Spy Photos - Spaceghost

woody · 01-23-04, 05:04 PM

Mike "Spaceghost" Smythe if giving us sneak peeks as he and the Badlands Machine shop http://www.badlandsoffroad.com begin the transformation of his FJ40 from it's 2003 EROCC race condition to it's 2004 UROC status....

Step 1 of the process was starting over with much of the cage structure...

woody · 01-23-04, 05:06 PM

a personal favorite shot

Note the rear axle is still a Cruiser offset, and that the coilovers are gone...SG is also doing lots of dash adjustments...

Stay tuned for more pics later this weekend....

Mace · 01-23-04, 05:09 PM

[quote author=woody link=board=12;threadid=10545;start=msg94691#msg946 91 date=1074902774]
a personal favorite shot

Note the rear axle is still a Cruiser offset, and that the coilovers are gone...SG is also doing lots of dash adjustments...

Stay tuned for more pics later this weekend....
[/quote]

I knew you liked it from behind

BTW, that is still a cruiser rear axle. Not the rockcrusher rear..

Poser · 01-23-04, 05:15 PM

Looks pretty sweet!

How is all that rockcrusher stuff working out? There was pleanty of spite on the PPB about that company...

woody · 01-23-04, 05:24 PM

you'll both have to wait a few days....I'm hoping for my next installment on Sunday....and yes, as I note, it IS a "Cruiser offset" rear diff, not a Rockcrusher offset....

Mace · 01-23-04, 05:26 PM

[quote author=woody link=board=12;threadid=10545;start=msg94708#msg947 08 date=1074903870]
you'll both have to wait a few days....I'm hoping for my next installment on Sunday....and yes, as I note, it IS a "Cruiser offset" rear diff, not a Rockcrusher offset....
[/quote]

AHHHHHHHH

I thought you meant that the new Rockcrusher was going to be cruiser offset too.

But come to think about it, the rockcrusher rear that I saw did happen to be centered..

Why did Spaceghost decide that?
The dual offsets are very nice..

woody · 01-23-04, 05:36 PM

He's planning to run the new Marlin rear-disco t-case along with his doubler....EXTRA bling!!

SpaceGhost · 01-23-04, 06:04 PM

Here's an overview of the mods taking place.

Main objective is to be UROC legal and replace the Cruiser axles with the RockCrushers. The axles are assembled, the front was tacked together as of yesterday, and the rear is hanging off the chassis as of today. The rear is centered, with mini pattern pinion flanges from High Angle. Gonna run mini flanged shafts from High Angle. Tcase plans are to use Marlins newest creation the "front dig" mini tcase. It has a centered output, but if it's not done in time, I may stick a D300 behind the mini reduction box. Gotta have front dig!

All the tube is being replaced, it (cage) will be lighter and meet the specs required. Lower and the seats are being remounted, lower as well. New body panels all the way around. The cowl has been trimmed to the minimum and still look Cruiser. Simple dash with only the minimum guages, all switches will be relocated within arms length with the 4 points on.

Anything at all thats not required is gone. Electrical or otherwise. The on board air is now on a buddies Cruiser. Stock radiator is getting chucked for a smaller and shorter aluminum one, the bib will be a hand made panel, and without the the headlight buckets, a wider radiator will easily fit.

Rear cutting brakes will be plumbed in. 4 wheel disks, 4:56 gears and Detroits in the diffs. Alloy shafts, 35 spline alloy outers, CTM's. 6 on 5.5 lug pattern, and a new set of Robby Gordon 17" beadlocks mounted with 37" Krawlers. Track width is gonna stay close to the 77/78" I was previously. The wheelbase is gonna be lengthened a couple more inches to 102" ish. New 7075 aluminum links all the way around. The front 2 "Y" links and panhard are coming off for a true 4 link front. That meant replacing the 6/2/1 header with a stock exhaust manifold for the clearance.

Sticking with the 2F and SM420 for now. Rear of frame is gettingmodded within the rules, should save a few lbs and have clearance to outboard the coil overs. That is still being determined. Don't wanna say much about the cosmetics, but some neat work is going into the hood and front, need to be able to see! The color is gonna stay the same on the body, not sure on the tubing. The bright aluminum color doesn't hold up very well, so different paint or different color.

I love to work on my junk, and will do plenty when it gets back here next week or so. But, non of this would be happening without the help, support, and creativity of the crew at Badlands Machine Shop! Thanks Troy, Robby, Brian, Jesse and the banker, Lisa! I am running the UROC Extreme East Series, and the SuperCrawl as primary events. Thanks to Marlin for his support, Jesse at High Angle, the still flawless steering from Westexasoffroad, and BFG.

wngrog · 01-24-04, 10:08 AM

Killer ideas Mike....

When you ditch that SM420 you are REALLY going to be dangerous

Keep us posted!

SpaceGhost · 01-24-04, 01:30 PM

It's only $$$ Nolan! More pics from Sat, 24th.

SpaceGhost · 01-24-04, 01:31 PM

#2

SpaceGhost · 01-24-04, 01:31 PM

#3

SpaceGhost · 01-24-04, 01:35 PM

#4 The rear axle is linked up, 7075 links, 1.5" uppers, 2" lowers. Stock radiator and fan are gone, Griffin aluminum sits in it's place awaiting mounts. Front axle sits near it's resting place. Hood is positioned near it's new placement. More to come as progress continues.

tclndcrz · 01-24-04, 01:52 PM

wow that is awesome. more pics!

wngrog · 01-24-04, 03:09 PM

Go with a FJ-60 or Scout box and lose about 12" of front overhang....or is that legal?

I like the sloped hood and the way you have it flushed up to the cowl.

Major *BLING* points on the RG wheels! I love those.

Can you get custom backspacing on them? If so, how little?

SpaceGhost · 01-24-04, 09:11 PM

[quote author=wngrog link=board=12;threadid=10545;start=msg95021#msg950 21 date=1074982144]
Go with a FJ-60 or Scout box and lose about 12" of front overhang....or is that legal?

I like the sloped hood and the way you have it flushed up to the cowl.

Major *BLING* points on the RG wheels! I love those.

Can you get custom backspacing on them? If so, how little?
[/quote]

The front of the frame must be in front of the leading edge of the tire. So I could cut and replace it with tube for a little weight savings only. I don't know about the backspacing options, these are more than the ones I took off. Overall width sidewall/sidewall in the rear is 78", pretty close to where I was. The front axle will end up further forward than it sits now on the stands.

Mace · 01-25-04, 12:05 PM

Looks dam good Mike..

Gus · 01-27-04, 07:04 PM

Looks sweet

, keep the pics comin.

LAME · 02-02-04, 12:54 PM

Gonna let rugburn fab the roof?

72cruiser · 02-03-04, 08:44 PM

goodness gracious.

72cruiser · 02-03-04, 08:51 PM

gone get some crazy articulation with this.

ha ha. j/k

SpaceGhost · 02-04-04, 05:41 PM

Here's a few from today. The shop is building a top competitors new rig, and it has priority because the Pro's first event is in March.

SpaceGhost · 02-04-04, 05:44 PM

This shows the cut down front bib. Made from 16 gauge steel, 4+ inches shorter than stock. The Radiator is a Griffin, a little wider and much shorter.

SpaceGhost · 02-04-04, 05:47 PM