06 regular cab (cab off frame restoration)

Not a fabricator but found some angle iron out back kinda like I saw a dude use on a YouTube video and so far this is what the setups looking like. I will respond to other ppls responses here in a few (appreciate any and all feedback ahead of time)

 

mounting this will surely be an adventure.

 

By laminate I assume you’re referring to the frame sections that mount together, and the creasing between them? But ya that’s an idea. And I’d thought about that but idk. In the front frame section things don’t look bad but I want to somehow get as much corrosion out between the sections up front and literally douse the inside of the front frame sections with like por-15 or something.

I have thought about Eastwood products as well but if I’m able to have my fabricator make welds over the seams of the frame i really shouldn’t have to worry about the seams/laminate sections because they should be pretty good and sealed?

im going to have the frame sections separated because im paranoid and ultimately im not trying to have any lamination anywhere. The fabrication bills gona be like 4k.

However, I could still do the multi-layer paint job with the Eastwood chassis paint. Idk I just wana do whatever’s bomb proof

 

I don’t know what the salt belt is. I live in Southern Oregon though. And yes I know regular cabs like mine won’t be around. It’s not a daily driver anymore though I have other vehicles so it only sees maybe 6-7k miles a year if that. 2 oil changes

 

First test ride

 

Got a little bit done today, been working 6 days a week last couple weeks but today we got the following done:
•Front bumper removed
•Bench seat removed
•Engine bay / passenger cabin engine harness unplugged and pulled through into engine bay
•Rear harness under drivers seat unplugged and ran through cab to outside cab
•E-brake cables pulled
•Battery unhooked
•1/0 cabin cable unbolted from batt+

I technically undid one of the bolts under the cab that held a brake line bracket to the bottom of the cab but I’ll get it “for real” off tomorrow.

Still gotta undo the clutch cable/linkage, steering shaft from steering rack or steering coupler we’ll find out when we get there— and some other stuff before I can take the cab off. Then we disassemble the vehicle down to bare frame.

 

Still workin. Ac lines, and steering rack still need to be unhooked. So far in this post I’ve done the following:
•Disconnected clutch line
•Disconnected 4 brake lines
•Fiddled with the battery cable positive/ground (I will be connecting my own lugs and lengthening these cables with thicker cable and doing the big 3)

 

So I’ve been super busy, and I’ve taken hella pictures. But to get people up to speed I removed 2-3 fuel lines on driver side in engine bay, and 2-3 under driver side of the back of the cab, secondary air injection pump hose, doors, emergency brake cable, radiator, drained engine coolant, ac hoses, power steering lines, few grounds. And that’s pretty much it for what it took to get the cab off. Here’s a picture of it up in the air— tried to post a vid but I think it was too long.

 

Once we lowered the cab down I opted to use some vehicle dolly’s and 2x12s. Basically just lowered it down on a couple of big skateboards so we could roll it around, and I tarped it in case a thunder storm rolled through.

 

Finally pulled the engine n trans this last Sunday so I’ll add proof of that. All that’s really left is some suspension and drivetrain stuff like front diff, sway bar, control arms and rear suspension. This is the condition the truck is currently in.

Wish we could post vids longer than 25 seconds cause I have a couple short vids of me pulling the motor n trans. But anyways the next day I just spent time disconnecting the engine from the frame. Which consisted of a couple power steering lines, 4x4 actuator plug, couple o2 sensors, exhaust piping, and like a couple of wire harness brackets or something.

 

Quick check in before I go to work. Have a lot on my plate right now with work and continuing ed but frame was completely isolated, degreased, pressure washed and transported to fabrication this last weekend. Big plan is to move forward with galvanizing and powdercoat when that is finished. I’ll upload more pics and will be throwing together a Timelapse vid on youtube when it’s all said n done.

 

Prior to running it over to fab I used a few rounds of madrone from a tree I fell to suspend it. Last few brake lines, suspension, steering components, front diff, and diff crossmembers were all the last few things to go. The last pic I took of it was the one of it on the trailer. Fabrication estimates that they’ll start on it this week but who’s to say for sure