My project s-10

[MiniTruckMafia]

I went to see my truck yesterday, and when I was looking at the frame clip, I got to thinking about how you attached the new rails. I must say..the angled piece had to be a bitch to get to fit....I have been wrenchin' my brain trying to picture how I am going to fit that piece to the two straight pieces...any advice?

[bdydrp18]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cesare

any reason why you didn't go ahead and ditch the rest of the s10 frame and make it a full frame? from the blueprints, it seems to me that you are capable

well i was thinking about it, but i just didn't want to screw with the front suspension. i spend at least a couple hours looking at it to see if i could run the 2x3 thru and use the stock mounts but it looked like more work then it was worth. plus i already have after market a-arms and don't want to just threw them out.

[bdydrp18]

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniTruckMafia

I dont know if you have a harbor freight where you are at, I hear they are everywhere, but I was looking there at some of their benders, and they seemed alright...I guess as far as what Im going to use it for. I had been thinking about how to frame out my floor and firewall, and you seem very knowledgable....what would you think about using some 1x1 tubing, square or round, to frame out everything? I have seen a couple guys do it, and thought maybe that would be a good way to strenghten everything? I think Im going to take one of your pics and place it as a background for an inspiration to finish my shit. Im going over tomorrow to look at it, and get some measurements and pics, so I can start building the jig. Cant wait to see some more pics! -Brad

well as Cesare said the bender that harbor freight sells is a not really for make nice bends. i think it maybe more for bending conduit or something. o friend had one, but no matter what we try it always messed up the tubing. i know the JD2 bender is a lot but it's worth the money in the long run. but only get one it you think you are going to use if for more than one project. i have already used it to redo my trailer, plus this frame and maybe a truck for the wife, if she ever decides she want one. oh an plus maybe lilredxtreme truck if he ever grows some balls!!!! haha joking jim!!!

yeah you can use the 1" x 1" square tubing to build a new floor. you just have to make sure that you have good tie in points to the cab, because you would be welding in thinker tubing to thin sheet metal.

[bdydrp18]

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniTruckMafia

I went to see my truck yesterday, and when I was looking at the frame clip, I got to thinking about how you attached the new rails. I must say..the angled piece had to be a bitch to get to fit....I have been wrenchin' my brain trying to picture how I am going to fit that piece to the two straight pieces...any advice?

yeah it took a little work to make the piece. all i did was put in the straight piece in the locations that i want then at. then i kind of cheated and used a piece of 2x3 wood that i had laying around and start making cuts on it till it fit. then i just transfered the angles and measurements to the steel tubing and cut it. just a little grinding and they fit right in

[MiniTruckMafia]

Damn....I would have never thought of the whole wood thing...I might need to throw that bit of advice in the 'ole bag of tricks! I was reading some of the earlier post on this thread, and saw the welder you are using...>drools< The only thing I have to weld with is a sears roebuck stick welder from *I think* dates back to the 70's? something like that...its older than hell. Ive been using it for about 3 yrs now and can lay down a pretty good bead, but Im kind of reluctant to use it for a frame....but I guess as long as the welds hold, it shouldnt matter. Now....I have seen these welders for about 400 bucks...the little tabletop welders, that weld 1/4 inch? I find it kind of hard to believe....but either way....the welder you have is the tits...dont scratch it or anything...its beautiful!

[bdydrp18]

well it doesn't look like a lot but i got a lot done this week. final got all the cab body mounts done:



finished the cross-member:



and got the corvette rear-end mounted:

[MiniTruckMafia]

damn.....thats all I can say....I got a quick and probably stupid question for you.....what is the inside width between the two frame rails under the cab measure to?

[bdydrp18]

35" i think not totally sure, but i think that is right

[2 LayLo]

you do top notch work man

[83LOWrange]

very top notch as usual! as soon as i get some more $ im going to upgrade from a carport to a shop and new tools... and maybe be where your at one day! subscribed man....

[bdydrp18]

thanks guys!!!! i try to do my best

good luck with getting the new shop and tools. i know i have been building up the tools for many many years now. it just take lots of time and MONEY

[MiniTruckMafia]

Quote: Originally Posted by bdydrp18

thanks guys!!!! i try to do my best

good luck with getting the new shop and tools. i know i have been building up the tools for many many years now. it just take lots of time and MONEY

AND patience.......something I have learned while building a truck. Def. Top notch work...If you had the time and I had the money, hell, Id get YOU to finish my truck for me.

