Not so budget 3-link build

[Rorkrado]

When are you going to be starting another project of your own? Some great reading, while you were building frank!

[Twisted Minis]

I'm buying a new daily this Saturday. I am going to try to leave it alone, aside from installing some stereo stuff I have sitting in storage (my closet). Although I can see that being a big ordeal since I am so anal about things, and I am not so skilled when it comes to wood working. Lol.

But I am already working on (sort of, in my spare minutes) something new for myself. I'm building my own spindles for it right now.

[Rorkrado]

thats awesome. spindles cant be an easy job.

ill trade you some wood working skills for some tig skills!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Twisted Minis

But I am already working on (sort of, in my spare minutes) something new for myself. I'm building my own spindles for it right now.

Specs/details & pics please .

[Twisted Minis]

I'll work on that. It's not much to look at yet, just a bunch of laser cut parts, rod ends and uni balls, and some spindle snouts. Nothing really assembled.

[Twisted Minis]

I keep forgetting my camera, but the front is bagged, painted and assembled.



Built a new transmission cross member, cut out the old one, and installed the new one.

[AceX]

I like it. Simple and effective, just how I like it.

[fixit-p]

I see that you first drew it out on your work bench but what really stands out for me is that you notched in some DOM at the ends where it bolts to the chassis instead of just drilling through the tube for the cross bolts.

[Twisted Minis]

Ya I generally draw stuff like that out in full scale. It helps me visualize, and then I can just measure of of it for the cuts.

Ya I don't really like just drilling a hole through the tube and running a bolt through it. It seems like the holes would oval out a bit faster to me. So I use some 1.25" DOM, and I stick some oilite bushings in them with a 3/4" ID. Then I use 3/4" .083 wall DOM as an inner sleeve to run a 9/16" bolt through. Just seems more precise to me.


Got the power wire measured out, and wrapped it in TechFlex. I found some red shrink wrap with glue inside, and I really like it. I ran it, and finally set the truck on the ground. Final pictures of that will wait until tomorrow when I get the bed on. I basically had to rebuild the entire exhaust system. I was hoping I wouldn't have to, but nothing was working. So I cut it behind the transmission crossmember and started over, moving the cat back about a foot, and it went smoother from there. It's basically a recycle exhaust system with the stock tubing, with the only new parts being the muffler I made, and a turn down out the back. I forgot to take pictures, but I will try to snap one tomorrow.

[Twisted Minis]

[Rorkrado]

Not only is the fabrication on this ol yota amazing, the truck is nice as well!

turned out great!

[Twisted Minis]

Just got back from driving to So Cal after only a 2 hour test drive. I packed along every tool I could think of, along with a low profile jack, extra air line and fittings, etc. Didn't have to use a tool once, truck drove great all the way down there.

[Twisted Minis]

Something else in the shop right now, the Crown Vic I bagged and put IRS in. It's been sitting in the parking lot awaiting payment for the last 4 months. Guy got a new job and got caught up on the bill, so it's getting finished. I had a new drive shaft built from scratch, as the stock one was some aluminum composite that no shop would touch, and said was impossible to balance. And I started the exhaust. It has to tuck into the drive line tunnel to stay above the frame rail, but luckily with IRS the drives haft doesn't need move any more than spinning in place.

[greystoke]

whereabouts did you get your red techflex? That looks great

[Twisted Minis]

You can get it on eBay. Interstate Battery carries it if you want it locally. I have an account there, and even then it's about twice the price I get it on eBay.

[Twisted Minis]

Just about done with the exhaust. There is one rubber isolator on the cross member, but I need to wait until I build the strut rods for the rear axle (waiting on parts still) before I make hangers for the tips. I want to turn them out towards the wheels as much as possible, but I need to get the strut rods built first.




It's gonna be loud. When from 1 3/4 tube with flat spots in it and massive mufflers, to 2.5" all the way out with what is basically a glass pack.

[Rokcrln]

Your work looks great. I grew up in Penngrove and started with sand rails up at Cow Mountain then got into 4x4's and rock crawlers for a bit up at Stony Ford and the Con. Now I am down to earth with 2x's. I to did a frame air tank and it worked out slick but the most fun one to build was an 8 point roll cage that was the air tank for the ARB's and air powered Margarita mixer

My current project is a 72 4 door Tahoe with a 6 link C4 vett rear air bag set up. The IRS's are allot more space friendly with out all the moving parts like a solid axle.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

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[Rokcrln]

Any more pics of your bag set up on the Jag rear you used?

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Twisted Minis]

Nice work!

Ya I have some more, I will try to dig them up. I wish I could have cut the floor out of this car like you did. The owner wanted the rear floor untouched. I had to notch and narrow the frame a bit to make it fit and make the car lay out. I tucked the pinion up as high as I could within reason, to get a good camber angle at ride height. I like where it's set at, but the pumpkin is still too close to the ground to get the exhaust underneath it. I was hoping to do full exhaust on this car, but there really isn't any way to do it without it looking bad, and running oval tube.


I wanted to post a picture of this too. Heres the new MIG welder. I now have a matching set and I love it. Was getting tired of the duty cycle on my Miller, and having a red and blue fleet. This thing welds beautifully.

[Twisted Minis]

Found one of the axle before I put it in the car. I built a cradle that drops in and out so the axle isn't terribly difficult to remove. Easier than the stock jaguar at least.






The owner bought wheels off of the new Dodge Charger Police Interceptors. It's a slightly different bolt pattern (.7 MM), so I had the front hubs redrilled, and I pressed in some 14MM studs so it can run the stock lug nuts and center caps.


The rear just uses adapters since the Jaguar is a Chevy pattern. I lucked out on that since the Jaguar axle was about 2 inches narrower than the stock axle too.

[Twisted Minis]

We have a show in Penngrove every year. My Dad lives there, and owns a candy store in Petaluma.

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by Twisted Minis

We have a show in Penngrove every year. My Dad lives there, and owns a candy store in Petaluma.

Was that the show down in the park a few months back? My parents still live in the house I grew up in just up from Penngrove school on Adobe Rd.

Yeah the IRS is working out great in the Tahoe because the rear floor is wood stock so I pulled it out and the new 03 Tahoe floor section is only 4" higher then stock so the 3dr row Tahoe seats still work out.


Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Twisted Minis]

Ya it's in Penngrove park. We do it in September. That park is basically my Dad's back yard.

[Rokcrln]

Do you know "Hutch" in the old fire house? I spent many hours sitting on a stool in his garage.
Were did you grow up?

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Twisted Minis]

I don't know Hutch.

I'm still growing up. But I haven't gone far. Went from Santa Rosa to Windsor in 7th grade. Been here since.