Recent content by Dtc81

Made some progress cutting the floor and clearing the motor. As it sits! Body in place, 118” WB, 40” tire Crazy how much time gets eaten up by squaring, leveling, cutting, and repeating! I also have been playing around with Bend Tech. Should get first run of tube ordered next week. Plan...

Made some progress on the mail truck this weekend. I set the motor back an additional 5”, so the balancer clears the front axle currently. I pushed the rear axle back 2” and am looking at 27” from pinion flange to T case output. I’m now playing with body to driveline clearances. Currently the...

Whipped up some fixture brackets and set the rear axle on them. Not final or centered….

Yes will be keeping it RHD

@smokeysevin extrusions run with the driveshaft axis. Good angle from the back: Topside view from in cab. Motor is centered relative to the body in this photo. Looking at the first underside photo; I want to chop out the floor enough to slam the body down over the bellhousing. The drop...

@Turboyota Nailed it! I noticed it on a flight once and thought it would be a really useful addition! I'll definitely do my research when the time comes. @smokeysevin That's an awesome idea. The floor of the LLV is actually made from aluminum I beam extrusions spaced closely together, and the...

@Kellyex1450 thank you! The 3 link up front will almost undoubtedly be my best option. Stretching the wheelbase to around 116 definitely helps in the driveline layout vs. what I would be up against if I kept it closer to the 100.5" stock WB. I need to figure out a fuel tank/cell soon too before...

Yep. It's a mail truck! A Grumman LLV if you wanna get technical...This is going to be my best attempt to build my "dream" truck. I have always wanted to turn one into a quirky "do-it-all" unit. Something that can hold its own on the rocks, be safe and capable at speed, go down the road...

Thanks! I sure get a lot of weird looks when I tell most people I’m building my dream car….and it’s a mail truck haha

I second this. I have a Miller MM215 that has been flawless for years. Never skips a beat!

It definitely will be tight! 3rd gen 4runner was my previous vehicle(s) of choice for years. Did a great job as a daily driven, mtb haulin’ wheelin’ adventure vehicle and slipping through tight trails.

Thanks! Yeah our trails are usually pretty tight- which will be a challenge on full width axles and full body, but we do have rocks….they’re just usually slippery and round! Definitely plan to haul it out west to explore trails with some friends. The wheels are Sidetracked Offroad forged...

Yeah it’s a bummer out here in that regard for sure. My best friend lives in AZ, and the amount of free range land blows my mind everytime I go out west

I’m in the Hudson Valley, 1.5hr north of NYC and 3hrs southeast of Syracuse. NY is not very friendly to offroad anything, and we’ve just about lost all “legal” places to wheel. Some private landowners allow with permission, then there’s a couple grey area spots…we just be respectful and tread...

Man it’s good to see a forum again! My name’s Dan. Found this group from our first trip this year out to watch KOH. Was a long time IFS Toyota guy, now with a small side hustle fab business (@dcbuiltllc on IG). Currently in the beginning phase of building my dream truck…..a Grumman LLV mail...