Local Legend Don't Call It An S10

[the bodj]

No no no... it's never going to work. You need to wear socks with your crocs. Don't you know?!? SMH.

I typically do lol. My ankle bones stick out a ton and the edges of the crocs dig into them haha. I'm pretty cool, I know.

 

[the bodj]

Got the frame rails welded and in place. Ground down the side welds so I can do overlays next week. Made pieces to get more weld area covering the old/new frames and welded those in (the stock frame is taller and doesn't allow you to sleeve the rect tube into it). Just need to cut out the inside plates, which I already made the template for and just need to cut out on the plasma table.








Set the tank and spare in place. Going to have the tank under the frame with a subframe and skid plate. It has 12-13" of clearance at full bump, but I think a skid would be a good idea to do anyways. I may lower the tank 2-3" to get the fuel inlet lower, allowing the spare to sit a little lower, as well.

 

[the bodj]

Got the shock mounts triangulated where that back section where the frames meet and welded the cab directly to the tube work. This helps take a lot of the drum sound out of that panel when rocks hit it and helps keep the cab from ripping itself apart. Also, added the inside frame plates. I had those reach pretty far onto the stock frame to help share the load. I'll get pics of that today. Also I added the first down-tubes for the bedcage, bought craftsman versa-stack boxes for tools (these are actually made in the USA... with global materials), and started laying out where things are going to go. Cooler will be directly behind the cab (it will only be accessed at night when cooking, so I'm not terribly worried about accessibility. The closer to the middle of the truck, the better shot I have of keeping fragile food items, like eggs, intact. Anyways, tool boxes behind that in a lockable/sealed metal container, spare tire at an angle over the gas tank, bumper tubes below the spare tire which will house/protect the jack. Jack handle and shovel will be underneath the spare tire. I may make storage to the left and right of the spare tire to house spare parts, but that won't come until the fiberglass is mounted.




Had to flex it out to know where I can run tubes

 

[the bodj]

Added more tubes, cooler and small propane tank arrived. Not sure if it’ll be big enough for a full weekend though.

 

[the bodj]

Cooler, tool boxes, and bump stops are mounted.

 

[GahnRacing]

That looks slick as fuck! But… are you going to add some more side to side strength or are we just gonna commit a nun genocide?

 

[the bodj]

That looks slick as fuck! But… are you going to add some more side to side strength or are we just gonna commit a nun genocide?

Thanks Patrick! I'm trying to figure out where/how to incorporate a horizontal X across the frame rails. I think I can get one below the cooler (probably should have done that first lol), and I'm going to add a tube across the down tubes, just aft of the tool boxes. From there, I'll run tubes from the frame up to the center of that cross tube. Imagine like windshield ^ tubes. It's going to get a bumper and I'll try adding an x somewhere in there, and possibly an x in the gas tank cradle.
Edit: Looking at it now, I can throw an X between the tool boxes and cooler. It'll make getting the cooler in and out a pain, but will add a ton of strength.

Here is where I finished off yesterday. Cooler and tool box tie down tabs welded on, limit straps tabbed up (I need the right hardware), and upper shock mounts boxed in.







Notice the shaved bump mount. I'm a loser and didn't droop the driver side all the way when bumping the passenger side during mock up, so the tire rubs a bit. Now it rubs a bit less. Even though I have a hydro bump, the coilover is still going to get a foam bump on the shaft, so hopefully that limits articulation a bit. Maybe a swaybar is in the future?



I keep going back and forth between flat and angled spare. I'm leaning towards flat...



All together



And how it's going to sit for a couple weeks.



Gotta pack and get everything squared away for our wedding/honeymoon!

 

[GahnRacing]

I think the flat spare is where it’s at. Might make the truck a little bit longer, but I think it looks better.

 

[theycallmeWALLY]

I'm a fan of the flat spare. Are you going to have any type of bumper behind it like mine? Also I'm not one of them smart folks, but I think you'll need a sway bar immediately When everything's full those little shocks are going to be doing a lot of work back there and unless you had a shit ton of slow speed valving corning on the freeways may get a little sketchy.

 

[the bodj]

I think the flat spare is where it’s at. Might make the truck a little bit longer, but I think it looks better.

I'm a fan of the flat spare. Are you going to have any type of bumper behind it like mine? Also I'm not one of them smart folks, but I think you'll need a sway bar immediately When everything's full those little shocks are going to be doing a lot of work back there and unless you had a shit ton of slow speed valving corning on the freeways may get a little sketchy.

I agree with the flat spare. Right now the plan is to have the spare flat, and have a bumper setup beneath it that is actually a closed compartment, which will hold the jack and maybe the jack handle and shovel.

