Mulk's 8-Lugger

[Mulk]

Alright.... It's been a while since I posted any updates, I have gotten a few things done, but mainly I've just been enjoying driving the beast around again.

However, I was able to get over a serious hurdle that has been racking my brain for a while. If you've been keeping-up, you know I suicided the third door, and moved the handle along with it. Due to the proper placement of the handle so it looked factory and matched the passenger door location, I wasn't able to simply make the push-button work. Not to mention the window and track would interfere anyway. So I just went the easy route and installed a seleniod to pop the door (sometimes).... That was the hurdle

My mind started working and I wasn't going to give-up....

I took the canteleaver part, that used to connect the lock button rods, and made a few modifications. I welded a tab for the push-button to activate (welded the washer on the face of it to help keep the rod on the button centered.) This piece mounts though one of the holes that the factory hinges used to utilize.


You can see here the tab and washer in place.


I then had to get creative with the rod, to get it to reach from the canteleaver, and clear the window track. Just a few, not so simple, bends added to the same rod that used to lock the door (use as many factory parts as possible)




I then drilled some small holes in both ends, so I could run a cotter-pin through, to keep everything in place. This is where the rod connects into the bear-claw actuator, finishing the link. I had to ct a hole to be able to access this mess, but it's covered by the door panel


So now I can open the door from the outside, using the handle, and the seleniod has been added to the "left-over" box. Oh, and yes, the inside handle and lock button function properly too

If I can get a video uploaded I'll post it.

[Mulk]

See if this works.... Click on picture to connect to video link

[67cheby]

Nice work !
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[JHT67]

aahh, inspiration. Just picked up my 67' 8 lugger pick-up, really felt I didn't want to convert to 5 lug, but I'm sure I want it low. Nice to see something in the direction I want to go.

[Mulk]

Couple more little projects over the weekend. The front seats were too high and upright for my liking. So I made a few cuts here and there to the frame, and dropped the front an 1 1/4", and the rear about an 1 3/4". Made an HUGE difference in comfort, without any real chage to the overall look. However, it was such a spur of the moment task, that I forgot to snap some shots before I put everything back tobether. Next time I pull the seats, I'll get some photos.

I didn't want to cut into my dash, or have anything hanging from under it either. So I decided I'd put the center console to good use, and put together a quick panel to hold all the gauges, switches, and tunes.




I sill have the stock AM radio hooked-up, and turn it on when people ask about my stereo. Tell them it's all I need. The look on their face is as priceless as when I tell them the truck was built on April 1st, and as a joke, they welded-up the door while it was going down the assembly line.

[kev2809]

man that console is too cool. are those push buttons for the bags?

[Mulk]

Thanks Kev.... Yes they are push-buttons. The gauge on the left is my fronts, middle is tank, and right is the rears. Top buttons are "UP" and lower buttons "DOWN". I had toggles, but they were junk, and worked when the wanted. This set-up took a little more wiring, but I can pull buttons individually if they go bad.

I wanted the billet buttons, until I saw how much they wanted for them. I found these, in packs of 10 on eBay, for next to nothing. Quality is OK, but the price is GREAT!

[dr69burb]

cool suburban man. i like the stuff you have done

[exoticmetalworx]

nice build

[jbclassix]

After reading your thread again, I am 90 percent sure that I am changing door latches to bear-claw on mine and my brothers trucks. Just as much fab, but the added room for 1-pc windows. I have hung my pants on both styles, so we will see which way we go.

[ratty65]

Hate to bug you but any chance of seeing pics of your rear bag placement/ setup as well as the front? I have the rears in and like how it sits but think I may do a C-Notch as well. I am piecing the fronts together but curious as to what kit or type of bag you went with and also the size on the line? Did you have to remove the inner fenders or was this doen for installation only?

[JRANGER]

man i like those wheels and this project....

[Mulk]

Thanks... I've been laying low for a while due to work, funds, and family. But using the old 8-Lugger regularly.

However, over the last couple weeks I finally put the Burb on the side of the house to put in a step-notch and work on the new bag placement.

I'll get the photos up soon!

Anybody have any suggestions or part numbers for the shocks they are using for the extra travel? I'm looking at approx 11 inches of total travel.

[Average Joe]

[QUOTE=Mulk;6705873]Thanks... I've been laying low for a while due to work, funds, and family. But using the old 8-Lugger regularly.

Glad to hear you are still on here. This is one of my favorite builds.

[Mulk]

Ok so lets get some photos up entailing what I've been up to over the last few weeks since I started working on this beast...

Actually I'll go back a few months on these two shots of my boy helping me pull the drive-shaft so we could replace the bearing. Had a blast with him helping, but this was about three months after I had my left shoulder rebuilt, so I was hurting.
[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

I just wanted to give him a shout-out for his help. He doesn't make it into many photos unless my wife sneaks out and takes them

[Mulk]

Now onto the cutting and welding!!

I knew I was going to be raising the entire floor, so I just cut out all the old plywood in section, and kept them for templates.


I've always got my helper around. Here he's guarding the 45 gal tank in case someone decides to run off with it.









I was careful when removing the inner fenders, and kept them as intact as possible. Took a little extra time, but should pay-off in the end.

Ah the joys of working on a 46 year old project, and then sneaking into the clean shower before the wife gets ahold of me.

[Mulk]

I had ordered a step notch, and some brackets to mount the bags over the axle a while back (prob while hopped-up on shoulder meds), and just never got around to getting them in place. So i figured why not wait until it's 100+ degrees here in vegas to get started

After measuring, scratching my head, and measuring some more, I took the plunge and put these beauties in place.


Here's the sweet Dana 60 8-Lugger tucked into her new home

[Mulk]

For whatever reason (actually came down to room), I decided to scrap the idea of putting the bags right over the axles. Therefore, I was left with a set of brackets I wasn't going to use, the old brackets I had laying around, and a section of 3x3 tubing I had for the cross brace between the notches.

So I cut apart and cleaned the pieces I thought I might use, and whittled-away on the tubing. Here's what I ended up with...

Upper...





I ended up cutting most of the wedged portion off after changing my mounting location, and rounded the back section of the plate so it wouldn't rub the bag when down.


Lowers...







Then I made some extensions to wrap around the top of the tube.




Everything in place. I mounted the bags with a ride height of 6.5 inches +/-, and then added an inch so the bags wouldn't be completely compressed when laid-out. I Hope this works hahaha

[ratty65]

Who did you get the step notch from ?

[Mulk]

Originally Posted by ratty65

Who did you get the step notch from ?

Grant Kustoms

[Average Joe]

Nice work!

[4shongo]

Any updates?

[twistedchevy]

Bump

[Mulk]

Thanks I actually needed that.

Been busy with changes at work, and my sons senior year.

But that's enough for the excuses. I just need to get my lazy ass back into the shop.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Mulk

Thanks I actually needed that.

Been busy with changes at work, and my sons senior year.

But that's enough for the excuses. I just need to get my lazy ass back into the shop.

Hallelujah! I said the same thing just the other day. (about me).... Now get to work.

LockDoc