Roll Cage

[joes50pu]

Truck looks really good. I bought me a 1968 1/2 ton from a friend of mine that was back halfed, has a 9-inch rearend, 4-link, and a roll cage like that coming through the back window with the cage inside. I sure would like to see your cage inside the truck. I have a long ways to go. I just finished the body work on the two front fenders, grille, cowl and both doors. Looks like I'm going to recess the center of the firewall since someone before my friend cut it out for more engine kick back. This style of truck isn't my thing but it's something to work on when I have nothing to work on at the shop.

[Garagedude]

Its been a long time since I have been on guys, I have been working long weeks and doing college full time, Since I have last posted I blew my TH400 up, I then took my motor and trans out I built I full blown trans brake transmission, I cut the firewall and moved it back almost 8inches, I put comp cam roller rockers on, a proform carb, new pulley setup, headman headers, msd box, I did the dash in aluminum and put most of the gauges back in Pictures will be soon, I am taking it to get alignment this weekend then maybe the track next week.

[djracer]

We need pics of these trucks.

[joes50pu]

I will take my camera to work with me tomorrow and take a shot of the back halfed frame. I will probably but a Cowl Induction Hood for the truck this spring. I may have scored a free long bed fleetside to cut down but I won't know for sure until next week.

[78-5.3]

i know this is an old tread but can anyone tell me the backspace of the rims on GARAGEDUDE 's truck 12x15 !what is the back spacing ?i need to order some rims this weekend im thinking 5.5 back space
thx

[Nick's81]

How about some picks of the cage behind the seat tring to figure out how and where to put the tubes not a lot of room

[Garagedude]

My rims are 15x12 with 7.5 offset but my rear isn't stock its an after market rear from moser that was made for an iroc camaro

[noonzor]

schweeet, pictures please!! haha

[Garagedude]

When I get some time I will post pics of everything I have done, right now I am in the middle of losing the girl I love and thats more important to me.

[team39763]

Originally Posted by Garagedude

When I get some time I will post pics of everything I have done, right now I am in the middle of losing the girl I love and thats more important to me.

Good luck dude, hope everything works out for the best.

[noonzor]

****.. sorry to hear dude. best of luck!

[BOHICA]

An update:

I've recently begun working on this truck to get it back on the road. It's been sitting since Ron 586 traded his Nova for it.

Where to start... Garagedude did a decent job welding, when he actually bothered trying. The roll cage is NOT fully welded. He left significant gaps where the back bars tie into the main hoop. He was also lazy and didn't even try to weld all the way around the cross-bracing on the back bars. There are also spots where he didn't burn through, but he deeply dug into the tubing. The hoop and front supports are not tied into the frame. They're just welded to the floor, but at least he used plates. When he ran the battery cable from the back to the front, he secured it to the frame the whole way until he got to the cab. For some unknown reason, despite having ample holes in the frame, Garagedude elected to drill bolts into the cab floor, from the underside, to secure the battery cable. He then left two or three sharp, inch-long bolts sticking up on the passenger side of the tranny hump. I meant to take pics, but the friend helping my disassemble the truck yesterday pulled them out before I could take any. The racing seats he put in just had regular nuts holding them on over washers. No lock washers or nylon nuts. Instead of correctly affixing the passenger racing harness to the roll cage like he did the driver's, he ran the shoulder straps down to the floor and bolted them to the seat. There's lots more, but I think that's enough examples.

I wasn't going to post anything, but I thought about it, and since he was just plain too lazy to weld the back braces, I don't really have any sympathy. I'll get some pics posted later. I've never been to Orangeburg Dragstrip in South Carolina, but I don't know how in the world he got it to pass their tech inspection.