Well i suppose with the newly acquire purchase of a bender (one off evil bay, one of the ones meant for a bottle jack, it was cheap and i can mod it to work in our 60ton electric/hydraulic shop press if i so desire), as well as some summit poly race seats and some rjs 5point harnesses (3" belts, latch instead of cam lock, and they are sfi cert.) from summit as well.

So the truck is for mud bogging and will be built accordinly, and for now i'm just doing the cage/body work, as well as the motor. My goal is to build the cage then keep the outer skins of the body (which i'm halfway there already :)), while keeping this truck as light as physically possible, as it only tips the scales at ~4500lbs, i would like to try to get it down to 4000-4300lbs range if possible, but it will not be easily

the truck as it sits:

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/562946/original/resized.jpg

Here's essentially what i'm aiming for with the cage (this is to scale too):

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/484925/fullsize/roll-cage2.jpg

the rear X will change according to the 5 pt. harness mounting height as the horizontal bar will be the intersection point for the X and is what i want the harness to mount to, and the bottom of the X will go to the frame vs. the corner of the cage, which will be tied into the frame at the same location as the bottom of that x. The same will hold true for the front triangle as it will mount straight to the frame and the front corners will be tied to the frame in the same location as well (frame will be beefed to support the extra forces that it may see). I'm also debating on running a brace from the intersection of the rear x to the frame in the center of the cab, and likewise from the intersection point on the front back to the center of the cab.

Now my biggest issue right now that i need to get figured out before i start hackin is this. I want to make the cab so it can be removed in its entirety, seperate of the floor, which itself will be made to be removable for the ease of working on the truck in a hurry, now i'm thinking of having acttachment points along the a and b pillars as well as across the top of the windshield, but i need some other ideas, anyone got any ideas? keep in mind that everything is going to be single skinned, that is the outer layer of sheet metal only, i'm debating on getting rid of all the glass, but being for mud i'm questionable about doing this, thoughts?

the bed will be dovetailed, with only the outer skins, but i'm going to be having to fab some inner wheel wells for the rear fenders to hide the fact i shed bout 300lbs of metal from the bed, um the rad will be moved to the bed, mounted to the downtubes oof the cage and i'll be using two tauras electric fans with electics consisting of 2 toggles and 2 solenoids.

heres a few more pictures of what i'm working with, building can't start till i get the bender and tube, but i may do some teardown before that:

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/504225/fullsize/dscf0849.jpg

the new motor (mock up pics to measure clearences), 400 ford, 4v quench heads, fully balanced, couldn't tell you the cam cause i may switch to full roller here, bout 11:1 compression, and shootin for 450hp, its backed by a np435 and np 205, 1410 yokes on the tc as well, hp60 and sterling 10.25 rear, both with 4.10's and lockrights, its currently leafsprung and will stay like this for at least another year (as funds allow essentially).

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/567195/fullsize/dscf1096.jpg
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/567198/fullsize/dscf1107.jpg
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/567185/fullsize/dscf1102.jpg

Whats left of my front fenders and my homemade cowl hood, booty fab, yep :).

for some reason this line comes to mind when looking at those pics

"hillbilly deluxe, slick pickem up trucks..."

cool to see someone still rockin the 400

Damn, those tires don't make contact with those fenderwheel exit headers!? Looks damn close in the pics.

I've always wanted to run fenderwheel exit headers but have always had clearance problems....

I always wanted fender exits, but they never made them for my truck. They have to make em for 78's :smokin:

headman makes them for 351M/400's on a 78, & I've seen a set modified to fit a 460. I had them on mine for a while & loved them, but when I put in a front suspension that actually moved my 38.5's got into them pretty hard.

hillbilly deluxe, slick pickem up trucks..."


Damn fawkin straight :flipoff2:

And no the tires don't hit the headers, trust me i made sure, i even hacked out extra for that :), what you're seing in the pictures is simply road rash from akalai (sp?) mud, that and the truck was just washed before those pictures were taken, but nonethe less i built those things dirt cheap, just the cost of 2 sticks of exhaust tubing and a new chop saw blade and i was done.

Any thoughs on the cage?

oh yeah forgot to say that the front axle is pushed 12" forward past factory

Cage looks fine, maybe some roof angulation if you feel necessary?

I always wanted fender exits, but they never made them for my truck. They have to make em for 78's :smokin:


Hedman makes fender exits for '78-79 429/460 trucks, I'm pretty sure it's Hedman anyways. I'll take a look at work if I remember.

