Builds SAS 89 Mini--Triple cased Mashed Potato

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I'm having a hard time finding anyone who can get me an 8" pipe cap to use on my diff. Did all of you get them from a supplier of John's or what? I can't even find much online without requesting a quote.
 
I know there's not many guys there that are likely to need it besides John, but in the future, if anyone wants to do what you did to the rear spring perches, I think this might be the way to go. For the money, it's probably worth skipping the headaches of cutting the plate and drilling the holes.

http://www.barnes4wd.com/Spring-Under-Axle-SUA-U-bolt-Plate-Pair_p_311.html
 
$26 + shipping I'd imagine gets 'em to around $40, a deal if you don't have the means of making your self for next to nothing I suppose.

I think John got with you on the pipe cap right? A single 8" cap found at a plumbing vendor/wholesale place is the way to go, cost was around $35. You now this already but cut in half gets you both a front and rear. I've beat the ever livin' crap outta mine and they're still holding up just fine.
 
Well I know y'all have the ability, the tools and the material to make stuff like that, especially stuff that basic. However, I figure it'd save 2-4 man-hours at least, between finding the steel, cutting it to size (x2), and drilling 8 holes. But I guess, now that I think about it, you'd have to add some time in for these due to probably having to cut off the old perches.

I still haven't looked real hard for wholesale plumbing places around here, but I'm afraid they're going to want me to buy 20. Also I have to have two complete ones Ted; remember, I'm not using them for armor, I already have that. I have to replace the entire axle cover.

Oh, and though you say you've beat yours up and it's holding up fine, remember that somehow Nick's bent when I hit it on a damn piece of WOOD!
 
looks like a direction change after doing this:

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Would love to retain the full cab but replacement 3rd gens aren't exactly plentiful so can't decide what to do next. I could just replace the windshield, beat the dents out and exo the truck but I'm thinking a little more elaborate, just don't know what yet.

Anyway, got the windshield out, internal cage is out, fenders are off so I guess you could say I'm getting back to a blank canvas. What to do???? What to do????

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You must have an idea rattling around otherwise you wouldn't be so cryptic... I'd exo it and throw a new windshield in it, but I like the look of a full body rig, but I feel like you are thinking bigger at this point.
 
I like a full body rig as well and thus the dilemma. The easy answer is just Franken-mini the thing and be done once and for all but I just think I'm ready for that - yet. The problem is the "goal" and what I really want don't mesh, at all!!

The goal is to have a rig that you roll back over on the wheels and keep going, not harm no foul but what I want is a nice clean dent free rig that's kinda perty. We all know neither of these belong ion the same sentence so i gotta sacrifice somethin' cause I aint gonna change the way i wheel it. Probably just answered my own question right there.

I've always liked this runner but there are pitfalls, I dunno might just have to anyway.

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Than lets chop the top and make a really pretty cage. BOOM, best of both worlds.
 
What are your thoughts on rain and/or cold weather? That's the only reason I would be hard pressed to ever go full buggy. I like the idea of being able to keep myself and my passenger mostly dry and being able to crank the heat to keep some warmth inside.

Half doors, some glass and a top. If your only worried about the windshield fitting, then you could basically use the A-pillar as a template to put some tub against, maybe even weld it directly onto it. If the doors go mostly away then maybe roll the tube down a little to help deflect along the sides a little.... I really will be interested to see what comes out of the shop.

Maybe chop it and make an aluminum skin that can be removed when it's nice but attached for wet or cold runs. Of course I realize that when you get to this level wet and cold probably become part of it as well.
 
Update, well almost anyway. Headed up to Chatt area in morning to pickup a donor cab. After turning the SE inside out over the last several days I found a 92 2WD cab in great shape for $200. Frankly not getting it would be stupid as a replacement windshield would cost nearly that much and this way I have a dent free cab. Oh, and not to mention a sliding rear window and, and, and, wait for it... the rear of the cab will be in place. Don't know If I'll cut it out again or not.

So, the next thing is to graft the new cab into the old one in hopes that it's easier to do that than to swap them out completely. Then a nice tight exo-cage and tube out the bed. Stay tuned
 
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Sounds cool! but why couldn't you have flopped in the warmer months??
 
Winter is good for :wrench:'n... but only if you have somewhere to be warm while you do it.

So cab swap and exo and tube bed, looking forward to this. Were you debating the F-toy route?

Also what do you mean by graft the cab? Gonna try to retain your dash and firewall to save from rewiring everything?
 
Sounds cool! but why couldn't you have flopped in the warmer months??

Winter is good for :wrench:'n... but only if you have somewhere to be warm while you do it.

Jynx got it right, I waited til the last ride of the year. Got all winter to fix 'er up now apparently.:bang::bang:

Gonna be tricky grafting this thing in, hoping it aint as bad as i'm fearing. Not going F-toy route, not my thing. Plan is to cut the A-pillars just below the windshield and B-Pillars near the floor pan and do same on new cab, then move new cab sections to old cab, then weld, clean up, paint and wheel. X-ing fingers it goes that easily.
 
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Well yeah, when you've got no door and no rear glass/wall, winter wheeling probably sux! That plan doesn't sound too bad. easier than swapping all the stuff from one ca to the other.
Hows the tubed bed gonna look?
 
gots me some ideas but ya need to show up to know fer sure.
 
yeah yeah. we'll be at Johns this weekend.
 
You could always go the easy route and just cut it off and add a plexy glass windshield. It worked for the guy I wheeled with last weekend.
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sheesh, trying to find signs of intelligence in that pic, gimme a little while. How'd your sleeping bag hold up? :moon:
 
My favorite is that he has what I am assuming is a 18V grinder wired straight into the 12V battery on the truck!!
 

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