84 Crew Cab - Project - "The Tank"

[Matman2010]

Got my gooseneck safty chain hooks up started. Just need to gusset them and finish welding.

Also started tearing the frame down again so that i can finish up some welding and then start prepping the frame for paint.

Motor and tranny out

Started finishing some welding and also started welding all the factory holes in the frame up.

 

[Matman2010]

Well the past two days I have spent probably about 16 hours in the shop. Trying to get the frame painted soon so that I can make it a roller again because its getting warmer outside and if you have noticed there is a pontoon boat stuffed behind my truck and I am sure my uncle is going to want to get it out at some point.

First I rolled the frame on the side so that welding all of the holes in the frame would be easier and to also finish some welding in hard to get parts that I was not comfortable welding upside down.

A whole bunch of holes I was welding up.

Some of the holes were really big so I made a couple plugs to make welding them easier.

After I got all the holes welded and ground down I flipped it over and did the same to the holes on the bottom and also finished some more welds.

When I boxed the frame I had places in the frame that where not even with the top of the frame and there were some big holes left. (Pics are of opposite sides because i forgot to take before and after pics of both sides)

And here it is with a plate welded in.

I then needed to build some braces for the poor man shackle flip that I did. Started out with a piece of steel c-clamped to the back of the bracket so that I could use the bracket to act as an outline for my cutting torch and grinder.

I then drilled the holes and created some gussets.

All I have left to do on the bottom end is grind down some welds, cut the receiver tube for the goose neck hitch down some and then I should be able to flip the frame on its other side and weld on the holes on that side.

 

[82355]

I would cut a hole big enough for a socket to go through on that backing plate.

Martin

 

[y5mgisi]

Very good progress!

 

[Matman2010]

I would cut a hole big enough for a socket to go through on that backing plate.

Martin

Yeah Im going to do that and probably take a little off the top (Bottom when the frame gets flipped back over) so that anything that falls in there will be able to just come out of it instead of get stuck down in there.

Very good progress!

Thanks man.

 

[Matman2010]

I got an iPhone 5 today and decided to try its panorama view today down at the shop. Kinda thought the pic was cool.

I got all of the holes welded up on the bottom and also cut the receiver hitch for the gooseneck down, and the safety chain mounts gusseted and also finished work on my engine cross member mounts.

I also hate the lower mounts on the rear shocks that I have and after looking at some things I like the idea of outboarding the shocks. And I know this truck will not be articulating a lot and I saw a lot of shock mounts are just sticking straight out on most of the newer vehicles. So I started looking into this setup.

 

[blazinzuk]

I don't always follow alot of the threads like I want too. Just never clicked ( which is weird cause I love what your doing)

Something I might suggest on your crossmembers you may want to fishplate from the original frame to the new crossmember helps spread the load out better than just a couple of butt welds. Thats on your gooseneck crossmembers

On the other one I would add that same fishplate over the top and then run a couple of gussets down to the bottom of the frame.

The key is to tie in to all three original legs of the original frame. It will add rigidity to the whole frame

 

[Matman2010]

Hey man I do the same thing, I like stuff people are doing but some times stuff doesn't click. As for the cross members. Yes they are but welded but they are butt welded to the inside of the frame and then the boxing plates where added around the cross members. So really it is very strong. Plus the frame has some bends it it around that area so for the hitch to ever come loose something is going to be really messed up for it to come apart.

 

[y5mgisi]

All i can add is that i like the idea of outboard shocks for a rig like this.

 

[blazinzuk]

Hey man I do the same thing, I like stuff people are doing but some times stuff doesn't click. As for the cross members. Yes they are but welded but they are butt welded to the inside of the frame and then the boxing plates where added around the cross members. So really it is very strong. Plus the frame has some bends it it around that area so for the hitch to ever come loose something is going to be really messed up for it to come apart.

I don't think anything is gonna come loose and how you have it is way better than stock.

I didn't realize they went all the way to the inside of the frame.

Still cool stuff I think you will like what I am going to do to my rear frame on my crew cab. Probably be a year or so before I even start though

 

[Matman2010]

All i can add is that i like the idea of outboard shocks for a rig like this.

I just happened to be out boarding them cause I don't have much room in the frame for the shocks, but I think there will be some benefits from it.

I don't think anything is gonna come loose and how you have it is way better than stock.

I didn't realize they went all the way to the inside of the frame.

Still cool stuff I think you will like what I am going to do to my rear frame on my crew cab. Probably be a year or so before I even start though

I will be on the look out for what you do!

 

[Matman2010]

Well Ive gotten some stuff done on the truck. Was looking at the out boarded rear shocks and just was not finding a good way to make the upper mount that didnt look like some big bracket welded to the frame. So I went back to the original way that I had the shocks.

I then decided it was finally time to seal up the rear of the frame. I did not run the rear cross member all the way inside of the frame because I had nuts welded inside the frame for the bumper and the receiver hitch and so I used the end plates as ways to tie the frame to the cross member more.

Got my safety chain hook ups all welded up shock mounts welded, and also gusseted my gas tank strap mounts.

Brought the D60 back into the shop so I can tear it down. Going to try to get the axles and frame all painted at one time so I can have it as a roller ASAP.

 

[y5mgisi]

I always forget that I follow your build here too!

 

[Matman2010]

Been getting the frame and axles ready for paint. And today I was able to lay down some paint.

 

[stan1688]

Wow. Makes everything look brand new.

 

[Matman2010]

Wow. Makes everything look brand new.

Yeah it does!

When I was putting it in I was lining it up the housing rotated on me and the spring scratched the frame... But I think once I get everything bolted together I may do another coat over the whole thing.

Once I got the rear axle in I moved it back into the shop.

Decided mount the rear shocks as well.

I then put all new seals into the front axle housing and got the gears all set back in the housing. Started cleaning the knuckles out as well so that I can get some paint on them. Just need to get the kingpin rebuild kits and I should be able to have it back as a roller.

 

[chevysmithz71]

Nice prep work. I respect someone a lot more when they put a clean coat of paint on a project instead of slapping it together. Keep it up

 

[y5mgisi]

Good job man!

 

[Matman2010]

Nice prep work. I respect someone a lot more when they put a clean coat of paint on a project instead of slapping it together. Keep it up

Good job man!

Thanks fellas!

Well picked a 2nd Gen intercooler and a shifter for the transmission and a couple other things.

Looked at a couple ways to install the intercooler and noticed that it would fit perfectly if I cut out the main supports in the core support.

So I started cutting those out.

And Then i set it in.

Just have to drill two holes for the bottom intercooler mounts and then the intercooler should fit in the core support really nicely and the radiator will fit in the core support just like they did when it came from the factory. I will have to build new vertical supports and make mounts for the top of the intercooler.

 

[Matman2010]

Well tonight I got some time in the shop and have the intercooler finally setting in the core support just how I want it. I still need to make the top mounts which should be pretty easy. One thing I was trying to do while I was mounting this intercooler was to not modify anything on the intercooler so that if something happened to this one I would be able to buy a replacement and it would fit right in.

The only thing I had to do was move the upper mount rubber isolators in farther so that they would clear the back of the headlights and allow for a bolt to be able to pass through them.