JHTreyIII's Class 1 Build - 1981 Chevy Pickup

[JHTreyIII]

The back end is starting to come together. Got the rear axle mounted up, the shocks might need a little fine tuning but holy cow, so much better movement than the springs!

[JHTreyIII]

I'd say my ride height is much improved!

[fr8cture]

That looks perfect.

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[JHTreyIII]

Started working on my steel sliders this evening. They'll have a raised rear upper link mounting point built into them. I haven't experimented with that much yet but it supposed to give the rig better anti-squat characteristics with the upper and lower links closer to parallel. I figured I'd go ahead and add them while I was building the sliders, there isn't much to it. I may need to rework my links a little, we'll see.

Started by doing all my measurements and then just drawing them on a piece of sheet metal. Not sure the gauge but it's pretty heavy, heavy enough to hold up to anything this rig can dish out. The dark line that isn't straight just made it easier to see while doing my cuts. The pencil lines are a little hard too see.



I did all my cuts with an angle grinder and then I used my bench grinder to take everything down slowly to the actual pencil marks. Tomorrow I'll start the bends and drill the mounting holes. I left them a little large, after I fit them to the body I'll have to grind them down some more so they fit just right.

[STANG KILLA SS]

love the new ride height and narrow track. scale factor just went WAY up!
i always cut off my front fender fangs just below the corner side marker. ie even with the bottom of the grill.

[JHTreyIII]

Thanks!! Sounds good, I'll probably do the same. I was just waiting to see where the front grill and bumper line up. After I get the sliders finished I'll work on mounting the front axle and cab.

[JHTreyIII]

Okay drilled some holes and bent up the mount tabs.



You can see the raised rear link connections here pretty well. I'll have to use a spacer.



Like I said, they were left long, now to trace out the body and do some trimming and more bending. It's going to be a tight fit for the batteries and electronics I am planning to set on them.



Look like running boards, haha.

[JHTreyIII]

Abbey doing a little work...got the cab and front axle mounted up. I need to make some lift kit brackets to lower the shock mount points up front. My SCX10 shocks aren't long enough in their stock mounting location. She'll look a little better once I have the ride height set properly.



Now I can mark the sliders and do the final bends and trimming.

[JHTreyIII]

Check out that approach angle! Now I can trim those fangs and build a bumper...high and tight!

[JHTreyIII]

Ignore the levelness (or lack of) in the above photo, still got some work to do there.

[JHTreyIII]

Looks like my cab isn't quite level with the bed, I'll have to see what I can do to fix that. It doesn't have to be perfect, hell a lot of old trucks are tweaked a little from a wreck or something. I don't want it to look goofy though.

[JHTreyIII]

Well I went to put my driveshafts on tonight and I've got a problem...the rear one binds when the suspension is stretched. I was afraid this would happen. The skid is in the stock axial location and that isn't going to work for this build. I need to slide it forward which means new sliders too. Ugh. I tried to get away with it!! Maybe I need one of those slick new TSS skids!

[Generis]

Hey, nice outhouse! haha!
I think you could salvage the sliders, and just move the skid forward, trimming where needed, and then add a new hole or 2. I'm sure you can do it! I've loved watching the transformation of this truck! Maybe try a direct swap, so you have the front links out back, and the back links up front. The front may not have the same binding issue as the rear.... Then you don't have to make links.

[JHTreyIII]

Haha, thanks Chris. Thats my one scale garage item! Ha.

You're probably right about salvaging the sliders but I think I'll just save them for another build. They're set up perfectly for a stock skid location on an SCX and since they haven't been finished they'll be easy to modify for another rig. I also went ahead and ordered one of the TSS smooth skids and they don't have upper link mounts so I was thinking with the new skid plates I could add the missing link mounts up front too.

I think the driveshaft would bind in either direction. Those links are so short and the transfer case is cenetered on the skid. I could limit the travel with the shocks more but I'd rather not do that. At least I didn't cut the tube for the front ones, I can reuse the allthread, from the rear anyway. I also just picked up some 1/4" stainless tube so they'll look a little nicer. Hopefully its not 3/16" that I need, LOL. The challenges from ordering materials while at the office. I don't think the allthread will fit through 3/16". I guess we'll see.

[JHTreyIII]

Made myself a new front bumper today...




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[fr8cture]

What's going on with this thing?

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[JHTreyIII]

Oh not too much really. I pre-ordered one of the TSS Smooth Skids a little while ago, I've been waiting for it to arrive so I can rework the suspension geometry before I go too much further. I need to be sure I can make it work, I don't want to fab anything just to redo it later. I did put together a rear bumper, I still need to attach the mounting plates.

[STANG KILLA SS]

bumpers look amazing!

[JHTreyIII]

Thanks Cory!

[fr8cture]

Looks great! Bumpers are sick.

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