GMC / Chevy Caveman built Mc-Ferdgy won tons and 4d2s

Id like to start by saying, I have no mechanical background nore training. I weld at work, on semis so I know my welds hold up to some SERIOUS abuse. Wich is good and bad, good because I know how to get things strong. Bad because by the time I end my week of welding I don't wanna put any effort into making my welds pretty on this thing. Im not talented, or skilled. Im just a caveman putting metal together in the hopes that it goes over rocks and doesn't come apart. Id also like to say I have a build budget of nothing. About 1-2 hundred a month for expenses, including fuel, tools, etc. Ive never fabricated a rig before, Ive built a bolt on tj, but thats it.

Anyway with all that being said. Heres what I started with a 1976 chevy blazer. 5.7 tbi 350, automatic turbo 350, np203, upgraded drive shafts, leaf springs, and a bed ish. The name Mc-Ferdgy being GMC, Ford, Chevy, and Dodge parts being used in the drive train. Theres tires and axles in the pic but they didnt come with the deal.

Plans are dual triangulated rear, radius arm front, 12-14" travel, coil springs, 115" wheelbase, Dodge dana 60 with ford king pin internals, Welded front, spooled rear, 4.10 gears, 203/205 doubler, dove nose, hydro assist, and thats all I can think of.

I think whoever originally sold/built it, did so because he had health issues from the entire bed being made of galvanized fence post and metal ducting. The leaking gas tank was 110v flux core welded to the frame, and had a structure welded over it so that u couldnt get it out without blowing urself up.

Most of this will just be me playing catch up. Im already half way through the build. But I used the forum 5 times already to buy and sell stuff so I figured I owed it to the forum to do a build thread.


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.Started collecting parts to put it together.The front axle is a dodge dana 60 with the tubes sleeved and built to house ford king pin shafts. After selling the old dodge internals the axle cost me $150 with the price of the kng pin internals. Dodges dont have wheel bearings and hubs they have unit bearings wich are actually stronger then hubs but u have to replace the full thing if it craps out. Also u can put high steer arms on the knuckles but the knuckles are already almost at the top of the knuckle anyway. Got the Tcase for $50, its a 10 spline NP 205 pass drop. The 14 bolt was $250 delivered with 4.10s. .1217122d1392612861-76-k5-blazer-build-20140216_184239.jpg1217130d1392612861-76-k5-blazer-build-20140216_184118.jpg1217138d1392612861-76-k5-blazer-build-20140216_184113.jpg1217146d1392612861-76-k5-blazer-build-20140216_184008.jpg1220114d1392788864-76-k5-blazer-build-20140217_163752.jpg1229201d1393394809-76-k5-blazer-build-20140225_213155.jpg
 
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I got rid of everything weird, annoying and galvanized. Took off the suspension and all the brackets. Got rid of a weird crossmember that held and helped nothing. Used rear tj coil springs on the rear, with 2.0 rough country 12" travel shocks. links are 2" x 1/4wall dom bottoms, 1.75 x 1/4 wall dom uppers. 1.25 ruff stuff heims on the bottom, 7/8" for the uppers. Bushings on the frame side. I made all the brackets, tabs, truss, and links myself with just a propane torch, chop saw, grinder and a drill. All the axle brackets, truss, and tabs are made of 3/8" thick strap. The truss being 6" wide and 3/8" thick, the upper and lower link tabs being 3" x 3/8". The frame side brackets are 1/4" x 4" wide strap. Upper buckets just 3/16" plate gusseted verticly on the side of the frame. Lowers are just 1/4" thick plate cut out in a circle. Caveman style.



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4 link stuff in progress, and welded the tubes, damn did that suck.Tried welding the axle tube and got them kinda hot then welded them and my torch died. I bought 50 gallons of propane so that it never happens again. Let it sit overnight and so far no cracks. Link numbers dont look too bad considering only 12" of travel in the rear. 1260906d1395799517-76-k5-blazer-build-20140325_195345.jpg1266106d1396149009-76-k5-blazer-build-20140329_103825.jpg1266114d1396149009-76-k5-blazer-build-20140329_205828.jpg
 
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Truss in progress, I used a artec pinion guard and truss bridge to help me mock up the truss. Vehicle on own weigh in the rear. 1266794d1396200938-76-k5-blazer-build-20140330_112326.jpg1267066d1396225586-76-k5-blazer-build-20140330_181252.jpg1268234d1396317089-76-k5-blazer-build-20140331_191105.jpg
 
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Started on the doubler then painted some stuff, and painting went very wrong, just grabbed the first can of paint that looked like light grey, ended up being aluminum colored paint. Also had to replace 9 of the wheel studs. Id also like to say that if I can put together a doubler, anyone can, just follow the very vague directions and pray the whole way through. 1276850d1396911139-76-k5-blazer-build-20140407_125610.jpg1276858d1396911139-76-k5-blazer-build-20140407_125621.jpg1276874d1396911139-76-k5-blazer-build-20140407_154844.jpg1277122d1396920067-76-k5-blazer-build-20140407_184835.jpg1277130d1396920067-76-k5-blazer-build-20140407_184936.jpg
 
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Hey looks good. What are your plans for the floor and rear? I'm glad you got rid of that "bed"

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Thanks man. Not sure on the floor, Im not going for looks on this at all, Im just gonna build the roll cage into the rear. This is what I have pictured in my head of the overall goal for the build except dove nosed.IMG_2146.jpg
 
That's cool. Are you getting rid of the windshield too? Are you going to keep any of the body?

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Keeping the windshield as of now. The front end will be dove nosed with a 2004+ toyota front grill just to confuse people.
 
Didnt get a whole lot done this weekend. Only got about 4 hrs of actual shop time. Finished up my upper coil buckets on the rear. Got the doubler bolted up to the tranny, and got all the pieces I need for the cross member. Just need to weld and drill holes to the 2x4 x 1/8" tubing. Also bought a stripped down 70s chevy frame for $30 so I can just to my frame and weld it in to box it in. F*$k cuttin individual pieces, lol Im cheating.


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thenag

Registered User
Location
Kearns
Caveman buy swiveling holding thing. Now I dont have to hold everything on the concrete with my foot while I grind it down.View attachment 90596

Since you are a professional welder I am sure you know the value of having a good welding table, it was pretty much the best thing I ever did. I can stick a "swiveling holding thing" in the receiver on it. Mine is 3ftx4ft 1/2 inch top, I made a little cart that is in place under it with casters on it. I use a ford bottle jack to raise the table onto the little cart and can wheel it around. I was lucky the only thing I had to buy was the top, the casters, the acme all thread and nuts. It is not heavy enough for a "real metal worker" but it is small enough for my shop.

oh the reason I bring it up is that I rarely use my "swiveling holding thing" I just vice grip stuff to the table top.

(sorry for the thread jack)

pic turning it over (cart not installed)
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In this picture the table is off the ground and on the castors (I originally thought that I would have the bottle jack upside-down to keep metal dust out of the jack, but it works better right-side up so now it is right-side up)
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picture of table in use with xj frame stiffener clamped to table
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Nathan
build thread
http://www.rme4x4.com/showthread.php?83436-Nathan-and-Tanja-s-99-XJ-Build-up
 

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