Gossamer re-configuration started

[thordehr]

Full left shot as it was... (dog was looking for reflections, crazy little bitch


Seats in, with backbreaker shoulder harness attach points...


Seats on the way out:


Seats out, battery boxes out:


Battery selector out:


Frame out that held battery selector, shoulder harness attach points and also was the attach points to hold an electric cooler forward of the battery boxes.


Frame on it's own. Lots of metal to do a couple of simple things. At least I have some tubing and bends to cut up and use in other ways now.


Dash as it is now... The battery selector will sit between the guages and the powerwelder, sacrificing the upper socket location.


More to come, time to order parts.....

[jeepman1320]

Congrats on the purchase. I am pretty sure I met you at Bridgeport. Its last time out in Texas before it changed hands. I had the Sublime green Line-Xed Scrambler. Keep the updates coming. Can not wait to see what you are gonna do with it.
Clay

[thordehr]

Hey Clay, yea I remember you, nice rig.

I'm going for a three seater config.

Moving the battery boxes to the sides or the passenger firewall.

Going electrohydraulic in the rear to get rid of some plumbing and strain on the front steering.

Pinion brakes to get rid of the hydroboost, 4 corner calipers, and further simplify the hydro system.

Remove the front mounted trans cooler and put it all in the hands of the rear mounted cooler that will get relocated and replumbed.

Whole new engine harness.

Rewire from front to rear.

Longer out is a wheelbase (rear pushout) and center box frame stretch that will allow a cage change that will transfer loads differently.

[YellowRenegade]

Wow, that's a heck of a purchase! Did you say you wanted a longer wheel base. If so what you shooting for?
What motor do you have?

[jeepman1320]

Originally Posted by thordehr

Hey Clay, yea I remember you, nice rig.

I'm going for a three seater config.

Moving the battery boxes to the sides or the passenger firewall.

Going electrohydraulic in the rear to get rid of some plumbing and strain on the front steering.

Pinion brakes to get rid of the hydroboost, 4 corner calipers, and further simplify the hydro system.

Remove the front mounted trans cooler and put it all in the hands of the rear mounted cooler that will get relocated and replumbed.

Whole new engine harness.

Rewire from front to rear.

Longer out is a wheelbase (rear pushout) and center box frame stretch that will allow a cage change that will transfer loads differently.

Wow. Heck of a change order. Can not wait to see the pictures of progress.

[spidr]

Originally Posted by thordehr

Hey Clay, yea I remember you, nice rig.

I'm going for a three seater config.

Moving the battery boxes to the sides or the passenger firewall.

Going electrohydraulic in the rear to get rid of some plumbing and strain on the front steering.

Pinion brakes to get rid of the hydroboost, 4 corner calipers, and further simplify the hydro system.

Remove the front mounted trans cooler and put it all in the hands of the rear mounted cooler that will get relocated and replumbed.

Whole new engine harness.

Rewire from front to rear.

Longer out is a wheelbase (rear pushout) and center box frame stretch that will allow a cage change that will transfer loads differently.

I saw your about knuckles, looking forward to the rebuild.

The red ^^^ has me confused though. Pinion brakes means you wouldn't have 4 corner calipers. Also kind of eliminates the benefits of having 8 lug outers.

[SWALLDOG]

sweet man! wondered what happened to gossamer. keep us updated.

[jeepik]

love that rig

does it still have those one off avalanche axles???

[Rooney77]

Looks good. I swear I've seen that rig out near Lewisville right off 35.

[thordehr]

Wheel base, I'm still doing some research on what the ideal wheel base will be. Front seems ok, rear push will help the departure angle some. That's some time down the road though.

The motor is is an LS1 Fully polished if you can believe it! The accessories, brackets, heads and block have been polished. I've never seen anything like it and can only imagine what that cost!

I'm a total newb when it comes to 2.5tons, pinion brakes and the related theory. I'm under the impression that with the detroit lockers, pinion brakes give a lot more braking power than is available typically through 4 corner calipers. Not only that but the Vanco booster that is only a few years old is leaking. I haven't called him yet but maybe he could do something for me. If you would, educate me. What are the benefits of having corner calipers over pinion brakes, and what you were saying about eliminating the benefits of 8 lug outers?

I'll keep things updated here, but this is going to be a slow build where I'll probably be asking a lot of questions. I don't want to be taking a stab at things, rather go with the best ideas I can come up with or find. I've been lurking here for a few years and the knowledge I've picked up here has been great, some of the stuff you guys do here is incredible.

