hahah cmon over, if you plan on building it as a toy we can take my trailer to boggs and boulders and maybe over to eglin this summer? ive got my eye on an 84 xtra cab currently.....!

 

Minor update. Pulled the intake manifold and the gaskets were in pretty bad shape. I'm guessing that's where the air leaks were
Also, the manifold was painted while on the engine. So instead of being raw aluminum, it's a splotchy black. Any advice for removing the paint from it? I've been using a brush but jeez that's slow.
Got some parts in from LC engineering. But I still need to get everything cleaned up before I put it back on.
I'm seriously considering pulling the engine to get it cleaned up. Just not sure if I want to or not.

I also found two stripped bolts in the intake. One that holds the throttle linkage, and another that holds the pcv barb fitting. Should I even fool with these by drilling them out and retapping? Or get a new intake altogether?
LCE has a 20r intake that bolts directly to the weber. Thoughts?

 

This is so familiar
If you plan on mor upgrades later you might as well start with the intake

 

Hey bud, looks like you have a great project truck on your hands. I went through all that as well, if you ever need some advice on how to fix it up, send me a private message

 

Well, it’s only been ab 5 years since I started this project, and this thread. A lot has happened since then and I’ve picked up where I left off. Here’s a little backstory for those of you who like to read.

After purchasing the truck in 2014, the goal was to rehab it into drivable shape and continue to work on it as needed with the help of a friend who helped me bring it home. Fast forward to April 2015....a sailing accident claimed the life of several, including my best friend in Mobile Bay. After that, it was tough to work on the truck. I tinkered here and there, but never got the motivation to finish the necessary items needed.

I did continue to buy parts when on sale, and amassed lots of things needed to complete the truck.

Around mid 2016, I decided to park the truck at my farm until I was ready to work on it. It sat there untouched until we moved last year and I built a shop. That’s when I decided I was either going to sell it as is, or fix it up.

A few days before I went to move it back home, I saw an ad on Facebook for a 1980 2wd sr5 in great shape. Engine was blown but all the body and interior parts were there, and not rusted to hell. So, it came home and I parked it behind the shop.

Knowing I wasn’t going to use the original cab, I pulled it and scavenged any interior pieces worth saving.

Now we can get caught up to current status....

I stripped everything off the frame minus the engine. Wire wheeled the entire frame, patched necessary areas that were weak or had rusted through, and primed and painted the entire frame.






These pictures show the last bit of primer before painted the frame black.

I also swapped a w56 in place of the old l43. I used front range off road’s mount and skid plate to locate the crossmember farther back.


The next order of business is the test fit the cab so I can cut the shifter holes accordingly. I will also have to remove the body mounts from the front of the cab as they are different than the 4wd mounts. Luckily I still had the old 4wd cab around and cut out the body mounts to weld onto the front of the new cab.

if anyone knows of any other items I’ll need to address to make the cab work, please let me know. I figure a 1” body lift might be needed to clear the new trans, but I also may be able to clearance the bottom with a bfh.

I’ll try to get some more pics this weekend and hopefully update this a little more often than every 5 years.

 

Great to see you still have the truck and are back on the build!

Can you tell me about that cross member. Did you buy it or make it?

 

since I swapped in the w56 I had to move the crossmember back ab 6”. The mount I used is from Front Range Off Road.
https://frontrangeoffroadfab.com/t-case-crossmember/

it was a pretty straightforward process and gives flexibility in mounting the running gear higher if need.

 

Gotcha, thanks. Looks like a good kit. I've got a w56 in mine and the factory cross member was cut and relocated. My mount is shot and like the idea of the poly bushings on either side. Thanks for the link!

 

Hey, what are you going to do with the yellow truck bed?

 

No plans of yet. Ive though about using the last 2ft to repair the original long bed.