Pzuzu The Isuzu Build (RIP)

[sniperthx1]

Shhh, the rust probably just forgot there was a body.

Talking about it may remind the rust.......

 

[Deuling]

Who invented this rust thing?? What a dbag

 

[AJMBLAZER]

It's a conspiracy between the auto makers and the local governments in the rust belt.

 

[Deuling]

I found out recently that chlorine makes steal rust faster than I could imagine!!. Jug of chlorine tablets at work broke open (for water treatment stuff) and I swear the next week any surrounding steal was just coated and flaking even. It ate through the chrome plating on the cage style bins they were in.

I guess dont get on my bad side or you may find lots a chlorine tablets in various places on your frame (well that is if you catch it before they eat holes in it) lol

I now know what that "salt" stuff they put on the roads really is lol

 

[Stomis]

My adventure through water up to my hood the day after Irene has left me with a spotty starter solenoid and what seems like an intake leak

Picked up a ford fender mount solenoid to relocate to a dry spot for future adventures.

Anyone have a generic wiring conversion write up for these things? Im assuming its constant 12v juice to 1 large terminal, to starter the the other and key forward juice to the small terminal.

 

[Stomis]

Finally put my chambered muffler and $150 worth of v band clamp kits on because Im sick of the crimp clamps leaking... Quietest the trucks ever been.

Also got a lean O2 sensor code today confirming my thoughts of an intake leak. Got those gaskets. Gonna do them, my coolant temp sensor under the intake manifold while Im there, and clean my egr really good tomorrow.

Nothing really picture worthy.

I am gonna start fixing the rear section of my frame soon. Im thinking about just lopping it off behind the panhard mount and putting in 3x3 box tube. It would be much easier.

 

[scottishdave]

Put the body lift in tonight. Truck looks good up an inch. Made out really well and only broke one body mount bolt which was a through bolt so no biggy.

Also tore the carpet out. Was soaked underneath from leaky windshield. I was quite happy to find super solid rust free floors underneath. I dont understand it, rusty frame but rock solid body...

Pics???

Thems the rules.

 

[Stomis]

Pics???

Thems the rules.

O **** I didnt put up body lift pictures?

 

[Stomis]

So Ive been having fuel issues lately. Today I finally went to put in my new fuel pump and holy crap... All the lines were paper thin and snapped right off my tank unit. Guess I found what the gas smell from the back of the truck was...

Needless to say Im going to the junkyard tomorrow to get a fresh tank and sending unit...

I figured while the tank is out I better fix the frame... Which means Im chopping the last 2 feet off the back of the truck and build new body mounts and a crossmember to cap the back of the new frame rails off.

So those broken rusty ass lines are supposed to be attached to that stupid sending unit... They twisted off and must have been paper thin.

Heres what Ill be chopping off and replacing. Just shots from where the tank sat.


And my evil plans, and the line has been drawn for more evil choppin

Ill be re-constructing the frame with 2x3 box tube with a 3/16ths wall. Im going to make a U shaped piece off the truck, the correct width with 45'd corners. The trucks frame and the new frame will be mated together with a 45* cut on both pieces to expand surface area on the connection and to relieve stress by not having a straight vertical weld.

After its welded in the corners and the connection to the frame will be fish plated for beef. Probably with 1/8 or 3/16th. Ill be remaking body mounts with some 1/4in plate for the inside ones and 1/8 for the outside ones.

 

[Deuling]

Dear lord of RUST!!!

 

[73redblaze]

how did you not notice that rust when you bought it?

 

[Stomis]

Dear lord of RUST!!!

Ironically the rust is rather spotty. Some places like that are brutal and others are just regular surface rust.

And for the most part the body is an awesome shape

 

[Stomis]

how did you not notice that rust when you bought it?

I did notice that rust when I bought it. The truck was $900 running and driving when I needed a vehicle. It was exactly what I wanted when I needed it and got me back and forth to work with no work put into it.

Plus alot of the rust is just surface rust that the flash makes appear much worse.

