It may have been planned, that, or it's my ocdDid you plan out that perfect phillips screw head alignment, or happenstance?
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Rockwood
An Ape
I applaud this effort.
I have made a ton of mistakes on this thing through the build process. I've never been a sheet metal guy, never worked at a body shop, and never worked as an auto mechanic. Always been an industrial mechanic/fabricator, and it's always been heavy fab. With 1/4" being about the thinnest I usually worked with. So I'm pretty proud of how this thing has turned out since I built most of the body by hand and had to figure it out as I went. I had initially made a huge mistake on the passenger side, but didn't realize how bad of a hump it had in it until I tried to put the armor on. I had about a 1/4 inch hump over about 2 feet in the large flat portion of the panel. I didn't take any before pictures, but it was rough. So I sliced the top of the land and kept taking slices until I could clamp this aluminum u channel to it and flatten the side out.
ended up cutting a little too much in a couple spots and had about an 1/8 inch gap to fill.
used a screwdriver as a wedge and tacked bot sides to keep the panel from shrinking too much.
Then welded it all solid.
also ended up using the tig torch and a bucket of cold water to shrink a large portion of the panel because there was a ton of excess material after fixing the top edge.
then remounted the armor, and set about drilling and chamfering this side armor plate
I actually ended up with a small low spot, but most of that should come out with a hammer and dolly.
For not knowing what you're doing, you're doing a great job of faking it.I have made a ton of mistakes on this thing through the build process. I've never been a sheet metal guy, never worked at a body shop, and never worked as an auto mechanic. Always been an industrial mechanic/fabricator, and it's always been heavy fab. With 1/4" being about the thinnest I usually worked with. So I'm pretty proud of how this thing has turned out since I built most of the body by hand and had to figure it out as I went. I had initially made a huge mistake on the passenger side, but didn't realize how bad of a hump it had in it until I tried to put the armor on. I had about a 1/4 inch hump over about 2 feet in the large flat portion of the panel. I didn't take any before pictures, but it was rough. So I sliced the top of the land and kept taking slices until I could clamp this aluminum u channel to it and flatten the side out.
ended up cutting a little too much in a couple spots and had about an 1/8 inch gap to fill.used a screwdriver as a wedge and tacked bot sides to keep the panel from shrinking too much.Then welded it all solid.also ended up using the tig torch and a bucket of cold water to shrink a large portion of the panel because there was a ton of excess material after fixing the top edge.then remounted the armor, and set about drilling and chamfering this side armor plateI actually ended up with a small low spot, but most of that should come out with a hammer and dolly.
gt1guy
Apparently a racist
You should absolutely be proud of the work you've done. It's top notch.
edit: Why do you think so many of us are stealing your ideas?
edit: Why do you think so many of us are stealing your ideas?
Thanks. It's definitely been a process. YouTube university body and panel work scholar for sure.
I'm glad somebody is using them. Seems like there's only maybe 15-20 active guys in the jeep section to begin with.You should absolutely be proud of the work you've done. It's top notch.
edit: Why do you think so many of us are stealing your ideas?
Started on the skid plate today. Made a drop bracket to go from motor mount to motor mount to support the front. It will be plated on the sides (down legs) for more structural strength. Sides of the pan will be folded up, then welded for more rigidity as well. Rear portion will be tabbed an bolted to the transmission cross member. Running 3/16 a36 plate for the skid. Bottom will also get a 1/2 inch UHMW (teflon) slider plate full width. Should give me basically a flat belly from just behind the front axle to the rear drive shaft.
Opiebennett
XJ_Ranger
More reading than posting.
Skid plate work today. After plasma cutting the lines with short tabs to allow for easy bending of the flanges on thicker material, I always run a cutoff disc through the cut kerf area and cut most of the way through the tab to all for easy bending. It always comes out straight, it's easier to weld ( by running the disc through the kerf, it removes almost any remaining carbon slag) and way easier to bend.
front support tied motor mount to motor mount in double shear. Used the aluminum u channel to set the plane to the rear mounts on the trans support.
drilled and set with 3/8 bolts for the front support
cut a removable window to access the oil pan drain and oil filter without removing the entire skid.
then welded in a support flange for the window perimeter. And a center spine to give the skid more structural rigidity.
Added 4 bolts with weld nuts to secure the filter access window.
used the same partial cut technique to fold and then fill weld the seam after bending
added an exterior fillet flange to strengthen the uprights
installed. Roughly an inch of clearance above the vertical flanges to any part of the pan.
oil filter and drain window access as installed.
with plenty of driveshaft clearance and a very flat belly.
This is still getting covered in a drilled and countersunk mounted half inch sheet of uhmw. It should be a pretty sturdy, but fairly light skid plate. I also need to add a few drain holes.
Been way too hot to be in the garage, but I managed to get out for a little bit tonight and started work on the manifolds. Going 2.5 inch all the way back. I've given up on the turbo idea for a bit. Trimming the stock manifolds for the G8 that the engine came out of, and going to stainless V band clamps.