No clue about the valving with the little shocks. I just compared my link geometry to Marcy's (who also doesn't run a sway bar). We both have low antisquat numbers (he has like 25% and I have 44% IIRC), and our supposed COG is about 8" above the roll center line. He says he feels he has less sway than some trucks with swaybars, so we'll see what happens. Kevin at Dialed Shock Prep told me what to put in my front shocks, and he will be valving the rear once it's all together. But I purposely made the rear as heavy as I can ( 2x4x.250" frame rails, nearly all .120 DOM tube, spare and gas behind the axle...) so I can run a bit heavier springs. I don't want a little bit of weight change to have a huge effect on ride height. I think that will help sway more than the valving.

 

[the_fablab_]

Negative, added weight will make sway potentially more of a problem. More mass equals more force. You might have a hell of a time controlling low speed with a single 2.5". I know King's 2.5 prerun piston is a relatively low flow design anyways but maybe a rate plate might help in this situation?

 

[the bodj]

Negative, added weight will make sway potentially more of a problem. More mass equals more force. You might have a hell of a time controlling low speed with a single 2.5". I know King's 2.5 prerun piston is a relatively low flow design anyways but maybe a rate plate might help in this situation?

More mass does equal more force. However that also equals higher spring rate, and more force required to compress the springs.

Better hide your nuns…

 

[the bodj]

Back from getting married and my honeymoon, so time to get rocking on this thing.

Got started with the fuel cell cradle mounts on the side of the frame. I’ll build off the 3/8” plates that’ll sandwich the gas tank flange. The tubes underneath will support it and get a 1/4” aluminum skid. The tubes will get tube couplers near where they meet the bumper. Also added an x brace between the cooler and tool boxes, and a stop for the spare tire so it doesn’t run into the tool boxes. Speaking of tool boxes, Craftsman has a tool kit that fits the boxes I already have. I got it on clearance for $120. Super nice setup for the price and I don’t have to buy all the tools to load it.

 

[the bodj]

Nothing really picture worthy today. Added the forward bracing tubes to the front tire stop thing, made a jack skid, started boxing in the front lower link mounts, added bracing to the gas tank cradle, and cut the skid plate out for that, and made a cradle to hold my 5lb propane tank. Not stoked on the location, but it’s the only place I could fit it. Going to add more to the bumper in case I get rear ended. I’ll get those pictures tomorrow. For now, here is the jack skid.

 

[the bodj]

Alright here we go. Gas tank cradle and propane tank peeking out from under the spare





Got the jack mounted. Nothing fancy, just some 1" mild and some angle iron. It'll get a pull pin at the rear and some gussets for the 1" tube.






Propane mount is 18g sheet that I bead rolled. It'll get a top strap of some sort, and a tab or two off the diagonal bumper tubes to keep it firmly in place.



The welded seam on the tank sits nicely in the middle bead



Added a vent tube for the fuel filler neck since the stock tank had one. The tank is actually welding really nice, to my surprise. I'll finish the weld when I pull the tank to finish welding everything else.



Pulled the axle





Got the caliper mounts burned in, truss trimmed and halfway welded.





The stock ford center section has tubes that extend laterally further than my Schreiner housing, so I needed some filler plates. I'll weld these to the truss first, grind them flush, and then weld to the axle







Productive day!

 

[theycallmeWALLY]

Getting after it!

When do you hope to take it on it's first test drive?

 

[the bodj]

Getting after it!

When do you hope to take it on it's first test drive?

I'm hoping to get it driving in the next three weeks. That's a goal, but I don't know if I'll meet it. Might need a 4th week. I'd just like it to be driving before I go back to teaching in the middle of August. I still have a list of about 20 small jobs needed to complete the back half and like 3 bigger jobs that take more thinking, like brake lines, fuel lines (already have the stuff to do them, I've just never messed around with them) and modify/hang the fiberglass. I decided I'm going to take material out of the center section and glass it back together. I think it'll be the best chance I have at making this glass look good.

 

[the bodj]

Rear end is cloooooseeee. I need to box in the bump pads and fab work on it is done.

 

[the bodj]

Rear housing is done

 

[the bodj]

Got the bedcage all welded up and pretty much ready for paint. Got the charcoal can mounted back in the stockish location, got my fuel lines sorted (ish. I need to get another length of hose), cut apart the old tank to use the sending unit flange dealio and welded that to the blazer tank, reassembled everything (minus the tank) and started trimming fiberglass. This glass sucks. The vertical bedside part above the tire actually sucks inward, so I have to trim it super high to clear. I’m figuring out the front first, then I’ll cut a section out of the middle, glass it back together, and then trim the rear how it needs to be. Once the glass is done I’ll be able to paint everything, assemble the axle and measure for my driveshaft. Then brakes and it should be pretty much done! Hoping to get it on its own weight by the end of next week.