its lookin good man!

 

Yeah and im to dam lazy to build a support when the factory one sorta already bolts right in

 

That is trick, you have some talent there.

 

Yup. For most people cutting holes for the intercooler in the stock core support is fine. My combination of drop hood, custom radiator, large intercooler and BAD addiction to custom fabricated parts let me to this...



Again - thanks. As much as I love spending time fabbing - I only post the pics because people seem to enjoy looking at what I cobble together!




I got a little bit done last night but it sure didn't seem like much...
I spent the night figuring out how to "jig" up this core support so I can make sure it not only goes together like my drawing, but also fits in the truck.
If you remember a while back I made these little "hood holders" (yes the one that ripped my dang shirt yesterday!) for the front of the hood so that I could set the hood on the truck where it will end up without having the fenders or core support on.
Well I never looked at holding the rear of the hood up - so I did that last night. Luckily it was quick and easy!

After that I looked at mocking the top of the core support to make sure it would fit under the hood. I played with this for a while and got something that kind of worked.

While this did work for just holding the top of the core support up there to check clearance on the hood


it wasn't solid enough to clamp to while I fit/welded this thing later so I messed with a new setup towards the end of the night. I'll finish it today and get more pics.
I've got to pick up a sander for my buddy tonight and I'm taking suzy to dinner, so most likely nothing will get done tonight - but I'll be back at it soon!

 

that hood looks to be pretty light.....how much weight you spose you are saving by running that "plastic-fantastic" piece?

 

uhh.... a lot????

I have no clue. I do know the cummins up front more than makes up for it though


In all seriousness - I can pick this one up and set it on my truck by myself. The stock ones take a LOT more effort to do that. I would think I'm at 1/2 - 2/3 the weight of a stock hood.

 

about 10 years ago I could put the stock hood on my '69 F100 by myself........I don't have that much ambition anymore......my body tells me, NO!

I bet the ol' Cummins does more than make up for the savings.

I borrowed a '94 Dodge Cummins last weekend to move about 100 miles. GVW was 16,700, the ol' girl got just under 20 mpg and pulled the hills at 55mph without even whincing. I was impressed and fell in love with that engine all over again.....I gotta get me one......

 

ok Steve i have seen you wear shirts with holes in them more then one time so i am sure you will still wear that ****.....but anyways.....its looking good.

also Obama is sending me most of my money back so i am going to really look into a autofab lift but i will PM you about that....

 

You still workin on this truck? Lookin good!



Thinking the Government stimulus plan is working is like thinking that taking water form the deep end of a pool and dumping it in the shallow end will raise the water level of the pool.

It will however, raise the temperature of the water in pools worldwide. Hahaha.

 

yes - I will wear holy shirts in the shop, but those were all once good shirts that I wasn't supposed to be wearing in the shop and then OOPS - it's a shop shirt

PMed you back on the autofab. I've got some parts here in the shop. PM me again or call and we can discuss


Yup - work slow

 

So I never got back to work on the crew last week. I spent a little time on my Alfa instead.

I did get a little time this weekend though and I spent that on the core support.


1st off I finished up my new setup to hold that top portion of the core support. This way (wood) seemed easier, but I still had to make sure it was square (notice the angle blocks, etc. clamping it to the table)...


I got it in the truck ans squared it up with my new toy!


Then the hood came back off


A little test fitment and some note taking



Then it was time for some drilling. With this thing being about 75" wide and only tack welded I had to be a bit creative with supporting it - but I figured it out.


Drilled and semi fit


2nd side bent



Tonight I should be notching the tubes and fitting things together. If all goes well I may even get to weld more

 

Huh - that's a 1st. New pics and no comments.

Oh well.


I plugged along a bit more last night.

Did some welding and some more tube fitment.

Welded the 2" upright tubes that sit on the body mount.


Got the side tubes fit and tacked


Stuck the intercooler in there for clearance/fitment check



Welded a little more


And then bent and fit the 1st of the intercooler surround tubes. I got this 1st pic but of course my camera died before I got one of it fully fitted.


Tonight the thing comes off so I can fully weld those side tubes then it goes back in to tack in the IC surround tubes. Then it's off to pick up parts and to Suzy's.

As always - more to come...

 

holy crap man... i hope that when im doin my 78, my work looks even half as good as yours...

 

Have you thought about how you're going to attach the headlight buckets? And if they will fit in this new design?

 

Not using headlight buckets was part of the reason for dumping the stock core support

I've got some much cooler lights I will be using as headlights