body parts interchange Gen 3 w/ other years?

[raxley]

Hi,

I need to fix my truck. I smashed the front end. The left front (drivers) side fender, hood, grill, bumper and drivers door need to be replaced. It will also need some repairing to the fender well that the hinges of the door mount to. What other years are the same as far as being able to interchange (sheet metal mostly)? The left front wheel came off, I'm not sure if the A arm is bad, although tie rods, brake lines etc. are gone.

I guess the best thing would be getting a truck that is totaled except for the left front so I can get all the parts off it.

Either that, or I take my engine/transmission and put it in another truck, preferably pre-smog so I don't have to worry about that every 2 years (smog check in Calif is every other year)

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Richard

 

[Prairie Dog]

Sorry to hear you hurt your truck but good question, I've wondered if the later qtr panels could be used on our trucks so we could use the improved headlights.

 

[CKESSEL]

I believe its up to 05, then 06 on. Look at the headlights and front bumper. The up to lamps are curved on the bottom, 06 on is flat, 06 on has a larger cutout in the fender for the lamp. Bumpers are contoured to match the bottom of the lights. You most likely can mix them up, just get the corresponding pieces.

 

[SWithrow]

2003-2005 are the same front ends...

 

[raxley]

Do you think that if I got a whole front end, either before the cut off date (where body changed, headlights etc. ) or after that I could attach the entire thing to a different model? As long as it is all 3rd Generation?
That would mean that I would have a extra front right (passenger) fender (that is undamaged) that I would have to take off, to make the entire front end match. It might be a good idea if I could get an entire front end.
Thanks for all the replies!

 

[RDeFayette]

You can use the '06-'07 front end (new headlights etc).

BUT you have to use the fenders, bumper, headlights and grill the hood is the same.

Look for a front clip from whichever style that you prefer.

Might be easier and cheaper to get the whole shootin' match than to do it one piece at a time in the long run.