BAW80 (Bad A$$ Wife's 80) a build thread

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NCFJ

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Chesnee, SC
The title is Rice's idea ;)

It all started about 18 months ago when I bought a 1995 80 series with a "blown motor". $750.00 for a future swap. I drove it on the trailer with the radiator leaking badly. I sold the ugly TJM bumper for $250.00 so I had a 95, locked 80 for $500.00 and a round trip too Asheville, cool!

Heather checked it out and asked about the radiator, I told her it was supposed to be new but was leaking, no big deal I would be pulling it when I got around to putting a Vortec in this truck. I parked it in line and thought nothing of it. Heather had other plans. She found the little oil service sticker in the upper left corner of the wind shield and gave the guy in Charleston a call.

He had indeed replaced the radiator a month or so prior and faxed Heather the receipt. Heather contacted the local NAPA and they agreed to replace the defective radiator for free. I swapped the radiator and started "Dexter" up. The motor actually ran well and has, what all those who have listened to it, consider to be a wrist pin knock. Heather tells those who ask that it is a diesel :)

So Heather put a 45 day tag on it and started to drive it, feeling it out. Well, she fell in love with it and put a regular tag on it and claimed it as her "foul weather backup". She then informed me that I would onlly get it back to do a swap when I gave her another running 80 as a replacement. I threw on a set of BFG ATs that came on another 80 I bought and she has been driving it since then.

I had been itching to see what a cowl inducted hood scoop looked like on an 80 and Dexter's hood was dented here and there like someone had walked on it so it was a likely candidate. Some careful cutting left me with a gaping hole in the hood and a whole lot of Bondo dust in the shop. There wee more dents than I knew about. So I ground out the Bondo and straightened out the dents so I could weld in the scoop.

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Heather has driven it around for about 18 months without a front bumper so it was time to get one on there. I looked around at bumpers and found that it would be about $1K plus shipping, I decided to make one myself. Criteria was simple, plate style, use materials on hand and modular in design. I had no 3/16" plate so 1/8" it was. This is what I came up with.

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Yesterday I ordered one of these

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I also ordered a lift kit with Marshal of Troll Hole and went down to Griffin Radiator with a stock radiator and ordered a custom radiator ( direct fit) to keep this puppy cool.

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When all said and done, it will all look like this

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I am thinking about a 4X4 labs rear bumper, I'll build the sliders here in the shop. More to come...................
 
Please tell your BAW I'd like a ride in this beast when it's done.

Thanks for sharing the journey.
 
She says as long as it is clear that the truck is a BA and not the wife. I am sure she will be glad to give your wife a ride too, she is on a mission to get the girls in their own rigs :)
 
CB antenna mount, it;ll get better paint in the spring when the weather is warmer

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You and me both buddy, It will be very cool to have one that I keep :)
 
Technically, you are correct :) My point was more to I build them, drive them a while then send them back to where they live. This particular 80 will live here. Unless of course someone offers Heather stupid money for it. She tells me she wont sell it for even stupid money unless I have another 80 waiting in the wings for her. I think she is serious.
 
I dont like bright orange/yellow springs. Self etching primer and gloss black. I can live with white shocks for now.

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A little wire brush love then some primer and paint

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2 1/4 in back, 4" in front, stock tires

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Looking good.
 
Very nice, sir! Clearly I need to make my way over to your shop - what a yard!
 
Thanks guys. Needs some sliders and a rear bumper now. Eric, you are gonna be looking for another cruiser soon huh :)

The right shoes make all the difference. These are 33" KM2s on FJC steelies with rock rings. Plan to go with 35s not sure what flavor yet.

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