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Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
Well, I knew I had a small window of opportunity to do this before my 61 takes residence in the garage, so it was now or who knows when...
After countless photochops to play with the proportions, I ended up using the longbed-to-shortbed conversion dimensions. For those who aren't familiar, it's -12" in wheelbase and -8" from the back end for an overall reduction of 20" (that's a LOT of garage space) This is the rendering that really sold it for me: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178507606 I would have posted pics in process but I literally had two weeks to get this done and it ended up taking three... Here's the final pic of the Sub life; the before pic: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...1550Medium.jpg Here we go...:hm: Tear Down: http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...1552Medium.jpg Gates off http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...1553Medium.jpg That's gonna have to go... http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...1554Medium.jpg These were nice while they lasted... I'll make new ones http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...1555Medium.jpg http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...1556Medium.jpg http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...1557Medium.jpg Roomy... http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...1558Medium.jpg |
Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
More tear down:
Too bad I just filled this:rolleyes: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178507824 I'd been wanting to get rid of this nasty home-made receiver hitch (PO install) http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178507824 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178507824 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178507824 Rear bumper and hitch gone: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178507824 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178507824 This will become a one-piece http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178507824 Quarter windows out http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178507824 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178507824 |
Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
I found the easiest way to remove the rear wood is with a little help from Mr circle saw. Then I cut around the bolts with a sawzall so I could remove them with the sawzall. Pics should make it clear...
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...1581Medium.jpg http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...1582Medium.jpg You can see how I cut around the bolts here so I could then just hack the bolts instead of fighting with them. http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...1583Medium.jpg http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178508482 Buh-bye spare tire well... http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178508482 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178508482 Rear 8" cut layout. That ledge is a great place to reference level: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178508482 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178508482 I'll be needing these soon: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178508482 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178508482 |
Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
This body cross brace/seat mount and the frame crossmember behind it were less than 12" appart. So the seat mount had to get a little trim:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178509212 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178509212 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178509212 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178509212 Making room for the wheel wells to move forward: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178509212 Bracing for what's to come with a little help: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178509212 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178509212 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178509807 |
Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
You can't simply take 8" and 12" slices out of this thing and weld it back together like a truck bed. These have C-Pillars, a third door, and rear quarter glass to consider.
This is where all my Tahoe Photo-Chopping really paid off. I found when I did the renderings that it was easiest to just move the rear wheel wells forward 12" and then the rear and roof forward 20". I also knew from that experience that the roof was slightly domed, so the further forward the slice, the better. Here are the exterior layout lines: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178510730 No turning back now!!! http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178510730 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178510730 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178510730 By including the braces and fuel filler passage in this section I can just move it all forward as one unit: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178510730 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178510730 Ouch :lol: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178510730 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178510730 |
Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
This whole area required a redesign:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178511228 Here's where the wheel well is going to end up (blue line): http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178511228 That's gonna have to move;) (see blue line again): http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178511228 Thank God for bracing... http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178511228 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178511228 Test fit of wheel well section: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178511228 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178512313 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178512313 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178512313 |
Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178512547 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178512547 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178512547 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178512547 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178512547 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178512547 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178512547 |
Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
This is a "bolt-on" mod :lol:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178512547 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178512547 Tacked in place: http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178513170 http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y23...g?t=1178513248 More to come tomorrow... |
Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
Thats going to look sweet when you get done with it. Looks like you had a couple of good hands helping you out to.
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Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
oh my god...this is going to be so sweet.....i was waiting for someone to hunker down and get this done.....i'll be watching, i got 2 extra burb bodies that i think are wanting to get cut up soon too......looks sweet so far!!! keep up with the pics.....
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Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
Well...wow...I have three extra burbs I was going to just going to get rid of. This makes me want to just cover em up for now and see what yours looks like finished. I think if I destroyed two of em trying to figure out how this works the third one may get finished...lol...someday.
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Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
i assume this is going to stay a 3 dr for now?
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Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
:jdp: That's just incredible! Can't wait to see it completely finished. :metal:
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Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
Way cool!!.. cant wait to see more pics..
I can really appreciate a guy who is not afraid to cut one up!! I love it!! |
Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
FINALLY, someone is going to build one. I was wondering when this was going to happen!! Looks awesome, the fun part is going to be the other side with the door!!
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Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
dont like it, i saw one at a show last year,looks like a swb with a burb roof on it.
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Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
Awesome project, Mike! It just makes me feel badly about going fishing this weekend...LOL!
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Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
I think that is will be real cool. Nice work. Looks like lyou are having a good time with the kids. Keep it up.
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Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
Quote:
Quote:
Well, I appreciate your honesty :) Are you sure you saw one with a 115" wheelbase and notched 3rd door? I have looked and looked and have never seen one done this way. I've seen this: http://customclassictrucks.com/event...maria_15_z.jpg ...and I've seen them with a some rear-end trimming, but never the way I'm doing it; "Tahoe Style." If you or anyone else has pics of one done this way I'd love to see them! |
Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
<click> Subscribe.....
Killer build. That had to take some serious cajones to bring the cutoff wheel to clean original sheet metal. The progress looks great. I like the on the fly engineering too. Don't worry about the one guy that hates it. Your building for yourself, not him. Anybody that doesn't like it can click the back button and go look at another thread. I like "phantoms" or versions of trucks/cars that could have been made but weren't. If done right (and it looks like its going in the right direction) its probably going to look like it was factory when completed. Then you'll get the folks coming up saying they remember having one like that as a kid or an uncle had one a long time ago. Very unique, keep up the good work! |
Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
I know you did this just so you can place in the top 10 at that Porsche auto cross!!!!!!!!!!
You NEVER asked for anyone's opinion about this but I think this is an awesome project and a great idea. I still can't believe you got it done in 3 weeks while losing one weekend to an injury! That is one "stinking" complex conversion! |
Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
thats goign to be freakin sweet
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Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
Nice job Mike!:metal: . Can't wait to see it completed!:)
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Re: Joined the Short Wheelbase Club *69 Tahoe Project*
That is an insane amount of work, can't wait to see the finished product. :D
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