Yeah they're almost $600 from summit

Build yer' own, make em' nice and big so that small block sounds "angry", mine does :flipoff2:

personally, I like the paper plates duct taped to the fenders. Looks like it will be cool though.

yeah the numbering systems don't typically stay legible for long once the raceing begins :)

Hey stang.... (( I dont normaly give two poos about mud rigs...)) But, that thing looks pissed. I like the fender exits too...:smokin:

Build yer' own, make em' nice and big so that small block sounds "angry", mine does :flipoff2:

Mine sounds angry already, Dual 2.5" o.d. straight pipes will do that to a 460 :laughing:

pffffffffffffffffft 2.5" thats all :flipoff2:, mine are dual 4"


















but then again they didn't have and 3, or 3.5" pipe that wasn't in 10ft lengths (only needed bout 5', and i was being a cheap ass :flipoff2:, on a side note, i should have my bender in a few days, will be snapping a few pictures of where the interior sits as of now, and possibily some ideas with what to do with the floor and a guage pod.

Got the bender and seats and belts from summit, haven't seen them yet as they are back at the farm yet (3hrs away from calgary, where the truck is).

Motor should be done within a week, gettin excited for that, probably 2wks till i can get to yankin the old one and start getting the new one put together (finish playing with the oil pan--came from a motor that blew up so i had to fix some dent weld a few holes up, pressure test/check for leaks, make a dipstick--its an 8qt canton baffled pan with i guess what you would call a windage tray or sorts as well, also have to port out the exhaust ports on the headers to match the bigger ports of the 4v heads, and i have to redo some epoxy on the intake, as it was an intake meant for yates high port heads ported to fit 4v heads on a prostock cleveland). will also be mounting the rad. in the bed at the same time, i have some good high temp 300psi rubber hose i'll use for the plumbing, and it will be my first go with the bender when i make the mounts for the rad.

from there i'm using a scrapped flareside 1/2 ton (bought it for the bed for my other dd) to build the cage so i keep the down time on bits n' pieces to a minimum, as i may not have it ready in time, espically with the amount i'm working right now, and now for some as promised pictures of the cab in its current state (ignore the wiring i had it apart form some reason or another last time i was down and didn't get it put back together):

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/611157/fullsize/img_0341.jpg

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/611158/fullsize/img_0344.jpg

I'm running that same tach, I really love it. Shift light really helps since I can't hear it when the valves start to float :D

yep i love it to, that and i grabbed it for 50bucks, diddo on the not hearing that valves float, or having enough time to look at the tach in the drag pits.

diddo on the not hearing that valves float, or having enough time to look at the tach in the drag pits.

Exactly. The truth is you don't have much time to pay attention to any gauges during a race; but you'll notice that shift light flash. I don't actually have mine set where I shift...I let motor noise dictate that, but I have it set near where I redline. It works out well.

Yeah diddo for me too, i have the light set at redline and the needle at the the shift point, but engine noise more of less dictates shift points, in terms of the guages i have some cheapies in there right now, but i'm planning on putting in some murphy switchage guages for the temp and oil pres. so i can set the min. pressure and max temp and if either is exceeded the gauges kill the motor.

50bucks, diddo on the not hearing

Yeah diddo for me too.

I can't take it any more, its DITTO :flipoff2:

i'm lazy . . .so fawk off :flipoff2:












I can't take it any more, its DITTO


Diddo . . . . .:flipoff2:

Dildo . . . . .

It all makes sense now :flipoff2:

You ready for drag season ?

I'm tracking down an electrical gremlin :mad3:

Dildo . . . . .

It all makes sense now

You ready for drag season ?


nope . . . . .but i wonder . . . . .

I'm tracking down an electrical gremlin

so lemme guess the pluggin for your hair dryer is on the fritz, or is the on/off switch for the air pump for your fake boobies not workin again? :flipoff2:

Its something in the msd system.....again. Don't know if its the main box or the timing control or what yet :mad3:

yeah i run hei stuff, i know the msd stuff is a better way to go performance wise, but i wanted as little electronic as posible, and as of right now i only have 2 switches, 1 push button for the starter, the two soleniods seen in the pictures (actually thats all the electrics in the truck minus the battery which is in the bed) and some wirings running to the fans and a one wire alt, which makes electrical issues extremely easy to track down,

You check the connections/connectors for corrosion? I've had that issue a couple of times with the duraspark system and the connection point, as it don't take much.

but yeah i won't be ready till the new motor and rear mount rad are done.

