper lines up fairly good actually.

Did you swap core supports to go to the newer clip or did you just modify the header panel?

 

[dogboy]

I used the 93-97 core support, because I didn't feel like messing with the radiator, condenser shrouds, and body mounts.
All I did was remove about a 3/8"x 2" flang from the fender by the core support (right infront of the top fender bolts) because the older core support is just a tiny bit either too long, or too tall, compared to the 98+ trucks.
Then for the hood latch, it had to be moved to the left about an inch, and up about 1/4". All I did was use a piece of thick sheet metal, and bolt it to the old holes, then use 2 J-clips to bolt the new latch to it. (I used a latch from a 98, I'm not sure if they changed after that)
As for the header, I just modified the exhisting mounting brackets.
I also had to take a sledge hammer, and hit the coresupport at the edge of the headlight access hole to make room for the new headlight location.

I should have taken more pictures of the swap... Maybe I'll do that and post a thread. It really wasn't very difficult of a swap.

 

[dogboy]

After looking at the tech library, there's already a write up. About the only thing I see that I did differently, was the hood latch mounting.
And the lower fender brackets (L shaped pieces), you DO NOT need new ones. Mine worked just fine. I'm pretty sure they ARE different, but close enough to work.

 

[legoms013]

After looking at the tech library, there's already a write up. About the only thing I see that I did differently, was the hood latch mounting.
And the lower fender brackets (L shaped pieces), you DO NOT need new ones. Mine worked just fine. I'm pretty sure they ARE different, but close enough to work.

Maybe snap a few pictures of the way you did it for reference. Your swap came out super clean from what I can tell