[bdydrp18]

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniTruckMafia

AND patience.......something I have learned while building a truck. Def. Top notch work...If you had the time and I had the money, hell, Id get YOU to finish my truck for me.

yeah patience!!! not a whole lot of that left.

well if i had power in my shop i would take you up on that, but till then it would be way to hard to do any work for other people.


thanks again for support

[MiniTruckMafia]

Hell, reading your post has really inspired and motivated me to get something done! I went out yesterday and priced all the wood im gonna need to build a jig. After seeing how you have yours set up, it seems that would be the best way to get everything level and square. Thanks for all the info to all the questions...really helps me out...keep it up!

[bdydrp18]

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniTruckMafia

Hell, reading your post has really inspired and motivated me to get something done! I went out yesterday and priced all the wood im gonna need to build a jig. After seeing how you have yours set up, it seems that would be the best way to get everything level and square. Thanks for all the info to all the questions...really helps me out...keep it up!

glad i could help.

[2THPIC]

Quote: Originally Posted by bdydrp18

CAD designer

same here..........CAD designer and also do some 3d animation on the side along with designing tattoos.

[bdydrp18]

well you would think with a 3 day weekend i would have got more done but that is sadly not the truth

all i managed to get done was one side of my lower a-arms mounts and got the brackets made for the upper mounts too, but all in all not that much got done. here a couple pics.


lower mounts:




brackets:

[2THPIC]

Quote: Originally Posted by bdydrp18

well you would think with a 3 day weekend i would have got more done but that is sadly not the truth

all i managed to get done was one side of my lower a-arms mounts and got the brackets made for the upper mounts too, but all in all not that much got done. here a couple pics.


lower mounts:




brackets:

look real good. better then most that you can buy.
When does mass production start, so we can all have the good stuff?

[bdydrp18]

Quote: Originally Posted by 2THPIC

look real good. better then most that you can buy.
When does mass production start, so we can all have the good stuff?

haha well if i had the time and the space maybe

thanks
by the way

[MiniTruckMafia]

I agree totally....maybe you should go work for the guys at suicide doors or something. You really have some talent! I must say, also, that looking at this thread and asking you questions, has cleared ALOT of problems that I thought I may run into. We need more people like you around here in NC...willing to give us 'youngsters' advice. Keep it up...shit is wicked!!

[bdydrp18]

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniTruckMafia

I agree totally....maybe you should go work for the guys at suicide doors or something. You really have some talent! I must say, also, that looking at this thread and asking you questions, has cleared ALOT of problems that I thought I may run into. We need more people like you around here in NC...willing to give us 'youngsters' advice. Keep it up...shit is wicked!!

haha thanks man means a lot!!!..

no thanks on the suicide door thing!!! they make nice parts and all that but it is just not my style to make the same thing over and over. if i do anything it will be to open my own shop, but it would be a one truck at a time kind of thing. i have seen too many guy getting into trouble try to do too much at once and that is NOT something i want to happen.

well that is what this site is about trying to help each other out. well that and show off your work and project.

[bdydrp18]

got a little more work done last night. got the other side lower mount all welded on some now i just have to get the tubing bend for the uppers. kind of looks like it is going to be a pain in the ass because off trying to get around the rear-end so we will see how that goes.

[MiniTruckMafia]

Quote: Originally Posted by bdydrp18

haha thanks man means a lot!!!..

no thanks on the suicide door thing!!! they make nice parts and all that but it is just not my style to make the same thing over and over. if i do anything it will be to open my own shop, but it would be a one truck at a time kind of thing. i have seen too many guy getting into trouble try to do too much at once and that is NOT something i want to happen.

well that is what this site is about trying to help each other out. well that and show off your work and project.

hehe..no thanks...I guess I understand not wanting to do something like that...the same repetitive thing...over and over and over. I like the idea of 'one truck at a time' that would give you more of a chance to get to the tedious little details...right down to customizing the individual nuts and bolts... I dont know if you get minitruckin magazine.....but there is one issue (ill look it up when I get back home) that has a rolling chassis in the under construction part, green i think, that the guy built in his garage, and made his own nuts and bolts...pretty damn sweet, but pretty much..ALOT of damn time too. I dont think I would have the skills to pull that one off...im sure if you gave it a whirl, you would have no problem doing it. Either way...who really gives a damn about the nuts and bolts...I would be to busy looking at the truck itself. Cant wait to see more pics!

