Feasibility of weekend cab swap?

[monster man]

for anyone that's swapped cabs on a Chevy truck, can it be done in a weekend? We're running out of warm weather here, but I want to attempt swapping cabs from my '78 to '73. The cab on my '73 is structurally compromised from the roll

here's the plan- unbolt fenders, unbolt steering columns, take off doors, unbolt bodies, unhook heater cores and AC lines, wiring, etc., lift, and swap. How much does a cab with no doors weigh? Can four people and some 4x4's through the cab lift it?

any advice?

 

[diesel4me]

Its possibulll

I've swapped cabs over a weekend alone--but its a ballbuster!--as for lifting it,I doubt 4 people with 4x4 wood posts would be able to lift it high enough--its only 500-600 lbs of weight,but you need to get it up off the frame quite a bit...I'd use a sturdy tree branch with a chain falls,come -a-long,or winch,or something like a swingset or a scaffold staging to lift it--its much safer and easier..(someone will likely get hurt doing it by hand)---.I tried using an engine crane--I wont try that again...

I did one by jacking it up and blocking it with wood,and put 2 4x4s under it with sawhorses on each side..it wasn't fun at all,but I did it..mucked the rocker panels up pretty good though..if you lift the "good" cab by the roof,use a 2x12 board to help spread the load out --if you just run a strap or chain across it will crush the doors and/or buckle the roof some before it starts lifting!...and BE CAREFUL!...

 

[gone huntin]

I did mine in a day with a 2x10 by myself. I rolled the old one off and slid the new one up the 2x10.

 

[monster man]

I've swapped cabs over a weekend alone--but its a ballbuster!--as for lifting it,I doubt 4 people with 4x4 wood posts would be able to lift it high enough.

does it make any difference that both trucks are currently stock height? I was thinking of instead of 4x4 through the roof, we could get them under the cab and lift from there, off the side of the truck. I'll see if there's any way to line up the trucks under a hoist. Damn, wish I had my deuce with the a-frame still

 

[diesel4me]

strong man!!

I did mine in a day with a 2x10 by myself. I rolled the old one off and slid the new one up the 2x10.

You must be pretty big to put a cab on alone that way! --I'm no he man at 170lbs and 6'4!..I had to use every once of my strength just to get the cab on the mounts after I hoisted it up with a winch and a "swingset" looking "A" frame I made of heavy 3" pipe ,quite similar to the swingset in the background of this picture,only its slightly higher.(actually,it WAS a swingset at a city playground at one time,built by DPW workers from schedule 40 pipe!)..
.You could use the 4x4 posts to make a similar "swingset" to use as a hoist.(a very handy thing to have around by the way,for loading heavy things in your truck,cab swaps,pulling motors and beds,etc,).---trying to do it with jacks and blocks and sawhorses or barrels is dangerous, and usually bends the floor and cab corners and rockers to hell..but it is possible to do it that way--I dont reccomend it..

You could remove the wheels and set the trucks down on the rotors and drums (chock them so it wont roll away!)...that'll help reduce how high you need to lift the cab before it clears the chassis..even stock height you need to lift it pretty high..taking the wheels off helps..but you'll probably have to put them on again to get at the cab mount bolts..

Its a lot of work!--dont forget after the "bull" work is done and its bolted on,you still have to hook up all the wiring,tranny shift lever,steering cloum,brake lines,and bleed them (unless you remove the master and lay it aside without taking any steel lines off!)...it took me all day saturday to get the cab planted,and all of sunday till dark to finish everything...and my a$$ was dragging that monday morning at work I'll tell ya!.. ...but everyone marvelled at the fact I did it alone,and drove it to work !..