73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Diesel Engine Discussion => Engine/Drivetrain => Cummins Swaps => Topic started by: Pullin81 on February 22, 2010, 07:22:30 pm
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Well along with my 86 short box i have now started on a new project it a 81 gmc 3+3 dually 2wd with a 79 front clip....This truck is going to be my hauling truck.... i want to be able to drive this anywhere and be able to use it as a truck....
Drive train.... well it used to be a 350 engine with turbo 400....ive tossed it all...Im replacing it with a 96 12Valve cummins and a NV4500 the engine will stay stock for now untill i finish the whole truck....
Suspension... i gutted all the spring suspension and put it on air 2600pound front bags and 3 inch spindles...Rear is a paralelle four link rear with a c notch and 3800 pound bags....I would like to make an engine mount compressor but i will use the electric one for now....
Exterior...i plan on keeing the looks fairl simple nothing crazy....cowl hood ive built a custom grill that i will reveal later....RBP style... LED bulbs all around....Im going to run two exhaust systems on it with cut outs im going to run a 4" under truck exhaust and also 6" dual flange cut stacks when im crusin.....just want to keep the soot off my trailer when towing haha....
I plan on either painting it it two tone flat black/grey....or two tone dark grey/light grey base clear..... Im going to stick some 17" wheels from ultra on this.....Im looking for alternitive seats for it but i havnt decided benches are nice but they need to be recovered so i figure if i run into something else before i need to make a decision...i also thought about cutting the frame down to a short box but it looks super low nice and long haha....
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More pictures... i converted the vacuum brakes to hydraboost...i took the pedal assembly and steering column and trans tunnel out of my donor truck
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Well heres the hummin cummins/tranny.....and also the heavy modified front rad and core support to get the rad and intercooler in.... motor should be going in this weekend if all goes well..
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Stacks! Sweet. :D
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Welcome, the more I see this the more enticing it becomes. There are a couple more on here with these.
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cools, perfect candidate for the cummins. ill be watching the progress -good luck!
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man i would kill to be able to do this swap on my truck but dude your truck has to be one of the most ugly trucks ive ever seen! but its cool though
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this is a nice truck id love to build one like yours, be sure to post lots of pics and maybe bigger pics so we all can see what your doing a lil better 8)
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man i would kill to be able to do this swap on my truck but dude your truck has to be one of the most ugly trucks ive ever seen! but its cool though
HAHA its only ugly cause its not done...... but thanks man lol
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well i drew this up quick when i got the truck only thing is the scanner doesnt pick up the pencil well but ya get the idea other than the stacks.
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What innercooler/radiator/condensor are you using for the swap?
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What innercooler/radiator/condensor are you using for the swap?
I just used the stock dodge rad and innercooler out of the 96 donor truck
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well i got the engine and tranny in just have to clean uo and make all the mount brackets pretty and finish up the tranny crossmember....hopefuly these pictures are a bit bigger... i took them on my phone because my digital camera wont make the file size small enough....
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Looks good tucked in there, Almost Factory :)
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funny you say that because the rad bolted into existing holes in the rad support... all the hoses reach.... apparently my chevy Power Steering will hook right up to the dodge so i can run my brakes and steering.... only thing i had to cut was the front of the rad support to poke the Innercooler threw and i took out the support that under the fan/ harmonic and built one out of square tubing so it wouldnt be near the harmonic.... ill have to make my brake lines a little longer but thats fine i planned on changint them anyways..
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Thats great, will you be able to use the fan shroud?
I havnt started my cummins project yet I am still gathering parts but I am buying an alternator and AC relocation bracket kit so I can use Chevy Alt/AC Pump.
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Sweet!
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Thats great, will you be able to use the fan shroud?
I havnt started my cummins project yet I am still gathering parts but I am buying an alternator and AC relocation bracket kit so I can use Chevy Alt/AC Pump.
