superbeemike wrote:I'm working on the same thing, except I'll be converting to 4x4 after I get it on the road. I'm interested on what your plans are for the 4x conversion. I was planning on grinding off all the rivets and pulling the front cross member and 2wd stuff. I'm not a big fan of splicing frames together. Good luck with it. Mine has been alot of work but fairly simple. Almost like it was made to be there. I will be checking on your progress....
Mike
I have read several threads where it goes back and forth about welding versus drilling the rivets and I’m sure somebody will chime in here about their preferred method too.
I am actually doing the cut and splice method. However, at first, I did plan to drill the rivets until I started asking questions from people that have experience in the area, and I will give you the examples that were given to me.
It started with, back in the day (and I thought oh great here we go) people would weld old Nova, Camaro, or even the Mustang II front clips onto old street rods, and now people buy front or rear clip assemblies from companies like Art Morrison or Chassis engineering to put under their cars or trucks. Its mild steel, people have been doing it for years without any issues.
Another one that was brought up was the Dodge Mega cab trucks that don’t have the long bed option. There are companies lengthening the frames the distance that is needed to install the long bed. So you have two welds on each frame rail instead of just one.
I also checked with a few collision shops. The census was, measure twice, cut once, good prep work and a good welder, reinforce it, no worries.
And lastly, I just finished drilling the rivets tonight to remove the fuel tank brackets off of a Ramcharger frame and the rear cross-member off the CC frame. Eighteen rivets in all. In my opinion, it was a pita, way too much time and energy to do the job. I will stick with splicing it. Hope this helps.
1998 Freightliner FL70 Crewcab, Cummins 8.3
Sold
1992 W350 Clubcab, Getrag
BHAF, Stans 4" exhaust, H1C, GDS 60mm, 16cm housing, tweaked pump, Kdp, Autometer guage package.
So, I have most evenings and weekends free, and I say most because I have a very understanding girlfriend. She says that she doesn’t have the Redneck gene so she doesn’t understand. Ya see, very understanding..LOL!
