81-87 bumper on 74?
 

so i found this pic online and i like how the later bumper looks on the earlier front end. is this bumper difficult to put on a 74?

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

i would imagine the mumper and brackets would just bolt up to the frame. that picture kind of messes with your head

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

should bolt right on

I have a buddy that put a 74 bumper on his 85 by accident, bolted right up and looks alot better IMO

more rugged look to it

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

looks pretty good, but that is a late model square (post 80) truck with a photoshopped earlier grilll. Look at the cowl, the front of the hood, the front fenders and their horizontal marker lights ...
and - look closely at the right side of the bumper, there is a little double take from the photoshop.
Any thing is possible- give er a try- but that truck is a figment of someones imagination- it appears.
FWIW

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

I have the 81-87 bumper on the back of my '78. Previous owner did it though so I am not sure if there were modifications. Looks right at home though since the beds were all the same through the whole run.
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...1/SDC16061.jpg

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

That is PS pic..dude was a member..he shopped a 73-80 grile on his 81-87..tha frame horns are diff..that why folks have to swap frame horns when they go from 73 to a 85 or something like that..

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

yup gonna have to slice off your frame horns to fit the 80s bumper on the 70s frame.

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

heeyyyy thats mine its a 87 that i had some on chop a 70s front clip on i might do it that way one day just got to many projects(pic attached) lol its kool lol any ways it will fit but the 81+ bumpers are shorter than 73-80 it will tuch the fenders

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

I like it,it´s different.
Hmmm..... add a cowl hood to that and remove spoiler.... Damn... Stop posting pictures like that, I do not need another project:lol:

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

Nice catch there. I didnt look close enough till I read your post.

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

my brother in law's 76 actually has an 81 front bumper on it. i hardly ever see him or i would ask him how he did it.

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

this is spudz truck before he change back to the origanl front bumper (po did the swap)

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

As stated, for the front, you will have to cut the front frame horns and use the 81+ brackets.

Personally, I don't think it looks right.

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

i've got a '77 k30 cc srw with a later front clip installed by the p.o, the frame rails are uncut and they used the stock '77 upper brackets (slotted where it mounts to the frame) and left off the corner brackets. basic knowledge with a welder and a sawzall could modify a set of corner brackets to fix that-i'm swapping my front clip back to original though... good luck with it.

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

THERE IS NO NEED TO CUT FRAMES< NEVER!!!! Do I need to say that again? NEVER!!!!!!!

To install a 81-91 bumper on a 73-80 frame, all you have to do is make one VERY SIMPLE (2 min hacksaw) cut on the 81-91 center bumper bracket and the bumper is a bolt on! Yes BOLT ON!

All you have to do is cut the center bracket along the crease on a diangle. On the end brace the center hole (inbetween the the 2 welded on nuts that are usually used) is the very same hole that the 73-80 end brace uses.

I really don't how to explain this so I take a photo in the morning to show were the cut is made.

But to say this a third time, THERE IS NO NEED TO CUT FRAMES< NEVER!!!!

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

All right here is the pictures... The first shows a stock bumper bracket, the second is where you need to make the cut (RED LINE). Throw the smaller piece away and bolt-on the larger piece to your truck. Then bolt the 81-91 bumper on.

I have done a dozen or so and there is nothing else to do, nothing!

PS... Sorry to those of you that have cut and wacked your frames, the conversion is just this simple.

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

thanks for the info man...i'll be trying that for sure.

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

How about the other way around? Can you put an earlier bumper on a later frame easily?

Re: 81-87 bumper on 74?
 

I ALMOST cut my frame! I Thank you for this info! awesome! dave