Yes Virginia, it does exist...
 

It's at least sitting on 4 tires now... that's far more than I can say for the last few years... I had to CUT the frame out of the weeds (glad that I repainted the whole thing a few years ago)... it was amazing how much growth there was...

60/14 all fresh... 14 bolt shaved, Dana 60 now all 35spl
(14 full spool, 60 full Detroit)

Engine mounts for the 5.0L done... pics below (yes, it's painted now.)
NP435 done
NP203 needs reassembled (easier mockup empty)
Dana300 needs reassembled (easier mockup empty)

4-Link tube is ready to be cut to length... one end with threaded forged Johnny Joints already in, and the other will be welded JJ once cut to length.



It's a start... :evilgrin:

The Wrangler MT 37's are rollers/street... 39.5 Iroks seen in back. (5 pressed wheel centers just showed up, so they will get torn down/cut/re-welded soon.)




http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...d/Image004.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...d/Image011.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...d/Image010.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...d/Image009.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...d/Image008.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ebuild/069.jpg http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ebuild/071.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ebuild/068.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ebuild/072.jpg

Excellent....But, those are the first greasable motor mounts I have ever seen...All that powdercoat looks great, ready for the show and shine :D I'm not sure how well those ratchet straps will flex, first setup like that I have seen. Keep up the good work.

I know it's a work in progress, but that suspension looks a bit stiff. How much flex can you get out of a pair of 2ft pine 4"x4"?

Paul

very nice brad, very nice indeed... nice work adapting those old mounts.

i had some of those fancy greasable motor mounts too, let me find a pic...

very nice..
big ass blasting cabinet too...

Greasable mounts... yeah, the only 9/16 grade 8 bolts that I had sitting around were from my pile of DIY4X fabricator bushing sets. I remember that pic CW, forgot about that.

from www.DIY4X.com
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...Y4X-FabSet.jpg

Yes, I expected the strap and the flex comments... I need to be able to roll it around... and the paint (not powder, all rattle can) comments don't surprise me from Casey... I can't help it, I like it when the mud has a hard time sticking...

Surprised that no one mentioned the 2x4 tcase support...

The blasting cabinet was made by JeffK5's Dad... it's awesome.


Tune in next New Year's for the continuing build-up saga... seems like that's the only time that I get to work on my junk. :o

damn, brad's on tires again! (kinda?) butch and joey are heading to slade tomorrow, i'll tell them to swing by and get you, yours should be about ready by then right? i mean, all you have to do is set the body in place and run a ratchet strap through the door jams around the belly pan to hold it in place!

like your truss. when does the suspension start? you going to run highsteer or just factory location?

greasable motor mounts are all the rage... it's all i run... hahahahhhahah

http://www.complete4x4.com/ImageFoli...6buggy_217.jpg

I'm not going to make fun of you for anything Brad.:eek: I'm just glad to see you making progress now.:D

A little razzing might be the incentive he needs to keep pushing forward. Getting the drivetrain situated is a big deal--- Milestone. Some of you guy's that are closer should go over and offer up some help as incentive to get it done. I would.

Go on a ride along. I'm so jacked up, I don't know if I'll sleep tonight.

Suspension is well underway... 2.5" airshocks with 2"x.5" wall lowers and 1.75"x.375" wall uppers sitting in the garage, and the rear dimensions are about set... the front will be the fun part... :rolleyes:

Well, current tie rod is 1.75" x .375" wall tube... so not really "factory," but yes, I will run links from the steering cylinder to the tie rod. No highsteer for me this round. (I popped off a highsteer arm at one point, -in the creek in a downpour no less- and vowed not to have one on this build.)

When I break a knuckle (or start eating tie rod heims regularly), I'll consider all options again. But that's still a ways off.


Thanks Tom, you have restored my faith in humanity. :D

Thanks Casey, much appreciate the thought... but I like just plugging along by myself... :beers:

hey, you promised me some labor... get off your own **** and come wrench on mine!

Any updates?

yeah kasey, see post #1. that's like 2 years worth of work right there, don't want brad to pull a muscle getting it done or anything............:D

Hey Brad, make sure those motor mount to block bolts are of the highest quality. I remember a trip not too long ago to Harlan trying to get a broken one out of the block. Those mounts have a lot of leverage on the bolt heads. A buddy of mine ended up bending a tube cradle to go under the oil pan to tie both motor mounts together on his 302.

I'm glad you said that, I was about to hurt myself trying to hold it back:D Brad will have to bring this post out of the archives for the next up dates.:D :D :D

Why is it I would almost kill for a garage and the people that have them have there rigs outside?!?!:mad:

I got my Polaris Ranger in the garage so everything else sits outside.

Regarding my progress... this is from above...

While I haven't stopped... I've been slowed down quite a bit by this whole "work" thing... I'm also taking 4yr old daughter snow skiing -for her first time- in New York (state) this weekend...:evilgrin: so not much going on right this second.

I pulled the tierod (recall it's 1.75" x .375" wall) to replace the 3/4" x 3/4" Heims with 7/8" x 3/4" Heims... I'm adding strength to the ends because I will be introducing quite a bit more stress when the (full hydro) steering gets added to the tierod. (it's only a matter of time until knuckle failure, but don't want to think about that) It was a joy to pull the old heims... Love the heat. More fun to machine to 7/8"x14... Even at .375 wall, it's got a little bend in the tube... The wobble in the tube on the far end of the lathe was awesome.


Good call on the block bolts Casey... I would agree about the cradle... I was already thinking of the same. (especially with the dual sump oil pan... has the perfect area for it)


As far as the garage goes... the tub is still hanging on one side, all welders-torch-blasting cabinets-lawnmower-more tools in the other... soon as I'm able to roll the frame under the tub (which would have been rather difficult recently without a tierod), I will keep it in the garage... and my pics will most likely get crappier... :beers:

What is going on here?????????????Damit, get to wrenching. This thread is like "ancient"....

Remember this part above:

Well, it rings especially true when you switch jobs, then your job switches organizations within the company, and you have to apply for your own job in that organization, and 21 other people apply for "your job," and at the same time you find the right next house, buy it, move (thanks again everyone!!), prep the old house for this crappy buyer's market (after 8 years of "yeah, I'll get to that project eventually..."), and then find a buyer who is willing to come to an agreed price (woohooo, that was last Friday)..... while the whole time trying to keep Momma happy with two kids screaming at each other...


Life is so much fun... :evilgrin:

I will be down there Casey, you know that.
Thanks for the gentle nudge... I know that I need to get it back together...

Heck, now I just need to get the garage together so I know where the frick all my tools are!

get to work. i have a hole here that your rig will fit nicely in...

HHHHHMMMMMMM ! i always knew something was up with you Mike !!!! hehehe

Nice one Sarge... :D



But seriously, it PAINS me not to have this done, but I just can't make it a priority in my life right now... as much as I would like to, my priorities don't always come first, and that's OK.

I choose to get to it, when I get to it.