carpeonnel
1/2 ton status
Difficult of not. 49s and rocks are just sexy
CK5
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2008 Buggy Build Thread: Rockwells and 49's
- Thread starter mikey_d05
- Start date
Not a whole lot of pretty pictures to show stuff, but it certainly has been a lot of work. Probably has something to do with me cutting the front clip off. 
Battery boxes are kinda done. I'm going to make a new set with a few changes, but they will look like that for the most part:
Seats are mounted (for the most part). I might tip the driver's seat back a tad yet, we'll see. Front clip is outlined. Steering column is tacked in place. Might rotate it upwards a few degrees so that one of the notches in the tilt column fits me a little bit better.
The a-pillars got chopped and shoved rearward ~8". The heater will be mounted behind the driver's seat just because it's less of a PITA there. Haven't gotten back into 1/4" on the plas table yet to make the winch mount, but it's coming. Tires are at approximately ride height in relation to the chassis.
LED taillights showed up, and a shot of the expanded metal tacked onto the radiator protection. Humidity around here has been so bad lately that everything is starting to rust, FAST.
A pair of 14" SAW's should be here on Thursday, and this morning I ordered a pair of speakers, a 7" LCD screen, all of my link ends and a spanner tool, all the switches, ignition switch, fuse box, couple of weatherproof 12v outlets, a new brake and clutch pedal, oh yeah, and paid rent on my second apartment. My debit card is on fire.
Hoping to make a ton of progress next week when all this junk shows up. I suppose I should bite the bullet and order all of my steering parts as well, maybe tomorrow.
Battery boxes are kinda done. I'm going to make a new set with a few changes, but they will look like that for the most part:
Seats are mounted (for the most part). I might tip the driver's seat back a tad yet, we'll see. Front clip is outlined. Steering column is tacked in place. Might rotate it upwards a few degrees so that one of the notches in the tilt column fits me a little bit better.
The a-pillars got chopped and shoved rearward ~8". The heater will be mounted behind the driver's seat just because it's less of a PITA there. Haven't gotten back into 1/4" on the plas table yet to make the winch mount, but it's coming. Tires are at approximately ride height in relation to the chassis.
LED taillights showed up, and a shot of the expanded metal tacked onto the radiator protection. Humidity around here has been so bad lately that everything is starting to rust, FAST.
A pair of 14" SAW's should be here on Thursday, and this morning I ordered a pair of speakers, a 7" LCD screen, all of my link ends and a spanner tool, all the switches, ignition switch, fuse box, couple of weatherproof 12v outlets, a new brake and clutch pedal, oh yeah, and paid rent on my second apartment. My debit card is on fire.
Hoping to make a ton of progress next week when all this junk shows up. I suppose I should bite the bullet and order all of my steering parts as well, maybe tomorrow.
Looks awesome, I'm jealous 
That's really cool that you made the front of the chassis short enough that it totally clears the front chunk.
What's the belly height and outside of tire to outside of tire measurement?
I really like the tubework you've come up with. Are you going to add some support between the halo and the tube that ties the a-pillars together?
That's really cool that you made the front of the chassis short enough that it totally clears the front chunk.
What's the belly height and outside of tire to outside of tire measurement?
I really like the tubework you've come up with. Are you going to add some support between the halo and the tube that ties the a-pillars together?
The chassis stopping short of the front chunk was a last ditch attempt to make the tube work look good and still be functional instead of dead weight.
Everything is still on the table, so I don't have a firm belly height, but I'm going for ~27", which will put me at ~6'4" to the top of the cage. Seats give me 2.5" to the cage in the drivers seat and 5" in the passenger seat. I'd like for my dad to go along at least once, and I'd hate for him to knock his head on the cage. (he's as tall as I am)
Based on guesstimations, tire to tire should be low to mid 90's. Won't know until the wheels are done.
There will be tube work above my head yet. Just haven't figured out yet quite how I want to pull it off. Thinking of a standard star with an extra bar that ties the "forward" b-pillars together side to side, but that would probably be pretty overkill. Suggestions?
