- Thread starter
- #21
Here's a few more of the frame and through holes that will be filled with welded in tubing for the attach bolts.
Building the Lucky Dog
- Thread starter LuckyDog
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #22
Final shot for tonight . Welded the tubes into place this afternoon. Once I trim the bracket to my satisfaction, I'll get that welded into place and get a couple of shots of the finished product.
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- #23
Well, the day didn't go as planned. Typical I suppose. Got the reinforcement plate for the front crossmember cut, fitted, and tack welded in. Also, finished trimming the PS mounting plate for a cleaner looking installation when done. Then promptly ran out of weld wire.
On another note, the rear axle in my 64 has the pumpkin roughly centered between the frame rails. I've seen some pictures of others (different years maybe?) with the pumpkin offset towards the passenger side making it more in line with the TC output. I've tried some searches to no avail. Any help or ideas of what to look for if I decide to go that route?
On another note, the rear axle in my 64 has the pumpkin roughly centered between the frame rails. I've seen some pictures of others (different years maybe?) with the pumpkin offset towards the passenger side making it more in line with the TC output. I've tried some searches to no avail. Any help or ideas of what to look for if I decide to go that route?
The early 40s came with a centered rear differential. for a offset differential rear axle you will have to find a newer rear housing. I don't remember exactly what year they changed to the offset diff, I want to say around 66 was the last maybe 67. After which they went with the offset housing until the last 40 rolled off of the production line in the 80's. A later model rear housing should not be too hard to find.
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- #25
Thanks for the info. Guess I'll need to nail down a year and start watching the for sale section. Maybe someone wants to trade?
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- #26
Finally got some time to get back to the FJ. Re-loaded the weld wire and got into burning some metal. Power steering bracket mods complete. Welding complete. Bottom line is the pitman arm will be nice and level.
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- #27
More fun. Got the steering couple onto the power steering box (look ma, no stub shaft). Got some CTS-V exhaust manifolds and cats so I had to run out and do a quick check fit. Manifolds fit great. The cats - left side is nearly perfect, right side will need some work. A little cutting and welding should take care of the small details for that.
I have a '65 parts truck which has an offset rear differential. Too bad your 1500 miles away.
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- #29
Thx. Just lined one up about 20 miles away. If all goes well I'll pick it up this weekend.
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- #30
Last weekend, what an adventure.
Went to pick up a rear axle locally for the FJ project. Almost got there when the temp gauge started climbing and the volts gauge started dropping. Pulled into a parking lot for a look under the hood. Found the issue. A broken bolt for the alternator mount was the culprit. Luckily I had a ratchet strap. Once home, l welded through a nut into the broken bolt buried in the cylinder head. A wrench got the bolt out from there. Got some new bolts and it's all fixed.
At any rate, I also managed to disassemble the crust, rusty, nasty mess and started in on the cleanup. With the rust, most of the parts were no longer serviceable. Axles had the bearing surfaces pitted and generally beat to crap.
Went to pick up a rear axle locally for the FJ project. Almost got there when the temp gauge started climbing and the volts gauge started dropping. Pulled into a parking lot for a look under the hood. Found the issue. A broken bolt for the alternator mount was the culprit. Luckily I had a ratchet strap. Once home, l welded through a nut into the broken bolt buried in the cylinder head. A wrench got the bolt out from there. Got some new bolts and it's all fixed.
At any rate, I also managed to disassemble the crust, rusty, nasty mess and started in on the cleanup. With the rust, most of the parts were no longer serviceable. Axles had the bearing surfaces pitted and generally beat to crap.
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- #31
Rear axle cleanup and parts sourcing continues. At least the carrier assy is sort of together. Need to assemble the press to put the bearings on this week. Might be able to assemble the third member and set up the gears next weekend.
Nice build! I'm also doing a LS5.3 swap, I like the header/cat assembly you're using. Where did you find them? Did you get them as an assembly with the cats? I see they're low mile pair of manifolds, I'm assuming take-offs from a shop somewhere. I'm not having much luck with craigslist/ebay/parts search finding oem manifolds.
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- #33
I actually stumbled into these on ebay. Got the manifolds and the cats with the pipes and flanges. The driver side fits pretty good though the cat is right up against the frame with my current engine location. Passenger side will need modification to clear but it's not too far off. Still need to sort out the rest of the exhaust routing to get the pass side crossed over the the driver side and 'Y' them together.
Just need to keep looking or maybe scout some og the local wrecking years. CTS-V parts are a little harder to find, I suspect, just due to the numbers out there.
As far back into the cross member the PS box goes, are PS lines going to clear the grill?
Thanks for the reply - I'll keep looking at craigs/ebay etc. I was hoping you might have found a tuner shop or something easy like that.
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- #36
One way or another they will. I need to do a temporary install of the grill to figure out the radiator/fan/ condenser/engine spacing so I'll get a good look at that time and figure out the line routing. Stay tuned...
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- #37
A little progress to report.
Had to remove a bearing from the old carrier so I could use the race in the press to be sure i seat the new bearings. Got the bearings on the carrier. Spent far too much time cleaning up the third member housing but I finally got it clean to me satisfaction, de-burred some areas on the inside so I won't be tempted to leave any DNA in there later. Filed the gasket surface to get the high spots and finally painted it. Now ready to do the initial install of the pinion so I can start setting up the new gears.
Had to remove a bearing from the old carrier so I could use the race in the press to be sure i seat the new bearings. Got the bearings on the carrier. Spent far too much time cleaning up the third member housing but I finally got it clean to me satisfaction, de-burred some areas on the inside so I won't be tempted to leave any DNA in there later. Filed the gasket surface to get the high spots and finally painted it. Now ready to do the initial install of the pinion so I can start setting up the new gears.
- Thread starter
- #38
Progress is slowing with the good weather and other demands on my time. Did get the pinion installed and did a depth check with my home grown depth check 'tool'. It says I need to add shims. Sure enough, the pattern on the gears says so too. Round two of shimming coming soon.
- Thread starter
- #39
Life got in the way, go figure. Finally got back to the rear axle project. Third member now assembled and gear pattern checked one final time. Hardest part was getting the crush sleeve to move. Finally put it in a press and shortened it about 0.100". From there, it was willing to crush using the pinion nut and a breaker bar.
- Thread starter
- #40
Got sidetracked and tied of some things along the way. I have about 18 months of progress to add so I'll get started on that again and maybe get caught up at some point.
Pix,
1) Painting rear axle after cleaning it up.
2) After the headache of going through rusty garbage, I finally got a couple of decent axles though the bearing races were hammered. Ground them down until they cracked. At that point, they are easy to remove. Press made short work of installing the new ones.
3) Diff cover primed and ready for paint. Added a spill hole so I could fill to the same point as a stock level instead of the very overfilled condition that the original plug would create.
4) Axle coming together
5) Rear cover fit check.
Pix,
1) Painting rear axle after cleaning it up.
2) After the headache of going through rusty garbage, I finally got a couple of decent axles though the bearing races were hammered. Ground them down until they cracked. At that point, they are easy to remove. Press made short work of installing the new ones.
3) Diff cover primed and ready for paint. Added a spill hole so I could fill to the same point as a stock level instead of the very overfilled condition that the original plug would create.
4) Axle coming together
5) Rear cover fit check.
