Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Thanks guy's that just the info i needed . Now if it wernt so dam hot then i could actually actually get under it and fix that ! For now I'll just keep driving with 2 hands and dont dare reach for the coffe when road surfaces change . Lol.

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Sounds good. Just PM me and I will get you my cell number. Is the gas show the Gas Pump show at the Holiday Inn on Fleur Drive in Des Moines?

Those alignment bushings are only on ball joint applications. The only way to add camber in a kingpin axle is to bend it. But the problem with that is once you bend it, it weakens the housing.............

Most lift springs have a wedge bolted to it via the center pin and this will change the caster. Ryan is spot on on the 6*. I used to set big lifted trucks to 8 or 10* depending the terrain the truck would be driving on or how it drove. And on wider tires, 1/8" toe in helps.

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

If i recall the dodge leaf springs sat higher in the front than the rear . the 56 springs are almost flat and mounted to a straight frame to boot . I bet when I bolted the D60 up I lost all my Caster . Thus shopping cart feeling .

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Well hot damn! That is awesome! :metal:

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

That's the one.

http://iowagas.com/about/

Never been before, but looks like there will be a ton of cool gas/auto memorabilia to check out. I'm not a big collector, but I have a few things and looks like a fun swap meet. I think my uncle goes every year, he is a HUGE collector.

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

You need to go to a heavy truck shop and see what they can offer you for caster shims and go from there. I bet that is your biggest issue. Or, I've seen guys lower the front spring perches but this can lift the truck some, but it rolls the diff housing back giving you some caster. You have to do measuring before fimal welding though. :lol: If you had room, you could shorten the shackle bars instead. But I'm guessing shims are the best fix.

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Thanks.

Well cool deal. I've always wanted to go check it out. Now you gave me a reason to. :lol:

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Awesome truck! I want to do something similar to my 72'. Did you box the frame rails? In the pics it didn't look like you did. I was wondering how necessary boxing the frame rails is for a 12v swap.

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

He had to box the rails. thats how all the cool kids were doing it and he wanted to fit in!

:lol: :lol:

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

But I don't want to fit in!!... I built my truck already using the factory equip. and i had the frame powder coated so i was hoping that the boxing was unnecessary, but i guess i would need to box. Thanks for the info.

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

HAHAHA:lol:

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

You don't have to box the frame if you keep the engine mild. I did it to "Fit in" and with all the other stuff I did I wanted the frame to be super strong for when the sled is back there. :lol: (If it ever is.)

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

I ended up plating the inside of my frame. Cut off the rivots and bolted in the plates. I wanted my frame to still twist a little.
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

the idea i had would use two frames
take both of the frames a part untill you left with the long pieces
cut about an inch off those lengthwize then use the leftside of one frame and weld it to the right side so you get a boxshape about the same width as the original frame
then i would prolly make some holes and wel in small pipes across the bolholes needed to be able to bolt anything to it
and make new crossmembers that will fit to the outside of that box

as long as the original frame goes straight back to front it could be done and it prolly keeps some of the original flex too

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

that would add a lot of extra material where it is not needed in the flanges of the frame rail. not to mention there are features on the right frame rail that are not there on the left and visa versa. the rails wouldnt match up. it also provides a nice place for dust and moisture to live and start the rust monster in between the flangse of the rails. for the grand total of probably 100 bucks in material i was able to box mine in front to back 100%. there is still a token amount of frame flex as it is pretty much impossible to remove it totally, especially when there is the weight of a cummins on it. but, there is 0 benefit to frame flex, so having less is a good thing.

it isnt necessary of course. the frame will hold a cummins just fine. under 98% of average driving situations for a truck being used normally, i.e. street and pulling trailers/hauling loads, a stock frame in good shape will perform just fine.

i chose to box mine, and did my best to goad ryan into boxing his because as i said, no frame flex is the best. it leads to a better handling better riding and all around better performing vehicle in any situation. toss in the fact that i am going to be in the neighborhood of 500HP and hopefully more one day, and ryan will be able to make 800ish with the amount of air he can move, and those numbers are both going to be around 1000ft/lbs and more, that is a lot of twisting power for the frame to deal with... especially if it is strapped to a sled or a heavy trailer.