Everything is still on the table, so I don't have a firm belly height, but I'm going for ~27", which will put me at ~6'4" to the top of the cage. Seats give me 2.5" to the cage in the drivers seat and 5" in the passenger seat. I'd like for my dad to go along at least once, and I'd hate for him to knock his head on the cage. (he's as tall as I am)
Based on guesstimations, tire to tire should be low to mid 90's. Won't know until the wheels are done.
There will be tube work above my head yet. Just haven't figured out yet quite how I want to pull it off. Thinking of a standard star with an extra bar that ties the "forward" b-pillars together side to side, but that would probably be pretty overkill. Suggestions?
Jason4x4
1/2 ton status
I was just reading peterson's, and someone asked if when you put an engine in the rear of a truck, won't it go "backwards" in gear? so will you be going backwards in 1st and forward in reverse?
I know he explained this in another post or a PM or something but I can't find it
Anyway, IIRC you can turn the top gear on the Rockwells 180 degrees and it will drive the other way. No drilling/cutting or anything, Rockwells are very modular like that
. The rocks use a bull gear setup rather than a helical cut ring and pinion like most of us are used to.
its all starting to come together, looking good
I know he explained this in another post or a PM or something but I can't find it
Anyway, IIRC you can turn the top gear on the Rockwells 180 degrees and it will drive the other way. No drilling/cutting or anything, Rockwells are very modular like that
They actually do use a helical R&P, but it's used to drive the pinion for the bull gear.
The temporary 44's are bolted on, the rear is put together, the front needs the upper link mounts welded to the chassis and the front links need to be made. I've been saying this for way too long but it will be sitting on it's own next weekend.
Lined up a storage unit to bring it back up here but one of my friends offered up his garage if the buggy will physically fit in the door.
In the pictures shown the chassis is approximately at ride height with the 49's, ~6'3"-6'4" to the top of the cage. The rear axle is on jackstands so it's approximately in the right place in relation to the chassis. Might sink the chassis a little bit lower yet when it comes time to put springs on it.
Gettin' closer
lak2004
1/2 ton status
This is a sweet build! Wish I had the skills to do even half of that! Keep the pics coming.
carpeonnel
1/2 ton status
I don't see any pictures 
A few pictures. Both ends are at full bump. There will be ~4" of uptravel in the rear and ~3" in the front. Didn't take a shot of the tape at the top of the cage, but 5'8" was the measurement.
If I can get it on a trailer without a major accident, it'll be making its way back here fairly soon so that I can start chipping away at it on a regular basis.
If I can get it on a trailer without a major accident, it'll be making its way back here fairly soon so that I can start chipping away at it on a regular basis.
so mikey if you dont mind me asking
what the deal with you and kert?you work for him?/yall are buinees patners??you live near him??i see your profile says minn. so i didnt know what the deal is..
oh that thing is awsome btw
what the deal with you and kert?you work for him?/yall are buinees patners??you live near him??i see your profile says minn. so i didnt know what the deal is..
oh that thing is awsome btw
So, you're guessing maybe 6'2" at ride height?
I worked for Kert on my summer break from college. He's been letting me build the buggy at his shop. Minnesota and Iowa share a border ya know.
Yep, the chassis sits a bit nose-high at full compression, the measurement was taken roughly in the middle of the wheelbase. 2.5" for tire and 4" for uptravel would put me at 6'2.5". Won't quite make the 6' mark that I was hoping for, but I came close enough to be satisfied.
That's still really low, 2-3" lower than mine plus you have bigger tires.
Progress is looking good, no doubt you'll be on the trails in the spring
i didnt know how close his shop was to the border..just being nosy and trying to keep with the "in crowd"lol...I worked for Kert on my summer break from college. He's been letting me build the buggy at his shop. Minnesota and Iowa share a border ya know.
Yep, the chassis sits a bit nose-high at full compression, the measurement was taken roughly in the middle of the wheelbase. 2.5" for tire and 4" for uptravel would put me at 6'2.5". Won't quite make the 6' mark that I was hoping for, but I came close enough to be satisfied.