I think if i trim off the bottom lip of the rad support i will be able to use the fan shroud..... im going to change mine to a chevy alternator aswell..... i dont have ac in my truck but im thinking about trying to run a vintage a/c unit in the truck but not 100 percent sure yet. i would still like to rig up an engine driven Air Compressor
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Fimiler sight! Isnt it funny how well the motor fits in these trucks and how some things are even plug and play...like the steering and brakes as u said. My friend did the swap in bread box ford at the same time i did mine..... Dosent fit aswell to say the least. Good choice with using the dodge radiator. Keep up the good work
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my buddy is his 95 chevy cummins converson,but this is WAY cooler ;Dnice truck
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thanks man yeah i got some odds n ends to do. I might start eyeing up the wiring, and shape the mounts to look more appealing looking, and finish up the tranny mount.... i was talking to a guy in town and he said if i got the stand along intake heater and fuel heater computer from a 6.5 it would work so i might go that route. See what happens.
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well yesterday i got back to work on the dually...i fitted the new box on the truck, had to to a little trimming on the underside bute works now..Since i seen a post on the projects side with 2009 mirrors on his truck i though hmm those look bad so i set off to do the same. I picked up a mirror from a freind off his 07 which got side swiped and cracked the housing away on his mirror, perfect candidate for a little cutting this way if i screwd up oh well....just have to close in the center of the two mirror arms.
Heres a pic slammed with the whole body intact....woohoo
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Should post how you make yer mirrors fit. Do a write up on it.
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the way i did it is really simple i cut the bar off the old dumbo mirror notches it to fit the bar inside the new mirror... drilled a hole threw the plastic in the 07 when you test fit it you will see you dont want the shaft straight with the mirror frame or it will sit crooked then i just welded it together leaving enough room to get the cover on the door up just enough to tighten the bolts....then im just going to machine a small peice to go in the middle of the mirror to cover the shaft.... quite sumple and if you want the lights and heat and what not just run the wires threw the shaft...im just going to get plain mirrors unless i find some on ebay for cheap.
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Well ive been slowing picking away at the truck ive been working on building a hitch for behind the roll pan and figuring out what im going to do with the fuel tank...i was thinking a blazer tank but ive never seen how anyone actually finishes that install...that or i will have a tank fabbed...So when ive been bored and not really feeling ambitious i have been looking at thousands of paint chips at a buddies shop...and i found what im going with both are GM colours....One pic i just did a quick spray on the front fender and pollished a spot on it the other i just did a quick spray on a peice of steel i had kickin around... dark grey on top light on the bottom with a black stripe to set the two colours appart...
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so ive been brain farting about making the truck lower when its slammed....i was going to just weld 8 inch pipe into my lower control arms...has anyone done this or would anyone recomend it ? especially with a motor that weighs more than a BBC.....and for the rear i was just going to put a full frame notch in it and raise the box floor..
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as in drop the spring pocket?
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as in drop the spring pocket?
yes someone told me to take an 8 inch pipe and weld it in
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I haven't done it, but it will work. That is basically what lowered control arms do.
Keep in mind the ground when doing this.
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Also keep in mind the size of you're air bags which Im sure you are using some 8 inch bags though with a heavy engine like that.
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yeah i cant remeber what diamiter they are but there 2600lb a side ....they lift the truck with 70psi at ride hight....and about 82psi right up...
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well i was messing around with the truck found some seats for it nothing to bulky and the rear seats give a little more leg room....fronts are out of a 95 gmc and the rears are out of a 2003 ext cab.....also found cadi tail lights at the wreckers today for 15bucks a peice....sold....so im gonna get them in there to....
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Nice! are they mocked up in the pic? Got better pics?
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the rear is mounted... and the front i just have a few little things to do.... im going to try and get them finished up tomorrow... the ext cab seats in the rear are quite nice there free up some extra foot room and the newer seats are quite a bit more comfortable then the old 90s trucks
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Do the rears fold up?
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no they dont...all i did was pull the upholstry and foam off and took the rear brackets off the old reats then welded up some front brackets to use the original holes in the floor..seats just fold forward
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well like a few people in a thread about gauge pods for the 73-87 truck...i looked and looked for something and i emailed autometer asking if they had a plan to release something...sadly i got a reply of there isnt enough demand.... anyone else seen the list of what there is "demand" for lol....anyways i since decided to build my own....i purchased a pyro and boost gauge and a guage pod from a friend of mine in town it was out of a 06 D max....time to make it fit.... heres the frist shot of glass over the pods which i trimed to make work....this is my first go a glassing something so hopefuly if it turns out if not ill try again..
