Well, I hit a pretty major bump, how to tie the toyota body to the new tube back half and have it flow, without looking like ˟˟˟˟..

 

So, I cut a couple pieces of tube, looked, thought, and even had the wife come out to get a few second opinions, and after about 3 hours of getting mad, walking off, and even yelling at the rig (bastage) it hit me like a rock how to do it..

 

And from there is just evolved...

 

Now for the first time the rig is starting to take on a new look/character to itself..... Time to start doing sheet metal work and get the back of the new cab done....

 

Looks good, I like it.


Jim

 

Well, its been slow going, the 4 corner panels were pretty tricky due to the radius's, and they turned out ok, not as clean as I was hoping. But, the only way to have pulled it off perfect, tooling I just plain don't have..

 

Once those panels were on, it was time to start of the floor panels. I got one side tacked into place, sothe other should go a lil faster. And anybody who has worked with sheet metal, there certainly is a nack to welding the stuff. A nack I really have to work on,lol.. So if all goes as planned, by friday night I hope to be a close to finished with the major portion of the sheet metal work (the slow part)

 

And when I got home from work tonight, there was a goodie waiting for me.



My 32 spline rear output upgrade for the new dana300 t-case...

 

Looks good crash!

 

Well, I was able to totaly bust butt today, and the back sheetmetal is ALMOST done... All I have left to do is the area just in front of the B pillar...

 

Here is a back view

 

Here is the new floor. I walked on it, and you can get a little "thump" out of the 2 larger panels, but thats kinda mute point really




One thing I kinda messed up on, was pre-planning how the floor was going to be setup. So, I ended up with these gvalleys so to speak on each side. I plan on buzzing a hole at the bottom of each one so the back of the cab can be washed/drained easily. Of course, its another spto to stuff stuff to I suppose



Now, here is how it looks, and here soon will have to figure how/where the tools/parts will go. Will be looking into either an action packer or a sealed tote of some kind(one on each side of the seat).

 

Well, got a chance to get back into the tub work. Its a flippin slow job messing with this sheet metal, but I am pleased with how well its coming and looking








Here was a tricky part, how to tie the rocker where I cut it and have it flow into the forward hoop of the B pillar.. I basically cut some small sheet metal strips, and then built some weld up and ground it down. It actually turned out pretty good...

 

Well, now for the most part, the tub is done (as for sheet metal work, except below the door bar, that will get sheeted once the seats are in place).

So, since I am waiting for more tubing, I figured it was time to dig that dana 300 out from under the back bench. (at least I think its a dana 300, how could one tell with the 1/2" of crap on it,lol)



All I can say, nothing better than casteral super clean (unless you get it on your hands, its flippin strong stuff)

Wow, would never have known there was aluminum parts on it

 

Well, now it was cleaned, it was time to tear it apart (gotta see what makes it tick,lol)

Actually, I had got the 32 spline heavy duty output from teralow.



Gutted it like a pig




The t-case looked like it had never been opened, and looked absolutly beautiful. The only thing I did not remove was the front output, was worried about damaging the tapered bearing near the output..

 

Now the t-case is ready to build a goodie for it



To roll this into a nutshell, I am building my own toy reduction box to dana 300 adapter..

Here are the templates for both the dana 300 and toy reduction box..

 

And here are the finished plates for both sides..






Both plates are 3/8", I think when DSI made his, he used either 1/4 or 5/16. I wanted a tad thicker material, less likely to have any warpage either from cutting the material (used my plasma) or welding it...

I also have the material to mate the 2, but am waiting for the spud shaft to be made then I will get EXACT measurements of it and finish the adapter so I can rip the t-cases out of the rig..

 

Here is something that just totaly got me laughing, look at the difference from the toy 4 cly arb to the dana 60



I brought the wife out and showed her the example as to why we go 60's

 

Wow, looks like you're moving right along.

JIm

 

I am in awe...i just found this thread and have been on it for a good hour...definitely a winner.