My 84 extra cab is gone. Tacoma build now.

[olivedrab85]

Damn your gonna be flat belly before the trip, i'm jealous!  I better get on it I have a list to do to the runner again.

[gotrocks]

brad I'll keep an eye out for a 60 up in my neck up the woods.  I know how frustrating it is to break crap (now I'll admit not as much breakage as you have though) I can't wait to see this next part of the buildup.

[Hyena]

Do you also have to cut off the crossmember on the frame and build a high clearence one? I know on mine i will have to do that when i flatbelly it because the driveshaft will hit. Something i read about knuckle studs is to just keep them torqued to 80 ft-lbs, over tightening streches/weakens the studs. Arps should last a long time

nope, the horseshoe crossmember is farther back then on the regular cabs so it shouldn't in the way.  i think the studs were just stressed.  they lasted over year and never came loose.  they weren't even loose when they broke.

Edit:  i am going to halve to notch or cut the horsehoe crossmember after all.

[MR_DIY]

someone mentioned the pic of the flatbelly cut.  here is mine if that helps explain it? I'll finish it this weekend

[Hyena]

so i didn't get as far as i hoped of course.  gotthe t-case's mocked up but not mounted.  i did get the crossmember on and the frame plated.



here you just see the drain plug for the t-case about 1/2 inch below the frame rails.  i ordered a couple low profile drain plugs so that should help a little.

[Ramrod]

thats what I call a hole!!! holy are you gonna be able to but a seat back in there with the side bars like that?

[gotrocks]

nice, I don't think you could get it any better than that.  BTW when you do a flat belly do you do anything to the motor mounts?

[olivedrab85]

Looking good brad, Did it take you a while to clean out your cab so you could see the floor!

[Yota4life]

Nice, does loosening the motor mounts work or do you have to use motor mount spacers to raise it? Looks like your tranny shifter is hitting the stereo bezel. Post a pic of what you did with the horseshoe crossmember

[Hyena]

Alright, i got a lot done today.  got the mounts welded to the frame.  clearanced the horshoe, got the driveline back on. 

thats what I call a hole!!! holy are you gonna be able to but a seat back in there with the side bars like that?

i am going to have to lift the back of the seats for them to clear.  1 or 2 inches i don't know.

nice, I don't think you could get it any better than that.  BTW when you do a flat belly do you do anything to the motor mounts?

i didn't do anything with the motor mounts.  they are chained so they aren't going to break free.  i know the engine has a certain angle that it should be at but i figure if it runs on it's side it shouldn't matter.

Looking good brad, Did it take you a while to clean out your cab so you could see the floor!

ya, i cleared everything out and through it in the bed lol.

Nice, does loosening the motor mounts work or do you have to use motor mount spacers to raise it? Looks like your tranny shifter is hitting the stereo bezel. Post a pic of what you did with the horseshoe crossmember

the shifter does hit the bezel.  but the bezel is missing a bolt and it is pushing out a bit.  i will put a bolt in it and see if it still hits.



passenger side plate.

driver's side plate.







air intake is now pushing down on the fan shroud.  but it isn't hurting anything, there is still plenty of room for the fan.

[Yota4life]

Nice fab work brad. Thats a good idea to clearence the crossmember, just trim it out. Looks good, are you going to cover the tranny tunnel or just leave it open?

For the shifters its pretty easy to cut and shorten them. Try bending the tranny shifter and shorten it to clear the bezel

[Hyena]

i just got a sheet of sheetmetal today to cover the tranny and cases.  i made the frame for the center console out of 3/4x3/16 flatbar.  i used about 3 1/2 feet of it so far.  i might end up adding a couple more braces tomarrow.  but the frame is mostly done.  i am going to try and cover it tomarrow with the sheetmetal.

[MR_DIY]

nice frame.  I'm leaving the house in 20 mins. to start mine. wish me luck.
I'm using 1x1 square but it should be all good.  later man and keep up the good work.

[locktup]

That cross member looks familiar 

[Hyena]

That cross member looks familiar 

haha, it should.  It is Rick's old one off his runner.  the one he broke.  i grabbed it out of the dumbster and welded it/plated it back together.  it is good to go know.

[Hyena]

no update yet.  i haven't been feeling that great after a couple hard but fun nights.  i will work on it tomarrow though.  i hope to get the center console sheeted, the exhaust redone, and the seats mounted.  we will see though.

[Shamb]

I bet it was fun welding that 3/16th flat bar to the sheetmetal in your truck.

Looking good Brad, What gauge are you using for your sheetmetal?

[Hyena]

actually it wasn't bad.  i set the welder to 1 and burned it pretty good.  it didn't burn through at that setting.  i am not sure what gauge it is.  not thin but not thick either.  i am going to try and use some self tapping screws to attach the sheetmetal so i can take them off if i need to.

But i actually did work on it today.  i got the exhaust done.  i managed to keep the flatbelly even with the muffler under the driver's seat.  i cut a hole in the horseshoe crossmember for the exhasut to go through.  then the pipe ends about 2 inches after that.  it is a little louder then before.

[Hyena]

here is my exhaust.

you can see it doesn't hang down anymore so i still have a pretty good flatbelly.

here is the skin to the center console.  it is not doen, i still need to screw it all together.  the batteries for the drill were both dead and i had to be somewhere.  i need to pick-up 2 more shifter boot also.





And i bent it all by hand!!!

[DTB]

gettin there......lookin good brad  i really like the exhaust

[olivedrab85]

looks good. Does the exhaust rattle on the crossmember at all, looks close.

[Hyena]

it does rattle a little.  i might try and throw some rubber or cylicone in there to help it out.  it isn't as bad as you may think since my engine, trans, and cases don't move at all with this new crossmember.

[toytank]

i like the flat belly you could prolly solve your problems with clearance by moving the whole motor back a few inches it would also center up your weight a bit .oh by the way ireally like the body work people just  dont understand what it take to get a quality crease its trully a  masterpeice

[Yota4life]

Awsome. What if you just put some tack welds on the exhaust to the crossmember, no more rattle. What are you going to do for doors?

[blackdiamond]

Awsome. What if you just put some tack welds on the exhaust to the crossmember, no more rattle.

There is a reason exhaust systems are isolated from the chassis.

[toynorcal]

I got a shift boot if you want it. I could either bring it to Fordyce if I go or send it with Shamb if you want it.

[boggerunner]

what did u use to make all your bends in the sheet metal?

[MiniSimp]

How bad does your tranny shifter hit?

[Hyena]

so i got the seats mounted pretty easily.  just used some longer bolts for the back mounts.  everything is done except the exhaust hittingthe crossmember partand i need to put a new seal in the exhaust.  i put a screw in the bezel and now the tranny shifter only touches the bezel, it doesn't really hit it.  i don't know why but the motor seams to run a little higher rpms now and it doesn't miss like it use to.  o well, guess i will run it.  just waiting for my box from Front Range to come in, then i can tackle the front nuckles again!

[Hyena]

what did u use to make all your bends in the sheet metal?

I clamped the sheetmetal to a table and bent it by hand, then went over the bend with a piece of 3/8's flatbar and hammer and hammered the crease.  you can see the small dents in the top piece.