I Finally Z'd my frame!!

[bagged81]

I just visited your site and saw all the picts that I could ever want.

Do you have photos of the mounted steering pump? Also, what are you doing abou the outer bumper brackets, just leaving them out?

[loweredd]

Originally Posted by bagged81

I just visited your site and saw all the picts that I could ever want.

Do you have photos of the mounted steering pump? Also, what are you doing abou the outer bumper brackets, just leaving them out?

Are you wondering about the pump or gear box? I need to order a heim and some u-joints for the steering, so I can hook it back up. Then I need to get hoses made to connect the gear box and the LT1 pump.

[bagged81]

BTW, good photos. I could really tell what was going on. :thumbsup:

[loweredd]

Originally posted by bagged81

So you are not actually dropping the cab, but shortening the height of the frame from the bottom? So is that a stock floor bodydrop? I thought that a stock floor bodydrop was shortening the height of the frame from the top so that the cab is actually mounted lower.

On Z'ing the frame, why did you not do a cross memeber drop? Wouldn't that be easier? Not critisizing, just asking because I am still kicking both ideas around.

Stock floor....(my definition) is modifying the frame, instead of the cab floor, to lay rocker. A LOT less work to chop 2 inches off the bottom of the frame and weld in about 43 inches of heavy angle iron. When they cut the top of the frame, they always lower the cab mounts on the frame too, which is alot more work. (on our trucks)

A crossmember drop would not work here when you take into account the tire size I am running. I had planned on staying with my 305/50/20's BUT up front, I found I would have tire coming through the hood. I will now have 255/50/20's on the front and 275/45/20's on the back.

No offence taken at the questions either....

[meathead95]

I have a question also. I was just wondering, when I saw the pics with the body lowered and the crossmember raised, will you have clearance issues with the hood/engine?

[loweredd]

No problems there.....I have an LT1 to go in. Othersise, I think there MIGHT have been a problem.

[bagged81]

How much did you Z it, 3"?

The only reason that I dont want to Z mine is cause I just did my interior and I dont want to go back and have to mess with that tranny hump.

[loweredd]

I moved it 4" up......the tranny hump will have to be redone with this drastic of a Z job.

[crazy longhorn]

Dayam! Slamit! That is some nice lookin work there Keep those pics rollin......good luck,crazyL

[shimp]

Where are those new pics? When you expect to be done putting the engine and all that back in?

Not trying to rush you but I have an extra frame for my truck that I am thinking about doing the exact same thing to and want to see how it turns out.

And Crossmember drop I would think is more work/time than just Z'ing the frame. Difference is you don't have to change all the steering, and you maintain your factory geometry on the control arms.

Crossmember drop is like 2.5". He Z'ed his frame 4"! that means he has a 1.5" advantage over a crossmember drop and doesn't have to buy a rack and pinion steering assembly.

Less expensive, less work, lower. I think that's a winner.
And a regular "stock floor bodydrop" they do cut from the top of the frame rather than the bottom (more work). And still have to raise the tranny hump on most.

[loweredd]

Sorry about no new pictures. I have been feeling like total crap lately. (Bad cold) I was working on the transmission tunnel for the last couple days. I ran out of MIG wire the night before last at 11:00, so I got a whole lot of nothing accomplished that night. I was out in the garage till 2 last night. I got the whole drivers side tacked in. I have 1 or 2 pieces to fit and tack on the passenger side and I can weld it all in.

The engine is still in the shipping crate, but I have a bare block bolted to the 700R4 so I can get everything "roughed" in.

LOL, by all means shimp, rush me!! I need to get this thing done. I want to be driving it be the 20th. It still needs paint and panels on it.

[loweredd]

Originally posted by shimp
And Crossmember drop I would think is more work/time than just Z'ing the frame. Difference is you don't have to change all the steering, and you maintain your factory geometry on the control arms.

Crossmember drop is like 2.5". He Z'ed his frame 4"! that means he has a 1.5" advantage over a crossmember drop and doesn't have to buy a rack and pinion steering assembly.

Less expensive, less work, lower. I think that's a winner.
And a regular "stock floor bodydrop" they do cut from the top of the frame rather than the bottom (more work). And still have to raise the tranny hump on most.

I think work time on both would be about the same. Maybe. I dont know for sure. The only steering I have to change is the steering shaft. It will get a few u-joints and a heim or two. (it needed that anyway)

Capt told me no more than 1.5 on the crossmember without haveing to go through A BUNCH of work. I have a whole frame section with the crossmember bolted to it I torched out of a Suburban to do a crossmember drop till he told me 1.5 only.

I think we had a heated discussion on the "stock floor" definition before too. LOL. I'm calling it stock floor body drop. Whoever owns Silver Star Customs in SC I got parts from called the same thing a stock floor, that's where I got the idea of "whacking" off the bottom of the frame like I did. It might not be a conventional stock floor body drop, but I'm gonna call it that.

[Izzy]

Looks great no matter what the hell you call it.

[loweredd]

OK, here are new pictures of the tranny tunnel. I have it all tacked in, just need to finish welding it solid.

I was gonna put in the engine and tranny last night, BUT Alias was on.... (Jennifer Garner....... Booooiiiiiiinnnnggggg) LOL.

[loweredd]

Another one. It is now 12 inches wide, and SHOULD fit under the stock bench.

[loweredd]

Here is the last one. Hope you like these shimp.

[bagged81]

How much do you think that you had to raise the hump for this 4" Z?

[loweredd]

I think about 2-3 inches. It is less than a manual tranny hump, I think.

[loweredd]

LT1 is in. Check out some pictures. I hope they arent too big.

[loweredd]

One more. The picture after this in the money shot.

[loweredd]

Finally! The rockers are on the floor. Just where they belong.

[loweredd]

Here is a pic from last night. I got the tranny tunnel totally welded in, and the new tires put on. Im wiring tonight, and I dont know what else for sure. Front down looks good!

[Booga1]

HOLY CRAP THAT'S SWEET!!!! You've got to have some big marbles to try doing that to your truck. Just the thought of cutting my frame like that makes my butt pucker. Awesome job!!!!



B

[loweredd]

LOL. Thanks Booga! I bought it for $900 cause it supposedly needed a flywheel. If I mess it up, I'm not out much. Plus a long bed frame would be a cheap score in a junkyard.

[bagged81]

Thats going to be awesome!!