Rusty Wagon Rebuild (2 Viewers)

[kevinmrowland]

I've been a bit of a slacker on starting a thread for my body swap, you guys keep me busy with the WagonGear stuff and the truck work keeps me busy for the rest of the time, not much left for Mud.
But, I have been chastened by fellow muders and so I am getting the thread rolling.

As I posted here (with a couple pics):
https://forum.ih8mud.com/vehicles-t...5-wagongear-needs-new-60-body-west-coast.html

We have been in need of some new sheet metal for awhile.

Through some friends over in Bend I got set up with a west coast body that had been picked over for mechanicals:

It's not perfect but should suit our needs just fine.

 

[kevinmrowland]

I did some preliminary strip down work before the holidays but had to leave it alone for awhile. We drove the rusty rig home, 6700 miles without issue, over the holidays in one last hurrah but as soon as we hit ground back in OR the work started.

First up is to get the new body off it's frame. An engine lift mounted to the seat belt holes worked fine, not perfectly balanced in this pic, but good enough to lift, I'll get it better next time.

Needs more cinder blocks.

 

[kevinmrowland]

The Oregon frame is out and getting cleaned up.

It's been long enough since taking out the rear reinforcements last time for me to forget what a major pain it is.

This frame had some redneck bugger V8 mounts that had to come off, no issue though since I need to make new 1HZ mounts anyway.

Frame is clean, time to get the motor.

 

[kevinmrowland]

Now the space starts to get a little tight.

Four hours after pulling in into the garage under it's own power.

This part is a bit easier than starting from scratch since I already have some reference for where the motor sits, just bolted the radiator and support back in to triple check placement and made some nice new motor mounts.

This is the only way to weld mounts in place.

 

[kevinmrowland]

Some more proof that it was time for the sheet metal to come off.
(bottom of the old radiator support)

You can see the 2x4s that I had shoved between the frame and the body so that my tailgate would stop banging into the bumper.

Lookin good:

Anyone need a nice door?

I was bound and determined to take as little of the AC system apart, I think I went a little too far. Does anyone know if there are quick disconnects for these things? That would be sweet.

 

[kevinmrowland]

I got a kick out of this, all that was needed to remove the sliders was a yank of the pry-bar. I hate salt on the roads.

Time to take the old body off (I would get the bumper out of the way, but it's rusted in place).

The practice with the last one payed off, look how nice and level it is this time.

We rent in kind of a nice neighborhood, the neighbors are hating me right about now.

Here's some pics of all the body mounts I didn't have to unbolt to remove the body! At least that made it easier.

And this is where she sits now, both frames are striped, started working on the axles now, will post back with any other progress!

 

[RockDoc]

Looking like good progress. Also looking like what's in store for me in a couple of years.

 

[Kynot62]

Love that engine hoist idea for pulling the body, but sadly I couldn't use it in my gravel side yard.... I will definately file it away for the next body change.

Tony

 

[kevinmrowland]

Yeah Tony, it works pretty well.
And it would work on gravel, just not as well. If you notice with the tan truck I had to move the frame, had no room to move the body/lift back, just kind of did a 20 point turn with the frame under the body and snaked it around the legs of the lift.
So if you have a bit of width you can make it work without moving the lift.

 

[tperry616]

Looks like a lot of fun/work.

As one of my favorite rigs on here I'll be watching the progress.

My question is that since this gives you basically a fresh start, are there going to be any major changes to what was on your other rig or are you going to be basically recreating the previous version?

Hopefully that sentence makes sense.

 

[Kief]

$210 a ton for scrap cars down here.. At least you can sell the rust for something.

Nice work..

 

[tat2matt]

Fantastic, I was worried about you leaving a trail of rusty bits from STL back home. Looks like most of it made it.

 

[srogers]

Very impressive work!

 

[OyajiJon]

Hey Kevin, if you decide to part with the rear side windows from that grey truck, let me know. I'm looking for a set of those...

 

[Kief]

Oh, so this is a part out thread too?

 

[OyajiJon]

No, and I'm not trying to make it one. Those windows aren't mere parts...they're special!

https://forum.ih8mud.com/wagongear/307003-so-kevin-about-those-windows.html

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Kevin, glad to hear that you're working on a new rust free body and frame! I've got to say though, I've beat you to it Tell you what though, the motor lift method looks much safer than the high-lift method.

Have any special modifications lined up for the new body?

 

[Kanatii]

What are you going to do for rust prevention while you have it all apart? I have delusions of taking the body off like that and laying a coat of POR-15 on every surface I can prep from the frame to the roof. Fortunately here in Arkansas we don't see much salt on the roads, so I don't have as much to fear.

 

[AKcruiserfreak]

Cool! That old body has certainly depreciated out...Looks like fun!

TK

 

[orangefj45]

finally a funny thread in the 60 forum.


get it!


georg