LFD's 4dr Tahoe Build

[ChiefRocka]

Haven't been back to see this thing...AWESOME !!!....

Nice rear-end cover.....Kinda looks familiar !!!

[Rokcrln]

Plating the rear notch is going to be time consuming. I have 8 hrs into it this far and only have the tops and one inside done. That leaves one more inside and the real fun out sides left so I am guessing about 12-16 hrs with clean up. Good thing I have a break that will do 3/8" plate or it would be allot more pieces to get it all to fit.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

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[LUV2XCLR8]

Now that's a hole! going to lay frame I assume?

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by LUV2XCLR8

Now that's a hole! going to lay frame I assume?

Porter is setting up the C4 DropMember so the frame will be 1" off the ground with 28" tires at full dump. I set the rear up the same way with 30" tall tires. As for the size of the hole in the rear it really is small for almost laying out with 30's. The notch is only about 4" compared to almost 10" with a solid axle

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Frizzle Fry]

Just Awesome!

[Rokcrln]

Things are starting to fall together. I had today off so I hit it hard in the shop and got allot done. I finished the notch plating and started doing my tubular cross member to hold the frame rails in place and give even more strength. When I started bracing the frame for cutting it I put 2 1 3/4" tubes tacked to the frame right at the C pillars and they sat on the ground to keep the frame from sagging. I set these tubes on an 1/8" plate and not right on the ground and today when I cut all the bracing loose I tapped out the 1/8" plates and the chassis did not drop at all. This tells me I had not flex or sag from the operation.

I started doing my tube work but I need a gas tank in place first before I can finish it up so I will get one in the morning. I will be boxing in the entire frame before I am done and I will build tubular cross members all the way up to the front DropMember and tie them in at that point. It will look really cool and make this chassis rigid as all heck. This in turn will make the suspension work like it should and keep all flex out of the equation.

I mocked up the rear floor and all the seats to just see how it all fit. All I can say is I like it!! I first set the second row seat in place and with it folded forward that gave me the placement of the front seats. This will be the location of the middle of the front seat travel so it will have 4" forward and aft of this point +-. Then I slid in one of the rear seats and with it almost up against the rear doors even I can fit in their with out much problem at all and I am 6'-0". I have good head room and my leg room is OK but I would not want a long trip back their. For kids it will be great and the second row seat has plenty of room for me even on a long trip.

So plans for tomorrow are to mount the gas tank, trim the rear floor section and if time allows I will start building the seat mounts Also I decided on putting the new rear floor in at 4" above stock. I could have done 3" but at 4" when the second row seats are down the floor is flush with the seats.

Also I will be ordering my rims in the morning, I am going with the Coy C5's in the Gun Metal Grey. 20x8.5" with 5 1/4" back spacing in the front and 22x9's with 5.5" back spacing in the rear. I could do the 5" back spacing with an 11" wide tire but I want to try and fit the 305/40-22's that are 12" wide.


Kevin
LFD Inc.

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[88JRFAN]

Looking killer Kevin. It looks like it will be super stiff. You definitely got some awesome skills. The wife should love to drive it by the time your done. I like the second row seat. What did it come out of? Daren

[texanidiot25]

I sorta like it when this truck doesn't sell... Because every time you work on it it gets more and more badass.

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by 88JRFAN

Looking killer Kevin. It looks like it will be super stiff. You definitely got some awesome skills. The wife should love to drive it by the time your done. I like the second row seat. What did it come out of? Daren

Seats are 2003 Tahoe/Burb but the second row is Tahoe only. The Burb seat mounts flat on the floor causing it to be 5" forward of the Tahoe.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[88JRFAN]

Thanks Kevin

[kyle4381]

Looks sweet..

[MrBeast]

I am going to be interested to see how the seats go into the truck, I really want to upgrade my 85, it will be good being able to see you do it first.

[64shortc10]

Kevin,

You are a fast worker! It has come a long way from yesterday when I saw it. Eveything looks sweet! When you're ready to do my rear suspension let me know. Hopefully I get a discounted hourly rate cause I'm a local. I'm glad you decided to go with the 20-22 combo anything else would have looked to small! I'll have to come check it out soon.

Tony from Norcal

[Frizzle Fry]

You'll be happy with that wheel/tire combo. A little more sidewall gives a nicer ride (and looks better to IMO). The IRS might help too...

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by 64shortc10

Kevin,

You are a fast worker! It has come a long way from yesterday when I saw it. Eveything looks sweet! When you're ready to do my rear suspension let me know. Hopefully I get a discounted hourly rate cause I'm a local. I'm glad you decided to go with the 20-22 combo anything else would have looked to small! I'll have to come check it out soon.

Tony from Norcal

I have no idea how you went so long with out the net! Glad you are back, I will be out in the shop most of Friday and then again some on Sunday. When you are ready and I am freed up we will get your SWB hooked up. And yes you get the Local discount

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Rokcrln]

The tank is cut sliced and welded back together and I only had one pin hole leak. Now that is fixed and ready to be cleaned and painted in the morning. I ended up finding a tank out of an 85 Blazer and I will just use an 87-91 sending unit and EFI pump. It is a 25 gal tank and I had to notch the front corners around my notch I also swapped the fill neck over to the drivers side. I then PSI tested it to 6lbs and was good to go.
After painting the tank in the morning I plan on finishing the tube bracing and start mounting the seats then if time allows I will start trimming the new rear floor.

