the composite glass rear panels are pretty much bulletproof... impervious to weather, etc... really need to get them in black soon...
ain't cheap, material runs about $200 for the pair... but that isn't overly insane for what you get imo...
CK5
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Rear inner panels???
- Thread starter riz
- Start date
the composite glass rear panels are pretty much bulletproof... impervious to weather, etc... really need to get them in black soon...
ain't cheap, material runs about $200 for the pair... but that isn't overly insane for what you get imo...
utherjorge
1/2 ton status
ryoken, no doubt you've heard this a thousand times, but your build is beautiful. I just spent about twenty minutes looking through your pictures.
Your pics made me come up with more questions.
First, my K won't be that wild; I've added a bench seat to the front to bring seating to 6 so the whole family can be along for any reason.
That means the rear enclosure would have to be different; additionally, I have no 'glass experience, and that's why I was asking about "cuttable" material.
Additionally, now your pics make me reconsider how I'll put in a cage; I wanted to do a simple four point starting just behind the factory B-pillar and going over the rear seats, but also build in storage boxes over the wheel wells where I could house the second battery, etc. Seems I'm actually going to have to plan this whole thing...lol
Your pics made me come up with more questions.
First, my K won't be that wild; I've added a bench seat to the front to bring seating to 6 so the whole family can be along for any reason.
That means the rear enclosure would have to be different; additionally, I have no 'glass experience, and that's why I was asking about "cuttable" material.
Additionally, now your pics make me reconsider how I'll put in a cage; I wanted to do a simple four point starting just behind the factory B-pillar and going over the rear seats, but also build in storage boxes over the wheel wells where I could house the second battery, etc. Seems I'm actually going to have to plan this whole thing...lol
thanks.... 
yeah, my build tends to be a bit "much" 
the materials, techniques and design also obviously make it something most wont consider... it is definitely a 2 seat, purpose built rig... I just put my stuff out to give people ideas on alternative materials, methods and design.....
and tho like i mentioned, material price on the composite glass is high, and it may not be quite as easy to work with as wood, it is quite cuttable.. albeit, a dust cloud...
I do the majority of cutting with a circular saw with diamond tip blade... 20 yrs ago, those blades where a c-note, now you can get em at homo depot for about $15... a regular carbide blade does work, ya just have to go slow, as it burns up the blade... obviously, some sanding/grinding/tuning is needed..
just want it to be known the composite isn't as difficult as it may seem.. for some...
just make sure you do STOUT, vented battery boxes please.. with kids safety is obviously your main goal...
tho my cage design was always intended to be a 2-seat, pre-runnery style thing, I think a simple, well-planned 6 point family cage wouldn't be that difficult to do... 2 at the c-post, 2 at the b and a-post.. if kept in front of the dash it makes it MUCH easier... obviously I'm talking about a stack of tube, a decent bender, time and perseverance....
if I can help in any way, gimme a holla...
yeah, my build tends to be a bit "much" the materials, techniques and design also obviously make it something most wont consider... it is definitely a 2 seat, purpose built rig... I just put my stuff out to give people ideas on alternative materials, methods and design.....
and tho like i mentioned, material price on the composite glass is high, and it may not be quite as easy to work with as wood, it is quite cuttable.. albeit, a dust cloud...
I do the majority of cutting with a circular saw with diamond tip blade... 20 yrs ago, those blades where a c-note, now you can get em at homo depot for about $15... a regular carbide blade does work, ya just have to go slow, as it burns up the blade... obviously, some sanding/grinding/tuning is needed..
just want it to be known the composite isn't as difficult as it may seem.. for some...
just make sure you do STOUT, vented battery boxes please.. with kids safety is obviously your main goal...
tho my cage design was always intended to be a 2-seat, pre-runnery style thing, I think a simple, well-planned 6 point family cage wouldn't be that difficult to do... 2 at the c-post, 2 at the b and a-post.. if kept in front of the dash it makes it MUCH easier... obviously I'm talking about a stack of tube, a decent bender, time and perseverance....
if I can help in any way, gimme a holla...
utherjorge
1/2 ton status
If it's fine with you, I'll reply here; I haven't decided when I get my K back if I'll do a new thread or not, because I don't know if people get mad with so many build threads.
As for the vented box for the rear battery, how much ventilation will it need? If I do a slide out tray in one of my fancy-shmancy build boxes I'll do, I was thinking something like one of those side RV panels to provide access to it and ventilation for it. Should I be looking for more airflow? I expect the box, FWIW, to be behind the rear bench on the passenger side. I know I'll need to even out the weight between sides, of course.
