Biodiesel Piggie #2 Buildup (was Sad Sad day...)

[Wayneraintree]

Baiscally going to do the same thing I did last time. Stock fenders and quarters (sand blasted and in good shape before paint), but weld in sliders at the rocker panel. In the rear, this time traditional sliders... You all will see, I can wait to get to that point andre

OK OK already...... GET TO THAT POINT

just kidding, this project rocks... really happy to be following it

 

[usmcruiser]

Well Andre,

I finally got off my lazy ass and read through the whole thread. This thing is going to be amazing!!

I too want to build a diesel piggie. Execpt I want mine to be a strict tow vehicle. I actually want to strech mine for a longer wheel base and thus better towing.

I also want to do bio diesel. It is like GLTHFJ60 said:

Aside from the fact that brewing biodiesel is cheaper, it's just too cool. It is it's own hobby and all hobbies cost money, so the fact that it actually pays for itself is a bonus.

Save on gas and help the enviroment. Where do you guys get most of your grease from. Do you have a contract with a local fast food resturant or somthing like that?

Would you mind if I PMed you in the future when I go deisel so that I can pick your brain?

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

HEy USM yes not a problem, any time.. I actually get PM's from people all the time about bio.. Maybe that is where Junk is, I think I recall telling him to get an old diesel benz and run bio a couple months ago.. Anyway, yes it's coming along. Neat idea about stretching a pig. Berg, who's posted a couple times in this thread, is one of my good friends who live down the road about 25 minutes and is up all the time.. He thinks I should stretch versus cutting the frame.. I have thought a lot about a tow vehicle too, I was just thinking about it last night actually.. Locally you can get a complete, low mileage high output ISB 6 cyl (whats in the new Dodges) for $2500-$3000, coupled with everything probably less than $5? I was thinking a cool old 70's twin cab Ford or old chevy or something like that would be killer... Or maybe a 60 series for a tow rig...? Anyway, if you ever do it of course keep us posted!

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

More photos of the body off the frame... It is actually pretty easy for two guys to move around.. We propped it on the drivers side about 70 of 90 degrees over, propped with a jackstand, to get underneath to remove a couple of the sticky body mounts and the gas tank quickly (was easier versus taking it off when the frame was there. Two of us can lift to get tires underneat but it will probably take 4 guys to lift the body onto the new frame.. I still can't wait to get the get the frame chopped and rolling as well as get to the body mods, and start using the new welder...!

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Photos of the front clip.. I have never taken one of these aprt before so it was neat to see how the FJ55 fenders and front clip works... Problem is I can't get the upper and lower fenders to seperate..!

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Rob the weld-through primer peaked my interest, problem is I can't seem to find anyone who carries it, other than $13.00 a rattle can for it, locally.. I was thinking blast the whole truck, spray the whole thing with weld through primer I guess... Now that I have this sweet gun LOL I think I might prime the whole thing myself, then if doing any welding to it, sandblast to clean up that area, then reprime?

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Sorry Andre, forgot to look at the product we use.

Maybe just prime it and grind it away prior to welding?

You are attacking this project like a pro, nothing like exposing every nook and cranny, in the end you know what you have.

Rob the weld-through primer peaked my interest, problem is I can't seem to find anyone who carries it, other than $13.00 a rattle can for it, locally.. I was thinking blast the whole truck, spray the whole thing with weld through primer I guess... Now that I have this sweet gun LOL I think I might prime the whole thing myself, then if doing any welding to it, sandblast to clean up that area, then reprime?

 

[cdnroofrack]

I've really enjoyed your builds and appreciate you posting the thought processes behind your decisions. Good luck with this one.

 

[ridgerunner]

I have never taken one of these aprt before so it was neat to see how the FJ55 fenders and front clip works... Problem is I can't get the upper and lower fenders to seperate..!

Ah, the joys of drilling out spot welds.

Nice work Andre- looking forward to seeing the pig body on the 80 frame :evil:

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Brian ol buddy nice to see you posting here and there

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

nothing like exposing every nook and cranny, in the end you know what you have.

Agreed

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

OK so been biting the bullet a little bit because I want to post up some more progress but its not 100% "done" so I didn't until its all done.. But because it will be a few more days figured I'd post where we are at.. So... Did the frame chop!

I have it welded up and some of the gussets in but not all. I am going to finish the triangular gussets and them plate it both on the sides and top (basically a scab-type plate, similar to most frame cuts or repairs) hopefully tomorrow if I am lucky..

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

So the problem with the 80 series frame (if I want to reuse the OEM 80 series links, as they were originally designed, which is a big plus for me) is that in both parallel sections, you cannot cut because the links are there... Don't have a good photo of this I don't think so I drew up a little illustration to show what I am talking about...
So basically my options were to remove and reweld mounts to frame, or, cut a section out of the non-parrallel section of the frame....

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

So this was the design I was thinking of in terms of making the frame cut. I have literally been thinking about how I was going to do this for weeks (if not months )....

I am going to do this, then I am going to scab plate the entire thing afterwards...

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

So first I brought the frame in and made sure it was absolutely level.. Again it is nice and clean from the sand blasters...

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Next I picked the best spot I could have in that center section where there were the least interfering holes between here and how I would do the side gussets to prevent lateral flexing... There are little 1" x 1.5" holes all over the place on the frame. In the end I ended up picking a very good location (you will see why later)...

Wheelbase of the 80 series is (according to TLC FAQ, which seems accurate):
2850 millimeter = 112.204 724 409 inchs (they list it as 112" wheelbase)...

Wheelbase of the 55 is (also from FAQ):
2 700 millimeter = 106.299 212 598 inch which they also list as 106:
So the difference is about 6.1" and I just rounded to 6" to keep things easy..

So, I then measured exactly 6.25" apart from each other. 6" cutting plus the .25" plating I would be adding. In the end I may have increased the wheelbase but again negligable, no more than .25" overall.. So I might ahve a 106.25". The alignment place tells you your exact wheelbase so I am curious to see what it will be. But then again it will be diffent than it should be because lifted 80 series frame / chassis move the axles closer as they have more lift.. So I guess I'll never know how much but that is my guess, about 106.25" wheelbase if I were stock...

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Becasue the frame was level, I then used a level (rather than a square) to make absolutely perfect vertical lines on both sides of the frame..

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Here you can see how I moved it up and down in micro levels to get the frame to be level... Pieces of cardboard. Also, my floor is not level in the shop and I used 4 6 tons jacks and and 4 4 ton..

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

I then used masking tape to exactly mark the lines so when I was using the cutoff wheel with the 4.5" grinder (which, of all the tools, probably makes the cleanest / most predictable line, versus say the sawzall)...

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

I then added 4 total cross members out of some extra ATV racking / steel I had lying around. These were not permanent.. The purpose for the front two was for alignment purposes, and the two in the rear were added just before and after the frame cut to keep the frame at the correct width (ie to prevent warping) from cutting the frame..

In the in end, I wish I had added one more crossmember to the rear of the frame, before the rear cross member, also for alignment purposes (to be discussed below)...