Project Rebuild Leroy
#1
Project Rebuild Leroy
Well, for those of you that dont already know, i crashed my truck, back in march and since im too attached to it im gonna rebuild it. i had planned on throwing a set of eb axles that have and then swapping in a cummins, but due to the front end damage it is going to be more cost effective for me to run a one piece fiberglass front end. this has changed my plans some. so now the eb stuff is for sale and i just bought a c&c 14 bolt with 4.56's for the rear and in a couple weeks im going to pick up an f250 with a hd d44 front. its going to be a slow build so please bear with me!!
Plans...
Front:
one piece fiberglass tilt nose
78' f250 d44 and eventually a d60 kingpin same era
3 link w/ 14inch ballistic fab coilovers
yota steering box and chevy 1 ton steering
custom tube bumper w/ winch
Rear:
14 bolt full floater drw housing w/ srw hubs and disc brakes
chevy/ranger hybrid leaf pack
chevy rear hangers
4 inch fiberglass bedsides
definitely another toolbox since mine flew into the river
custom bumper and tailgate
possibly a small compact bed cage
Interior:
vinyl floor
different seats (still havent decided on what)
cb
a small center mounted race seat in back w/ 5 point harness for my son
Tires & Wheels;
35x12.50x17 or 37x12.50x17 kevlars
17x9 classic locks w/ black rings
i think thats all but i could be forgetting some stuff. ill post pics shortly, theyre uploading to photobucket right now
Plans...
Front:
one piece fiberglass tilt nose
78' f250 d44 and eventually a d60 kingpin same era
3 link w/ 14inch ballistic fab coilovers
yota steering box and chevy 1 ton steering
custom tube bumper w/ winch
Rear:
14 bolt full floater drw housing w/ srw hubs and disc brakes
chevy/ranger hybrid leaf pack
chevy rear hangers
4 inch fiberglass bedsides
definitely another toolbox since mine flew into the river
custom bumper and tailgate
possibly a small compact bed cage
Interior:
vinyl floor
different seats (still havent decided on what)
cb
a small center mounted race seat in back w/ 5 point harness for my son
Tires & Wheels;
35x12.50x17 or 37x12.50x17 kevlars
17x9 classic locks w/ black rings
i think thats all but i could be forgetting some stuff. ill post pics shortly, theyre uploading to photobucket right now
#4
the only restraints i really have is my frame height. the maximum allowed for the gvw of our trucks in maine is 27" in the front and 29" in the rear so im shooting for about a quarter inch under that. the night i put my flowmaster on i jacked the frame up to ride height. with a 3 inch bl the top of the cab will be roughly 6'3-6'5" and i am going to throw a bl on it so that i can try to keep the frame low.
hopefully in a couple weeks i can pick up the f250 (200 bucks) and the front frame half that i found for 300 a couple weeks after that. then i can get to work.
i want the truck to look kind of like a rock crawling version of this truck. only blue and with a different grill
any body have any pics saved of beards truck when he had the d44 in it or right after he threw the d60 in. the pics in his build thread arent working for me.
hopefully in a couple weeks i can pick up the f250 (200 bucks) and the front frame half that i found for 300 a couple weeks after that. then i can get to work.
i want the truck to look kind of like a rock crawling version of this truck. only blue and with a different grill
any body have any pics saved of beards truck when he had the d44 in it or right after he threw the d60 in. the pics in his build thread arent working for me.
#7
#10
havent really had much time to work on the truck. i still have to pull the motor and crap out. i think im just going to chop off the frame horns in front of the crossmember and weld new ones on then put fish plates on both sides and call it done. the frame looks straight except for the 2 obvious bends. i also picked up a chevy np203 that i think im just going to sell and pay for the f250 d44. i shoud be picking that up within the next couple weeks.
a couple progress pics:
another shot of the 14 bolt. compare to the 2 9's in the background
a couple progress pics:
another shot of the 14 bolt. compare to the 2 9's in the background
#12
yeah, its been doing that a lot lately. i hope it stops soon though so i can get to work on the truck. seems like the sun shines all week and the rain starts as soon as i get out of work thursday and doesnt stop until monday morning. when i get the d44 ill make sure i take some pics in the sun, just for you adam. haha
#13
some sunny pics from this weekend.
motor's out!
probably going to cut the frame right at the front of the crossmember, weld on new frame horns, and then fish plate both sides.
glad im using a yota box!
this weekend hopefully im going to get the gas tank, lines, evap system, brakelines and wiring harness out. maybe even some front suspension components.
axles are going to be for sale. 4.10's and open diffs.
motor's out!
probably going to cut the frame right at the front of the crossmember, weld on new frame horns, and then fish plate both sides.
glad im using a yota box!
this weekend hopefully im going to get the gas tank, lines, evap system, brakelines and wiring harness out. maybe even some front suspension components.
axles are going to be for sale. 4.10's and open diffs.