I almost forgot I ordered my rims today, I went with the coy C5's in Gun metal but the rears are 6 wks out but the fronts should be here next week. SO IF MY DROPMEMBER EVER SHOWS UP that was for Nate! I will have my C4 DM by the 15th of March (2009) then the front can begin as well as my tubular cross members and frame boxing.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

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[nuke1]

i have not checked up on you in a while kevin, the burb is looking great, that is using your nogin and creating as much room as you possibly can still, i like it, just out of curiosity, how much did the front and rear suspensions set you back if you do not mind me askin, thanks.

[Puropedo]

Kevin, did u flush the gas tank before any welding? I have heard that u got to take precautions before doing welding on tanks that had being used. As usual, u are doing a kick ass job on your hoe, Im starting to pay more attention now, since this is where the 5.3 efi conversion begins ( my dream mod for my truck ) anyways, I hope that u keep showing pictures and descriptions of your project, keep up the bad ass custom/fab work!

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by nuke1

i have not checked up on you in a while kevin, the burb is looking great, that is using your nogin and creating as much room as you possibly can still, i like it, just out of curiosity, how much did the front and rear suspensions set you back if you do not mind me askin, thanks.

I got a good deal on the rear being it is a Dana 44 and not the normal 36 but still set me back $1500 Normally around 2k and the front was $600. Now keep in mind the front still needs $1400 worth of DropMember and $700 worth of shock waves. The rear will need about $600-$1000 in links, bags, shocks and misc parts plus what ever it cost to get that diff cover Mag surfaced so it is good and flat. So by no means is it a cheap or even affordable way to go but that is what LowBuck was for, now it's time to play!

Originally Posted by Puropedo

Kevin, did u flush the gas tank before any welding? I have heard that u got to take precautions before doing welding on tanks that had being used. As usual, u are doing a kick ass job on your hoe, Im starting to pay more attention now, since this is where the 5.3 efi conversion begins ( my dream mod for my truck ) anyways, I hope that u keep showing pictures and descriptions of your project, keep up the bad ass custom/fab work!

Yes you always need to be extremely careful. This tank sat out side for years with some gas and water in side of it. So first thing I did was checked the inside with a small flashlight and saw their was no rust at all so I knew it was a good start. Then I poured out the fluid into a bucket and checked to see if it would light, it would not even try. Then I added some out eater to the tank, sloshed it around and washed it out for about 5 min. Now I felt same it was evacuated of fumes but I was still care full and with the sender off and all tubes open I took my torch and from a distance passed the flame over the opening, nothing so I tipped the flame into the tank and was good to go.

Now the proper way to to have it boiled out by a radiator shop but this worked well for me. I then made my cuts, capped off one corner, moved the filler neck, capped the old one and de-bured my last corner and then cleaned it out through the last hole using my arm and a scotch brite pad and more oil eater. I then flushed it out with high psi water, air then welded my last corner. Then I plugged all holes and added 6psi of air and checked it with soapy water and only had one pin hole leak right under the bend of the filler so I tigged over that spot and it is air tight. I will add some tank sealer to the inside to seal over the welds and prevent rust down the road but all in all I am happy with the results. I paid $65 for the tank, $80 for a new EFI sending unit, and the pump is $120 for the right one to run my 5.3 Vortec plus a can of sealer say $20. So $285 I got a 25 gal EFI ready in tank pump custom fit tank!

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[smbrouss70]

Kevin, that is nice work you have done on that rear suspension. I'm curious on how that will be bolted in the frame. I'm guessing that you still have some braces/brackets that you have not made yet. I hope you don't mind, but I think I will try to duplicate this to the best of my abilities when it comes time to do my Blazer.

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by smbrouss70

Kevin, that is nice work you have done on that rear suspension. I'm curious on how that will be bolted in the frame. I'm guessing that you still have some braces/brackets that you have not made yet. I hope you don't mind, but I think I will try to duplicate this to the best of my abilities when it comes time to do my Blazer.

I am waiting on some bushings to show up before I build my mounts for the diff. It will still have the Bat Wing style mount but just a new one that will fit under my notch and bolt on the out side of the frame. I felt it was a good idea to keep it as wide as I could to help in limiting any flex. The front will also have a mount that I have not finalized yet but all of it will be done with Polly bushings I ordered from SD.

As far as duplicating what I have done, go for it that is why I post so much and show what I have done is to enrage others and to keep more of these old vehicles on the road.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Rokcrln]

Only thing left on the notch now are the diff mounts once I get my parts. I finished up the bracing with nothing fancy just a modified back bone style to give it more than needed rigidity. As I complete the rest of my frame boxing and tubular center section it will all tie into the rear section you see now. The main center section back bone will tie into the two top center tubes you see over the diff. This combined with everything else I will be doing should make for one very rigid frame.
I have the tank in Zinc Primmer waiting for its liner coat then off to the seat mounting.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

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[Sinister]

Must have missed this thread. Awesome build, keep it up.

[flamingbig10]

this Tahoe is awesome

[msgross]

Instead of a "C notch" i'd call that the "waffle notch"