LFD's 4dr Tahoe Build

[STOCKISH]

Some of the nicest work I have ever seen. Absolutely unreal the amount of talent coming out of that shop. You probably have more skill in your left boot than most people will ever have. Keep up the killer work.

[smbrouss70]

Looks fantastic Kevin! How about a straight-on side shot so we can see how perfectly the wheels are centered in the fender openings. Great choice on the wheels too, I can't wait to get mine!

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by 1972SuperCheyenne

Some of the nicest work I have ever seen. Absolutely unreal the amount of talent coming out of that shop. You probably have more skill in your left boot than most people will ever have. Keep up the killer work.

Thank you for the kind words but everyone needs to keep in mind that the only differance between me doing this and someone not doing it is that I make the first cut. Once you start it all gets easier from their. My first few cars I did when I was about 14 never saw the raod because of how bad I messed them up but I made the first cut and learned what not to do as well as what to try different next time. So go out their and make that first cut!

Originally Posted by smbrouss70

Looks fantastic Kevin! How about a straight-on side shot so we can see how perfectly the wheels are centered in the fender openings. Great choice on the wheels too, I can't wait to get mine!

I will get one for you by Monday. I am not at home today but should be later to get started on the 5.3 mock up.

Kevin
LD Inc.

[ANTHONY67]

i like it low

[67ChevyRedneck]

WOW!

[Frizzle Fry]

Now we're talkin! BOOM!!!

[Rokcrln]

Thanks Fry, it's starting to get somewhere but now it is back out of the shop until XXL's truck is finished up for this round. He should be here about 10am with a list of things to do. I think he will be about a month or less then I will pick up my English Wheel from Lazzy. Nate did me a favor and just tacked in my mounts because I plan on moving things around a bit so I can get everything just how I want then I will build a new fire wall around the 5.3L. So for now progress is at a stand still for the Hoe once again. But she will at-least look good just sitting their won't she

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[LooseCannon]

What I like most about this build is how you had the forethought to plant the thing in the weeds while losing minimal interior room. Very cool!!

[yellow69z28rs]

I just cant imagine all the man hours. Can you estimate? Truly amazing.

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by LooseCannon

What I like most about this build is how you had the forethought to plant the thing in the weeds while losing minimal interior room. Very cool!!

It is not easy but it pays off when all is said and done. Look at todays progress.

Originally Posted by yellow69z28rs

I just cant imagine all the man hours. Can you estimate? Truly amazing.

Well I am way over 100 on the rear suspension alone


I set the rear floor in today for the first time with both rear tires and guess what I found, Negative space! My rear seats are 47" out side to out side and my tires are only 46.5" between at full dump. Then add 1/2" per side for inner fender clearance and the fenders them self and you are down in the 45" range. So the easy thing to do would be to find a smaller seat. Since I tend to go for the not so easy route I went ahead and removed the seat covers, plastics and what ever else was on the seat frame and just narrowed each seat 2". So now the seats are 43" +- out to out and I should have plenty of room. I took the 2" from the out side of each because the upholstery has a few lines in that area that will be easier to deal with when that time comes.

Now starting Tuesday I will be back on XXL's truck for about a month or more with the list he gave me today.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

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[Number98]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

Now we're talkin! BOOM!!!

I could not have said it better!

[Rokcrln]

Thanks a lot guys I am really happy with how it is coming together and so is my Wife I had about 2hrs tonight to work in the shop but I spent most of the day mind building a bag set up for the C4 front. Nate sets them up for shock waves but I just did not want to spend the money they want for them and only end up with minimal travel.

So I took a spare re-7 and went to work and it turned out well. I still have some adjustment with bag placement, shock mounts and sway bar mounts but it looks very promising. It lifts very fast for a 1/4" line and has a good feel to it. Once I work out all the misc. things with it I will make a clean set of mounts and move on to the next item in the build.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

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[SCOTI]

I spoke w/Nate about this when I got my C4 DM & he indicated the air-spring was do-able.... the shocks (placement/leverage?) were where I got the feeling he was not happy.

I look forward to see what you come up with.

[Rokcrln]

Yep but that is were a good dual adjustable Q1A or the like will help out. Once it is all said and done I will have about the same or less then the Wave's but I will have a lot more travel and a better weight/load rating.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I spoke w/Nate about this when I got my C4 DM & he indicated the air-spring was do-able.... the shocks (placement/leverage?) were where I got the feeling he was not happy.

I look forward to see what you come up with.

