SUPER CREW!!!

[PToombs]

Kid, you have got some MAD skills! I wish I had the energy to take on a project like that. You are making great progress, it should be running by spring, right?

[m880cummins]

Kid, you have got some MAD skills! I wish I had the energy to take on a project like that. You are making great progress, it should be running by spring, right?

Actually, the exact date I decided on is Monday February 18th! Haha not sure why I chose that date but it is the middle of February. So, 6 weeks!!!!!

Basic list here. Before I paint orange on the exterior:

Finish drivers door, high build prime and block
Fix dents in bed, skim coat of filler, high build prime
Skim coat over roof repair welds high build prime
high build prime and block fenders
block hood
finish rad support
paint door jambs, back of cab, front of bed, firewall, insides of fenders, underside of hood
install doors with latches
cut heater box hole in firewall
assemble engine and rebuild axles
install basics of drivetrain
drop body on

Yeah, quite a list!

[bmoeller]

Wow Charlie! You got some skillz!

[ahale2772]

good to see those shackles go to a good home. awesome job

[m880cummins]

Alex, thanks again for them! They are now "one" with the truck. Hope I never need to remove them!

Charlie

[m880cummins]

Got some measurements off a 1989 my friend is restoring. Need to make an engine crossmember. Here's some rough measurements of a stock 4x4 setup on a 2wd frame:

















Taking amateur drawing skills onto paper. The motor mounts are at 45*. Disregard the width measurements. I was not near a frame when I drew it so I guessed a number just to make some other calculations to see what it would look like.



Someone tricked me out!



Bed on again for personal accomplishment


Shackles done in the rear. Need to get Chevy leaf bushings. The front spring box is extremely tight. I hope it doesn't rub after I install bushings and they are centered on the bolt more.





Bottom looks factory fresh!



Gasser 30 gallon tank needs front strap but looks like it will clear cab OK



Installing Crossover plates:









Need to box in the frame from radiator support to front cab mount still. Then I can paint the remainder of the frame!

Charlie

[m880cummins]

Did most of the front part of the frame this past weekend and yesterday.

Boxed in from front radiator area to front cab mounts. All 1/4" steel. Then made motor mounts. This motor mount idea come from the design of a 1960s dodge truck. I will have a mounting plate on the bottom of each mount and then have a piece of 2x2 1/4" wall steel that bolts across between them. It will be held on by two grade 8 bolts on each side. This will allow me to remove the brace, drop the pan and service the bottom end without removing the engine if I ever need to drop the pan. Doing this makes me feel better about not adding fastener upgrades. If I continue to add performance parts to the motor, upgrading the bottom end will be easy! The lift this truck will have will allow me to sit upright below the truck! I also filled in about 50 holes on the frame in the front area and ground down the welds to get rid of any stress risers. I also need to cut the holes for the rear spring mounts with a hole saw.



















I have midterms for school next week but this weekend, I will finish and paint the frame, finish the doors and cab body work and start on a paint booth. Next week I want to paint the cab. The idea I have for a paint booth is a 10x16 platform out of 2x4s and cover one side with plywood, add two or three inductive (non sparking) bathroom fans, run duct work out side, and have four flourescent fixtures. It will be suspended 10ft high from the ground off the raftors and have 8 mil plastic flame retardant sheet around the sides with a velcro door. Then I will have a furnace heater filter on the side and a filter on the extractor duct. I can aim my torpedo at it from 8-10 ft away and the heat will travel through the wall filter to get the temp up to 60-70*. Shouldn't be hard to build with some of my friends helping me. Probably take 2 days and I can use it year round and not gas the shop out with paint fumes. Should be able to do it for $150.

Charlie

[cmann250]

Does your school run on trimesters or what?

Philip has some good pics of his paint booth over on CF. It sounds like you're on the same page as him.

[m880cummins]

No, we run on quarters. I only have midterms. No finals. Next week, I'll probably be caught up in that mess until the 4 day weekend That means from the 18-21 I'll live in the shop!

Charlie

[Mark Nixon]

I see a few potential problems here.

1. Boxing a frame in that much linear length without a place for the frame to flex WILL result in cracking, you should NEVER fully weld as you have done, the welds should be a couple inches, then a small gap, then another couple inches, then a gap.
As it is right now, all you've done is add weight and likely the DOT will not pass it come inspection time.

2. No surface coating (paint, etc) behind the boxed-in areas. If you want it to last in PA and intend to drive it in the winter, it'll eat that thing alive.

3. No evident drainage where the boxing is added, which means dirt and debris will collect, along with salt and road material, also leading to major rusting through.

While I understand the WANT to build a "Big, Burly Stout Truck", at this point, in my opinion, very little PRODUCTIVE and EFFECTIVE work has been done to the frame. If anything, the durability has been diminished.

Mark.

[m880cummins]

As for the boxing Mark,

I have a wand to spray paint inside the boxed area. I need to finish boxing the area by the rad support cross bar. On top of that. I will spray cosmoline inside after I paint the inside. The remaining access holes will be filled with plugs that are lined with a small bead of silicone. The back side of the boxing is open and down hill to allow venting but since it is not open on the front when done, no debris should get in there. I may also put a rubber flapper on the back side with the open end.

As for cracking, I did give it thought. The place where the boxing ends is right by the front cab mount. I have been thinking of ways from this point to not fully box the frame and instead, go partial boxing or with your idea of a weld every couple inches for a few feet before I go to the stock channel. I need to do some research on how to finish the partial boxing for best results.

Charlie

[Mark Nixon]

Just my opinion, but you're only adding weight for no practical gain and I'd almost bet that if it gets inspected and the inspector sees it, he'll fail it.

Mark.

[m880cummins]

I have several friends who do inspections who would have no problem with this. With the time I'm spending cleaning up the welds etc. It shouldn't raise any questions. I just need to figure out how to address the issue you presented . The suspension I am using is going to lower the shock the frame recieves over hard bumps. Softer springs will save the body and frame from hard blows from the PA potholes

[Mark Nixon]

I suggest you stop and consult your friends that do those types of inspections.
Always plan for the fact that whether you keep the vehicle or sell it, if it is in a major collision down the road, the authorities will want to know who did the modifications and if it was cleared by a duly approved shop or inspector, not to mention they'll want to know about welding certifications and could even get as involved as engineering certificates and qualifications.

If you think I'm being overcautious and anal, you're right, it's much better than destroying property and killing yourself or someone else.
Also, if you are using someone else's aftermarket parts, get a DOT CERTIFICATION NUMBER for the manufacturer!
If they won't provide one, find a supplier who will.

Mark.

[1STGENFARMBOY]

Mark, on the frame, i thought that ford had a full square box frame, and thats why most people like the ford frame better. do they have reliefs cut in them for flex ?

i'm just wondering and trying to learn something here.