Straight shot out the frame notch on the drivers side.
hit the cast steel manifold with ER70S2 to fill the big gaps, then while hot, flowed in some ER309L to bond the steel to stainless. Passenger side will be slightly more difficult to route, and I will have to alter my stainless hard lines for the fuel system. They'll be uncomfortably close to the exhaust as they stand.
Flowed and filled. I will port and polish the inside channels and ports for better flow. Manifolds flow pretty well anymore, and they're not as susceptible to distortion as headers.
wrapped for prolonged cooling to prevent cracks. Just in case.
And if you guys have never come across these carbon impregnated fire blankets, they have to be the best blanket I have ever ised. Soft, super pliable, and one of the best heat barriers I've seen. I have not been able to burn it and I've tried with red hot steel and a torch. A couple wraps and you can pick stuff up with bare hands. Awesome technology.
gt1guy
Apparently a racist
That weld does not look fun.
It wasn't bad, honestly. Just a lot of fill and waiting for cooling between passes.
Pulled the blankets this morning before work. No cracking. So we're in good shape. Still need to drill and add O2 sensor ports.
I have a little work cut out for me with a die grinder to get these cleaned up internally, then will add an interior pass to get it to 100% penetration/adhesion.
Passenger side isn't as occluded, but I still have some clean up and welding ahead.
gt1guy
Apparently a racist
You're putting the O2's in the manifolds?
It's either that, or the first section of pipe. The stock corvette manifolds I have, have them installed from the factory that way (but unfortunately they didn't fit my needs)
Before port matching
after matching to gasket profile 1.75" primaries
Before
after smoothing buffing and welding
Did you "preheat" the manifolds before welding?Been way too hot to be in the garage, but I managed to get out for a little bit tonight and started work on the manifolds. Going 2.5 inch all the way back. I've given up on the turbo idea for a bit. Trimming the stock manifolds for the G8 that the engine came out of, and going to stainless V band clamps.
Straight shot out the frame notch on the drivers side.hit the cast steel manifold with ER70S2 to fill the big gaps, then while hot, flowed in some ER309L to bond the steel to stainless. Passenger side will be slightly more difficult to route, and I will have to alter my stainless hard lines for the fuel system. They'll be uncomfortably close to the exhaust as they stand.Flowed and filled. I will port and polish the inside channels and ports for better flow. Manifolds flow pretty well anymore, and they're not as susceptible to distortion as headers.wrapped for prolonged cooling to prevent cracks. Just in case.And if you guys have never come across these carbon impregnated fire blankets, they have to be the best blanket I have ever ised. Soft, super pliable, and one of the best heat barriers I've seen. I have not been able to burn it and I've tried with red hot steel and a torch. A couple wraps and you can pick stuff up with bare hands. Awesome technology.
I didn't have to with these. Did a bunch of reading. Cast steel doesn't require preheat. Just got them good and hot while welding, hit them with a map gas torch for post heat and wrapped them. No cracks so we're good. I guess I could mag them, or do a penetrant test to really check them out, but cast cracks usually really propagate if they start.
The few times I've welded cast I warmed up with a rose bud, don't have a solid reason why just thought is was a good idea.
gt1guy
Apparently a racist
Cast iron and cast steel are two completely different animals.
WaterH
Well-known member
Missed this for awhile. Fun to catch up!
Thanks Bud, getting closer. Got the material for my rock sliders today!
Bent 3/16 pickled and oiled came in. Worked with a fab shop out of Bakersfield to have these made, since I don't have a press brake this large and these cost me less to have cut and bent, than it was to buy a sheet of 3/16 P&O.
basic layout and cuts to miss stuff under body. Each leg is 9 inches long, 72 inch overall length.
added a little fender coverage
was considering adding some uhmw to the bottom.
digging the look here. Will be adding tube sliders/steps.
my fender coverage left me with a filler panel to make. Oops. Going to build off of it and bring a steel filler to the bottom after the flat filler, to match and complete the base of the flare. Exhaust will exit the steel section just in front of the flare.
WaterH
Well-known member
Need a pic of the exhaust flex next to a coke can.
Picture with soda can as requested. Been on vacation with the wife in pismo, just got back.
Purdy stainless stuff tonight. Started working on the exhaust. Those 6" flex joints came in handy. Everything is 304ss that I could find. Flex joints are 304/409 combo, mufflers are Flowmaster fx series 409ss. All is 2.5" throughout.
drivers side
passenger side
passenger side frame path exit
really close to the -8 JIC fuel supply and return lines. Going to get rid of the 90* bulkheads and run straights or 45* fittings. Then it will push the lines forward and at least 2" away fom the exhaust at all points. They will also be getting wrapped in firesleeve.
exits just below the front cage support. Cat and mufflers will be pushed close to the frame rail for protection.
drivers side exit path good clearance all around
double off set to push it to same dimensions and location to the passenger side so that everything is really similar when routed. Everything is just lightly tacked. Once its complete and mounted, I'll set up a back purge to prevent sugaring internally and weld it all out.
drivers side
gt1guy
Apparently a racist
Who's v-band clamps are you using? I used some of Summits' house brand and wasn't really happy with the way they fit.
Cheap ass evil energy Amazon bands. They were actually really well made. I was surprised.