Hey Bob,
I've been following along with your build & you are doing great - Lot's of action & pics. Let me see if I understand why you built the trap door looking device in the middle of your bed? I've also got the problem of where to carry that spare tire - I wasn't sure where your's is going? Are you mounting it right in the bed?

I'm thinking of of just packing along a tire plug kit & a portable air pump in case I get a flat - I just don't know where to put it now that the tank is under the bed.

Ben in Austin

 

I didn't want to raise the bed so I could make the gas tank filler easily accessible but I also want to carry a spare so my son and I sat staring at the bed and realised it will never be used to carry much so this idea would in a way 'kill 2 birds with 1 stone'.
When I'm finished the jack and lug nut wrench will be stowed in the space too.

 

So to fill up you pop the trap door open & fill it directly into the tank?
Hmmmm... I like the armor plating you put on top of the tank - nice touch - Mine is pretty exposed from the top but heavily reinforced from the rear (see pic).

Ben in Austin

 

Made a storage box for the jack and wrench.
Started on a front fender patch panel.

 

Apparently the new guy has been around the block a few times.
Nice fab work.

Allan

 

Got the mufflers in place so I drop the box back into place and finish the work on it.
Drilled the holes for the trans cooler and fitted the engine x-member into place.

 

Finished painting the frame and the bolt on bits.

 

Looks like you have a dropped tube axle? Where did you get it from and what do you think of it? Will be lookin to get one myself before long, just curious of your thought of it. I've seen tube and box axles, not sure which one is better.

 

I got the axle from Speedway.
Final assembly of brake pedal/lines and trans x-member so I can put the cab back on to do the steering set up.
Wasn't happy with the cross member so making a few 'adjustments' to it.

 

Dropped the cab on so I can set up the steering column and seats.

 

Pulled the front end into the shop to start the fender repairs.

 

I love seeing sheetmetal work like this! If only I could do the same!
Nice!

 

I second that!

 

Painted the bed floor a nice shade of 'barn red',was going with black but it's so 2010 and seems just lately that everyone uses black
Since I dropped the front 5 inches I needed to bend the steering arm to compensate.

 

Bob, We would call that color burnt orange - a very popular color
around here - glad to see it in England!

Ben in Austin
(Go Longhorns)