Ok so being new this low ride'in ass dragging thing I'm finally in a position to build one. This will be my first build to a vehicle with allot of structural mods. I'm sure I'll have a ton of questions (some of which I have already asked). There are some Really nice trucks on this forum with very helpful people willing to share there knowledge, to which I am very grateful. I've owned toyotas most of my life. My daily is a FJ Cruiser which I modded some all of which was bolt on stuff.

This is going to be a slow build for sure, but I would like to keep tract of my progress. My intent is to bag it for sure to get the frame on ground and possibly a body drop also (really like that look!).Here it is as I got it home,


Got the bed off

Got the fenders ,hood, and front end off. Notice all the plastic tabs from the grill under the front end. most of them where already broke..honest.


Been working on the notches and finally welded them on last night and cut the frame out tonight. I got to finish boxing the frame along with a ton of other stuff , but heh I,m up for it.

 

Good progress so far.

 

Notch looks tough! Good work, Im ready to see how this goes!

 

Thanks guys. I've got a couple of idea's floatin in my head, but I don't think there's anything that hasn't bin done. Thats ok though this one will be mine. I'll post pics as I go.

 

I see a jetta and a passat

notches look good

 

Close, a passat and a cabrio.

 

So I sent a couple of hours on it today. Worked on the front, I wanted to get it down closer to the ground. I mocked up my drop spindles. Boy what a greasy mess that was! Torsion bars are out, shocks are off. Didn't put the dust shields or calipers on for now cause it all has to come apart again. I did mock them up to make sure fitment was good and they are good to go.Also did the BJ flip.


I cut out the inner fender well and trimmed some of the wheel arc. I think I need more cut on the arc though. I need to tub the firewall but not really sure how much to cut out ? I guess I'll make a educated guess and just go for it. Here's how it sits with the bottom bump stops still on. The xmember under the oil pan is about 1 1/4" off the ground.

 

Don't know if you're going to body drop it but when you tub it give yourself some room for that aswell. When I tubed mine I layed it out all the way marked where it hit then trimmed away until I was pleased with clearance.

 

Thats a big ass tire lol. Tub it for 20s. And make it lay as if it was on 20s. Youl have room to play with wheel sizes later on

 

As far as the dust shield goes, alot of ppl leave it off. Makes for a cleaner look with a large, open wheel.

As far as the wheel tub arch..I made a quick pic for 1lowsr5 a few months ago...here it is.

The vertical line at the top is where you can cut off, severing the core support from the cab. Most bodied trucks are this way, with a trailer fender or custom wheel tub installed to replace the missing structure. Tubbing for a body drop will interfere with your heater/ac blower...so plan accordingly.

What size tire is that?

 

Thanks XS. They are stock tires 205/75/14. I started taking the interior apart today. Got all the easy stuff (seats, belts, plastic panels) off and started in on the dash. Truck has AC which I'm going to remove. Sort of thought I would have issues with the heater blower. I wasn't going to remove the cab but the more I think about it, it will make some things much easier.
I was planning on possibly putting in some trailer fenders after I'm done cutting.

 

One more quick question,do you cut straight up the front right behind the bumper bracket? Thanks

 

Not sure where or what cut you are referring to. Don't rule out ac just yet. It's possible to keep and I'll help you if you desire to make the mods necessary..

 

Ha ha don't you mean asstap? Lol. Nice build by the way.

 

So I took the dash out, wow, allot of stuff in there. I left the heater core in for now. I guess if I do a BD that will have to come out.


Decided to take the body off also.




Boy does that make it allot easier to move around in my crowded garage. Instead of walking around now I can just step over to the other side.Also made my own tranny mount. I decided to use the OEM rubber mount. I turned the the old mount upside down and cut the tabs off and put the rubber block on it like a cradle.Then welded it to two pieces of square tube like this. Doing it this way raised the tranny 1/2".






Also Z'ed the frame 1 3/8" to get it to lay frame. I used the pieces of frame I cut out for the notches to make the wedge shaped pieces. All welded in. I'm going to plate the inside of the frame also.Just plugging away when I get some time. I need to order my 4 link and bags here in the next day or so.

 

Pic of the Z



Layed out

 

Bravo sir!

 

I'd like to do a frame-off restoration of my truck when I finally get a place with space. Something I always wonder (but forget to ask) when I see these kinds of pics is: how heavy is the cab? Is it something two people can lift off or does it require four or even more?

Thanks.

 

Youd need 2 ridiculously strong bastards.

 

Or one person..a few 2x4s and a some common sense. Ask me how o know.