not a build thread, but kind of is--just tryin to help others

[csutton7]

I decided to try an E2000 fuel pump and mounted it and wired it up, I still need to run the fuel lines and filter---

bought 100' of 1.75 x .120 wall DOM tubing for the roll cage and had some 3/16" plate cut to finish the body armor--got the rear pieces drilled out for the LED tail-lights and one is mounted up, but now I have to try and bend it around the corner--hopefully my mapp gas torch can produce enough heat to bend it---

making slow progress, but any progress is good progress....

[csutton7]

I worked on the body armor today--

[csutton7]

some more pics--lots of bondo by the previous owner, but I knew this--that's why I comp cut it a couple yrs ago and planned to do this armor--still got some fine tune grinding to do, add some more bolts(I ran out) and I may weld up the seams, but I'm not sure I'll do that---

[stubby mechano]

nice, keep up the progress....

[csutton7]

started on the roll cage yesterday--will continue this afternoon--this should be a lesson in humility......chris

[1946CJ2]

good luck on the cage! I started building my cage this weekend. It has not been to bad. you should post some pics in the cage build thread http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showt...ght=cage+build

[rckme52]

Originally Posted by csutton7

started on the roll cage yesterday--will continue this afternoon--this should be a lesson in humility......chris

like! you will do fine chris. looks great bro keep up the good work

[csutton7]

thanks Ron---trying to get her done so we can go wheelin', but work sucks so money is tight and I need hydro steering and driveshafts yet--

cage update--I marked out the tube in 1" increments, so that my feeble brain wouldn't have to try and figure out exactly where to place the tubing in the bender when duplcating bends---had my angle guage handy and went to town---I will say that trying to figure out lengths and angles by yourself isn't easy and I had to adjust my first bars because I got an angle wrong---no biggie, custom cage just got more custom----

[csutton7]

The reason for the 3/8" plate on top of the rear wheel wells in the pics above is my coilover mounts which consist of two 1.75" tubes capped with a 1/4" x 4" x 12" plate are also my cage to frame tie in. The upper coilover mount is welded on to the plate and the plate comes right up to the underside of the wheel well. So on the top side of the wheel well I decided I'd use a 3/8" x 10 x 17" plate to tie the cage to. It will make sense when you see the pics below.

Now the tricky parts are coming up--since I want to keep the storage compartment under the passenger seat, plus I have a conduit running thru the back or the storage compartment for my battery cable and some other wires, so I can't bring a bar down to the floor from main hoop, so I'm either going to have sit it on top of the front of the rear wheel wells or come down on the front side of the wheel wells and plate and bolt it to the frame tie in. I wasted to much time yesterday trying to figure it out, so that's why I'm not further along. Also I have to figure out what I'm doing at the back and for the seats, but the seats have to wait until I figure out where to mount the last two main support bars(c pillar??)....chris

[csutton7]

more progress pics....I have no design plans just slapping it together as I see fit--had to go egyptian with a support system since I couldn't get my youngest son to help me to hold things--probably for the best as he wouldn't have been able to keep things steady for measuring and fitting--

[csutton7]

more progress pics of the cage.....got the tilting seat platforms and supports finally figured out and put together although I'll have to add to it to get the seats bolted down--still need a crossbar here and there, some gussets and need to finish tieing it to the frame.....

[1946CJ2]

I know your not done yet, but the tilt seat brackets may be better (stronger) if the tube was butted to the hinge instead of just set on top.

Make sure you take a look at this for mounting you belts / harness.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billav...rness_install/

Keep up the good progress.

[csutton7]

yea I know and that was my plan, but I messed up a measurement so I did this to get it above the battery and for where I want them to sit for final seat height or what I'm shooting for, so I will add a face plate or side gussets to them to help--thanks for noticing that and please don't be shy on anything else....

I've checked out that Billa Vista article before and am going to peruse it again to get the proper placement for the back bar--I may have to add some hoops behind the seats to get them to the proper height once I dial in final seat height....chris

[csutton7]

ok finished the driverside seat platform and temp mounted the seat and I just need to add two plates and drill them out for the passenger side seat---

since my tilt seat platform hinge is two 4" long x 1.75 x .120 wall dom pieces sleeved over 1.5 x .120 wall dom, although I had to grind a little off the 1.5 dom to make the 1.75 slide over it and rotate for tilting---but once I welded on the angle iron those things would hardly move--it damn near took everything I had to make them move ---well this needed to fixed so I took my grinder and sliced the 1.75 dom to relieve it---worked like a charm, so next time I'll pre slit the piece instead of doing it the hard way or get a bigger piece of DOM to slide over the 1.5" DOM---I will probably try and figure out something to lock the seats down so they don't move, but that's on the back burner right now---still need to finish the cross bracing and frame tie ins----

