channeling the body

ok so im in the process of baggin my 87 mazda b2200 red cab 5spd,
now im looking at bodydropping it, sfbd doesnt seem like something i wanna do as its a cheap daily driver, and traditional i dont really care if i lose head room, but talking with joel from mindliss channeling might be the best for me
now what about channeling the body over the frame and lowering the body mounts as much as possible then just build your floor up around the frame , so you really shouldnt lose any head room with a stock frame,
now has anyone done this? i know some toyotas have been done but what about b series trucks
also what do people do for the front to lower everything in front of the cab?
also ive seen a few different ways of bed cuts for bodydropping the bed, what has seemed to be one of the easiest
i know some people will say just search but i have been

I know I just answered someone not too long ago about the bed floor. so that should be easy to find. I have only traditionaly bodydropped a mazda reg cab. but i can help you with the front end. just cut the bumper/ core support mounts off each side of the front crossmember and lower them and weld them back on. I can get you a pic up here how I did it within a day or so.  

wow wicked that and the bed floor is my main set back but even if bed not working out quickly i can run around without a bed on for abit, but yeah ill search for that and see what post i can find

There ya go, measure measure measure weld them together drop them down the same as the bodydrop and weld them back on with some gussets added. you will also have to notch the crossmember for the lower radiator hose.     When you do it this way you dont have to mess with the stupid tension rods that come off the control arms.

http://www.streetsource.com/forum/topic.aspx?topic_id=108104   Thats the post right there.

Also, dont forget to get everything level too, I used 4 scissor jacks because my garage floor is crap. Hope that helps.

Edited: 1/31/2009 10:39:11 PM by lilbuddha

so im hearing alot of guys are doing 2 3/4 inch to lay body but reading some guys are doing 5inchs on their bed why,sorry im really hoping just to channel so i can still keep driving my truck so dont really know how much im gonna be abe to bodydrop this way right nowbut yeah that helps me out so much already gonna be doing it on my hoist but yeah thats my main worry is measure 50 times to cut once haha

overdoing the bed allows for a "stock bedfloor" style. just raised up. instead of cutting a hole for notches or whatever.

2 3/4" would cut into the rocker on Mazdas. . .   Its about 1.5" to the pinch and 2 1/4" to the rocker. . .    I cut an inch out of my rocker, so a 3 1/4". . .  And the wheels are 18s. .   It'll have 20s on it when its finished. . .                  

I did mine 2.5 inches. That looks real good JOSH