Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Nice work. I think the tranny tunnel/firewall transition is very intimidating. You handled it well...Nice job!!!

Marc

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

I think your trans hump is turning out really nice. It's a tough thing to cover a hole with things sticking up that was never there in the first place.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

That looks great, the lines on the hump line up perfectly! nice work

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

thanks! i really need to get this floor buttoned up, cleaned up, and painted. sooooo many little holes to fill

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Great build.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Get some good 3M seam seal and coat all your seams. Then you don't need to be that worried about pin holes.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

that would be the plan! plus the spray on liner both outside and inside.

do you have a sealer you like? anyone else? took me 10 years to use up the first tube i bought in college, no sure what's out there now.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

It has been a while since I used any, but I am pretty sure this is what I used. It is supposed to stay flexible so it doesn't crack like a lot of other products do.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/MMM0...aAskxEALw_wcB&

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

It was cool to get together and abuse the Jeeps last weekend. Now we just need to get that Canadian guy to come down.

https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1ev71...R7ebLThTpYFLZp

https://drive.google.com/uc?id=18ff7...qByiInspsjMlrD

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

he was talking about a trip to RC, lets do it.

was a damn good day on the trail! of the whole thing though ... right now ... i wish i was back in the breeze/shade in that camp chair falling asleep :lol:

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Keep me in the loop. If the schedule allows I'm always game for RC.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Slowly but surely working on sheet n got the tunnel finished! I welded the inside of each joint and ground the outside to hopefully resemble the bends after spraying the liner.

https://i.imgur.com/pq971FT.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/CLu3c6m.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/aFUh3TT.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/8oxbnQx.jpg

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Looks awesome. When do you hope to have it driving?

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

well thank you!

first drive? tough to say now ... i have been procrastination something bad on sheet metal work cuz i don't like doing it and lost some time ... but still hopefully for maybe end of June.

actually ready to be driving around normally but with future projects slated, hopefully end of summer.

i also have to help dad rebuild the entire suspension and install new fluid lines for the 69 Camaro. he just bought it back, it's THE car my grandfather bought new and that my dad took to prom 1970. so it's getting mostly restored vs built.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Looks great. It always motivating when you close up a large hole like that with fresh metal.

Marc

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Looks like you are just about to put the sheet metal behind you. The tunnel looks good. The lines flow nicely.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Ya that would be great but I don't think it will be this year as the borders are still closed.
I did get my Jeep out to a local gravel pit last weekend tho. Took my son and his freshly built CJ6.
Attachment 2100074

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Nice. I'm glad you at least got to get out and wheel.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Dang, fab skillz to pay da billz, fer sure!

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Very nice work on the trans tunnel! I've got to do one in my 1940 Ford and I need to set down and figure out how to lay out the angles and technical stuff so it can look nice like yours instead of a card board box smashed to fit the not square or round opening. :lol:

The 69 Camaro sounds awesome! A lot of history there, if you have the time start a thread on that.

Nice to see you guys getting together to do some crawling in the Jeeps.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

ok, i finally stopped slacking as bad and did some work this weekend.

the drivers rear body mount reinforcement wasn't attached any more, so i fixed that. welded some floor cracks under it, wire wheel, Auto Tech rust prep, weld-thru primer, and hot metal glued it back on.

then i set to work on the firewall, more sheet metal i've been dreading. started with smoothing out the rib that ended up under my brake booster, and then continued to fil holes. lots to go, but making progress.

https://i.imgur.com/Ya9ivwF.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/7YtkSp8.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/NiRXmMu.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/EZVUrYQ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/G2siOf9.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Pl8CcVe.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9IjKS1F.jpg

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Looks good. Your gaining.

Marc

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

That looks like a good time. Especially when it is 90 degrees out.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

i have AC in my shop now ;)

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Nice.... I just have a beer fridge

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

For somebody who doesn't like doing sheet metal work, you certainly are good at it.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

thank you, i'm trying to take my time to get the details right. it just takes so much time, and i have at least one panel that now has an oil can effect :(

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

WOW! One of the most awesome builds on here. Thanks for sharing photos and info gr8 work.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

there are some amazing builds on this site, that's a seriously motivational compliment! thank you!

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

so i'm still putting off having to do the floor repair, decided to take the firewall a little further tonight. wire wheels, cleaned, Auto Tech Rust Prep, cleaned, and primer to see it in a solid color. a little smoothing here and there, some body caulk, and she'll be ready for the Lizardskin. nothing like a nice textured black coating to hide even more imperfections.

also finished getting the old pedal and steering holes filled, while leaving the new steering hole in place.

https://i.imgur.com/grs1qP0.jpg

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

The firewall looks great. I too Raptor lined almost every surface. Love that stuff. I think I went thru 8 bottles.

Marc

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

looking great ! that tunnel should fit a Buick Straight 8 no problem lol

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Coming along nicely. Getting stuff installed like the hydra-boost and painting the fire wall are things you can stroke off your list and helps motivate.
I suggest you plan to put a ps cooler in, I found with the hydra boost the oil gets really hot.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

that's a really good thought ... i was kind of ignoring it for now, but probably shouldn't.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

oh man, my cardboard list is getting shorter! i now HAVE to do the floor patch work before anything else on the cab, it's time to dive into the mess ...

fitted up some frame horn caps and gussets cut from extra box tube.

added the axle center pins to the truck arms. 7/16 cap head bolts slightly turned down down in a drill with a grinder, to specifically fit the smallest drill bit size i had that was larger than 1/2" to open up the perches with. then got the shock mounts, bag mounts, and finally the fish plates fully welded on the arms. just a quick gusset to add to each upright on the bag mounts (cuz beef, and cuz why not) to call these 100% done. the axle however now IS done and ready for clean-up n paint.

https://i.imgur.com/r1f1HGm.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/t6U3P5L.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/EVZC25X.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/sGvOjhE.jpg

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Nice.... I didn't get anything productive done in the shop on this long weekend. I went and played in the Jeep instead.

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

Doing a watts link I see? Good stuff!

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

just checking to double make sure we are still building a Chebby truck here or an Abrams M1

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

um ... yes?

tank burnouts!

Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
 

:cf: :burnout: