SFBD square with a Cummins and custom chassis

They took there time on this truck...frame is painted to match

Who ever built that truck has got some mad skill. I read that all of the trim and emblems are painted on.

whel if you got that skill in paint it saves you a bunch of cash hunting down the trimpieces and hammering out the originals

^^^Especially when you consider how hard it is to find the fender pieces for these trucks.

I just got home from the 150 mile round trip from the shop. Since the frame is almost done I picked up the cab and a bunch of other odds and ends. Now as soon as the frames done I'll have the cab sitting here ready to go under the knife. If it doesn't rain all day tomorrow I'll try to post some pix of the frame. All that's left to do is weld on the last 3 of 4 plates at the z. I was going to only plate the outside but with cummins going in it I've decided to plate inside and outside. I also decided to add some 1/4 plate at the the 2x4 joints. I still haven't decided if I'm going to box the rest of the back half of the frame yet. I still have to fab my upper 4 link bars and build my notch but I'm trying to get the cab on it before I do that.

On a side note I used the new dodge donor truck to pull everything back tonight. I went up empty with a heavily built 16' dovetail trailer. I came back with the trailer loaded as well as the back of my truck. I even had an engine in the bed. I couldn't be happier with the way the engine and trans handled it. I hate the dodge but I'm loving the cummins. I actually forgot the load was there at times. The only thing that changed was my trans temp ran about 10 degrees warmer loaded than empty which is to be expected I guess. I just hope if there's a weak link in the engine I find it whiles it's still in the POS dodge and not in my dually.

I'm currently on road in STL visiting family for about a week and celebrating my sons 1st Birthday. Hopefully I'll be back home around the first of July to get back on the truck. All I can think about is getting the cab back on the frame and getting the cummins mocked up. On our way home I'll be stopping to pick up my '95 chevy so I can drive it and start chopping up the dodge donor whenever I want to.
The day before I left I did get the cross member coil area cut done about 1.5" for extra bag clearance and hopefully save myself from having to put suck a huge cup in the control arm.
I also got some gussets fabbed up for my lower 4 link bar mounts and got them tacked into place. The chassis is so close to being done but I feel like there are still 100 little things to do on it.
You'll have to excuse the terrible quality of these pix. I just snapped a couple realquick as I was leaving the house for this trip.

the crossmember after I cut it. I've got some 1/4" plate laying at the house to plate around the area I cut out and make a pocket.


The gussets I made up real quick. Not the prestiest but they'll serve their purpose.


This is my little minature junkyard I have transformed my back yard into trying to get this chassis done with no shop and working on it on the trailer. I've got the frame off of the trailer now and sitting on jack stands in the yard. That makes it a little easier and I don't have to worry about catching my rotted trailer floor on fire anymore lol.
It really blows having to drag all of this stuff out everytime I want to work and than pick it all up when I'm done. I'm ready to get another shop closer to home again.

i like the weldingcart you made out of an old lawnmower , it would be sumtin i would do if i had the stuff laying around
going to use an old wheelchair myself for a co2 welder

LOL noticed that huh?? I got tired of dragging that thing around and came up with that. I love making old useless stuff have a purpose again. If you notice the top of it has a piece of a tiler welded to the top to hang the cables on. It got bent during a move and needs fixed now though. Once I get back into a shop I'll probably fab an actual cart to put my arc welder on and another one for my MIG welder and plasma cutter together. I'm curious to see this wheel chair cart myself.

On a side note I just applied to tart school in August for auto body. I'm hoping to get into that class. That'll be great to have the dually to work on the body while I'm in school for body work.

^^I was thinking about doing some autobody classes myself. I want to learn how to weld too. Everyone tells me to just buy a welder and practice.