AJ's '72 Cruiser Crawler Build

[vtblazer]

It all needs to get done and making it stop is just as important as making it run I'm guessing...

[AJs72K5]

UPDATE 4/17/10: Heep Extraction Point I've been traveling a bunch for work again lately. But, I've been accumulating a few things here and there. This weekend's project was to put a hidden hitch on this weekend. Like everything else on this truck, it wasn't a straight bolt on...."adjustments" had to be made.

Early Classic Enterprises Hidden Hitch. Very nicely made.


Those that are running a shackle flip will see here where I ran into issues. The holes for the bottom of the shackle flip didn't line up with those for the hitch. New ones had to be drilled thru the shackle flip and the frame. But because the shackle flip is sandwiched between the frame and the hitch, I had to make a small spacer for the #1 hole. Ultimately, both the shackle flip and the hitch should be stronger since they're both tied together.


Installed. This is probably the closest pic most people have seen of the true fire on the tailgate.


With the bumper in place.


I took the gas tank out (it'll be going up for sale soon) to make the install easier. There's a few things to do on the firewall, then it'll be time to start measuring for the EFI fuel cell.

[BLUE THUNDER]

You're almost ready to roll A.J.

[jojo]

nice!

I want a hidden hitch.

Those flames are sweet

[Burt4x4]

Don't remember you having flames/fire?
Keep up the good work!
Burt

[AJs72K5]

UPDATE 7/24/10: A heater in South Texas?? What?? The build has been sorely neglected. Spent a lot of time selling off some parts to buy parts, then went to Las Vegas. Long story short, well, about half the money I made selling parts contributed to the Las Vegas economy.

So what's this about a heater? The truck is originally an AC cab. With a soft top only, and all of my AC stuff sold last year, I've been struggling with what to do about a heater. The goal is to be able to drive the truck year round, even when it drops into the 30's here . So I found a company called AC Delete that replaces the outside AC box, with a fan mount and air box. The heater core remains inside the cab.

Assembled and painted with rattlecan black


Cleans up the firewall a bunch


Profile. Gives me a lot of room back under the hood. I still need to do the gaskets.



Then I put a new torque converter lockup and aluminum tranny pan on. The TCI lockup has a vacuum switch in addition to the keyed power switch that I ran previously.


That's it for now....

[BLUE THUNDER]

Dude, where you been? We gotta get your rig rollin. We are gonna have a meet soon. Call me if you need a hand. Good to see you on the board again. Later.

[AJs72K5]

Originally Posted by BLUE THUNDER

Dude, where you been? We gotta get your rig rollin. We are gonna have a meet soon. Call me if you need a hand. Good to see you on the board again. Later.

I've been here. But, like I said, the truck has been neglected. Build budget for the year is pretty much gone.

[BLUE THUNDER]

Sorry dude. You wanna help me and Blizz? We got plenty of work......

[Blizz]

next weekend the new-ish 350 is goin in my blazer...i can't wait. even though it'll be rough around the edges, i just can't wait to drive it around....even if it's just to HEB

[AJs72K5]

Update 10/10/10: We have headers! and plug wires. Been really slow progress lately due to the lack of budget. I splurged a bit and picked up a set of headers from Jokers69. They're a custom design for 67-72 trucks. Doesn't appear that anybody has put a set on a 4x4, so, here goes.... I immediately ran into clearance issues on the #1 and #2 tube with the DIY4X crossmember. For grins, I put a factory crossmember back in and had the same issues. A couple more tweaks to the DIY4X crossmember and we have fitment!!!

Here's the list of the final changes I made to the DIY4X crossmember:

1. Had new frame channel brackets made with the mount holes 1/4" closer to the bend to push them deeper into the frame. They fit flush to the frame edge.
2. Had Kert cut me a set of 1/4" spacers to match the flange
3. Cut 1" off the top of the flange and the spacers (more clearance at the top of the frame)
4. Had Kert bend up a new set of block brackets that raise the engine 3/4". I actually think the normal height on these brackets puts the engine lower than stock.
5. Last key piece here was to make an additional set of 1/8" spacers for the flange. When tightening everything down, it was pulling in the frame. Every 1/8" counted here for clearance.

