| Beast Chopped |
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| This is the rear of the truck and we are test fitting where we want the rear axle to sit so the over all wheelbase can be reduced. The starting wheelbase was 155", it is now 124", but remember this is an EX-CAB Pickup. "Are We Insane?" |
| The old independent front suspension and diff have been removed and we have determined that our jack stands are not tall enough! This will be the resting place for the new Dana 44R with Ox Trak Locker and 4:88 gears. "Sweet!" |
| This is the rear spring installed. Basically we transplanted the front suspension to the rear and we will create a 4-link setup to hold it all in place. I think the springs are going to be too stiff, but we can change them later after the rear roll cage is installed. "Safety First" |
| The rear of the frame has been chopped off 58" and the spring mount holes have been drilled. We are still hurting in the jack stand arena, but look at that big bearing Ford 9", what a work of art, custom built by "Mongo Custom Axles, Austin Texas." It has 4:88 gears with a full spool. We plan on installing disc brakes in the future. "Drum Brakes Suck" |
| Here is the Wood hard at work, check the cig, he is installing new wheel studs. This is a better shot of the spring mounted in place. Check out the custom spring perch on the bottom. That required drilling a 3/4" hole; better have a drill press for that bad boy and a big daddy vice:) "Flying Metal and Fresh Paint" |
| Here the spring is compressed? Check out the new style ratchet strap 4-link setup. Not really, but they sure held the axle in place while we gawked at it. As far as spring compression goes there is none, but Yellow springs are RUDE, so they're staying! "Stop Staring" |
| Now it's your turn to gawk! That's right, it is 30" to the bottom of the frame in front of the tire, yes, I said 30", taller than some midgets. We will have to roll the truck out of the garage on the rims. "YES, I said midget" |
| This is Wood and the Icemaker. Proud and in total disbelief! I think the Icemaker is considering going to Amarillo again this year, even after almost freezing to death last year in the -25 degree weather. "Proud Father" |
| Ice and Wood pull off the miracle, killed the daemon, and are ready to roll!!!!!!!!!! Who could have doubted??? |
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| Right off Ebay and here local!!!!!!! This is the doner for the solid Dana 44 front axle and who knows what else. |
| Slight mods only, now here comes the torch, sawsall, Lincon, Ice, Wood and the IceMaker. |
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| Status 1/14/04 Dropped off the front diff yesterday to get the OX installed. Should be about a week! Finished installing the rear brakes and e-brake last night and should be able to start installing the exhaust early next week. It does not look like the front drive shaft will be a problem, but the back one will need to be custom made. The front diff, once it gets back, will be plug and play, except for the steering. I know it sounds strange, but the steering might be a problem, but I have Mongo on tap, so I'm not worried, just concerned! If things go smooth, we should be ready for a test run early Feb.?????????????????? |
| Updated 2/23/04 |
| Status 1/21/04 Things are moving along nicely with the exception of the front diff. We opted to go with the cable activated front locker, the OX TRAC, in lew of anoher setup, just to be different and less maintenance. Well that is proving to be a little problem. The OX is a hard locker to find and this idea may have to be abanded. We will probably end up going with the ARB instead, unless the OX shows up in a day or two. I will know more in the morning after I talk with the guy at 4WheelParts. Once we get that back it will be "plug and play", just one good hard weekend and some coil springs. We will then be ready to Break something :) Probaly a front axle or something along that line. |
| Status 1/30/04 The OX is in the garage!!!!! The new rear springs are installed "Super FLLLLLLEEEEEXXXXXXXXIIIIIEEEEEE" 3.5 inch Bronco springs!!!! Boing! Boing! We should have the front diff installed by Monday and the rear cage ready early next week. I will be sending pics thru the weekend! We are building our own steering system with 1.5" DOM, .25" thick tubing, helm joints and grade 8 bolts :) Sure hope it works! |