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Nice progress. Have you started working on the front grille yet?
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I am working on getting the pillars mass produced.
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=16193.0
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its alive i had to hear it run so i pulled the shut down solenoid and jumed the starter to listen to the cummins purrrrrrrr
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Sweet , cant wait to see it run :)
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well ive been doing some odds n ends on the dually lately... ordered a clutch master cylinder/slave cylinder from south bend clutch... made a plate for the fire wall and welded a bracket on the clutch pedal to make it work...
Also pictured is the cadi light bucket i may get around to next month... currently im repainting a 91 chevy with a 6.2 for another guy.... so i dont get much time for the dually
Also pictured is the throttle bracket n cable i whipped up..... the cable is a 36" cut to length from lokar worked great....
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well...its stacked ...got the t pie kit from silverline and the pipes were given to me so i tossed em on.....
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That looks pretty sweet. People will definitely have to give a second look.
Im just curious, is there a reason the pipes were split in the bed, instead of under the bed? I figure drive line would be the only issue really.
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One hole and the you don't have to worry about frame rails I guess
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well i actually cut the first cross memeber under the box for it to go threw im just going to have another bent and stick it behind it... shouldnt really be a big deal anyways....if youy want the pipes threw two spots and go under the frame and well ive got just under three iches from the frame to the ground and the pipes are 5". im going to cover my t pipe up and mount my compressor and air tank and then cap that all off aswell with diamond plate
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Looks Bad Ass!!!!I Also Have a Chevy Dually With A Cummins...Check It Out...(http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/144/l_31e91bb744f34634bbef6448f967a031.jpg)
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right on.... do you have any build pictures or other pictures of the truck
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Here's a few pictures of my Cummins powered Suburban. It pulls like crazy and best of all, I'm getting 26 mpg on the highway.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/rhedahl/P1070644.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/rhedahl/P1070640.jpg)
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Man, this is really cool. I've been thinking alot about doing this with my '87 R30. Did you have to modify the cross member under the engine? I saw you'd said that you'd modified the support under the blancer but I'm not picturing which support you modified. Thanks! Keep up the good work and good luck!
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well i just thought i would let evryone know that was keeping and eye on this thread that it is no longer. I sold the truck as a roller yesterday...looking for a 4x4 now
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well i bought another crew cab..you may remember the bagged crew cab dually i was building with the cummins...well i sold the truck and decided to go up instead of down....its an 1985 GMC K3500 welfare model...there isnt even an interior light in it...It has a running 350/4sp manual which is perfect for my cummins swap... the only problem that in a little sketchy on is the front drip rails here missing for how long i dont know.
Alot of the steel on the truck needs to be replaced but thats fine im not shooting for nut and bolt resto on this on its just onna look cool and be functional.
my plans are to go threw all the steel...cab corners, rockers, new doors, short box conversion, install a 8 inch lift and 37" tires, fab bumpers which i have a local guy in town doing for me that used to build alot of them...stick the 12V in the truck with the 5 speed, and run a devorce transfer case ...
heres some pics from my phone the truck looks alot better in the pictures than it does in real life....its gonna be some work but it will be worth it in the end....i plan on doing every bit of work to this truck on my own with the exception of the bumpers cause it was a little trade deal we had.
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Looks like a real good platform to start with.
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If your going to do a 5 speed, just get one out of a 4x4 and you won't have to do the divorced transfer case.
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If your going to do a 5 speed, just get one out of a 4x4 and you won't have to do the divorced transfer case.
i would go with a 4x4 unit...but i had the 2wd unit for my dually i was building that i sold that has never been used....
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If your going to do a 5 speed, just get one out of a 4x4 and you won't have to do the divorced transfer case.
i would go with a 4x4 unit...but i had the 2wd unit for my dually i was building that i sold that has never been used....
