Builds Project ToyLET (PICS)

[4alarm]

Finished the bender today, just need to get the die and I'll be ready. The ram thats on it is the one off of my engine hoist. I'll order the air/hydraulic ram later.

 

[Mace]

Wow, that will take a lot of pumping to make a 90* bend....

 

[4alarm]

I have a friend that built the same bender, he said it takes about a minute of pumping for 90 degrees. When I get the air/hydraulic it will be much quicker and easier.

 

[concretejungle]

i'm sure we've all pumped for over a minute!

 

[camcruiser13]

just last night baby

 

[4alarm]

Got the 3/4 Ton axle under the 40 today.

1/2 Ton D44 out of the way:

3/4 Ton D44 moved into position:

A bit of grinding. Much more still had to be done after this pic to clear the caliper:

Drivers side done:

 

[4alarm]

Got the engine all back together, everything looked good. Bought a new Weiand intake manifold and got it all bolted up. Now I'm trying to figure out what to do for engine mounts.

Today I re-inforced the outboard spring mounts. Cut the top and side off and put in a flat piece of 1/4" to add a little triangulation to the mounts. Then I capped them to add more strength.

 

[4alarm]

More:

 

[4alarm]

Last:

 

[Advent]

Holy crap, those shims are huge. How many degrees are they?

 

[4alarm]

Shims are 6 degrees. Just about levels it off. With the springs turned like they are it pointed the pinion down.

 

[Mace]

You are going to make a strong front bumper to tie the front frame rails together right?
The torsional forces on the frame rails will be pretty extreme..

 

[Xray]

Nice Job

 

[4alarm]

You are going to make a strong front bumper to tie the front frame rails together right?
The torsional forces on the frame rails will be pretty extreme..

Yep. One of the many other things that still has to be done.

 

[4alarm]

Well, my webserver tanked so all my picture links are dead now. I'll try to get them fixed in the next few days. I should have backed everything up.

Well on a brighter note... My steering knuckle came back from Sky Manufacturing and is drilled and tapped. I also got my high steer arms from them. They are the "Tall" arms (7/8") taller than usual. Here's the pics:

 

[4alarm]

I finally got the engine in today. I took some 1 3/4" dia. 1/8" wall tube and put some 1 1/2" poly bushings inside them for the side of the mount that will connect to the engine. Then I fisheyed the end of the tube going down to the frame on one side and cut the other at a 45* angle. Using the leftover 3" box that I cut off the outboarded spring mounts I built a C-channel sleeve to go over the frame rails for the engine to mount too. After butt welding the two angle peices together I ground it smooth for a nice mounting surface....

 

[4alarm]

Mas...

 

[4alarm]

Mas, mas....

 

[4alarm]

Engine...

 

[4alarm]

The tranny has about an inch of clearance between it and the firewall. I can still get to the top tranny bolts easily from the engine compartment. I think I will have some problems getting the distibuter out though. I mounted everything high so I can have a flatbelly. The tranny shifter clears the dash by about 2 inches and is perfectly located right next to the steering wheel. I'll have to modify the tranny tunnel to fit it now. Only problem now is that the t-case isn't going to fit in the hole thats left. There is a frame crossmember that I think I will have to relocate. Next I will build my tranny/t-case supports.