My 87 long bed bucket!

thanks getting ready to finally start the sfbd here in the next week or two ill be posting pics as i go....

More pics the better

a couple of pics of the dually before the sfbd starts....

for some of you guys that done bodydrops on this square body duallys here is a question i done a few bodydrops on smaller trucks and im getting ready to start cutting this biotch and i plan on running the same 454 engine after the bodydrop based on the measurements form the air cleaner to the hood while being closed there is only about 3 1/2" of clearance i had planned to Z it 4 3/4" to completely lay out but i want to be able to keep my stock hood not looking to cut the hood or go with a cowl hood i was thinking if i did a 3" Z and section the Xmember 1.5" that should equal 4.5" will that still work and is is it gonna at least get me close to the pinch if any of you have done the combo of Z and sectioned xmember i would really appreciate the input/info.....

Have you thought of going with the 3" drop spindles? That way you don't have to Z it so radically.

yeah im actually gonna run drop spindels but if im right all that is gonna do is move my wheel up the purpose of the Z is so the lower control arms/Xmember are no the lowest point of the truck which they normally are im still gonna need to Z it even tho im running drop spindles in order to lay pinch...

what i was thinking was 3" drop spindels, 3" Z and 1.5" sectioned Xmember

I didnt look at mine cuz i wasnt using the 454, but if i remember, there was some room between oil pan and crossmember.

Ive also seen a handful of our trucks bodied without cowl hoods so you are prob good to go. Hell, one of my favorite c30's is bodied to the door (no pinch or rocker) and still kept the stock hood

Are you going to also move the wheels forward with the Z as well? I did mine 1.5 inches to center the wheel in the wheelwell when layed out. Plus less cutting of the firewall if at all if you plan to run the same wheel combo you have now

You can get away with a 4 inch Z....my first dually was body dropped 4 inches and it was on the rocker not the pinch and even on rocker the frame was still off the ground...I haven't measured mine yet buts prolly gonna just get enough to lay Pinch....gotta try to get that Cummins under there somehow

im not worry about the room between oil pan and xmember is the air cleaner like i mentioned before the air cleaner sits about 3 1/2" from hiting the hood while the hood is shut so if i z it any bigger than 3 1/2 i was thinking that i was gonna have some clearance issues there and yes i pan pn soing a forward Z but i may only do 1" im also gonna tub the firewall since i do plan on running big wheels later but for now im gonna be rolling on the 16 steelies i got and they have car tires so their very small kind of looks funny when air up lol....