Ok I read MOST of that...forgive me if I missed anything....

you want light but keep the body....


4 point cage with cross spreader behind driver and a spreader across where the dash was...

cut the bedsides free from the bottom..make a 3/8 or 1/2in steel plumbing pipe cage that will hold the tops and just some kick outs to keep the bottoms from flappin...no inner fenders or bed bottom...

take the front end completely off..build a frame to hold the radiator and 2 tubes that run back to the firewall...use the the outer fenders and use tabs to bolt them onto the tubing...also gives you someplace to mount anything like the coilbox/charging regulator...(if you havent already moved them into the cab to keepem dry...)

http://media.truckblog.com/videostills/corr_sept06.jpg

Yeah you got it, cept it will be more than four points in the passenger compartment, the points just aren't drawn, rad will be in the bed and you're bang on on the fenders, and all electrics are in the cab, (as seen in the pictures) i'll probablly dovetail the front and rear while i'm in there so the mud gets thrown up and not into the frame and fenders where it collects and adds a crap load of weight that i can't get rid off between runs.

and that corr truck there is kinda what i'm building after :), but with prolly a 95% difference in cost lol.

HTF do you guys race with old shitbox 4spds? I wanted to put an np435 in my 78 but I can't see how I could possibly shift as fast as the c-6.

I built a short shifter for it (search short shifting a granny or something like that), and lots of practice in the gas pig grain 10sp grain trucks we have on the farm. The problem i have with autos is that in the bogs once you shift your fawked unless you have the power to keep crap spinning, and the autos only multipy the problem because of the parasitic losses c6's are known for. Personally you need bout 400hp with anything between 35" and 40" tall tires in the deep stuff to make them work.

Also i wouldn't run anything but a fully built c6 with full manual reverse valve body, good clutched, bigger stall, etc, and this adds up and takes away from the motor build. Whereass with the manual i just needed a good cermanic clutch (got a smokin deal on a centerforce-i know people think they're crap but couldn't turn down the price) and the short shifter and i was golden, other than when i miss a shift :flipoff2:, but i've found that with the shifter i'm still on the clutch for a few seconds after i shift and i'm already getting back in the gas, its been tricky getting it timed, as its a complete 180 from the typical granny shifter.

i can power shift my np435 pretty good.

I built a short shifter for it (search short shifting a granny or something like that), and lots of practice in the gas pig grain 10sp grain trucks we have on the farm. The problem i have with autos is that in the bogs once you shift your fawked unless you have the power to keep crap spinning, and the autos only multipy the problem because of the parasitic losses c6's are known for. Personally you need bout 400hp with anything between 35" and 40" tall tires in the deep stuff to make them work.

Also i wouldn't run anything but a fully built c6 with full manual reverse valve body, good clutched, bigger stall, etc, and this adds up and takes away from the motor build. Whereass with the manual i just needed a good cermanic clutch (got a smokin deal on a centerforce-i know people think they're crap but couldn't turn down the price) and the short shifter and i was golden, other than when i miss a shift :flipoff2:, but i've found that with the shifter i'm still on the clutch for a few seconds after i shift and i'm already getting back in the gas, its been tricky getting it timed, as its a complete 180 from the typical granny shifter.

My c-6 is a MVB but not reverse patten. I guess It depends on when the c-6 blows up if I put in the Np435 or not. I can shift our tractors and the neighbors trucks without issue, but you still lose a shit ton of momentum. I guess that could be balanced by the HP you save running a stick though.

Saw the short shifter, definantly going to try to make one for my 150 come spring.

i can power shift my np435 pretty good.

Yeah, everyone can on the internet :shaking:

My c-6 is a MVB but not reverse patten. I guess It depends on when the c-6 blows up if I put in the Np435 or not. I can shift our tractors and the neighbors trucks without issue, but you still lose a shit ton of momentum. I guess that could be balanced by the HP you save running a stick though.

Saw the short shifter, definantly going to try to make one for my 150 come spring.



Yeah, everyone can on the internet :shaking: Bring it nub:flipoff2:

HTF do you guys race with old shitbox 4spds? I wanted to put an np435 in my 78 but I can't see how I could possibly shift as fast as the c-6.

