Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
Fitting the inner fenders around the shock towers:
BJ74 TD Build Thread - Stoffregen Motorsports
- Thread starter Stoffregen Motorsports
- Start date
Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
Modifying the air cleaner to fit around the shock tower:
Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
We purchased a Currie Antirock sway bar for the front, which is always a challenging fit, since the driver's side sway bar arm has to be bent around the steering box and pitman arm, but it also has to clear the tire at full steering lock. When building a low truck with relatively narrow axles, this is a packaging nightmare.
The "kit" we bought from Currie was different in every way from the kit as advertised. We opted for a larger torsion bar, longer arms and shorter links. They were nice enough to make all those changes for us. Thank you Currie.
The location for the torsion bar was obvious. Right inside the stock front frame crossmember. This meant narrowing the tube, making sleeves to weld in and hold the bushings, and then making new body mounts, since we cut the old ones off to fit the bar.
First mock up of the bar. Sure, looks great right?
Nope! Have to bend the arm to clear, also have to raise the arm (it won't be flat when at ride height) to clear the tire. Fitting around the pitman arm is challenging, but so is fitting the link around the passenger side panhard bracket on the axle. More pics of this coming soon.
The "kit" we bought from Currie was different in every way from the kit as advertised. We opted for a larger torsion bar, longer arms and shorter links. They were nice enough to make all those changes for us. Thank you Currie.
The location for the torsion bar was obvious. Right inside the stock front frame crossmember. This meant narrowing the tube, making sleeves to weld in and hold the bushings, and then making new body mounts, since we cut the old ones off to fit the bar.
First mock up of the bar. Sure, looks great right?
Nope! Have to bend the arm to clear, also have to raise the arm (it won't be flat when at ride height) to clear the tire. Fitting around the pitman arm is challenging, but so is fitting the link around the passenger side panhard bracket on the axle. More pics of this coming soon.
Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
Here are some shots of the body mounts in progress.
Stock:
New driver's side mount, made special to fit around the steering box and have clearance for the sway bar.
Stock:
New driver's side mount, made special to fit around the steering box and have clearance for the sway bar.
Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
That's all I've got for now, but I am working on it with 100% focus so updates will be coming soon.
thethePete
Explorer
Looking fantastic, as always.
Not sure what you mean by "boring stuff" this is the stuff that good build threads are made of. And I'm with you about doing all the detail work I can before I bang out the big, quick stuff like bolting up shocks and running gear. It's all the mounts and tabs and fitting up and modifying parts and trimming and making sure you didn't miss any welds and making sure everything clears and cycles properly that takes up the real time. Then it's just slam in some shocks and running gear and bolt up the wheels. Makes the end feel so much more like the end.
Keep posting up the progress.
Not sure what you mean by "boring stuff" this is the stuff that good build threads are made of. And I'm with you about doing all the detail work I can before I bang out the big, quick stuff like bolting up shocks and running gear. It's all the mounts and tabs and fitting up and modifying parts and trimming and making sure you didn't miss any welds and making sure everything clears and cycles properly that takes up the real time. Then it's just slam in some shocks and running gear and bolt up the wheels. Makes the end feel so much more like the end.
Keep posting up the progress.
Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
Looking fantastic, as always.
Not sure what you mean by "boring stuff" this is the stuff that good build threads are made of. And I'm with you about doing all the detail work I can before I bang out the big, quick stuff like bolting up shocks and running gear. It's all the mounts and tabs and fitting up and modifying parts and trimming and making sure you didn't miss any welds and making sure everything clears and cycles properly that takes up the real time. Then it's just slam in some shocks and running gear and bolt up the wheels. Makes the end feel so much more like the end.
Keep posting up the progress.
I used to be a compulsive list maker, but now I leave the lists until the end of the build. I figure once I can start making to-do lists, the job is really starting to come together.
Thanks.
Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
Thank you Andy!
Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
Front axle is out along with the front suspension. Checked everything over and it's time for paint. After paint, the front axle needs to be blown apart, cleaned and assembled along with all the links and small parts. This is the fun parts...getting to see it in final assembly phase.
I also had time to cut the fenders yesterday. I wish we didn't have to cut them, but I think we chose a nice shape.
Will post progress pics soon.
I also had time to cut the fenders yesterday. I wish we didn't have to cut them, but I think we chose a nice shape.
Will post progress pics soon.
mongoose2231
Observer
wow, great work, cannot wait to see this finished!
RMP&O
Expedition Leader
I always thought the front body mounts on a 70 were funky, might as well hack them off and make new ones! Sure seems like a pita build on a 70, due to limited room. Maybe best to just leave them leaves but work the suspension and coax it to make it give everything a leaf sprung truck can give. I honestly don't mind leaves, especially if set up right and everything worked out to being dialed in, the truck rides and flexes real nice with leaves but you do get axle wrap (traction bar fix) and you will never go fast on leaves like you can on c/o's.
I understand you are doing this for a customer but for me personally, I would leave it leaf springs after seeing this build. Awesome fab work youare doing though!
Cheers
I understand you are doing this for a customer but for me personally, I would leave it leaf springs after seeing this build. Awesome fab work youare doing though!
Cheers