Builds Build #2 - 45 Extended Cab, 80 Frame, iForce 5.7 3UR (2 Viewers)

[EWheeler]

Seats are now mounted... Just like everything else attached to the floor, they had to be custom due to the flat floor and custom transmission tunnel.

One thing I did want to fix on the seats was to tuck the legs in since there is no longer a fuel tank under them.

I leveled the seats on the bench. I welded on a 4.5" leg on the rear, since that's how tall the step is behind the seats in a 40.

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New front leg welded in. Notice it's straight down and doesn't protrude forward now -

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Test fitting -

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New transmission tunnel supports -

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I would have loved to build and have an under seat storage like factory, but with as close the rear bench seat is, the seat can't tilt backwards/up. So it will be on legs like the passenger seat.

Trying to line up the driver seat with passenger -

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Legs on -






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Legs gusseted -

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Both seats mounted. What a great feeling!

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Where did you source your little scissor jack? That think looks to be worth its weight in gold! I found these guys, seem like a reasonable price.

Laboratory Jacks

Laboratory support jacks are constructed of painted aluminum and stainless steel. The scissor jack design enables height adjustment with a simple turn of the knob. LBJK44 has a 4" x 4" platform that can be vertically adjusted from a closed position of 2.5" up to 6". Maximum load capacity is...

www.growinglabs.com

The ones im seeing on Amazon look like chinese junk.

 

[UZJ40]

Where did you source your little scissor jack? That think looks to be worth its weight in gold! I found these guys, seem like a reasonable price.

Thanks for the info on the seats! Yes, I have Cruiser Corps covers to go on. I read in another thread that someone used 3" of foam on the seat bottoms (but they didn't mention how much on the seat backs). Even putting thick moving blankets folded over on these seats, it's still very easy to feel the springs. That's a great recommendation about adding more fill.

I got the jack out of a lithium battery factory that was going out of business. It is extremely helpful for fine tuning placement. They are fine threads on the knob so it makes it very easy to dial things in.

Thanks!

 

[EWheeler]

Thanks for the info on the seats! Yes, I have Cruiser Corps covers to go on. I read in another thread that someone used 3" of foam on the seat bottoms (but they didn't mention how much on the seat backs). Even putting thick moving blankets folded over on these seats, it's still very easy to feel the springs. That's a great recommendation about adding more fill.

I got the jack out of a lithium battery factory that was going out of business. It is extremely helpful for fine tuning placement. They are fine threads on the knob so it makes it very easy to dial things in.

Thanks!

You should put something like 2-3 layers of jute or another tough fabric/material over the springs first and hog ring that to the spring surround, and then foam over that. Otherwise, the foam will get eaten up by the springs. With the 1.5" of foam I didn't so much feel the springs individually on the butt cheeks as just felt like there wasn't enough support from the springs and it was a bit too bouncy. The poly fill really firmed things up but still has a bit of give.

 

[Vandal FJ]

I wonder if spider webbing some 550 cord in and out of the springs might lesson the feel of the springs?

 

[Broski]

This is one of my all time favorite builds on Mud, top notch well thought out with attention to detail work!!!
You have built my dream Rig!!!
Thank you for posting and taking us along for the ride!!!
Cheers

 

[UZJ40]

Decided to build a center console today...

Being that I won't have any shifters on the ground, I wanted to keep the floor and transmission tunnel clear.

I thought it would be nice to use the back of the center fold down seat -

First I had to build an inner box structure -

Divider welded in -

Designing and cutting the top trim piece -

Test fitting... Not bad for first attempt -

I wanted to use something that was original to the vehicle. I like the door window regulator covers so they are what I went with.

I trimmed one of the lips to clearance for the hinge -

Hinge welded on -

Test fitting -

 

[UZJ40]

Both on -

I thought it would be cool to use the glove box door pulls to open them -

Centering everything up for the rivnuts -

Rivnuts installed -

All done -

I'll use magnets to keep the doors closed, which will be important when it's folded up in the vertical position.

It should look really nice with the fabric wrapped around from the front and tucked under the trim plate when everything is installed.

 

[EWheeler]

Both on -

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I thought it would be cool to use the glove box door pulls to open them -

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Centering everything up for the rivnuts -

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Rivnuts installed -

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All done -

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I'll use magnets to keep the doors closed, which will be important when it's folded up in the vertical position.

It should look really nice with the fabric wrapped around from the front and tucked under the trim plate when everything is installed.

