94 to 96 cab swap

[Trev3500]

Looking for some information on how cabs bolt up, etc.
I have a 1994 k3500 RCLB and am looking to buy a donor truck. The donor truck I have lined up is a 1996 K1500 RCLB. I want to keep my 94 dash, and interior, but will the dash from my 94 bolt into the 96 cab. The 96 cab will be totally gutted.
Here are my question in a nut shell
1. Are the cab shells the same between 94 and 96 (cab mounts, wiring holes in the firewall, dash mounting brackets)

 

[Hipster]

Looking for some information on how cabs bolt up, etc.
I have a 1994 k3500 RCLB and am looking to buy a donor truck. The donor truck I have lined up is a 1996 K1500 RCLB. I want to keep my 94 dash, and interior, but will the dash from my 94 bolt into the 96 cab. The 96 cab will be totally gutted.
Here are my question in a nut shell
1. Are the cab shells the same between 94 and 96 (cab mounts, wiring holes in the firewall, dash mounting brackets)

I can't say with any certainty the firewalls are going to be identical. Heater boxes/other components, brake pedal bracketry, etc. might be slightly different requiring removal and weldment to the new. Maybe somebody else will chime in. Your going from pre-vortec to vortec equipped cab and there might be many unforeseen obstacles until you start bolting stuff in.

 

[GoToGuy]

Install OBD 2 cab on OBD 2. Stand 20 ft away, " oh yeah their the same".
Open hood and doors. Hmm... Very different. Body cab Wiring ? Engine electronics? Will dash mount the same?
Me, take lots of photos, compare side by side. Make binder for disassemble, then reassemble. For the " I know this fits somewhere...." And the service manuals for digrams, and wiring. Good luck.

 

[someotherguy]

I can't say with any certainty the firewalls are going to be identical. Heater boxes/other components, brake pedal bracketry, etc. might be slightly different requiring removal and weldment to the new. Maybe somebody else will chime in. Your going from pre-vortec to vortec equipped cab and there might be many unforeseen obstacles until you start bolting stuff in.

Definitely can be done but yes, there are numerous "gotcha" differences. The biggest one IMO is the steering column support. It's spot-welded in and will need to be swapped. Not a huge job, just takes some time.

Then there's the passenger A-pillar grab handle bracket. The 88-94 pillar trim might fit over it, might not. Can't use the newer trim because it doesn't match with all the other pieces (yeah they changed it.) If it's in the way it's a little more difficult to remove as some of the welds are hard to reach with the windshield in place.

HVAC box swaps right out.

The driver side firewall wiring hole did change but shouldn't be a big deal to block off the excess area with a small patch.

There will be a shifter cable hole in the floor that needs to be covered.

Etc.. etc..

Then if you go to put your 94 doors on the 96 cab and discover they don't fit as well as you'd like, just hope that some tweaking will get them to fit better. It'***** or miss. <--- f'ing forum software keeps censoring: it's -hit- -or- -miss-

Richard

 

[Trev3500]

Thank you everyone for commenting! I knew there would be some differences as I've had an 89, and two 98s before as well. Was definitely curious to see how much of a pain it would be, definitely sounds like more than I care to take on. Looks like I'm waiting for a pre-95 cab to come on the market. I'd definitely like as little bastardizing as possible.

 

[Trev3500]

Definitely can be done but yes, there are numerous "gotcha" differences. The biggest one IMO is the steering column support. It's spot-welded in and will need to be swapped. Not a huge job, just takes some time.

Then there's the passenger A-pillar grab handle bracket. The 88-94 pillar trim might fit over it, might not. Can't use the newer trim because it doesn't match with all the other pieces (yeah they changed it.) If it's in the way it's a little more difficult to remove as some of the welds are hard to reach with the windshield in place.

HVAC box swaps right out.

The driver side firewall wiring hole did change but shouldn't be a big deal to block off the excess area with a small patch.

There will be a shifter cable hole in the floor that needs to be covered.

Etc.. etc..

Then if you go to put your 94 doors on the 96 cab and discover they don't fit as well as you'd like, just hope that some tweaking will get them to fit better. It'***** or miss. <--- f'ing forum software keeps censoring: it's -hit- -or- -miss-

Richard

Thanks Richard, appreciate the insight! I'd like to keep it looking as original as possible so it definitely looks like this is out of the question for what I'm looking to do with this truck

 

[someotherguy]

You can get it there, it's just slightly less straightforward than a cab swap from a 91-94 donor truck. 91-93 are far closer to a 94 but lack the holes in the roof for the 3rd brake light. Obviously 94 is your only "direct swap" year but others are do-able. If you go older to say 90 and back, 90 is yet again different in the firewall holes, but on the passenger side for the wiring pass-through.

Richard

 

[Trev3500]

You can get it there, it's just slightly less straightforward than a cab swap from a 91-94 donor truck. 91-93 are far closer to a 94 but lack the holes in the roof for the 3rd brake light. Obviously 94 is your only "direct swap" year but others are do-able. If you go older to say 90 and back, 90 is yet again different in the firewall holes, but on the passenger side for the wiring pass-through.

Richard

Appreciate that help big time, I think I'm gonna end up buying the parts truck and cutting the floor out and welding it in where it's soft. Seems like the easier route to go