 

[scotto0609]

Somebody must have been towing a boat or jet skis with it and just backed that thing in the water more than once!

 

[TREA18]

I really think all these frames on newer vehicles rust and fall apart like this. These frames aren't built like they used to be. Nice work

 

[Stomis]

Somebody must have been towing a boat or jet skis with it and just backed that thing in the water more than once!

Yeah ya know the odd part is theres no hitch and no ball on the bumper but thats the only thing that would make sense. Maybe the owner before last bought a newer one and took his hitch off before he sold it.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Also heard of people taking the hitch off to show that "it had an easy life. Look! Not even a trailer hitch!"

 

[Stomis]

I got a crap ton of stuff done today. I took off of work so I could get a head start and get to the junkyard. Got a late start at 12 by the time I got the steel for the frame and didnt get the tank til 5:30 But I made loads of progress.

First I cut out the old frame and supported the body. I chose to cut the frame straight up and down because I felt doing a 45 would on the bend of the frame would complicate things in the end when putting the frame back together. As you can also see the old bumper support rear body fangs are gone as the plate bumper will wrap around.

Then I made a replacement frame piece with the crossmember integrated. 2x3 square tube with a 3/16s wall. 45'd together at the ends so I didnt have to cap anything. Im also getting better at this welding thing

Cut out some of the inner body mounts out of 1/4in plate. No torch did it the hard way with the sawzall.

Welded this in like this and cut a body mount hole in it. Theyre fully welded in top and bottom. I didnt fish plate the outside of the corners because I figure all the contact with these plates on the inside corners was enough bracing.

Then I tacked some angle on the old frame to jig the new piece up and it worked well as a set of hands since I was working alone at this point.

Then I welded it in 1/2 way so I could roll it in for the night and knocked the jigs off.

And thats where she lays for the night. Tomorrow Im gonna weld the frame completely in and fish plate the joint on all 4 sides. Then Ive got to make new outer body mounts, new gas tank mounts, put in the new to me gas tank, replace the exhaust hanger that was on the frame, and paint everything.

 

[Stomis]

Got the new frame pieces fully welded in and fish plate on both the inside and out. Got the body sat down on the inside body mounts which lined up perfect, yay measuring correctly.

Forgot the camera though...

Tomorrow night I gotta make outer body mounts and brackets for the gas tank.

 

[Stomis]

I made the gas tank brackets and got the rig driveable again. I got a really bad itch to put tires on it so Im getting them this week, putting in 2in springs and cranking the tbars for the time.

Ive still got my fingers crossed and waiting on this job interview for CSX. If I dont hear from them or I dont get the job Im hoping to SAS the truck over the thanksgiving or christmas break w/ work. Ill take an extra day or two off.

Im also still shaking down this issue with the truck falling flat on its face under heavy load. Fuel pump didnt help, I still have to install the FPR and I bought a new o2 sensor Im gonna put in because it look like the original and I figure that was the only electrical thing the water could have gotten to so I might as well for $40.

Unfortunately Im at the point of throwing parts at it since I dont have a service manual to start testing sensors. The TPS and MAP will be next if the o2 of FPR doesnt do the trick. Beyond that Im clueless...

O also I decided to go with a little more street worthy tire. Im going with the newer goodyear duratracs. Theyre a badass tread but still have excellent road and wet/snow manners.

Part of what made me switch tires is that the BFG KM2s in the size I wanted are on national back order.

Ive also been sketching out some rough ideas for a rear bumper.

Im gonna start stripping the bumper, winch, and anything else I can get out of the chevy and still have it moveable. Then one weekend Im gonna pull the motor/trans/tcase, winch it up onto a trailer from work, yank the axles, springs, and shackle flip and say good bye and bring her to the junkyard.


Once thats done the first order of business is to strip the dana 44 down to a housing, knock off the long tube C, cut the long tube down to an early bronco long shaft and put the C back on. Then I can put it back together with the appropriate 4.56s to match the rear and narrow the tie rod.