Builds Do I have your attention.... I call it VERA. (2 Viewers)

[2fpower]

Thinking about Dash layout.

My current thought is to weld up all the holes on the upper dash and put the A/C unit in the middle - where I wrote a/c on it.

Then put a lower plate with the a/c vents and 4 switches. (3 locker plus front offroad lights) Ventura V style

Then have the dimmer and hazard to the left of the Dakota Digital. Key is also on the left upper area.

Will still need to do some mounting points for phone mounts. RAM style likely. I could put those on the windshield to keep the dash clean.

For radio, I bought a Infinity unit for boats, thinking about using a drop down hide away spot for it, as it will be bluetooth and should not be needed often.

Hide-Away Air Ride and EFI Controller Mount

Fat Fender Garage has developed a way for you to stow away your air-ride or EFI controller. You can access your controls when you need them, and then hide the eyesore and messy cables when you’re done. It mounts easily under your dash using the included hardware. These are 3D printed in-house...

fatfender.com

Finally need some 12v power outlets... will do those on the lower piece as well.

Seat heaters will be on the center console somewhere and likely a 12v power as well.

 

[tornadoalleycruiser]

? B4 u go too far, need to set the ac box in there and insure the hoses will turn and clear before you put them on a panel like that. Where are the other 2 ac vents going? I might have some extra vents here to help layout. I'll dig and put them in the "to kelly" box.

 

[2fpower]

? B4 u go too far, need to set the ac box in there and insure the hoses will turn and clear before you put them on a panel like that. Where are the other 2 ac vents going? I might have some extra vents here to help layout. I'll dig and put them in the "to kelly" box.

Good point. It did appear to be tight, I was thinking it might work with some pvc pipe that can do the tight 90 degree turn. Recall that my firewall is flat, so I have some extra room there.

The other two I have routed to the far right and left and plan to make the vents just under the dash. I should have enough of them; however, appreciate the offer.

 

[youpers]

Awesome build!! If it helps, here's a shot of my dash with no holes and a vintage air unit tucked under it.

 

[2fpower]

New keychain

 

[2fpower]

Got the fair lead, and I love how it sits. Only issue is how the thimble is going to sit. Going to go by Harbor freight and grab one of their hook style things to see how it might fit…

Any other thoughts? I typically just use soft shackles for recovery, looking for another option that doesn’t stick out much.

 

[2fpower]

well, the winch end at HF is way too big, about the same width as the fairlead, so that does not work....

Wondering about using an isolator like this... and taking off the hook, so I just have a pin there. When I want to use the winch, I unspool it, take out the pin and use a D ring with a soft shackle.

https://www.amazon.com/American-Expedition-Vehicles-Winch-Isolator/dp/B08J5BPP7P/ref=asc_df_B08J5BPP7P/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=532859501758&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16148181063067725957&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9023906&hvtargid=pla-1413949247214&psc=1&mcid=f81bd17f5eca389e80c811975b5b3ec9&gclid=CjwKCAiA29auBhBxEiwAnKcSqlFsHl84ab2XABtCb-l9xfYECdowRr0JZ1F3vYN17Lx0uupEqffwzhoCg70QAvD_BwE

 

[2fpower]

ohhhh. i just remembered, a recessed fairlead might help here....

Winch 'HOSS' Hawse Fairlead

Note: Pre-buy supporter pricing at over 20% off final retail price available until the 1st commercial batch is delivered in late May 2023. If you are purchasing at this sale price, your order will ship early June. This new hawse fairlead adds some very important features to the well established...

brennans-garage.com

 

[Tank5]

I have been pondering your design and considering how your winch hook or thimble would look and if it would fall into the recess. Since you are using square tube you could buil it with a piece of 2x5 or 2x6 tube. This would allow you to open up your recess to accommodate the full height of the fairlead and keep the wider face section above the recess. You hook or thimble could then sit flush on the fairlead.

 

[WildernessRimFab]

This option may or may not fit. Hard to tell from the angle of your photos.
Winch Hawse Fairlead | Groove Fairlead by Tow Points | Yankum Ropes - https://yankum.com/products/winch-hawse-groove-fairlead
Its not cheap, but you do end up saving $$$ by not having a hook or safety thimble.
Doesnt stick out at all.
The end of your rope needs to be redone with eye splice, but this is fine assuming 100% soft shackle usage.

 

[tornadoalleycruiser]

I like the flat splicer, two reasons, one is every synthetic line I've ever taken apart doesn't have enough bury of the end on the splice, and two, it eliminates a potential pin failure. I have a line spliced already with a flat splicer for the other 45 I'd be happy to let you test. And there are 2 of us that can splice line locally. Other reason I like the flip down license plate that hides the fairlead and end since across the state line we need a front plate.

 

[2fpower]

I like the flat splicer, two reasons, one is every synthetic line I've ever taken apart doesn't have enough bury of the end on the splice, and two, it eliminates a potential pin failure. I have a line spliced already with a flat splicer for the other 45 I'd be happy to let you test. And there are 2 of us that can splice line locally. Other reason I like the flip down license plate that hides the fairlead and end since across the state line we need a front plate.

Can you give me outside deminsions of it? Thinking I might be able to mill the front of the fairlead to make a notch for this to sit in. Additionally, I could drop the fairlead about 3/8" and if this is the same size as the fairlead, it would fit perfectly.

 

[2fpower]

This option may or may not fit. Hard to tell from the angle of your photos.
Winch Hawse Fairlead | Groove Fairlead by Tow Points | Yankum Ropes - https://yankum.com/products/winch-hawse-groove-fairlead
Its not cheap, but you do end up saving $$$ by not having a hook or safety thimble.
Doesnt stick out at all.
The end of your rope needs to be redone with eye splice, but this is fine assuming 100% soft shackle usage.

Good idea; however, it looks like the top of the loop would be against my bumper, so you could not spool the end on.

 

[2fpower]

I should post this up in the 80s section as this could be the first thing that I have done that no one else has ever figured out before….. Here is the story... I cut off about 2 inches from the front of the frame -- which got rid of one of the attachment bolts for the new bumper, so I wanted to add another. Of the section I cut out, I prepped it to reuse part of it. As I tried to fit it inside the frame rail... there were something in the way .... only to find out there’s already a captured bolt there, but no hole in the top of the frame. Quick drill work and I had a second mounting point!

 

[2fpower]

So then made up some mounting plates, punched holes in them and tacked them in place. The top plate is flat... like the old FJ40 plates. The bottom plate has a little bend in it as the frame was a quarter inch wider than the bumper. This does allow me to now drop the winch and fairlead 1/4 and still be flush with the frame.

 

[peesalot]

Custom carboard shims are tight

 

[2fpower]

Custom carboard shims are tight

You caught that!!

Learned the hard way -- many moons ago -- to add some space for paint/powdercoating -- in this case both surfaces will get something...

 

[peesalot]

I added some vertical pieces to a similar design so it created a pocket for frame horn then I ran a horizontal bolt thru. Mine has the og front cross riveted in so has more frame twist up front, your front cross will handle that.

 

[2fpower]

I added some vertical pieces to a similar design so it created a pocket for frame horn then I ran a horizontal bolt thru. Mine has the og front cross riveted in so has more frame twist up front, your front cross will handle that.

I have been going back and forth on this all day, and finally decided to put a 1/4 steel plate on the outside of the frame, connecting the top and bottom plate. There is no inner weld in nut there anymore, (it was in section that got cut off) but I will add one, welded from outside in that big rectangle hole you see now.

 

[peesalot]

Why not run it thru, that way you dont worry bout the weld in nut rusting solid to bolt