[bdydrp18]

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniTruckMafia

hehe..no thanks...I guess I understand not wanting to do something like that...the same repetitive thing...over and over and over. I like the idea of 'one truck at a time' that would give you more of a chance to get to the tedious little details...right down to customizing the individual nuts and bolts... I dont know if you get minitruckin magazine.....but there is one issue (ill look it up when I get back home) that has a rolling chassis in the under construction part, green i think, that the guy built in his garage, and made his own nuts and bolts...pretty damn sweet, but pretty much..ALOT of damn time too. I dont think I would have the skills to pull that one off...im sure if you gave it a whirl, you would have no problem doing it. Either way...who really gives a damn about the nuts and bolts...I would be to busy looking at the truck itself. Cant wait to see more pics!

well i don't plan in make my own nuts and bolt but i'm going to get covers that go over and the bolt head and nuts. just to add that little finishing detail.


yeah i know who you are talking about. very very nice frame to bad he sold the whole truck, but now i think he own barely legal. so you can see what doing good work can make happen.

[boricua4_life]

wow man lookin great!

[Lowsonoma03]

wow where have i been for this project!? Subscribed i wanna see what this thing looks like finished! Phenominal work man!

[MiniTruckMafia]

covers? I guess I have been under a rock for too long...honestly, I never knew there was such a thing...damn...Im learning ALOT on this thread! I would like a professional opinion on something....alright...I have researched and researched and studied different pics of back halves on minitrucks. Im not using an IRS or anything..just a straight axle, and I wanted to know your opinion on how to do this...there are so many different designs its kinda hard to create a unique one...what do you think would be the best way to build the back half so that it has the most strength? I have seen alot of the tubing go 90 degrees right behind the cab..and angle back to 180 degrees...it looks plain to me...but Im thinking this is probably the strongest? Or could it be that it really doesnt matter..just as long as the welds are good and solid?

[bdydrp18]

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniTruckMafia

covers? I guess I have been under a rock for too long...honestly, I never knew there was such a thing...damn...Im learning ALOT on this thread! I would like a professional opinion on something....alright...I have researched and researched and studied different pics of back halves on minitrucks. Im not using an IRS or anything..just a straight axle, and I wanted to know your opinion on how to do this...there are so many different designs its kinda hard to create a unique one...what do you think would be the best way to build the back half so that it has the most strength? I have seen alot of the tubing go 90 degrees right behind the cab..and angle back to 180 degrees...it looks plain to me...but Im thinking this is probably the strongest? Or could it be that it really doesnt matter..just as long as the welds are good and solid?

yep just a simple cover that i think is pressed out and then chromed. now if i could just find them in the size i need that would be great


hard question to answer really. it is mostly a personal preference but you have to make sure it is strong too. personal i like the angle up look. it just look like a much stronger design. plus they say that a triangle is one of the strongest forms that can be built, so you can't go wrong using it.

the 90 back to 180 is just a weak design too me(opinion). it just looks like there is too much stress put into the joint. yes gusseting it will make it stronger, but i just don't think it is a strong as a angle design.

but either way you decide to go it is your truck in the end and you have to pick what you like. just make sure that it is strong and that the weld have good penetration.

here is a design that i started for someone. hope it help you a little:

[2THPIC]

Quote: Originally Posted by bdydrp18

yep just a simple cover that i think is pressed out and then chromed. now if i could just find them in the size i need that would be great


hard question to answer really. it is mostly a personal preference but you have to make sure it is strong too. personal i like the angle up look. it just look like a much stronger design. plus they say that a triangle is one of the strongest forms that can be built, so you can't go wrong using it.

the 90 back to 180 is just a weak design too me(opinion). it just looks like there is too much stress put into the joint. yes gusseting it will make it stronger, but i just don't think it is a strong as a angle design.

but either way you decide to go it is your truck in the end and you have to pick what you like. just make sure that it is strong and that the weld have good penetration.

here is a design that i started for someone. hope it help you a little:

What program(s) are you using? AutoCad or what?
I'm running basic AutoCad 2008, AutoCad civil 3d and TrueSpace.

[bdydrp18]

it is called unigraphics. we use NX4 at the moment but at the end of the year we are switching over to NX5. not sure if anyone on here has seen anything about that program yet but it is going to make everything so much easier for us to do. with the new program you just grab an edge and move it. and if the part you are working on is in an assembly it changes the other part to meet the new dimension also.

to bad we not getting it till 2009

[MiniTruckMafia]

thanks! I like the more simple setup...probably good for a first time. I could use that design and go from there. Well see what happens...

