RW81
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Autofab! Really solid hood.
Also the first/only pic I’ve posted with the new hood venting. Really stoked with how it came out! Came all the way from Bulgaria
Local Legend Vital Designs Regular Cab Ranger
- Thread starter ChristianEwing
- Start date
Also the first/only pic I’ve posted with the new hood venting. Really stoked with how it came out! Came all the way from Bulgaria
ChristianEwing
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Alright, let’s bring this up to date.
The last time I updated this, it was on the dash and console setup which seems like an eternity ago at this point. Since then, and why things have been lacking on updates, I’ve just been bouncing around the truck tying up loose ends and getting the final details done. Ryan’s posted a few things here and there on what I’ve been doing but here’s some of the highlights
Added a removable light rack to the front bumper, this is utilizing 5 Baja Designs XL80’s. 2 amber combo pattern on the outside, 2 clear combo pattern inside that and then a spot pattern Racer addition in the center for further light output
Just some random photos within the time frame I have on my phone. You can see in the second one the hood has the venting in it at that point. I knew I wanted the truck to have some sort of heat extraction from the hood to help keep temps down. The V6 is gonna be put through its paces moving the weight of this thing and I want to try and minimize the heat soaking as much as possible. I’m hoping with the radiator it’s running, the ducting and the venting, it should help with temps as much as it possibly can
This was the last time it came out of the garage as complete as possible as a “dry run” of everything on the truck the way it will be when it’s done and so we could film an update video on the channel
The last time I updated this, it was on the dash and console setup which seems like an eternity ago at this point. Since then, and why things have been lacking on updates, I’ve just been bouncing around the truck tying up loose ends and getting the final details done. Ryan’s posted a few things here and there on what I’ve been doing but here’s some of the highlights
Added a removable light rack to the front bumper, this is utilizing 5 Baja Designs XL80’s. 2 amber combo pattern on the outside, 2 clear combo pattern inside that and then a spot pattern Racer addition in the center for further light output
Just some random photos within the time frame I have on my phone. You can see in the second one the hood has the venting in it at that point. I knew I wanted the truck to have some sort of heat extraction from the hood to help keep temps down. The V6 is gonna be put through its paces moving the weight of this thing and I want to try and minimize the heat soaking as much as possible. I’m hoping with the radiator it’s running, the ducting and the venting, it should help with temps as much as it possibly can
This was the last time it came out of the garage as complete as possible as a “dry run” of everything on the truck the way it will be when it’s done and so we could film an update video on the channel
ChristianEwing
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After we filmed the video and had the truck outside, it went back in and I stripped it down and finished welding some of the stuff that was hard to get too when it was all together. Got it loaded up and took it down to San Diego Line-X and had Dallas shoot the whole back of the cab. This is something I’m trying to do on all the trucks I build, it helps with noise, rocks coming up and hitting the cab, as well as just cleaning everything up super nicely, another thing I usually always do is coat the insides of the fenders with LineX as well, which gives the fiberglass a little more stability as well as protection, but it flows together with the back of the cab nicely as well when everything is coated and together. There’s a lot of masking that goes on to get it sprayed, but Dallas does a great job making sure nothing gets overspray all over
After it was sprayed, I got it back in the garage and tore all the suspension off it so I can get the chassis coated. It’s hard to tell in photos, but the color Ryan picked is a metallic bronze, which looks super good and is different.
Spraying metallic paint out of a can is no joke though, we went through 13-14 cans just to coat the rear of the chassis. It came out nice though, and it’s got a thick coat of paint on everything
As the chassis was getting coated, I took all the panel work to ECP to have them powder everything satin black and then I also sprayed all the suspension components in Seymour stainless steel paint. I think powdercoated suspension is beneficial and worth doing which Ryan and I were going back and forth on colors with, but at the end of the day Ryan wanted a silver’ish “steel-it” style color so it made sense to save the money on powder and just spray it all, that way he can touch it up whenever he needs to as well. The Seymour paint is a touch lighter color than steel it, but for $10 a can it’s a no brainer. I will never use steel it or any other knock off brand of stainless steel paint other than this, it lays down great and looks super good!
This is basically where I’m at currently. Rear of the truck is about 85% complete with final assembly, Friday I got the front of the truck torn down and prepped ready for the chassis to get coated on Tuesday and then I can start spraying suspension parts and getting my hardware list together for final assembly on all that stuff! Should be able to hit my goal of end of July for my side of the work and then it will go back to Ryan’s house to get the wiring buttoned up and it will be a runner!
