Look what followed me home today...

[lt1fire]

Wow, at first I wondered in the weld in ones...... that came out better than I thought looks stock... how much do those weld in ones run??

 

[NCFJ]

Thanks guys I am pretty happy with how the front end turned out.

Johnny and AL, I got the louvers at Rod Louvers and Sheet Metal design. $39.00 for the pair.

Installing them is TIME CONSUMING!!! All tiny tack welds well spaced and letting it cool between trips around the panels adding more tacks. Too much heat will warp the metal in a heartbeat.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Sweet I was originally thinking of doing a bolt-in insert type of thing with the louvers painted black. That would look pretty slick I think.

 

[NCFJ]

It is also quite common that the pannels are riveted to the hood as well. You could riviet them in from below and blend the seam with filler. I just prefer the weld in version, they look factory when done.

 

[NCFJ]

If you are thinking about an early 80’s Toyota mini truck build, be prepared to hone your metal working skills. The lower corner of the body at the passenger side door was swiss cheese so I cut it back to solid metal.

The first piece required a curved bend and a 90 degree angle. Not too hard to create using a shrinker and stretcher. Thanks James. You can see the black lines to cut the piece so it welds in flush.

A few flat pieces and one piece rolled to follow the contour of the bottom of the cab were all welded in to match the driver’s side. The door gaps now all line up and no more cancer.

 

[krzyabncanuck]

That came out like the factory but probably better now though.

 

[erymer]

That came out like the factory but probably better now though.

x2 . outstanding work man.

 

[NCFJ]

Repeat

 

[NCFJ]

That came out like the factory but probably better now though.

x2 . outstanding work man.

Thanks gusy, I even used the metal I took out of the hood when I installed the louvers.

 

[NCFJ]

The Truggy mocked up with 37” tires. I am planning on using 39” tires but these will work for a while.

114” wheel base, front axle is moved forward 3” . It’ll have fiberglass fenders on the back half. Radiator, fuel cell, batteries, spare tire and storage in the rear.

 

[lt1fire]

those wheels and tires look familiar


you planning on running it in reverse

 

[NCFJ]

It's the back up buggy AL

I just threw them on to get a perspective.

 

[NCFJ]

While I have been cleaning up the body work on the cab getting ready for paint, I’ve been working on the drawings for the back half tube work. Just a little glimpse of what I have so far. The main hoop will be inside the fiberglass rear fenders. The rear fenders will be flush with the cab at the front and taper back to a 36” “tailgate”

The red line is the outline of the cab. The blue cross hatch is the main hoop and bracing. The green tubes comprise the rear frame section at the tail gate. I’m working on side and top views. Old school CAD.

 

[Mtbcoach]

Damn, nice work...

 

[southerncruiser62]

Stan are you using a CAD program or something like Solidworks?

Nevermind I didn't read it all....."old school CAD"

 

[NCFJ]

There are some nice tube building software programs out there. THis works for me, I started on CAD in the late 80s, drawing RC helicoper parts. The program I am using now is a small part of my house design software.

What is cool is taking the drawing out to the shop and making it happen. That is where the fun is. All the frame photos in this thread were first drawn in CAD. So far so good

 

[NCFJ]

First draft of a side elevation. Green areas are radiator,fuel cell and battery. Radiator may end up in the front.

 

[S4Cruiser]

Cool - what wheelbase are you shooting for?

 

[erymer]

that is really gonna be nice Stan.

 

[NCFJ]

Thanks guys WHeelbase is set at 114"