[bdydrp18]

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniTruckMafia

thanks! I like the more simple setup...probably good for a first time. I could use that design and go from there. Well see what happens...

haha ok well good luck with it

[FannBlade]

Truck is SICK!! Great work for sure.
But we havn't heard much about the WIFE!!
Is she still loven it? (I keep telling mine it will get GREAT milage)
I'm sure ur in the garage ALOT!!!

Going to start my s-10 project next week more of a basic frame off....using the same frame. Nothing like urs.

I'M INSPIRED!! Thanks.

[lilredxtreme]

update this bish!

[bdydrp18]

Quote: Originally Posted by lilredxtreme

update this bish!

you want to see an update your going to have to wait till i can upload some more pics. and why should i update for you, you know were my house is

[92blazer]

hey i am also doing a corvette rear in my in my blazer and am still up in the air about most of the mounts, do you care if i copy some of your ideas. i think they are really good. but am still wandering how your planing on making the bracket for the knuckles. if you do a good job i might pay you to fab a pair up for me if you have time. thanks, bj green

[LOW S-10]

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m...0choptop34.jpg
How would you be able to use the back two windows?

And this is a top-notch project. Great info shared! Keep up the amazing work!

[bdydrp18]

Quote: Originally Posted by LOW S-10

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m...0choptop34.jpg
How would you be able to use the back two windows?

And this is a top-notch project. Great info shared! Keep up the amazing work!

same as you did before i guess. the back window would have to be cut down to fit back in the new opening. there is no way to reuse the stock size windows. unless you made the bottom of the opening lower then were it was stock. if you did the it would look like the old toyota's. other then doing that you would have to cut the bottom of the glass and just reinstall it. depending on how big the chop is you may have to reposition the lower window mount on the windows and pillars.




thanks

[bdydrp18]

Quote: Originally Posted by 92blazer

hey i am also doing a corvette rear in my in my blazer and am still up in the air about most of the mounts, do you care if i copy some of your ideas. i think they are really good. but am still wandering how your planing on making the bracket for the knuckles. if you do a good job i might pay you to fab a pair up for me if you have time. thanks, bj green

well i'm not really sure i like the word "copy". i have no problem with you using it for an idea and then doing you own design from that, but i pretty sure i don't want you to copy it. believe me i know that rear-end is hard to mount. it only took me 3 designs to find something that would work and look good at the same time. good luck with it and i hope you find something that works for you.

[bdydrp18]

ok as was asked for i can finally do an update!!! i was finally able to get a little work done on the frame. over the weekend i got all the arm mounts in place and started to bend the tubing for the lift level mounts.

here are some picture of what the arm mount ended up looking like:










now before anyone gets a chance to say anything i know the hoop are not mirror images for side to side. i had to make each side different because i was having trouble getting around the rear-end. i wanted the hoops to be the same front and back so that is why they were made they why they are.

[Draggin97]

looks killer man, i bet it will ride kick ass!

[LOW S-10]

Quote: Originally Posted by bdydrp18

same as you did before i guess. the back window would have to be cut down to fit back in the new opening. there is no way to reuse the stock size windows. unless you made the bottom of the opening lower then were it was stock. if you did the it would look like the old toyota's. other then doing that you would have to cut the bottom of the glass and just reinstall it. depending on how big the chop is you may have to reposition the lower window mount on the windows and pillars.

thanks

Cool. Do you by chance have the original link to that thread?

And what are your plans on steering?

[LOW S-10]

And what did you use on the frame rails? 2" x 3"?

[bdydrp18]

no sorry i don't have that link anymore

steering plan are to get a custom made flaming river GM column, DD shaft and u-joints and finish it off with a rake and pinion. going to be fun trying to run the shaft between the two points.


yes i used 2" x 3" 3/16 wall tubing for the rails

[bdydrp18]

well i got a little update. got all the tubing done behind the rear-end. now i just have to make the fuel cell mounts and get my compressors and make mounts for them and that part of the frame will be all done.

here some pictures of the tubing:

[FCKNLOW]

sick work man...i wish i had these kinda skills.

[bdydrp18]

Quote: Originally Posted by FCKNLOW

sick work man...i wish i had these kinda skills.

well first off let me say thank you!!! i learn everything i know working on this truck and just talking to people.

[dimeon15s]

Wow,i wish i had a place to workon my truck like you do. Truck looks perfect, you do exelent work my freind.

[Draggin97]

looking good man, keep the work moving!

[shrobss187]

SUBSCRIBEDD!!

i am fckin speachless this is honestly beautifull