Tripp's Speed Shop Build

[mcbassin]

Love a nicely finished weld seam. Looking good.

[Hardesty454]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyV

Nice and clean, keep it up bud

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Love a nicely finished weld seam. Looking good.

Thank you guys. I think I like it smooth as well. My only worry is strength loss. I burned it in there really good but it's always a concern.

[69SCSS]

So hey man you're going to Renee's meet in October right? I'll be down in the area friday to sunday morning so I can make it. Planning on driving the truck down, I'm pretty close to being able to. Just waiting on Renee to post the time!

[Hardesty454]

Originally Posted by 69SCSS

So hey man you're going to Renee's meet in October right? I'll be down in the area friday to sunday morning so I can make it. Planning on driving the truck down, I'm pretty close to being able to. Just waiting on Renee to post the time!

If he's having it, I'll be going. Swing by on the way down and I'll follow you down. I'll be stoked it the truck makes it down!

[69SCSS]

Originally Posted by Hardesty454

If he's having it, I'll be going. Swing by on the way down and I'll follow you down. I'll be stoked it the truck makes it down!

We can meet up in the morning and then caravan down. Hell if you feel like it I can just give you a ride if it all works out.

[El Campo]

I boxed the frame on mine and it is a huge PITA. I would never do it again. Of course when I did most of it all I had was an arc welder so did 90 percent of it with that. It literally took me 50 hours to do and then you have issues with fuel lines, wiring, brake lines and the part that no one thinks about: the park brake. If I were to do it all over again I would just put some X braces in the way that road racers do as that actually stiffens them more than boxing from what I have since been told. You can check out my thread if you want to see what I went through but then again I'm a nurse not a fabricator such as yourself.

[Hardesty454]

Originally Posted by El Campo

I boxed the frame on mine and it is a huge PITA. I would never do it again. Of course when I did most of it all I had was an arc welder so did 90 percent of it with that. It literally took me 50 hours to do and then you have issues with fuel lines, wiring, brake lines and the part that no one thinks about: the park brake. If I were to do it all over again I would just put some X braces in the way that road racers do as that actually stiffens them more than boxing from what I have since been told. You can check out my thread if you want to see what I went through but then again I'm a nurse not a fabricator such as yourself.

That's true about being a fabricator and all but, ever hear of the cobbler who didn't wear shoes?

Can you really tell a difference of before and after boxing? I may just build a good cross support instead.

[nlped]

Just read the whole thread. Looks good so far!

[Sac]

Frame is looking really good.

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by 69SCSS

So hey man you're going to Renee's meet in October right? I'll be down in the area friday to sunday morning so I can make it. Planning on driving the truck down, I'm pretty close to being able to. Just waiting on Renee to post the time!

Originally Posted by Hardesty454

If he's having it, I'll be going. Swing by on the way down and I'll follow you down. I'll be stoked it the truck makes it down!

I read in another thread (can't remember which one) the date for Rene's Get Together is C10/4/14. I have it on the calendar already.

[69SCSS]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

I read in another thread (can't remember which one) the date for Rene's Get Together is C10/4/14. I have it on the calendar already.

Yea he told me that a while back, I just hadn't seen the flyer or any threads about it yet. I think we're planning on it anyway unless we hear otherwise.

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by 69SCSS

Yea he told me that a while back, I just hadn't seen the flyer or any threads about it yet. I think we're planning on it anyway unless we hear otherwise.

I looked in the CA section and read a post from Rene that said the flyer is done and the announcement is coming soon.

[El Campo]

Before the boxing was started I did some checking on the stiffness of the frame. With the frame on jack stands if you picked up on one frame rail you could lift it almost 5 inches before it started to lift the corresponding opposite rail. After boxing you only had to lift it 1.5 inch before started to lift other end of rail. So definitely does stiffen it. I boxed it all with 1/8 except from the middle crossmember to the rear axle crossmember I used 3/16 as from what I understand that is where most of your flex occurs. I did it the easy way and just made a rough template with cardboard on the inboard side of frame and then tacked my rough cut sheets on the frame and then with a torch trimmed them and ground them smooth with the rail (like with a flap disc). Then I pulled them back off and beveled the edges so I had a "V" for my weld. Good luck with whatever you decide!