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Damn Ryan, That looks sweet man. its came a long way, and lookd killer! good job man. I envy you.

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

personally i would take the headrests off and see how you like it, i know it would look better and you wouldnt have a rear view window full of headrest

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

I need to get the frame done on my 52 frame so I can get restarted on my 72. My daily driver (donor) dodge body is Such a POS I absolutely hate it. The body is pretty straight so since I decided to use the Chevy frame. all I need from the dodge is the engine and rear end. maybe I can get some parts money out of the old body and frame.:lol: I has potential for a first gen Dodge guy.

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

With the stack there it doesn't really matter. But the head rests didn't bother me much. They actually fit me well.

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Thanks man. How's your coming?

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Yeah, there's always something to do first. :lol: I know that all too well. We're saving up to buy a house, so I've been selling extra stuff I have so I can try to get all the vehicles I have movable on their own. Hopefully I can get most of them this way before winter, and then the big saving for the house comes, and less vehicle parts purchasing. The only one I plan to continue to buy parts for is my Dad's 68 GS400.

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Gonna put a 6B in that Buick too?
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

I think our dad would murder us if we did...

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

haha! I'd love to see some pictures. stock sleeper or hot rod?

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

I'm not 100% sure what we are going for as of yet but more than likely as close to stock as can be. With a few modifications thrown in of course.

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Probably try to get the engine around 500hp, put some nice wheels on it and restore the rest back or close to original. Yeah, no cummins in this one. :lol:

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

stock engine with better headgaskets and a vortec on low boost with a carb box setup should do the trick , eazy to return to stock again too
http://static.summitracing.com/globa...8-020_w_ml.jpg

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Wonder if that will bolt to a 455 Buick....

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Knowing you guy's fear for adding turbos to make fast go faster, how about a 455 twin turbo setup?

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

sissies :lol:

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

there was a guy on the turoforum a while back that had bolted 4 dieselturbo's of chevy diesels on a big block fury it whent like stink and ecause the turbos wherent quite new you could hear them spool up one after another during the launch
http://youtu.be/tflCsMyJR50

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Those are nice looking cars. I remember lusting after a yellow GSX of similar vintage I when I was in high school.

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Yeah, you guys aren't helping. :lol:

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Yeah they are. I'm not so keen on the 68's rear wheel opening, but I'll get over it. :lol:

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

In the nicest way possible... DICK
:lol:

Bad thing is we have a couple turbos to make that feasible but would need to go electronic injection to make it really scream. IMO

For what we will have in the 455 theres no way money wise to pass that up. Plus it's Dad's baby and we want it to be as close to what he bought as possible.

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

BS, we want it to be better than when he had it. :lol: Big burn outs, in style. Haha

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

the simplest longterm allways on tap 500 horsepower way while keeping the engine mostly stock like the exaust and the intakemanifold and all the linkage would still be to use a vortec type compressor and a pressurized box around the carb
you might need to switch the floats in the carb or drill them and put foam in them before soldering them close again if there the hollow brass type so they dont collapse under pressure (still cheaper then a car for boostaplications or fuelinjection )
you do need to add a better feulpump and a boostrefferenced feulpressureregulator even on low boost just to be safe and if you got a vacuum assisted brakesystem and vacuum regulated automatic you need to make sumting work for those

you could use that same pressurized box carb and fuelpressure setup for one turbo
it be a lot more finiky and some more (expensive) exaustfabricating and you prolly need to loose the innerfenders if you dont want to cut intoo them

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

I like all this turbo conversation going on, I have a big block vette with twin turbos I built 8 years ago, love how they work. Drives around like a stocker, starts great and shuts off when its hot. Gets the same mileage as it did before, if you can keep your foot out of it.
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/my72...tml?sort=2&o=6

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

That's awesome! Carb'd or EFI?

Re: Finally starting my Longhorn 4x4 conversion
 

Its carb'd. Ihad a 750 double pumper that I modified as per instructions off "The Turbo Forums" and it works pretty good. I had a 4 speed in it when we made the videos but I have a 4l80e in it now.