Builds Pigpen 🐷 an HDJ80 LHD Ute (4 Viewers)

[SNLC]

Cab sitting on it.

Cheers

 

[mudgudgeon]

RLCA mounts tacked on.

View attachment 3552018

Chris has been going on the cab.

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Cheers

I'm liking the direction the bodywork is going
lots of effort, but will look clean!

 

[SNLC]

Holes cut in the frame for the 2” DOM crossmember.

I don’t feel like working late tonight so will bend it up and weld it in tomorrow.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

I'm liking the direction the bodywork is going
lots of effort, but will look clean!

It is lots of work for sure.

Cheers

 

[mudgudgeon]

It is lots of work for sure.

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Cheers

Man, if it's your own rig, and you intend to keep it, and you've got the resources at your disposal to do it, why not.

It's gonna look at when he's finished!

It's the sort of thing, in 5 years time you'll look at it and smile because you went the extra mile, and it'll still look sweet!

 

[SNLC]

Chassis stretch is all done besides tossing some paint on it real quick. Crossmember is on top of the front chop and RLCA mount is on top of the back cut.

Cheers

 

[mudgudgeon]

Are you sticking with stock control arm lengths?

 

[SNLC]

I used this on the inside of the frame where we did the chop.

On the exterior I screwed up and grabbed a can of 2k enamel vs the 2k epoxy I meant to grab! Oh well, it is just to hold it over until the frame is finished.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Today is our last day on the we have to get on to other work tomorrow.

Chris got a lot done though, we are going to change the radius a little at the bottom of the upper pillar piece. The vent is from a 79-series.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Are you sticking with stock control arm lengths?

Yup, I am not a believer in just lengthening control arms in a parallel 4-link.

A much better suspension than stock will come in the future but perhaps not for some time, years.

Cheers

 

[Broski]

Impressive work all the way around !!
Thanks for posting.

 

[SNLC]

I have decided recently there is two obvious ways to go with this build.

#1: Keep buying bling parts until it is built. This will take the most time, years even.

#2: Put it on the road once my engine is done and the cab body work is done. Add bling over time.

I think I have decided on #2. That means it should be on the road sometime this year! I like this option since I am going to want to drive it once I get done building the engine. There is still a ton of work with the cab, wiring, dash & HVAC and on and on. Not to mention exhaust, intercooler, fuel tank, some kind of quickie bed, drivelines and more. We will also be building the front/rear bumpers and sliders so there is plenty of work there too. It gives me a goal though and keeps me from getting side tracked with buying this random axle part or wheels but no tires, blah blah. Once on the road I need time to break it in as well, the engine that is.

I have a few sets of axles around so will work on building those as time goes buy with the 105 outers and other goodies. Suspension wise I am going to convert the three shock pin mounts to eye. This way the shocks will be eye to eye all the way around. I want to run some Fox, we will see what I do for shocks though because you certainly can drop some coin on them once you have eye to eye all around. I am also going to do the radius arm flip in front, using some Superior Engineering radius arms and my own brackets made in house. Besides this and maybe some anti-rock sway bars, I will be keeping it cookie cutter on the suspension until some day I decide to link it and go to non-Toyota axles. Still going to use and build out the Diamond 8" front housing. This will all be in "phase two" of the build, phase one is simply to put it on the road, 285's and LX wheels and all that!

Cheers

 

[scottryana]

Yeah do #2! Life is too short enjoy it while you can.

 

[Ragnaroek]

Yes, go with #2!
I decided on #1 with my 80 ute chop and didn't really do anything to it since 2020 because i wanted it perfect but was missing time and funds to get it "perfect".

 

[thatcabledude]

Look’s ridiculously good. The roof gutter wrapping all the way around the back makes a huge difference in visual appeal. I can already tell this is going to be the best looking 80 chop.

 

[SNLC]

Just got these parts for my injection pump back from plating.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Sadly, the got pushed outside, magic hour on the light though.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Been waiting on this, it came in today.

So will take all these parts to the injection pump shop on Monday.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Took a few pics when I was messing around at the shop. This is how much in a visual sense we extended the wheelbase.

Cheers

 

[SNLC]

Well, I just bought my “starter” tires. Got x4 Patagonia MTs in 38x13.5R17. $1600 for all four shipped was to good to pass up! I am going to grab some cheap steel wheels now too. I will eventually be going to a beadlock but that will be 5 on 150 and I don’t want to waste money on 6 on 5.5 beadlocks right now.

This will allow me to do any front fender mods, mock up bed and motivational as well.

Cheers