[Hardesty454]

Originally Posted by El Campo

Before the boxing was started I did some checking on the stiffness of the frame. With the frame on jack stands if you picked up on one frame rail you could lift it almost 5 inches before it started to lift the corresponding opposite rail. After boxing you only had to lift it 1.5 inch before started to lift other end of rail. So definitely does stiffen it. I boxed it all with 1/8 except from the middle crossmember to the rear axle crossmember I used 3/16 as from what I understand that is where most of your flex occurs. I did it the easy way and just made a rough template with cardboard on the inboard side of frame and then tacked my rough cut sheets on the frame and then with a torch trimmed them and ground them smooth with the rail (like with a flap disc). Then I pulled them back off and beveled the edges so I had a "V" for my weld. Good luck with whatever you decide!

So it does stiffen quite a bit then.. I have a ton of 3/16 plate laying around my shop so I'd use that for the entirety of the boxing. I'm curious about sectional boxing as well. Meaning not the entire frame but bits here and there. Like I've said previously I'm not doing a high hp street rod but still want to stiffen the old girl up a bit. I'll have to look at the pros and cons I suppose.

[Hardesty454]

Didn't do anything on the truck but did spend 3 hours cleaning the garage!! Yea it was that bad. I got the frame laying right side up as well. I can start cleaning up the top now. I did fine an image of a frame that I like the design on but don't know what truck it belongs to. Thoughts?

[BigDaddyV]

Very cool, I like the idea of boxing in around the exaust and the front sway bar. Lots of really cool Ideas to draw from it. I have found a few, that I would love to use some of the ideas from. then again, PB just came out with that new center section that is a bolt in. Its pretty bad ass too

[Hardesty454]

Removed the main center cross member today. So sick of drilling out rivits. I think I'm done though. Debating on removing the body mounts though. I'd like to remove them and have them powdercoated seperately from the body to ensure rust isn't hiding anywhere and them bolt them back on using some grade 8 hardware. They are a bit pitted so I might fill em in a bit. Still have a lot of holes to fill so it's a little boring on my thread for a bit, I'm sorry!!

[nlped]

Looking good. And you are so right about the rivets. They're a headache for sure. I cut EVERY body rivet off mine for the same "no hidden rust" reason. I used a 4" grinder and an air chisel to get mine out and then bolted it all back together with grade 8 bolts too. Once I get the PB crossmembers in place and motor trial fitted, I'm going to blow it all back apart to paint or powdercoat everything.

[El Campo]

There definitely IS some hidden rust behind those mounts as I removed some of them too. It is such a slippery slope getting started down that road though It is so hard to swallow but the fact is that there will ALWAYS be some hidden rust somewhere. Sucks I know.

[Hardesty454]

Originally Posted by El Campo

There definitely IS some hidden rust behind those mounts as I removed some of them too. It is such a slippery slope getting started down that road though It is so hard to swallow but the fact is that there will ALWAYS be some hidden rust somewhere. Sucks I know.

Not if I blast it and then electro dip and then powdercoat same day!!!!!

Not going to happen, but I want as much gone as possible before I lay powder over the frame. I'm still quite a few months from powder but trying to get as clean as possible.

[Hardesty454]

Originally Posted by nlped

Looking good. And you are so right about the rivets. They're a headache for sure. I cut EVERY body rivet off mine for the same "no hidden rust" reason. I used a 4" grinder and an air chisel to get mine out and then bolted it all back together with grade 8 bolts too. Once I get the PB crossmembers in place and motor trial fitted, I'm going to blow it all back apart to paint or powdercoat everything.

What engine trans combo you going to run? You may get your parts before me so I'll prob be popping in with questions! Thanks for checkin in btw!!!

[nlped]

LSX and AOD. I have a 5.3L/4L60e now, but I'm seriously contemplating a 6.2L/6L90e that I've located.

[Hardesty454]

Originally Posted by nlped

LSX and AOD. I have a 5.3L/4L60e now, but I'm seriously contemplating a 6.2L/6L90e that I've located.

We have the same taste. If you change to the 6.0l I'll take your 5.3!

I'll be curious about some mounting locations, etc.

[nlped]

I've already had the M&T in the frame a few times. I was using the CPP tubular mounts (with the stock K-member) with a set of 1.25" LS adapter plates and a tubular CPP trans mount. I had to move the trans mount back a few inches but it fit fine otherwise. But I've since bought the mild PB dropmember & related pieces/parts, so I'll have to start over. I think I'll have those pieces in a week or 2.

[El Campo]

Forgot you guys in California don't have the same rust devils that we do on the Gulf Coast!!! Here even inside my concrete floored shop even coated things start to rust. So I have gotten to the point where literally everything including grade 8 bolts get the entire epoxy primer and single stage paint fiasco. And no rustoleum or equivalent either, it just does not hold up here. Jealous of you all.