[Rokcrln]

Here are a few pics I forgot to post of the motor clearance. It is tight but it all fits. I may not be able to get a factory engine cover on it with the truck intake but any of the F-body's would work just fine. I plan on ether changing over to the F-body set up or when I re-do the fire wall I might make my own cover.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

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[hgs_notes]

You could have the hood flip forward. I think you did that before on another truck.

[71 burb]

you got the ride height nailed great job

[tdave00]

Originally Posted by 71 burb

you got the ride height nailed great job

[MrBeast]

Kevin, I must say I am thoroughly impressed with how this thing is turning out. I want to bounce a question off of you though concerning the Corvette Suspension components.

For the past few months, and for the foreseeable future I have been making my living operating a tow truck, one thing I was taught was that you never ever hook a strap or hook on to an aluminum A-arm on vehicles such as corvettes because they are prone to shattering.

Seeing as how you are using this truck as a tow rig, I wonder do you think it is possible that the Aluminum A-arms will not be strong enough? I know that you aren't exactly going to be pulling a 50' trailer loaded to the gills with pallets of neutronium or something, but I do know that we are talking sports car suspension in a truck, that will ultimately tow other trucks.

I can see that if it is an issue the easy fix is to build your own A-arms out of Chromeolly, I just didn't know if this is something you had considered or not. Well that and I would hate to see you do such a masterful job of building this thing to have it wrecked.

I do know that the corvette is one of the vehicles that is specifically listed as no hook on the A-arms for the aforementioned reason, when hauling them I have to strap them through the wheels. If hooked to the A-arms the insurance will not cover them if damaged, so I know it has been a big deal.

Over all though I must say I was skeptical when you cut the burb length down, but seeing it as it is now, I think it is going to be a note worthy vehicle, and I will be very surprised if it doesn't wind up on the cover of a magazine.

[Rokcrln]

MrBeast I know what you are saying but keep in mind in the tow world you are putting the full force of the vehicle on that one A-arm if you were to use it for a pull or tie down location. With driving and towing you are adding force but in a very different way. The front Arms will see more force but it will be more of a side to side load when turning and some in heavy braking but since all my trailers are set up with 4 wheel electric brake's I feel that part will be fine. As for the extra force in turning I am not worried about that at all because I will never be able to put the force into a turn like a race track and a good set of race tires would do, and we know these Vett's can do that with out a problem. With my front bag mounts on the lower arms I took full advantage of the entire surface of the arm as well as all the factory shock and spring mounting locations (even the sway bar mount is tied into the mount. I will also have bracing that will sit tight to the Mono leaf pad for added force distribution. So that takes care of the front and I feel I have covered all safety factors.

The rear is a different story and will see added weight just sitting their with a trailer attached. This is one of the reasons I went all steel on the forward links and made new mounting plates that use every structural mount hole as well. Not only an I double shear plated into the factory front 4 link locations (were as the factory was only single shear) I am also braced down into the shock mounts. Then the rear bag links are using the factory Mono leaf link mounts that are designed very well from the factory. One reason I went with a new diff cover was to set all my links and mounting points right were I wanted them and not just were the stock piece worked. Also in doing this I went from alum to braced steel plate and feel this has added to the overall integrity of the set up. Again keep in mind when these cars are road raced they use the factory parts 90% of the time and I have never heard (I am sure someone has) of a part failing from over stress not to say it can not happen. So all in all I think I have taken in to account the added weight of the vehicle (remember vetts are not light cars) and planned usage. In reality it may never really be a tow vehicle but I would rather build in that direction from the start then just try it out later.

So in closing (darn Novels) I think it will be more than needed but if not you can at-least get a feel for what goes through my head when getting into something like this. Thanks for asking because I am sure you are not the only one wondering about it.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[XXL]

When you get done with the suspension work...

[Rokcrln]

Ya... But NO! My third row seat is already kids only head room

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[woodwright]

This is probably a dumb question, but why do you have the engine back so far?

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by woodwright

This is probably a dumb question, but why do you have the engine back so far?

Well normally you slide the motor back 10% for better weight transfer on the strip. But in this case it is just to clear the rack and pinion and cross-member. The rack sits between the balancer and the pan and that puts the back side of the cross-member right in front of the pan sump. The carb'd motors set forward about 2" more then the LS motors due for Dizzy clearance but I for one like the motor as far back as it can be because this leaves more room for the engine bay work I have planned. It would leave more room for an inner-cooler if I go that direction On my LowBuck truck I slid the motor back 2" over stock as well.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[woodwright]

Good to know. Thanks. I haven't checked clearance issues since I got my rack mounted.