I will post updates more frequently now that stuffs going together for good and we are now caught back up
After it was sprayed, I got it back in the garage and tore all the suspension off it so I can get the chassis coated. It’s hard to tell in photos, but the color Ryan picked is a metallic bronze, which looks super good and is different.
Spraying metallic paint out of a can is no joke though, we went through 13-14 cans just to coat the rear of the chassis. It came out nice though, and it’s got a thick coat of paint on everything
As the chassis was getting coated, I took all the panel work to ECP to have them powder everything satin black and then I also sprayed all the suspension components in Seymour stainless steel paint. I think powdercoated suspension is beneficial and worth doing which Ryan and I were going back and forth on colors with, but at the end of the day Ryan wanted a silver’ish “steel-it” style color so it made sense to save the money on powder and just spray it all, that way he can touch it up whenever he needs to as well. The Seymour paint is a touch lighter color than steel it, but for $10 a can it’s a no brainer. I will never use steel it or any other knock off brand of stainless steel paint other than this, it lays down great and looks super good!
This is basically where I’m at currently. Rear of the truck is about 85% complete with final assembly, Friday I got the front of the truck torn down and prepped ready for the chassis to get coated on Tuesday and then I can start spraying suspension parts and getting my hardware list together for final assembly on all that stuff! Should be able to hit my goal of end of July for my side of the work and then it will go back to Ryan’s house to get the wiring buttoned up and it will be a runner!
I will post updates more frequently now that stuffs going together for good and we are now caught back up
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ChristianEwing
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Rustoleum paint is what was used for the chassis and yes, I shortened the wheel base a little bit so the bedsides overlap the cab
ChristianEwing
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Truck has been getting buttoned up in between a lot of other stuff going on, it’s about 90% there on my side with final assembly and then it’s going back to Ryan for wiring.
The truck got pulled out this weekend to be put on display at our local ORW for an event they were having, got a lot of good feedback from people and the truck won the “show and shine” contest they had. Should have this thing buttoned up on my side in the next 2 weeks and it’ll be done for me! Can’t wait to see this thing in the dirt
The truck got pulled out this weekend to be put on display at our local ORW for an event they were having, got a lot of good feedback from people and the truck won the “show and shine” contest they had. Should have this thing buttoned up on my side in the next 2 weeks and it’ll be done for me! Can’t wait to see this thing in the dirt
Pictafiedesign
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Excellent work dude!
Giant Geoff
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So clean! Great work.
charlie brown
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looking good. you are probably a pro loading and unloading this truck on a trailer by now. like the wench rollers on the rear of the trailer.
ChristianEwing
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Trucks officially back with Ryan to get the wiring buttoned up and the truck running, feels weird not seeing this at the house now hahaha. None of the glass is on it because it all needs to be painted and coated inside with LineX. Can’t wait to see this thing driving!
RW81
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Update: the pressure from having a windshield on doesn’t let them close like they use to. Weird lol roll the windows down and you can close the door with ur pinky. Theres a hole in the firewall for the electrical plug but guess its not enough to relieve pressure
_Cole_Taylor_
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Updates!? going to the expo?
Pictafiedesign
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maybe next time don't do such a good job sealing it up there guy LOLOLUpdate: the pressure from having a windshield on doesn’t let them close like they use to. Weird lol roll the windows down and you can close the door with ur pinky. Theres a hole in the firewall for the electrical plug but guess its not enough to relieve pressure
RW81
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Yes! Going to expo. Hoping to get it running Saturday so I can button it up the coming week and drive it into expo next Friday.
After getting my battery cables all made and grounded I was antsy and connected my whip. Powa!!!! Waiting on a prowire order to finish off my fuse box for the computer wiring then hopefully we hear her running this Saturday!
RW81
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I got sick the week leading up to expo unfortunately so I didn’t get much done.
Towed my truck out of the expo with no fluid in the diff/drive shaft not attached. When we left they made us go on the streets so we pretty much did 30mph for a mile or so with no fluid in the diff (first drive on the street lol). Didn’t think/shouldnt have been a problem but shit started making a horrendous noise on the way back to the trailer lol. Gotta take it apart and hope I didn’t smoke a brand new EWR diff.. not holding my breathe tho
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