Firewall back-half?

I plan to replace all stock frame steel from the firewall to the rear-end using 2x3 inch box tubing. I have four forty-foot sticks and they will be the replacement for my stock-floor body drop. I've seen frames done like this and noticed that there's a lot of attention to detail. Does the new steel begin behind the front wheel-well? Is that a good starting point to measure, cut, and/or weld? Do I need to hold on to any discarded factory frame parts? I've been told that Mazda's need some metal massaging up front (engine cradle) to have clearance? Is this true or false? Is there a crossmember to consider first? I know these are real basic questions. But my goal is to do this build nice and clean with a lot of attention to detail.

hmmm.


I think the best thing for you to do is cut some metal. Seriously. Think about what HAS to happen, new frame rails, keeping the front clip aligned while doing it, and MAKE it happen. You can look for advice all day long, print that advice out and have an impressive stack of papers next to your truck. They wont cut the truck though.

Stop collecting information, half of fabrication is MAKING IT WORK. The other half is KNOWING YOU CAN MAKE IT WORK. Its just metal, if you screw up you can cut and weld some more to fix it. Innovation isnt about doing it the way someone else did it, if it was EVERYONE would have exactly the same modifications.

Just do it. I call information collectors "bench workers", because they spend 30 hours online for information and give up before they start. They see the volume of work and are intimidated, and talk themselves out of it before ever beginning. My question is: Why worry about what comes next when you havent even done what comes first?

Thats my advice to you. I'm not being a jerk, notice I am not saying "you shouldnt be doing this". If you can weld and arent a dumbass, you can do this. But DO IT.

yeah what russ said

exactly what russ said

do it, look at a few pics and go at it. If you mess it up, do it again. If you have that many questions, u should start out with doing some more basic stuff first.

what the guru said

if you got some time, just stop by the shop and i'll point you in the right direction.

I was a "bench worker" once. Then one day I met Russ and *sniffle sniffle* now my truck lays rocker HARD. I've almost completed all my meetings, but this is much more than a 12 week program, closer to a 12 month program. Seriously though, you can prolly find a few pics here and there that might give you an "idea" of what to do, but most of the things are figure out as you go along. There is no How To manual. . .Just Cut and Weld.. . it will come along. . .and don't give up if you get frustrated.

no "back-half your mazda for dummies" book? Get the "back-half your s10 for dummies" book and you can use what u learn there for your mazda, but it will be cooler, since everyone and their gradma has sdimes.
LOL