Bigbs budget beater 83'

[BigBs84]

i dont think i've ever seen the battery mounted there before. any advantage or just something you wanted to do?

Well it because of the pinch in front I didn't have alot of room left up there so I moved it to the inside, it came out pretty cool, I was able to run the pos. & neg through the original heater hose holes that already had rubber gromets so I'm stoked on it. I really need a red top to put in there though.

[BigBs84]

Just a few updates, Inboard mounts are done, remember it is also my rear seat mount, and the front shock hoops I took a little differant approch on, they should work. My HF bender wont do a 180 so I just did a 90 and put them on the front fenders. What do ya guys think should I brace them off to the frame or leave them alone.

[BigBs84]

Little update I scored a new dash for $10 bucks and then blinged it out with white paint to match the scheme. I also built a square drive line for the front so I have 4x drive now.

[1981_toy]

Nice rig. I just got an 81 so wat kind of seats do you have??

[BigBs84]

thanks.They are out of a old nova 70 something. Got them through a trade a while back. Good luck with the 81

[TOYS4MEN2134]

Your truck is down right Sick! nice Tube work!

[BigBs84]

Your truck is down right Sick! nice Tube work!

Thanks man that is a huge complement. I just cant wait to try it out for what it is intended for!

[toyotanner]

the dash is blingin

as for the shock mounts they should be fine its not like shocks put that much stress on anything as long as the exo is mounted to the frame somewhere close to that i dont see any problems

[1981_toy]

what did you use for your dash by the ash tray and heater vent?? i want to replace my stock one... did you use a template??

[DTB]

YES...you do need to brace those shock hoops...they will rip off like that if you wheel hard or ever jump...you can even use smaller tube if you want to save weight


Looks nice!

as for the shock mounts they should be fine its not like shocks put that much stress on anything

Acutally they do......this is why all the "kits" come with braces and gussets

[toyotanner]

sorry i guess i just got put in my place... i'm not worthy 

i just figured i have been running shock hoops w/ no plating or braces just 110v welded to the frame w/ bilsteins and havent had any problems for a year and a half.

[DTB]

sorry i guess i just got put in my place... i'm not worthy 

Nah, haha it ain't like that man 

It just seems to me if there is a question on whether or not to do it....it's better to err on the side of caution

[BigBs84]

Thanks for the input guys I am going to just brace them off to the frame much like every other shock hoop is done, I just really liked the clean look of nothing on the frame but function over form right. And toyotanner mine were not braced for like 4 years of hard wheeling (on other truck)and they never broke off but they did finnaly crack and with all the stress it cracked my frame aswell, nothing like rework, so I will for sure brace them.

[BigBs84]

what did you use for your dash by the ash tray and heater vent?? i want to replace my stock one... did you use a template??

It is just a stock dash with paint on it, the old one was all broke up.

[toyotanner]

Nah, haha it ain't like that man 

It just seems to me if there is a question on whether or not to do it....it's better to err on the side of caution

haha yeah i was just messing around


yeah i have been running them hard and they havent broke yet... i do have the little tube braces ill probably throw them on eventually but its fine for now

[1981_toy]

oh dang mine is ok but i want it to look better.

[BigBs84]

oh dang mine is ok but i want it to look better.

just a little patiance with tape and some paint

[1981_toy]

ya i found some metal for mine

[BigBs84]

Cool man let me know how it comes out.

[1981_toy]

I will!!

[BigBs84]

well playing out in the front yard with this thing I found a problem, my pitman arm is coming into contact with the spring so I am going to have to get a flat one

[Gittinit]

Forget the flat pitman arm, and invest in some bump stops. Bumpstops will also save your springs. Those springs don't take well to being cycled into a negative arch. Just set up your bumpstops so the springs go flat, not negative, and it appears your pitman arm will barely clear.

[BigBs84]

So you are the second person to say bump stops maybe I will try that I am also running the stock shackles upfront and I have some 1/2" over ones that I made so that will help also.

[BigBs84]

So I have some updates, I got my tail lights mounted, installed the flat pittman arm and sent a half piece of tube through the frame to clear the nut, pulled my rear third getting 529's installed, got my front third, longfields and knuckle rebuild kit I will be installing tonight, got some 12" bils on the rear and made mounts, put 2" spacers all the way around, and I cut the floor boards for expanded metal so I can see my tires.

[1981_toy]

I like the notch in the frame there...

[toyotanner]

man you have been doing some work looks good... hopefully you dont get to muddy with the expanded right there.

[BigBs84]

I like the notch in the frame there...

thanks ya it came out really good," I love when a plan comes together"

[BigBs84]

man you have been doing some work looks good... hopefully you dont get to muddy with the expanded right there.

thanks man. I drove it the other day to take my buddy out and I had already cut the floor and it just had rained and believe it or not I didnt get muddy from there, now from the back tire that was a differant story

[BigBs84]

Alright so I got it on the rocks this weekend and had a blast here are some pics of it working

[jonathan82toy]

Looks like she did fine!     , I will be up there next weekend