Thoughts on a four point cage, two at the B, two before the C almost using the idea of the bars on those old stepside boxes that pinched in where they meet the floor?
As for the vented box for the rear battery, how much ventilation will it need? If I do a slide out tray in one of my fancy-shmancy build boxes I'll do, I was thinking something like one of those side RV panels to provide access to it and ventilation for it. Should I be looking for more airflow? I expect the box, FWIW, to be behind the rear bench on the passenger side. I know I'll need to even out the weight between sides, of course.
Thoughts on a four point cage, two at the B, two before the C almost using the idea of the bars on those old stepside boxes that pinched in where they meet the floor?
you want a sealed box, with just a reasonably sized hose coming off it... you can vent it right down thru the wheelwell.. short hose and a fitting thru a drilled hole..
something like this Moroso box would be, in concept...
and yeah, a 4 point is way easy.. the a-pillars are the b*tchy ones.. if you look back at my cage, my B-hoop is perfect for the beginning of a 4 point.. without all the jungle gym in the middle...
I know for guys who don't have the equipment, it's a tough call... I know nothing on cage costs really, but I'd guess if someone supplied 5 or 6 sticks of 1.75" and somebody/shop did the the labor for $1500 to 2g's for a nice rear 4 point.. maybe kert's flanges, some simple X-ing out of the roof, some gussets, it'd be a pretty good deal...
at least that's what I'd be happy with, farming it out...
something like this Moroso box would be, in concept...
and yeah, a 4 point is way easy.. the a-pillars are the b*tchy ones.. if you look back at my cage, my B-hoop is perfect for the beginning of a 4 point.. without all the jungle gym in the middle...
I know for guys who don't have the equipment, it's a tough call... I know nothing on cage costs really, but I'd guess if someone supplied 5 or 6 sticks of 1.75" and somebody/shop did the the labor for $1500 to 2g's for a nice rear 4 point.. maybe kert's flanges, some simple X-ing out of the roof, some gussets, it'd be a pretty good deal...
at least that's what I'd be happy with, farming it out...
utherjorge
1/2 ton status
OK, so I understand the air venting for a battery. Why the tube vents out and down? This would be a noob type of question apparently.
it does help keep any acid moisture exiting the system.. the tubes always wanna drain... ya just wanna have any vapors leaving the cabin...
utherjorge
1/2 ton status
Understood. So all of those battery frames I see for sale that show an Optima sitting pretty inside of them, should they really be sitting in a sealed case inside of the frame, then?
no, AGM's don't put out hydrogen gas like a lead acid.. it's a sealed recombinant system.. well, most of them are... i've heard some have a small valve that lets off inconsequential amounts...
I would still suggest an enclosed, not necessarily sealed, container.. your talking passenger compartment, not engine compartment..
heck, when I was 3 I stuck a paper clip in a wall outlet...... I'd hate to think of what I'd of come up with, with exposed DC terminals sitting next to me...
I would still suggest an enclosed, not necessarily sealed, container.. your talking passenger compartment, not engine compartment..
heck, when I was 3 I stuck a paper clip in a wall outlet...... I'd hate to think of what I'd of come up with, with exposed DC terminals sitting next to me...
if your looking for panels i have a really nice pair out of a 86 that i could sell for dirt cheap! i can snap a few pics tomorrow
meanboyjr
1/2 ton status
I don't have any access to templates, but I did make a set of panels for my buddy's '77 a while back.
The original pieces were long gone, so I made a template with cardboard from a refrigerator box. I used the template to trace and cut the pieces from lauan plywood (1/8", very blonde or reddish in color, 4x8 sheets are inexpensive - found it at Home Depot). Since he had the internal brackets in place, I transferred all the screw locations to the new pieces and drilled them. Then came three coats of polyurethane clear (front and back), some sanding, and a few light coats of spray on bedliner for the front face (to match his bed).
All in all, it took me about 6 hours to do the project, not counting the waiting time for the poly and bedliner to dry. I spent about half that time dinking around with making the template, making sure the finished product would clear the tailgate and fit tight over the wheelwells.
The original pieces were long gone, so I made a template with cardboard from a refrigerator box. I used the template to trace and cut the pieces from lauan plywood (1/8", very blonde or reddish in color, 4x8 sheets are inexpensive - found it at Home Depot). Since he had the internal brackets in place, I transferred all the screw locations to the new pieces and drilled them. Then came three coats of polyurethane clear (front and back), some sanding, and a few light coats of spray on bedliner for the front face (to match his bed).
All in all, it took me about 6 hours to do the project, not counting the waiting time for the poly and bedliner to dry. I spent about half that time dinking around with making the template, making sure the finished product would clear the tailgate and fit tight over the wheelwells.