Skill and experience grasshopper. Hey, I pulled out my C-6 to put in an "old shitbox 4spd and I like it better. You'll understand when your less wet behind the ears. :flipoff2:

The truth is an auto IS the only way to go in a dedicated dragger. If its not just for mud dragging, then its not that important. To be fair, I've never taken first but I've never placed lower than third, either.

In a 150-200' mud drag, I can start out in 3rd low and I only need to shift once, into 4th. The 3-4 shift on an np-435 is short, straight down and smooth, so it works well.

Starting out in 2nd high, and then shifting into third, that doesn't work so well....the 2nd to 3rd shift can be awkward and shitty.

Auto's have their place, but they sure aren't as bulletproof as the old 4 speeds....without spending about 2k on them that is.

Exactly I can do the downward cram pretty well. Going up isnt so well, but hey it works :D

Skill and experience grasshopper. Hey, I pulled out my C-6 to put in an "old shitbox 4spd and I like it better. You'll understand when your less wet behind the ears. :flipoff2:

The truth is an auto IS the only way to go in a dedicated dragger. If its not just for mud dragging, then its not that important. To be fair, I've never taken first but I've never placed lower than third, either.

In a 150-200' mud drag, I can start out in 3rd low and I only need to shift once, into 4th. The 3-4 shift on an np-435 is short, straight down and smooth, so it works well.

Starting out in 2nd high, and then shifting into third, that doesn't work so well....the 2nd to 3rd shift can be awkward and shitty.

Auto's have their place, but they sure aren't as bulletproof as the old 4 speeds....without spending about 2k on them that is.

Yeah I was thinking more of the 2nd to 3rd shift more so than the 3rd to 4th. Did you go hydro or manual clutch? I have an np435 with only 36K on it. This might be worth looking into. I love the c-6 and how it shifts, but I don't trust it for shit.

EDIT: sourcing parts would be FUN.

In a 150-200' mud drag, I can start out in 3rd low and I only need to shift once, into 4th. The 3-4 shift on an np-435 is short, straight down and smooth, so it works well.

Starting out in 2nd high, and then shifting into third, that doesn't work so well....the 2nd to 3rd shift can be awkward and shitty.


yep i'm running 2nd low right now with the stock motor and the 2nd to 3rd shift with the shorter throw is quicker, but its fairly awkward and jams easily when trying to powershift, another thing to remember is that when you're running stick in the pitts you're going to be shifting within the first 50ft, as i'm already shifting into third (if its a speed pit) before the entire truck is in pit, as i bog to much in 3rd from a dead start, and for most people that is the main issue (depending on power level and tire size anyway).

Need More Horsepower

the almighty answer to every question ever asked . . . . . .

I love the c-6 and how it shifts, but I don't trust it for shit.

EDIT: sourcing parts would be FUN.

If it ain't broke don't fix it. The C-6 is stout, and although I could never keep mine from boiling under severe load (despite a deep finned alum pan and large external cooler with dedicated fan).......a large part of that problem was my 3k stall and all the hp/tq running through it. You don't have those issues so if you throw on a good external cooler you should be fine. Always use a temp gage, and an idiot light tied into it is a good idea as well.

Have temp guage sitting here that I need to install. I ain't going to fix it if it's not broke, but if it does break I'm only going to fix it once.

Speaking of temperatures and what not one thing i've noticed with my truck with the stock motor, is that if the temps are 240 or above for more than a minute or so i blow a seal on the water pump and pisses water out of one of the weep holes on the pump, now does anyone know of any aftermarket pumps or seals that will last a bit longer at the higher temps, i've heard of a few guys moding. a windsor pump to fit, but besides that anyone know of any good aftermarket (wouldn't mind an electric pump) water pumps that won't blow seals? (i've cooked 2 pumps, and now i'm pretty sure a third one as my dad was saying its been leaking today)

Quick little update:

Chatted with the machinest and found out that the valves were just barely clearing the pistons (so under high rpm with the stretch the valves would hit the pistons), so i was a little bummed that it'll be another week or two to get some reliefs cut in pistons which are custom for this motor, but that said after playing with some compression calculators i'm going to be sitting in the 11.5:1 range, which is better than i thought :).

Also got to play with my tube bender i bought, but when bending the first tube (a practice one) the fawking die broke, so there goes my plan of bending up the rad mount for the bed.

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/614575/fullsize/img_0393.jpg

After examining the fracture, it appears to be a crappy casting job, so i will be calling the guys i bought it from up tomorrow and give them shit and get them to replace my die.