[csutton7]

got the "X" brace in and finished the passenger seat platform--just need to drill it for the bolts---I'm starting to get burned out on the cage, but I still have gussets, seat belt tabs, frame tie ins and god knows I'm forgetting something---

I had a piece of tube at the rear representing a crossbar that I was thinking about doing, but I realized if I do that I can't get the fuel cell out if I want to change it, so I'll have to rethink that and maybe go with a longer one vs the one I had sitting in there or I may do some short gussets at each corner--will have to wait and see----


latest pic:::

[csutton7]

got these today:

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/waterpr...p-dc-12v-91953

thanks to usmcdoc14 for supplying the info in this thread:

/forum/general-4x4-discussion/1015593-diy-led-rock-lights.html

for $26 I figure what the heck let's give them a roll, plus usmcdoc14 has had good luck with them, so why not---- takes about 2 weeks to get them, as they come from Hong Kong..........chris

[csutton7]

well I've been burned out from working on the cage and have taken a couple of weeks off--I'll get back on it here shortly though.

I got the downpipes for the exhaust though, so I can slap those on and plug the O2 sensors in and I got the MAF and piping so I need to figure that out also. Next hurdle(besides the steering and driveshafts and finishing the cage gussets and frame tie ins) is the fuel cell. When I bought the one you see in the previous pics, I thought I would recess it or put it under the jeep, but since I did the four link that's out, so I'm not really excited about using it. I've left the frame long in the rear, just in case I decided to put a long, narrow & tall fuel cell there and build a cage around it, but it could go behind the seats or at the back of the jeep. I just can't come to terms with what I want to do or to buy another cell at this moment. But I'll decide one day(soon, so I can finish the fuel system)--really there's no hurry until I get the steering stuff bought and slapped on.

chris

[ROXROES]

Take your time, catch your breath. Tubing is an art that takes years to master. I can move right along now, but I'll never forget the headaches on the first few cages etc...

EDIT

When you're not sure and you have time, do what your doing. Take a break or find something else to work on so you can ponder.

[csutton7]

very good advice Roxroes---

I was asked what headers I was using and I really wasn't sure, cuz I just used what came with the motor when I bought 3yrs ago and I was ford dumb then(still not that sharp on them to be honest), but it turns out I have stock headers off a 1986 5.0 motor---here's a link with #'s and pics---

http://www.need2speed.com/vb_forums/...ad.php?t=46142

it's gonna be a tight fit it looks like to run the exhaust, but I think I can cut my PYPE's offroad kit and at least get the first piece in with the O2 sensor bung, although I may end up ordering some gt40p headers first as they look real close to the stock ones and will give me more room at the spark plugs::

http://www.americanmuscle.com/frpp-s...ders-8693.html

[csutton7]

I got burned out big time, but now I need to get back on this, so I'm bringing it back up to get some motivation....chris

[1946CJ2]

I know the feeling. It is a lot of work, and then throw work and everything else that life throws at you in the mix and it can really slow production down. I need to get started on mine again.

As soon as I started to work on mine this last month, my good friend and co-worker died. Then we had the holidays. Now that everything is starting to settle down again, I am going to get started too.

[csutton7]

sorry to hear about your friend passing away, that's never fun---

and you are dead on about work holidays and such getting in the way ....

[csutton7]

a little progress, but I'm not sure if I want to do this or shorten it up so it doesn't stick out past the body--this is also my frame to roll cage tie in at 3 points---I've made it to where I can remove it now, but a decison needs to be made soon---

I'm also thinking of running a tube under the fender lip and it will tie into this....chris

[csutton7]

question, of course I'll search later, I picked up some el dorado e-brake calipers(and cables) from pick & pull that I believe will bolt onto my 9" rear axle--so I'm wondering if I should ditch the atlas t-case e-brake(then I can use my atlas rear crossmember mount) for the el-dorado set up---basically which set up is better????

on another note, I'm so sick of welding while laying on my back, but I have no choice, part of the reason I went on hiatus from the build(wasn't looking forward to it), but now that I'm back at it, it plain sucks big time---yes it's my fault, but I don't/didn't have room to set up everything tack weld it and then remove the drivetrain, body, etc to do it---so I'm just venting, but ferk me Agnes this is not fun---chris

[alienjeep]

nice job, coming along nicely! subscribed!