Allrighty, there is a guy in Illinois that rebuilds NP205 Divorced Transfer cases if you are looking for one. Google Moonshine Mafia Motorsports you'll find him.
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well ive been slacking so quick update....i aquired another crew cab due to rust on the other cab that i didnt want to deal with.... might have been fine but i dont need it to rust out in a few years after its all done...i want to drive this unit full time....so i got a 2wd crew cab from a guy ive done some work for in town told me i can have the truck if i pull the engine....so the last 2 days myself and a few buddies tore out drivelines and front ends, and cabs i put the 80 cab on my 4x4 frame whish i kind of like the 73-80 front end they look more " heavy duty". Also ordered a crossmember from avalanch engineering, and searching for a 8 inch lift that om hoping to have for next weekend....
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Uh-Oh I see an open seal ;)
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Can't wait to see the finished product! I'm rather fond of those ole dinosaur motors 8)
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If your going to do a 5 speed, just get one out of a 4x4 and you won't have to do the divorced transfer case.
i would go with a 4x4 unit...but i had the 2wd unit for my dually i was building that i sold that has never been used....
Allrighty, there is a guy in Illinois that rebuilds NP205 Divorced Transfer cases if you are looking for one. Google Moonshine Mafia Motorsports you'll find him.
That guy has a few divorced NP205s on ebay almost all of the time. I had a divorced 205 from a Dodge many moons ago, and sold it for next to nothing. Didn't need it but have wished I would have kept it.
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a 271 from an 03 + Dodge will bolt up behind the NV4500. It's the strongest one you can run for a street truck. But they are BIG. I do not know the measurement between the frame rails of these trucks, so not sure if it would fit or not.
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well i got a little bit done today swapped hydoboosts off cabs and but in the crossmember from avalanch engineering...lift kit is supposed to be here by wednesday....so hopefuly next weekend tackle that
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Looks good, i will going through the same thing over the next few weeks!
Chris
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well i got the lift in 8" bds system all leaf system.....plus the motor and trans mounted...
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well i picked up some rolling stock today some new eagle wheels with used procomp tires...37x13.5x17 i think they look pretty good but might go up to a 38 come time for tire replacement...
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Looks good man! Hopefully mine should be done next week!
Chris
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i ordered some cab mounts from energy suspension yesterday hopeing they will work being the cab is an 80 and the frame is an 85 may just require some shimming to sit right but it has the 85 mounts under it now only difference ive found so far is the center mount has a stud coming out of the cab instead of bolting it up into the cab
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i ordered some cab mounts from energy suspension yesterday hopeing they will work being the cab is an 80 and the frame is an 85 may just require some shimming to sit right but it has the 85 mounts under it now only difference ive found so far is the center mount has a stud coming out of the cab instead of bolting it up into the cab
The way I understand it is that you have to have the mounts that match the frame. It sounds like you have the correct ones.
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well i started building smash bumpers for the truck today hopefully by the end of the night ill have some progress pictures...waiting for my hitch to be finished before i tackle the rear..
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well heres a couple progress pictures of my attempt at bumpers, wanted to get more done tonight but my plasma decided to quit on me so the bumpers will be on hold for a few days
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That looks very intimidating!
Chris
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got the plasma working again got one corner done....
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side shot
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well the hardest part of any project i think is what colour. ive been trying to pick colours since i was on the dually build and i think i may have found them... top is a ford purpple pretty much the same as a royal purple bottle, the middle is a gm silver, and the bottem is a saphire black which turns a shade of dark purple in the sun...shot this fender last night just on the shop floor to see what they looked like together...
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where did you order your body mounts from? i'm trying to find some for just my cab and front clip (have a flatbed and don't need bed mounts)
truck is looking really nice.
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my mounts are from energy suspension.
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front bumper 99% done and rear bumper as far as i got today just have to finish the botton but run out of gas for the welder,and the new hood...harwood fiberglas hood
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Wicked looking bumpers. I like the look but remind me to stay about 1/2 mile away from you on the interstate, they look super dangerous.
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what thickness are your bumpers made of?? Job well done on them!
