on a scale of 1-10 how hard is it, is it all bold-or are there rivits/welds on the header panel?

 

Basic tools, patience, and time.

Easy in my book

 

Where can I pick up a copy?

 

yeah, I would buy a copy. Actually, I want to look into switching the front end of my97 to the 01 look or update it to the edge look.

 

Everything bolts on. I'd imagine the hardest part would be getting the hood lined up nicely. I've got headlights (black or stock) and two pairs of stock corners if you're interested.

 

been researching this conversion for a little while, looks to me like the hardest will be finding a powerdome hood, the rest is easy to find and just bolts together, might have to get stuff painted to match if its another color, not too bad

 

Did it to my '99. Not that bad at all.

 

i would say the worst or hardest part would be drilling out all the tack welds on the header panel....

 

It's real easy. I've actually had the entire front end apart reading to put on the new 01-03 in about 30 minutes (I did shear one of the bolts off in the header panel, but I was rushing). Then realized I didn't have the headlight clips from the 01-03 so had to put it all back together. It's really simple to go from a 98-00 to 01-03 far as I can tell. Probably about 2 hours of time plus aligning the headlights.

Not sure what Maurice is talking about with the tack welds... but that might be a 97 thing. Not sure....

On a side note... people with the 01-03 front end... are all those header panels plastic? That's the only thing I was slightly discouraged about when I got the new parts was that my current header panel is metal (painted to match the truck) and the 01-03 was black plastic. Sorry to hi-jack but figured I could ask.

 

i dont know if the '93+ were plastic or not.....i am going to have to go home and check....lol..

the '92 and older are metal and are tack welded....

 

The hardest part is going to be lining up the Fenders perfectly and I wouldn't tightne any bolts until you are sure that the hood fits evenly betwixt the two.

And my book is coming out the same date as the new Harry potter book they will actually be a package deal

 

bud thats a 93-97 thing the 98-00 to 01-03 is unbolt and go!

the header is fiberglass on our older trucks 93-97 your thinking of the radiator support which only needs to be swaped for the 93-97 trucks that has to be drilled out but the 98=00 it doesnt need to be removed

 

Do you have to remove the fenders? Aren't they the same 98+ They were at least in 01 when I bought my blue truck.

~HJ

 

ya 98-07 fenders are the same

 

yeah my stock 2000 header panel was fiberglass.. got a replacement plastic one and it made my headlights vibrate, so i had to get an OEM one.. just dont get an aftermarket headerpanel, go OEM.

 

so it wouldnt be that hard to change my 1997 to a 2004? there are 6 of them sitting in a junkyard 20 mins from here with no damage to the front ends and are complete.

 

Chuck you find me an 02-03 chrome edge bumper and ill give you my XLT chrome bumper and valance. i wanna swap this out but i gotta find a bumper....it could be red too...that would match the bumper and my truck then.

 

harder than it would be for a 98+ truck; you'll have to change out fenders, hood, radiator core I believe, and to get a newer bumper to work, the newer frame rail ends would need to be welded on i think

 

ok, so lemme get this all cleared up...for a 98-00 you need to get

1. 01-03 headlamps
2. 01-03 corners
3. 01-03 grill
4. 01-03 header panel (does the header panel include the exterior panel that is betweenthe headlights and the bumper?)
5. (optional) 01-03 bumper
6. (kinda optional) powerdome hood

What else?
SniperX103, what are the headlight clips you were talking about? seperate from the lights themselves?

 

Basically yes, But that part under the headlights is part of the grill in 01-03. 04+ it is part of the header panel.


The head light Clips can be bought at a ford dealer, the are two long metal straps that clip the head light arms into place. I think Sniper said they were a lot of money from a dealer, so maybe check out a junk yard first.

~HJ

 

Yes. They are seperate. I'll take some pictures of everything tonight to show you. Also, this really helped me out when I did it ( http://www.rangerpowersports.com/tech/?p=94 ). I actually finished this up last Saturday. It looks pretty good.

 

ok. I looked at the RPS site, it looks really straight forward. I see about the grill....the confusion arose because most of the "grills" that I have seen for sale on the classifieds were just the honey comb... no exterior panel... but I see now.
Matt... lets see those pics! I bet it looks great!