First gen body on a second gen frame

[mightyPNW]

I am wondering if it would be possible to put the body from my 1984 4x4 mighty max onto a 1989 2wd mighty max sport frame. I would intend on keeping the running gear and as many of the drivetrain components from the second gen truck as possible.

The motor in my first gen is shot (threw a rod) and there is an issue in the transfer case that keeps me from shifting to 4x4, so if the whole frame swap isn't possible, how much would have to be changed to swap the engine/trans from the second gen into the first gen truck?

[pennyman1]

if the 89 sport is a long bed standard cab or sportcab shortbed, you may be able to swap body from the 84 over after relocating body mounts on the frame, keeping the driveline of the 89. If both motors are the same, you need the oil pan and pickup to put on the 89 motor

[mightyPNW]

It looks as though the 89 is a standard cab long bed. It has a 2.6, just like the 84.

To clarify, I will need to swap the oil pan and oil pickup if I intend to swap only the body from the 84 onto the chassis and drivetrain of the 89? That seems superfluous to me, but you are the guru here.

[pennyman1]

you can swap the motor of the 89 into the 84 with using the oil pan and pickup from the 84 2.6. If you want to swap the 89 transmission into the 84 4wd, that is going to require a new driveshaft and tranny mount, and removal of the front driveshaft. If you are leaving the motor and tranny on the 89 frame, then you would move the cab and bed mounts to match the 84 cab and bed, and mount the body to the frame, with adjustments to the fuel tank filler routing and tranny tunnel mods. Sounds like a lot of work to end up with one cobbled together truck. You may be able to find a good transfer case in a yard in Oregon, and the motor swap would be the easiest way to get a fully functional truck.