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I like the integrated step in the rear bumper.. good idea.
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what thickness are your bumpers made of?? Job well done on them!
the bumpers are made of 10 gauge steel the suports off of the frame are 1X3 flat bar...thanks for checkin out the ride....transfer case came today going to pick ip up tomorrow and start mounting it....
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Those are some wicked bumpers. Well done.
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nice build, i love the bumpers, wheels and the paint you picked cant wait to see more,
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That purple looks good.
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well ive been working away on the truck the last few days.....i picked up some 2005 chev crew cab seats that ive been orking on mounting i have half the rear seat mounted so far the fronts are going to be a little harder going to have to notch down the floors to get the seats to sit lower... once its all said and down ive priced out some katzkin seat covers. Just trying to get odds and ends finised up few small pieces on the bumpers. need to get the transfercase mounted that i purchased from moonshine maufia motorsports thanks to a lead on this site...
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Just an update ive been working on a few things. i tend to jump around around a little bit...so ive started mounting my seats what i did with the rear was ended up takeing appart the rear seats out of the 05 chevy and cut the brackets off that frame and installed the brackets on the original 80 truck seat frame...the rear seats still even tilt forward...the front seats well they sat to high in the truck i i went ahead and cut the floor hump under the seat out and had a friend of mine who works are a steel building shop cut out a pan at his shop whick we covered the hole in the floor with then added a hat channel to connect the cab supports back together..ive also been playing around with the transfercase i got started mounting it and realized i needed to modify the tranny cross memeber i had already built ...
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well i got the stock grill fitting over the intercooler which is nice i wanted to run a stock grill.....the last truck i made one....and the rear bumper is finally don except grinding and holes drilled for clevises
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That front bumper you made looks very nice and fits the truck much better than those custom made bumpers.
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Not too shabby sir! I like it.
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What are the holes for, lights?
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Yes the front it for driving lights and I'm going to put flood lights in the back
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What are the big tabs the stick out on the front and rears? And is that a divorce mount t-case?
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What are the holes for, lights?
I thought those were going to be for jousting poles!
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Those bumpers look mean. Especially like the rear one.
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What are the big tabs the stick out on the front and rears? And is that a divorce mount t-case?
the tabs in the front and rear will be drilled for a clevis....and yes its a divorced mount 205
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well its been a while since an up date been really busy. I got the rear bumper finished up, got my 05 gmc seats mounted, had to cut down the floor two inches, build a new pan and build a new floor support, also got my crossover steering kit in from northwest fab...real nice kit, swapped the 4wd steering box out to a 2wd new pitman arm. i really like the stering kit because it delets the springs over the king pins...
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sorry about the repeat photos screwed up
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well ive been picking away ar rust repair when i have time....ive also picked up side work doing bumpers for local guys... just wanted to show the most recent one its for a 04 superduty... all cash for the bumpers goes in the crew cab when i have time... got a few new peices today...steering box brace kit, new bushings for the clutch n break pedal... got new head lights n markers, new box side... slowly working on getting all the new panels...heres the ford bumper i built
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this is a sweet project man. i am newer to the site and just finished reading your thread. love the crewcab. now, i personally woulda liked to see that bagged dually, thats what im slowly hunting for, but i gotta say your new project is sweet.
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Love that project.....and I am about in the same spot you are only with a standard cab Chevy. I have a 2wd Nv4500 with the divorced 205. Currently having trouble lining up the front core support....Frame is a 78 and cab and body is a 85. Currently I have a 1.5' body lift on the cab, but for some reason the core support is requiring a 3" body lift puck to even come close to lining up. And to make it worse, my cab is leaning toward the drivers side, and the core support is leaning to the passenger side......chasing my tail on what is causing it. Need to break out the tape measue and chase what the heck is going on!
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well ive been slowly doing some rust repair..cut out the rockers and inner rockers gettin a few hours in on them here n there... got a friend of mine to bend up some rear inners...
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been working on the body a little bit...got the inners n outter rockers in and cab corners on the driver side so far...the emblem holes on the cab all welded shut and smoothed...box is torn off n waiting for my attention...slowly but its coming...