what year truck did i buy?? experts needed!!

[mooman929]

Here a pic of the dash and I have a Dana 44 btw.

 

[Don5]

That is a pre 80's dash along with a pre 79 steering wheel. The dana is a 78 down model front end. Your glove box might have the sticker on inside lid that shows your options as well. If it does take a pic and post it. Did you check your title yet? You can go to the LMC website and look your serial number up. They have a page where you can decode the numbers.

It looks like the shifter rod is chrome. That appears in 80's model transmissions as well I think. I have one in mine and it came from an 87 model truck. The ones from the 70's are black steel.

 

[firebane]

Dana44 means you have a 73-78ish running gear. Steering wheel is non-standard. Do you have a volt or ammeter?

 

[firebane]

That is a pre 80's dash along with a pre 79 steering wheel. The dana is a 78 down model front end. Your glove box might have the sticker on inside lid that shows your options as well. If it does take a pic and post it. Did you check your title yet? You can go to the LMC website and look your serial number up. They have a page where you can decode the numbers.

That steering wheel isn't a truck wheel not for at least 73-80.

 

[Don5]

Yeah I should have added that the steering wheel is not standard for the truck. Oops.

Is your headlight dimmer switch on the floor in the upper left corner on the floor board?

 

[Don5]

It has the same gauge package as mine. Volt is in upper left gauge. It has the 100 mph speedo as well. The turn signal stalk looks a little funny. I have a factory cruise one on my 79 and it doesn't look like that. I think. Kind of hard to tell in the pic.

The wiper switch should be in the cut out above the headlight switch. It doesn't appear to be there. The knob or button on the turn signal looks like the wiper control. Guys take a close look at that.

 

[mooman929]

I know it's not the right steering wheel and the wipers are on the column. I'm afraid someone swapped titles cuz the title says a 76 but the vin plates are missing off the truck...

 

[Don5]

I bet this is a 80's truck with a 70's dash installed. Along with a early 70's GM 4 spoke steering wheel.

 

[mooman929]

I bet this is a 80's truck with a 70's dash installed. Along with a early 70's GM 4 spoke steering wheel.

Don I think you are correct. I crawled under the truck and if I'm not mistaken from the research I've done there should have been some cutting and hacking to the front end of the truck for a front swap. My truck appears to have the factory rivets for the front cab mounts in place yet. And everything seems 80s except for the dash. So that means I have an 80s truck but a 70's cab???

 

[Don5]

Can you look at the transmission hump? Can you slide your hand along the side and feel for some bolts? The 80's transmission humps were smooth and not bolted in. The seventies were bolted in.

You should be able to read a serial number on the dash by looking through the windshield on the drivers side. It might have a aftermarket pad installed IDK.

I think you should take a close look at the rear cross member by the bumper. I think the 80's trucks have large holes drilled through the center of them. The 70's do not. This will tell you if it is an 80's frame.

 

[mooman929]

Maybe an an 85 and up truck but with a 79-82 cab???? Lol

 

[firebane]

I bet this is a 80's truck with a 70's dash installed. Along with a early 70's GM 4 spoke steering wheel.

The Dana44 would say its a 73-78ish running gear unless they swapped front axles which would be silly.

Sounds like someone had a good body from a later model and used it on a early model frame and did a crappy job fitting everything else.

@moonman cab mounts don't change between the years you just have to change out the rubber mounts. So if the body mounts look like they have been changed that will be a good indicator as well.

 

[mooman929]

Can you look at the transmission hump? Can you slide your hand along the side and feel for some bolts? The 80's transmission humps were smooth and not bolted in. The seventies were bolted in.

You should be able to read a serial number on the dash by looking through the windshield on the drivers side. It might have a aftermarket pad installed IDK.

Serial number or vin?

 

[mooman929]

The Dana44 would say its a 73-78ish running gear unless they swapped front axles which would be silly.

Sounds like someone had a good body from a later model and used it on a early model frame and did a crappy job fitting everything else.

@moonman cab mounts don't change between the years you just have to change out the rubber mounts. So if the body mounts look like they have been changed that will be a good indicator as well.

Everything looks like it should as far as all the mounts.

 

[Don5]

[QUOTE=firebane;276017]The Dana44 would say its a 73-78ish running gear unless they swapped front axles which would be silly.

Sounds like someone had a good body from a later model and used it on a early model frame and did a crappy job fitting everything else.

@moonman cab mounts don't change between the years you just have to change out the rubber mounts. So if the body mounts look like they have been changed that will be a good indicator as well.[/QUOTE]

I think you are right. That is why I asked about the rear crossmember and the trans hump. The trans hump could be changed but it takes a little more work to change a rear crossmember.

Dana 44's are starting to get a little harder to come by down here in the US. Cash for clunkers program plus high scrap prices have done a number on the availability of spare parts down here.