Yep it still has the avalanche axles, and they've been modified since the last magazine photoshoots. The center section has been trimmed for more clearance and it looks like a really good job.

You DID see it off of 35. That's where I first saw it. I was out in Dallas for work and saw it while driving to a buddies house. Later on that day we ended up stopping to take a look when his little boy said stop! stop! lookitthebigtires! lookitthebigtires! We got out and I started crawling all over it. I looked up at my buddy and said "fuck, I'm going to own a new truck aren't it?" I was glad to get it, it's been hacked on electrically, hydraulically and it was only going to get worse. Now I can bring it back up to where it should be.

[raven mad]

Nice, I look forward to watching this rebuild ..... I had a chance to buy it 2 years ago, but the other half of my brain that controlls my bank account sead I didnt have enoph mooooollllaaaaaaa ........... Its cool that someone bought it that will enjoy it and wheel the crap out of it (send pics) hahaha

[thordehr]

Well.....when I saw it, I had already divorced the other half that controlled my bank account and always said I didn't have enough moola....

[thordehr]

Spent all day cleaning the engine compartment... Amazing how much gunk was in there. Two cans of gunk engine brite later and It's not clean enough to eat off but clean enough to work on without getting slimed every time you touch something.
Now I have to learn the LS1. There's a number of hoses and pipes other than the fuel rail that I have no idea what they're for. I think there's even one that is going from the passenger side valve cover to the throttle body?
There's one small one that comes from one of the radiator tanks and goes to a thin pipe manifold under the throttle body. I'll figure this stuff out later on. Anyway, on to the pictures:


Passengers side engine: (exhaust goes forward and crosses under the radiator before going 2-1 and going back along the drivers side.


Drivers side engine:

[jeepman1320]

Originally Posted by thordehr

Wheel base, I'm still doing some research on what the ideal wheel base will be. Front seems ok, rear push will help the departure angle some. That's some time down the road though.

What is the wheel base now? The wheel base you saw that Saturday was 116", and I loved it. Climbed like a damn billy goat. I just got done with swapping the tons in mine. After the swap I am sitting at 121". When we talked and I said it is time for tons already I was not kidding. I picked up a 70HD for the rear and a 60 front about a week later and started the build up... again. I figure after two more runs I will tear it down for a double and 383 stroker. lol.

[spidr]

Originally Posted by thordehr

I'm a total newb when it comes to 2.5tons, pinion brakes and the related theory. I'm under the impression that with the detroit lockers, pinion brakes give a lot more braking power than is available typically through 4 corner calipers. Not only that but the Vanco booster that is only a few years old is leaking. I haven't called him yet but maybe he could do something for me. If you would, educate me. What are the benefits of having corner calipers over pinion brakes, and what you were saying about eliminating the benefits of 8 lug outers?
.

The advantage to using the 1 ton outers, is a common 8-lug bolt pattern, and stock wheel brakes. The reason guys go with pinion brakes is because they are cheap and easy, they have a tendancy to heat up though, and with a detroit, as soon as it unlocks you would lose braking power. On your particular rig, keep the wheel brakes.

[thordehr]

I pulled the stock vette harness in favor of a more compact harness and went with turnkey's MEFI harness and computer.

It's been a month or so since I pulled the harness and today was my first attempt of hooking up all the sensors, applying power and going for a start:

First I wanted to be sure I had pulled the right wire for the fuel pump:

YouTube - Fuel pump test

That's a go. On to the first engine start attempt. This has never gone smoothly for me: (sorry for the sideways video, was holding the phone wrong)

YouTube - First start attempt

Turnkey simply rocks. Very excited, I was all choked up.

A lot of the gages are disconnected, but the hardline oil pressure gage is the main one I wanted to be sure worked. The idle was a little high and when I noticed the whistle the lightbulb went off:

YouTube - Idles much better without massive vac leak.

Pulled a lot more of the chassis harness before it got dark and have to start placing and mounting the engine harness properly tomorrow. Once the wiring is redone the fuel system is next, then cooling, exhaust and hydraulics.

[cougarbait]

I remember when Jim had it out at bridgeport its pretty capable as it was sold. It did sit out on stemmons for a bit until it was sold. Cant wait to see it with the axle moved back.

[YellowRenegade]

man, that is an amazing rig! Seems like a while since i have seen it. still one of my favorites. Good purchase

[acprokeith]

Its been a long long time, but I remember that rig. Think it was at the old AGR wheeling ranch (Tim Mcgill owned).

That thing has TRC (http://texasrockcrawlers.com) written all over it.