Here's a pic of the final assembly


Now!!! On to the headers! 2" primaries with 3 1/2" collectors. 3/8" flange... no warping here


Nice clearance on all straight plug wires.... no 90* plugs needed



Frame clearance. After all was said and done, only the #1 tube is close, it's got a bit over 1/4" of clearance. Need to get in there and weld some patches back onto the top frame rail.



The money shots.... clearing the shackles and shackle bolts. AND CLEARING THE FRONT DRIVESHAFT OF THE CLOCKED UP 241!!!! They also don't hang below the frame.




Stabbed in the distributor.



That's all the excitement for now...

[vtblazer]

Nice pair!!

Looks like a freakin' race engine now with the tube size.

Great fit, excellent days work AJ.

...I don't remember, have you fired this motor yet?

[AJs72K5]

Originally Posted by vtblazer

Nice pair!!

Looks like a freakin' race engine now with the tube size.

Great fit, excellent days work AJ.

...I don't remember, have you fired this motor yet?

I wish I could say I did all of that in a single day. It took over a month to get all of that done. I didn't have a factory crossmember, so I had to find one. That killed a couple of weeks. The plug wires were build to fit...never done that before, but a set of MSD crimpers made it easy once I got the hang of it. And the list goes on... Nothing is ever straightforward and easy on these builds.

Nope still haven't fired the engine.

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by AJs72K5

I wish I could say I did all of that in a single day. It took over a month to get all of that done. I didn't have a factory crossmember, so I had to find one. That killed a couple of weeks. The plug wires were build to fit...never done that before, but a set of MSD crimpers made it easy once I got the hang of it. And the list goes on... Nothing is ever straightforward and easy on these builds.

Nope still haven't fired the engine.

Regardless, nice job.

[jaros44sr]

Nice work AJ!! You are goin' to make it easy for the next guy that puts a BB in their Blazer/Jimmy

How much more do you have to invest in it to get it running, looks like you're almost there

[Tom Vogel]

Which set of MSD crimpers did you use? How well do they fuction?

[AJs72K5]

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

Nice work AJ!! You are goin' to make it easy for the next guy that puts a BB in their Blazer/Jimmy

How much more do you have to invest in it to get it running, looks like you're almost there

Thanks Jim. I figure I have about $5000 in big parts before I'm back on the road. Edelbrock EFI upgrade, aluminum radiator, EFI fuel cell, radiator support, axle stuff, and exhaust work.

Originally Posted by Tom Vogel

Which set of MSD crimpers did you use? How well do they fuction?

I borrowed a set of these from an engine builder friend. LINK. Worked great.
Posted via Mobile Device

[jaros44sr]

[QUOTE=AJs72K5;4235921]Thanks Jim. I figure I have about $5000 in big parts before I'm back on the road. Edelbrock EFI upgrade, aluminum radiator, EFI fuel cell, radiator support, axle stuff, and exhaust work.


Wow!!! that is a big chunk of change, shame our hobby is soooooo expensive!

At least your truck looks great with the money you've invested, big improvement

[AJs72K5]

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

Wow!!! that is a big chunk of change, shame our hobby is soooooo expensive!

At least your truck looks great with the money you've invested, big improvement

What's really sad is that doesn't include a paint job. That'll come in a few years.
Posted via Mobile Device

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by AJs72K5

What's really sad is that doesn't include a paint job. That'll come in a few years.
Posted via Mobile Device

wait a minute. Didn't ya just get it painted after the fir, thought ya had some kinda special paint pattern on the tailgate...maybe it's just my oldage

[AJs72K5]

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

wait a minute. Didn't ya just get it painted after the fir, thought ya had some kinda special paint pattern on the tailgate...maybe it's just my oldage

The only pieces to get painted after the fire were the hood and the firewall. Everything else stayed as is, including the flames on the tailgate.
Posted via Mobile Device

[BLUE THUNDER]

How much longer?????

[AJs72K5]

Originally Posted by BLUE THUNDER

How much longer?????

Spring time. You saw the stuff I still need to get running right? Not cheap.
Posted via Mobile Device

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by AJs72K5

Spring time. You saw the stuff I still need to get running right? Not cheap.
Posted via Mobile Device

I hear ya AJ, mines going to break the 5K mark to finish up too.

It's all the high dollar stuff that still needs to be purchased...

[Burt4x4]

I often wonder what kinda of number I would get if I added up all my recipts from over the years....I may not want to know
My recipt stack is about 5" thick in my tool box