Not really pig "preservation" (1 Viewer)

[Gumby]

Not finished by any stretch, but progress.

I had a roof rack that came with my swamp cruiser 40 sitting behind the shop. I was gonna cut up the expanded metal for trailer ramps. I measured it up and it was 1/8 narrower than the back of the pig. I had to lay the spare down because it won't fit along the side with the back seat up anymore. The rack looked like a good solution for bed space. I'll pull it back out and clean it up and weld another rail across the back.

I need to bob the frame about 8-10 inches, put in the cage supports from the frame, finish weld and maybe a couple more supports from the rear up to the halo. The halo needs some inner bars still as well

 

[Gumby]

Just so nobody complains about me cutting off good parts, here's the rusted piece of crap I cut off. The regulator and glass are still good. I'll scavenge those.

 

[Gumby]

I was going to ask why you didn't bob the back end. It only makes sense. Keep the pics coming! Chopped Pigs are the kewlest!

I thought about bobbing it a lot more, but I want to be able to carry a spare and other junk with the back seat intact. I don't think departure angle is going to be much of a problem. These pics are with the rear sitting on the bump stops. It lost so much weight the 80 springs are way too tall and stiff.

 

[yooper]

Yeah that makes sense. The bed looks really good!

Why the round piece at the top of the windshield? Looks like a good place to trap a branch and break your glass...

 

[usmcruiser]

holy shat that is sweet.

 

[clemson55]

Damn your moving fast man, wish I had your motivation. Looking good.

 

[usmcruiser]

Damn your moving fast man, wish I had your motivation. Looking good.

Gumby,

How much are your kids helping with this monster? Do you use your projects as a platform for teaching?

 

[Gumby]

Gumby,

How much are your kids helping with this monster? Do you use your projects as a platform for teaching?

To a certain extent.

Much of what I have left to do after the 4 link is repairs of their help.

The tube is pretty expensive for mistakes, but I supervise and they bend some. I try to get some kids in each class to go through the steps of figuring bend angles and measurements. I've taught a few to weld on the less important things.

We have a few projects that are "overflow" projects. We work on what comes in, but if we get a cancellation or finish something quicker than expected we need something for the kids to do.

The progress on the pig is all me and 4RNR. He's been coming in to help.


They enjoy helping with it. It's something they can point to and say "I worked on that" unlike just some random person's brakes.

 

[LC_Hamma]

I'm liking the lines to the rear
What type of tube are you using HREW or DOM?
Just wondering what the purpose of the F & R "halo" is? To break up the span of the tube or
Keep the pics & progress coming!

 

[yooper]

...
Just wondering what the purpose of the F & R "halo" is? To break up the span of the tube or
Keep the pics & progress coming!

WORD, especially the front. I can picture catching a low hanging branch there; watching it slide up the windshield, get caught in the halo, then pull and crack your windshield; without the halo that branch would just slide over the top...

 

[Gumby]

The halo was going to be big enough to circle the cab originally. It kind of evolved into what it is now. It is a central locating point for the tubes to tie into.
There's no way the front loop is going to crack any glass, because there is no glass. The roof is way too crooked to get a windshield back in there. It's lexan. I can easily make a cowl cross bar and tie a bar from the apex of the curve down. In the back I might bring a tube up from either corner to tie into the apex in the rear.

I will definitely be running some tube across the middle of the 'halo' to strengthen it at the points where the crosstubes tie in.

 

[yooper]

I can easily make a cowl cross bar and tie a bar from the apex of the curve down...

Exactly what I was going to suggest. Then you can ram big, low branches and they'll just flip up over the top!

 

[4rnr]

Exactly what I was going to suggest. Then you can ram big, low branches and they'll just flip up over the top!

Dont you worry your pretty little head about sticks, Todd and the war pig laughs at sticks.

I made the halo, the idea (dont tell todd) is when he is leading he will tear out all the low hangers for me

 

[LRIwater]

Wow, your cage looks great. I wish I had the skills / tools / shop to do a cage for mine. What would you recommend for a weekend warrior? I have a welder but no bender. Should I try to rent a bender or get pieces bent for me or ? I cannot afford a custom cage to be built/installed for it. Much more work to go. Jim C. is rebuilding the carb as we speak.
Thanks,
Chuck

Here is the current progress...

 

[Gumby]

Finding a friend with a bender is the way to go. That or buying a prebent.

The pig is loaded up and ready to go. The cage is unpainted and still needs a few bars including that cowl bar.

I just hope I caught everything that needed to be caught after the four link, swapping axles and pulling the transfers.

Pretty worried about the geometry of the links as well. Numbers look good, but...

Hopefully anything that is wrong can be found and corrected before next week's ride with the Trail Team.

 

[Gumby]

Didn't find everything, but I was pretty happy with the way it worked after a couple of little snafus.

pic 1 - pig in it's natural habitat

pic 2 - The four link flexes a wee bit

pic 3 - my son wheeled the 80 for the first time

 

[Wayneraintree]

looks great... completely natural transformation and more particularly set-up to the type of wheeling it apprears you do. Sweet swine!

 

[Wayneraintree]

Hey Gumby,

Would you buy those MTR's again? Wondering how you like them for the type of wheeling you do...

 

[Gumby]

Hey Gumby,

Would you buy those MTR's again? Wondering how you like them for the type of wheeling you do...

They were great when I was driving the pig to the trail head. Handled good on the road, durable, and pretty good on the trail.

Now that it's a trailer queen they are a weak link for sure. They still work pretty well when the mud isn't too deep.

 

[LRIwater]

Gumby,
What do the tubes tie into that go along the A-pillars. I see that they go through the top of the fenders. Where do they go from there? I like that concept, because it does not take up any room in the interior near the dash.
Thanks,
Chuck