Rebuild Project - Updated 6-28-10

yo rob wheres the progress?

I'll take a bunch once I have the front finished, and frame laying flat

I'm moving as slow as a snail, but I ran out of welding gas today and decided to take some pictures.

The top part of the Z is done minus finishing the welds on the inside of the frame. You can see the front crossmember in one of the pics. I have to put that back on, and the bag mounts then I can flip the frame over and finish the rest.


Pie cut, and formed transmission crossmember to raise it 1.5". I wanted the frame to have a factory type appearence.





You can't see in the pic but here is measuring from the body mount outward. I would have to look at it again to tell you an exact measurement but from the pic you can see you have about 4" from the body mount to where the firewall is. Remember this body has a cut floor for a traditional body drop.



You don't have to follow the way I did mine, but I measured 9" from the body mount as my cut. I did this so I would have room to raise it up and clear the firewall, and make the angle of my Z less severe to make it appear more factory.



Hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions I'll try to get more pics.

Another view of pie cut, and formed transmission crossmember.


Hopefully more next weekend, weather permitting.

Wow it's been awhile since I updated this

I'll post the rest this weekend this is what took me so long.

If you remember this is what the stock frame looks like where the engine cross member wraps around the front of the frame.



I was going to weld onto the cross member but I'm thinking it will look cleaner with the section removed that extends past the frame rails, and also I can tie the gussets into the factory cross-shaft mount.

So section cut out, and frame hole shaved.



Now cross member capped and finished, and also it's hard to notice but I formed sheet metal to blend the top cross shaft mount into the frame for a smoother look.





I should post the rest of the pictures this weekend.

That looks niiiiice.

yo rob got any update pictures?

Finally an Update!!!!!

I know it's not a lot but it felt like a lot of work to me

Got the bag plates positioned and welded up -- before metal finish I got a lot of spatter on this one



smoothed welds and getting the gusset templates made



Next it was time to do some work on the bottom of the frame but screw welding and grinding upside down I just flipped it over



Did some clean up here and there from old work
Before


After old factory brackets and old work removed, getting ready to put in a new notch this week


Pretty much finished up the Z in the front just some metal finishing here and there. Here is what I started with.

Before



And now


I needed to add bag clearance so instead of cutting out for the bag I cut the hump of the engine cross member to match the angle of the bottom piece, thought it would look cleaner.



Pretty much where I got to today before my grinder died....moment of silence please Milwaukee you will be missed


I'll be using this the replace the factory steering, my buddy had some extra racks from his Ranger build thanks Jevon!

warner robins here, let me know if you need help with anything.

looking good rob...

this is how i will do every build from here on out. the bullshit that goes into stock flooring a truck is just not worth it! i love my truck, but i will definitely change things as I can as a few things are not to my standards.