If you keep it up at this rate, someone’s going to invite you to show this bad betty off at SEMA!

 

[Vossie]

If you keep it up at this rate, someone’s going to invite you to show this bad betty off at SEMA!

I wouldn't be surprised if someone's already asked him!

 

[waiting for time]

Hmmmm……… Welding magnet strategically cut out of the pictures?


Nice and original job on the center console.

 

[2fpower]

Hmmmm……… Welding magnet strategically cut out of the pictures?


Nice and original job on the center console.

 

[UZJ40]

I've been trying to figure out where to place my AC/heat vents. I really don't have room on the dash, and I'm not a huge fan of the under-dash look.

Being that both AC units are in the rear, I decided to go with a stealth option and see how it turned out.

Cut out the top trim piece first -

Forming the bottom piece -

Attaching slides -

Making the inner structure -

Test fitting -

Collapsed -

Extended -

 

[UZJ40]

In place -

Seems like it will work pretty well.

One of the two blowers will be dedicated to these 3 vents. It's completely out of the way and not visible when not in use.

The other blower will go towards the floor, and have a small tube that runs up to the defrost vents.

 

[PIP]

That's awesome! Love the ingenuity!

 

[Vossie]

In place -

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Seems like it will work pretty well.

One of the two blowers will be dedicated to these 3 vents. It's completely out of the way and not visible when not in use.

The other blower will go towards the floor, and have a small tube that runs up to the defrost vents.

Man, that's looking sweet. I'm taking a similar approach only I'm going to be venting sideways into the foot wells rather than up, and my idea is not nearly as cool as your stealth drawer!

Have you managed to test airflow through that size section before? I'm making a similar size section for the air to flow through but I'm a little worried that there's too much volume for the air to have sufficient flow speed through

 

[UZJ40]

This is one of my all time favorite builds on Mud, top notch well thought out with attention to detail work!!!
You have built my dream Rig!!!
Thank you for posting and taking us along for the ride!!!
Cheers

Sure glad you're enjoying the build so far! I truly appreciate you and everyone else that follows along and gives their input. This one has definitely transformed from my original vision, but I do like the direction its going now. Even though my last build had a lot of custom touches, there was still a lot of 'bolt on' modifications to it. Being that there aren't any bolt on mods for this one, even if I wanted them, has really challenged my thinking and creativity. I just hope it is pleasurable to drive when its time. Thanks again @Broski

That's awesome! Love the ingenuity!

Thank you!

Man, that's looking sweet. I'm taking a similar approach only I'm going to be venting sideways into the foot wells rather than up, and my idea is not nearly as cool as your stealth drawer!

Have you managed to test airflow through that size section before? I'm making a similar size section for the air to flow through but I'm a little worried that there's too much volume for the air to have sufficient flow speed through

I did test it out after I built it. Airflow seems good. Maybe not as good as factory, but I really don't know. I wasn't able to test it in the van I took them out of before doing so.

In all honesty, it it was only those 3 vents for the whole vehicle, I think it would be very underwhelming, but the 2nd unit should take up the slack

 

[imyahucklbrry]

In place -

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Seems like it will work pretty well.

One of the two blowers will be dedicated to these 3 vents. It's completely out of the way and not visible when not in use.

The other blower will go towards the floor, and have a small tube that runs up to the defrost vents.

This is just too cool……….. pun intended!

 

[tornadoalleycruiser]

Seats, def try to fill the springs somehow. My back is killing me right now after 2 days of testing my seats at the relic run. My rear was bouncing right off the metal frame under the drivers seat.

 

[UZJ40]

The list of stuff to finish before paint is now complete. Last thing to do was the inner fenders. I had basically cut them away completely to have freedom of movement, then add back in later what was needed.

Templates -

Tacked in -

Bracing... I really like what @Tank5 and @Scheefdog did with theirs, so I kind of combined the two and came up with this -

Before -

After -

 

[EWheeler]

Seats, def try to fill the springs somehow. My back is killing me right now after 2 days of testing my seats at the relic run. My rear was bouncing right off the metal frame under the drivers seat.

I took some cheap foam and rolled it up and stuff it inside each of the center 4 and 4 rear springs in drivers seat base. Then i put the cover on and stuffed the voids between all the springs with 2 bags of polyfill from Hobby Lobby. Too firm. No give really. Better than no polyfill in my opinion, but Im going to take half the polyfill out next week and see if that is any better.

How close are you to actually painting, are you going to wire and get it running and driving around before paint?