#15
the c&c drw is 63.5 and the srw hubs are roughly 2 inches wider per side, so 67.5. there is a wider drw van axle that is in the 70's too i believe. about halfway down is a comparison shot of the 2 hubs... http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/14b_bible/
and 78-79 ford d60's and 8 lug d44's are 69.5 so it should be a good match.
and 78-79 ford d60's and 8 lug d44's are 69.5 so it should be a good match.
#16
#17
#18
the f250 d44 is essentially the same as the f150 version except for: runs leafs instead of radius arms, has thicker 1/2 inch tubes, and run 8 lug outers which make it a couple inches wider and they match the 14 bolt's bolt pattern.
ford78 used the same front end. heres his build thread... https://www.ranger-forums.com/solid-axle-swaps-111/my-sas-build-131913/
also, im not sure how you would put d60 outers on a d44 unless you had a custom stub shaft or drive flange made. they use different u joints, different lengths and od's and im not positive but i think the spline counts are different. it would be more work that its worth.
ford78 used the same front end. heres his build thread... https://www.ranger-forums.com/solid-axle-swaps-111/my-sas-build-131913/
also, im not sure how you would put d60 outers on a d44 unless you had a custom stub shaft or drive flange made. they use different u joints, different lengths and od's and im not positive but i think the spline counts are different. it would be more work that its worth.
#19
not much to update. been working a pile of hours lately. i did pay for my donor truck a couple weeks ago. its a 78 f250 d44 and i only paid 200 for it. and last friday i picked up a new to me front frame section. paid 100 bucks for it and they gave me more frame than i asked for AND let me have the lvII tow hooks!!! ill probably find a way to mount them on the rear bumper when i get to that point. on to the pics.
current state
new frame
a hub from the 44. i still have to pick up the truck
current state
new frame
a hub from the 44. i still have to pick up the truck
#20
ive also been thinking about a doubler but have hit a roadblock. keep in mind its still just something im figuring out in my head. im thinking about a behemoth dt strong box with the good 6 pinion ranger planetaries going into a flipped dana 300 with lomax 4:1 gears. the ratios would be 1, 2.42, 4, and 9.68:1. the only problem i can think of is adapting my speedo to the d300. any ideas?
#21
#22
#23
a little progress from today
pile of grinding dust
goodbye!!!
hacked up
most of the ifs brackets chopped off. i ran out of oxygen for the torch after getting the shock towers cut off so the rest was all cutting wheel
tacked together
frame is straight again!! (well straight enough anyway)
gonna go get more oxygen tomorrow to hopefully cut the rest of the ifs off and try to get all my fish plates made this week so my uncle can come finish weld it for me next weekend. he has been a welder since high school and is MUCH better at stick welding than myself. eventually the front bumper crossmember will come off to make room for a new bumper and the lvl II tow hooks will be mounted to the rear bumper.
am i correct in thinking that the wheel base for an extended cab with a 6 ft bed is 126 inches? i was a fool and forgot to measure before i ripped everything apart.
some progress is better than no progress i guess. bring on the constructive criticism.
pile of grinding dust
goodbye!!!
hacked up
most of the ifs brackets chopped off. i ran out of oxygen for the torch after getting the shock towers cut off so the rest was all cutting wheel
tacked together
frame is straight again!! (well straight enough anyway)
gonna go get more oxygen tomorrow to hopefully cut the rest of the ifs off and try to get all my fish plates made this week so my uncle can come finish weld it for me next weekend. he has been a welder since high school and is MUCH better at stick welding than myself. eventually the front bumper crossmember will come off to make room for a new bumper and the lvl II tow hooks will be mounted to the rear bumper.
am i correct in thinking that the wheel base for an extended cab with a 6 ft bed is 126 inches? i was a fool and forgot to measure before i ripped everything apart.
some progress is better than no progress i guess. bring on the constructive criticism.