So i continued on with just doing straight cuts and what not to make the mount:

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/614565/fullsize/img_0404.jpg
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/614563/fullsize/img_0406.jpg

Pretty basic, just a squre that wraps around the rad with two plates welded to the side tubes for the rad to bolt to, the bottom square tube will probably get welded to a crossmember then a couple diangonal supports to help out as well. I can also fit the 2 tauras fans that i have on the radiator, there will be a bit of overhang on the edges but i'll build a simple shroud to cover it up.

and the seats and harnesses:

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/614557/fullsize/img_0407.jpg
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/614554/fullsize/img_0412.jpg

Thats all i got right now, i'll probably get the rad finished up this sunday and start the teardown on the motor as well, and i have a few little touch ups to do on the intake and oil pan yet.

and my motor is done, just need to pickup a few parts and i'm good to go:

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/625728/fullsize/img_0485.jpg

starting at the block, the block has been decked and and a .030 overbore, everything was aligned honed and SPS bolts on the bottom end, the rotating assembly has been fully balanced, the pistons are a set of cleveland flattops, zerodeck, the rods were bushed and the pistons use a floating pin and not pressed, and reliefs wer cut into the pistons to clear the valves, going up into the heads we have a set of closed chamber 4v heads, they have a fulll port and polish on both the intake and exhaust, SS valve, dual valve sprign setup good for 140lbs of seat pressure, roller rockers, screw in studs and guide plates with custom length hardened pushrods, cam is onlly a comp cams 275 deh, and we guestimate (and some dyno sims.) about 450hp and about 500ftlbs around 6-6500rpm, should rev to nearly 7, but a rev limiter will keep it to no higher than 6500, intake is a rosch B351 ported for cleveland heads, price intake spacers and a holley 750dp with a few mods to free up some flow.

for some reason this line comes to mind when looking at those pics

"hillbilly deluxe, slick pickem up trucks..."

cool to see someone still rockin the 400

Nice build keep it up

Also got to play with my tube bender i bought, but when bending the first tube (a practice one) the fawking die broke, so there goes my plan of bending up the rad mount for the bed.

Holy shit, thats the first time I've seen that, that brings the epic suck! Who's die is that? You may have mentioned but I didn't see it. I'm using a JD2 model 4 and so far its :smokin:

Anyways, keep it up, I've always like your work partly because you beat the piss out of it :D

Yeah i grab'd the bender off evil bay, it was cheap enough to where if it just lasts one cage i'm fine with it, that and all the the hardware to convert a press to a bender is there if i wanted to so that said its for a company called td diseal performance or something like that, but i think i'm gonna get a pro tools die and convert a press to a bender, as its easier enough to do.

Anyways, keep it up, I've always like your work partly because you beat the piss out of it


You'd get a kick out of the time i was with my brother in law and his 05 f-150 with the typcial bolt on lift, we were hitting a jump at 75mph and getting about 3-4ft of air and about 60' distance between take off and landing, it was a perfect jumping area :), coincidently shorty after i had to upgrade to 1410 joints at the transfercase because the 1350's don't allow for much driveshaft doop :flippoff2:, and the inlaw had to go nail a curb pretty hard in order to straighten the steering out too :)

It lives :), got the motor dropped in and running, and dang she's a gooder :) have a a couple videos after initil break in, keep in mind that the truck is never more than half throttle in any of the clips (i get it up to 5000rpm in the one and i never even got into the secondaries on the carb):

at idle just after break in:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0pAq_VxtgQ

first test drive:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJownUenNtM

That sounds fuckin mean, wierd shifter you got goin on there

Pimp

A vid of my last 2 bogs, and i finaly got a set of 38" tsl bias ply tire:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TGFApoos7U

i did some body work over the long weekend:

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/668674/fullsize/img_0940.jpg

the supporting frame work and hinge for the one piece flip front:

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/668675/fullsize/img_0939.jpg


And i'm currently waiting on putting in my cage before i do anything with the inner fenders.

if thats your fab work on the front frame extensions, i would hate to see what your roll cage is going to look like:flipoff2:

yeah its not very pretty, but then again i was young and dumb when i did that, but it hasn't broken and i beat the ever livin piss out of it (and believe it or not but it drives straight and smooth when cookin through the fields at home :flipoff2:).

The cage will done proper and overkill, cause once it goes in, it will be getting beat all to piss, that and i want to do some tough truck events (once the suspension can handle constant air time) and i got some rules to adhere to.