Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

While I was trying to get a rig done for another buddy a local guy contacted me about his toy. He's in the Navy and is gone allot so he has found it hard to get anything done.

Well he started a 4.3 swap and became overwhelmed and with his limited time it just sat.

So he drug it out to my shop and this last week I finally got it drug into my smaller bay for now(till the other rig is done)..

Its a SCPI 4.3 mated to a th350 and toy duals.

So the plan is to complete the 4.3 swap and possibly some tube work and a few other things.

For now I am going to get a good portion of the swap done and its going to be a slow start for the next couple weeks till I can get it into my bigger bay.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...oy/chris-1.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

While I was waiting for a few parts on the other rig I decided to secure the trans(motor was sitting in the rig with only the mounts holding it) and pulled the motor.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...oy/chris-2.jpg

These are going into the garbage and I will be building my own bullet proof set.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...oy/chris-3.jpg

Now it will sit for a little while but its ready for me to strip the frame and prepare for the new mounts..

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...oy/chris-4.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

Here is a better picture. I pulled it out tonight so I can clean the engine bay up and going to drag it over to the other bay as soon as I get the other rig moved over(small enough to drag across the shop,lol)

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...oy/chris-5.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

Ok so I got the engine bay cleaned up and the rig moved to the big stall--things will start happening in the next few days....

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...oy/chris-6.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

I had a few minutes so I drug out the plasma and started killing stuff..

Passenger side was a cake walk.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...oy/chris-7.jpg

The driver side on the other hand is going to take some work. 1/4" plates are on each side of the frame and I am going to have to remove a portion on the inside frame rail for the motor mount landing...

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...oy/chris-8.jpg

Just a lil start as I will be gone for the weekend....

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

Ok the driver side frame rail was a bit of work since I made the choice of cutting the plating on the frame way back to the steering box.. But I got the brackets/plates rough cut off....


http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...oy/chris-9.jpg

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-10.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

o after some grinder love and I cut a > into the plating it looks a lil better..

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-11.jpg

Both frame rails are now done...

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-12.jpg

Pulled these off the motor and going to use them for target practice....

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-13.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

Since this bugged me its first on my list. There is no need for oil cooler lines plus it just complicates the rig even more/more things to get grabbed and ripped off..

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-14.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

Step one---remove..

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-15.jpg

If you look down the nipple on the adapter for the oil filter you will see the hex formation. A 10mm fits perfect but a 3/8 alen wrench will also work.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-16.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

When you remove the adapter there are 2 things that seal it to the block. First a large oil ring--toss that and the second a paper gasket where the adapter meets the block. Now make sure to fully remove that because under that is the other bypass valve (also on in the adapter).

Once cleaned simple screw the nipple into the block.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-17.jpg

An walla the filter. There are 2 versions of the filter--a short or a long(like whats shown).

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-18.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

I got a start on the motor mounts..

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-19.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

I got the motor side of the mount slightly redesigned (actually slightly streamlined). This is a design I made about 5 years ago with some slight changes over that time frame with zero failures to date..

But got them done.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-20.jpg

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-21.jpg

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-22.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

So I got the motor prepped by pulling the harness and all the hoses off it. Not only does that let me know what is/is not there it simply makes it easier to work around..

I got the truck prepped and all leveled.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-23.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

So now for the critical part--engine/trans placement but I have a sweet spot I like to put both. To be able to do that I found I can't roll everything back far enough because the torsion bar mount was in the way.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-24.jpg

I have come to love/hate playing with the plasma/grinder on my back lol.

But I got it all scarfed off..

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-25.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

So now with that done I am able to put things in there "happy" place..

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-26.jpg

The method I always use is jack stand the motor so its good and stable and rachet straps to keep everything in place--works great..

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-27.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

I got the other side of the mount made.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-28.jpg

With the motor in place I simply had to make the stringers and tach everything in place and pull the motor. I was only able to get the stringers welded up and tommorow I will get the gussets cut/welded in place and the frame rails painted.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-29.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

Got the gussets made/welded in and the frame rails all painted up.... Ready to drop the motor back in tomorrow..

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-30.jpg

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-31.jpg

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

Ok things have calmed down and able to get back at it.

So I got the motor thrown back in.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-32.jpg

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-33.jpg

I got started on prepping the frame to build the new mounts for the cross member so I can get the works bolted in for good.

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

Got both frame rails prepped tonight.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-34.jpg

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-35.jpg

Got the crossmember mounted in place and ready to build the mounts.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-36.jpg

Damn---just realized I ran outa material...

Re: Another Rig in the Crashfab shop......
 

Got some time finally. So I got the crossmember mounts made and burned in.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-37.jpg

I had to modify the drivers side mount so all the bolts are on the inside of the frame. I could have made a mount on the outside of the frame but chose to go this way to remove one thing that could be a potential hangup.

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-38.jpg

And its all mounted up and done..

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-39.jpg

http://www.nw-wheelers.com/Crashfab/...y/chris-40.jpg