| Status 2/03/04 The Beast is moving along nicely! The rear roll cage is almost complete and the front springs are in the mail. Once they arrive we will finish bolting up the front suspension. We will need 4 shocks, front steering linkages and a rear drive shaft (maybe the front drive shaft too?) Create an air cleaner and we will be ready for testing. That should give us a two week window for breakage and if that happens then we will be loading Jason's Jeep on the trailer and heading to Amarillo!!!! |
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| Status 2/11/04 Rear cage, gas tank, spare tire, ice chest and spare gas can are installed. Some MAJOR frame cutting has been happening on the front end. The diff. hits the frame under full compression. We aslo are installing tthe stock exhaust system because the headers hit the front drive shaft!!!! Anyway the drop down brackets have been created for the front end and when the front springs arrive we will be in business. Then the shocks, drive shaft, exhaust will be bolted on. I'll try to send some pics, tonight. |
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| Status 2/17/04 We need to install the rear drive shaft, finish the OX cable and bleed the brakes. Thursday the shocks will be installed and then the test run will be happening. We might need to rebuild the carb after we see how she runs, but if everything holds together we are ready to go!!! 1st stage is complete with many mods and upgrades in the future:) I've learned a lot about building a custom off-road beast! Anybody need some super strong steering linkages?????? No problem, just lit us know!!! |
| Status 2/18/04 We finished installing the OX last night. We ran the beast for about an hour, but it appears the power brake booster is a goner, so we will replace that tonight. We are going to test drive it Thursday evening after we install the shocks!!!!!!!! We MIGHT install a new exhaust, but undecided at this time. Minus breakage, WE ARE READY TO GO!! WHEW!! |
| Status 2/21/04 At this point the Beast is not going to make the Amarillo Trip! We have an unexpected electrical problem. Something is burning up the Duraspark module up-on startup, no fire. We are burning thru them like crown. We plan to try some things on Sunday, but it doesn't look good. |
| Status 2/22/04 Well I sure hope $550.00 worth of MSD ignition fixes our problem, should know on Wed. I will keep you posted! We found out the Neutral safety switch was burnt thru and grounding out on the cross member. It supplies 12v to the duraspark module, but I am not sure how it caused the module to fail??????? I am now concerned about the voltage regulator, its external you know! I am looking for a wire diagram if anybody knows where one is. Would also like to be able to check and make sure it is functioning correctly????? |
| Status 2/23/04 The Wood and I rewired the entire beast fuse block tonight! We found another short, this time in the high/low beam switch. That makes two, the other being in the neutral safety switch. Man talk about chasing demons!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our MSD should be here Wed. We should know that evening the final status. I will give you a call. |
| Note: 2/22/04 Some where in this time frame there were bent push rods replaced also. Bent from the Demon inside. A Hi-Lift jack and vice-grips were used to get the rods out. After they were replaced, it started and idled perfectly, until Wood revved it ............it did not rev.............it died............... another ignition module burnt........ |
| Status 2/24/04 The Wood and I finished the re-wire project last night! Everything is working without blowing any fuses. I checked the fedex tracking and the MSD system is in Austin and should be at my door be 4pm today. I suspect it will take two to three hours to install and if everything works correctly we will be heading to the lake for some testing. As soon as the Beast is heading back to town, I will give you a call. "Tired, But WAY PUMPED!" Iceman. Have you had a Real weather report from you dad? |
| Status 2/25/04 The MSD is sitting on the porch! I plan on leaving around 1:20 to go install it! I will keep you posted! Have the phone ready!!!!!!!!!!! |
| Note: 2/25/04 Ice calls at 5:00. The MSD is installed and the Beast is purring like a kitten. Rev it up and it does not die!!! They will be loading it up and heading out for testing. Should hear from them tonight........... |
| Status 2/25/04 (after the test run) It's alive and it actually rolls, under its own power never less!!! Of course nothing is perfect, so the carb is being kinda difficult, but it will not be an issue, I hope:) See ya'll in a few hours!!!! |
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| Check out the rig on the trip HERE |