Maybe I'll work on my..... something.

Spent a little time cleaning up the front of the frame. Used some 1/8" steel to make filler plates and 1/8" steel to make the top plates. Welded up (including fill welds), then ground down with a flap disc. Not show quality, but it will be painted and it will probably be covered by rubber inner fenders.
What a PITA it was to build the crossmember. The OE frame stubs had angles going every which way but straight. I had to notch, bend, and weld the OE frame to get it into a usable location.

 

Getting placement figured out. Headers won't be in til next month probably (I guess Hedman considers them a custom order and have to build then coat them). I am going to move the crossmember back and build a custom trans mount. Moving it back will let me put gussets on the front and back where the crossmember meets the rails.
I need to center it a little bit and then I'll build some frame tabs to replace the ones that came with the motor mounts. There is only about 1/2" that meets the side of the rails, so I am going to make some out of plywood then have the steel shop cut some out on their water jet.

 

Frame reinforcement plates fully welded in. Frame tabs for motor mounts tacked into place. Will get them fully welded up tomorrow. After that, I will be building the gussets then boxing the tabs into towers.

 

Tranny crossmember turned out pretty good. 6" wide center dropout. Next week, I'll get the frame rails in place and get the tabs welded to the dropout for the tranny mount.

 

Almost $500 for ceramic coated headers and they aren't even fully coated. The one spot where water an debris can collect is bare metal.

 

What brand headers?

 

Hedman. Only shorty (non-block hugger) headers that I could find that didnt have the rear pipes turned at an angle that would have put it into my firewall. Waiting for a reply back from Hedman, since they have a lifetime warranty on materials and craftsmanship.

 

At least they look good

 

That they do. Fit is about a 7/10 but that's because I'm using Edelbrock aluminum heads instead of factory iron heads and the #7 pipe will contact the spark plug boot. I'm trying to find some shorty spark plugs that don't cost $45 each. If I can find some plugs that will work better, I'll give fitment a 9/10.
At some point this or next month, I'm going to extend my oil pan. Bought an older version of the pan I have now and cut the sump off to weld to mine. I'll be relocating the dipstick to the extension so it doesn't contact the collector like it does now.
All the small stuff adds up fast when you decide to get stupid and custom build a hotrod.

 

At least it looks easy to install

 

I was thinking of getting URD headers for my truck but it looks like royal pain in the ass because of air injection crap

 

That's because the engine/tranny are on jack stands, new frame is in pieces leaning against the wall, and body is under the carport on the original chassis still.

 

I have the DLTL headers on my truck, but no air injection. Thankfully, when I bought them from another member, they were already dented to clear a couple spots that would have contacted.

 

Yeah headers alone are like 600 bucks and a shop wants 550 to install so I'm not sure if I'll just dedicate a whole weekend to install or see if some TW members will help me

 

Ouch. Well, if you do decide to do it yourself, I might be able to make a run out that way. If it is after the snow melts, I might make a week trip out of it and go down to clear some more of my property after the install is done.

 

Where's you property? I remember you saying something about it but don't remember where.

 

Thanks for the offer may take you up on it but not sure

 

Down by Christmas Valley (about 25 miles east of town). Hopefully this year, I'll get it zoned for a private RV park and get the driveway and some RV pads put in.

 

Got my frame tabs mocked up for the tranny mount. Steel shop is going to put the template in their water jet and cut it out of 1/4" plate. Hoping they have other orders in so it can get done tomorrow (trying to save some $ on setup fees).
But, for now, I have the motor mounted up and headers on so I can start planning out how to brace the frame and how I'm going to have my exhaust laid out.

Factory tranny crossmember is in to keep the frame straight until I get the back half welded in and crossmembers in.