Switched Addiction

[l.k.]

Well I had a build thread on the old board called Project Mighty Simple.

I will be changing the name of my project. I am changing the name because this was just gonna be a simple bag and drive daily type of build since it is my first. But i started getting creative and getting ideas and wanting to go all out on this. I STILL HAVENT FOUND A NEW NAME TO FIT...
Also gonna copy and paste all my post from the last thread to keep everyone up to date.

Please feel free to comment, criticize, like, dis-like, etc. Please be open, honest, etc. I really want to hear what everyone has to say about my first build. This is very important to me. Enjoy

I used to work for a welding company where i learned to fit, fab, and weld. So i am taking that knowledge and my passion and love for custom mini trucks and bringing it together in this build.

Thanks for looking.
1995 mighty max

[l.k.]

ok everyone. here is a lot of catching up..

my name is kenny and I bought this truck from a friend of mine for $200. IT WAS BONE STOCK WITH ONLY 150K ON IT. MINT INSIDE AND OUT. I HAVE ANOTHER ONE THAT I AM PICKING UP IN A FEW WEEKS... Drove it for 2 weeks and then had it dropped off at AN OLD?EX FRIEND. He was to do the work and he did work on it. But he did a very poor job at everything such as---BAD WELDS- CROOKED TABS- ONE OF MY CROSS MEMBERS WAS ALL LEANING AND SHIT. BAG PLATES AND GUSSETS LOOK LIKE?....? WELL I DONT KNOW WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.

Well me and that guy had a falling out and i brought my truck home and started re-doing it. I should have just started it and done it myself. Since bringing it home i have done a lot of grinding out welds, and rewelding them. (that is one skill that i am fairly good at. used to work for a welding company and learned to weld on pipe.) Had to add cross members and i re did how my tanks were mounted.--It has taken me almost 3 months to go over all the work that was screwed up...and i am still finding small things i need to do.-HERE ARE SOME PICS OF HIS WELDING---->




So far since i got it safe at home i have removed the bed and cab. I removed the motor and tranny and that was sold--only 150k original too.

-i then stripped the frame down to well just the frame--nothing but frame rails and crossmembers-

-i z'd the frame and got it all finished up

-i went back over 80% of the truck --GRINDING OUT and rewelding all the bad stuff that was left behind--left weld is my finished..top was his and the right one is how i ground his out..

-straightened one crossmember and added another.straightend

added

-fixed one of my lower bars- he welded it with the threaded end in and it seized in the bar and it was crooked----
-i have my lower control arms now- i ordered them from DHP.

-Ordered some more tabs and adj. link ends--got them waiting

[l.k.]

got a little done today. ground out a few welds and cut up some plates. Gonna be plating crossmember seems and a few places on the c notch this weekend.

also did a test fit on my new lcas.well just the drivers side...very simple to set up and install. might atleast get the drivers side done this weekend.

I have a friend of mine that just got a standard cab mazda and he is wanting to by my bag kit--(i am upgrading and gonna piece a kit together) AND HAVE ME DO THE FRONT ASAP..well atleast get it ready so that it just needs the bags put in.

Ill have plenty of pics throughout the weekend and will be updating alot aswell.

thanks for looking........
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
made some more progress and decided to stuff a sbc in this thing when it comes to that point...

recently i have been working on making my own upper control arm mounts. i have the basic design down and got the passenger side welded up and moving onto the drivers side. i still need to gusset and strengthen. then onto the bag plates and gussets. i have to reweld some of the pass. side still not happy with the looks of it.

i cut out the passenger side motor mount since they are no longer needed and will get to the drivers side tomorrow morning before work.

here are some pics of my work...this is my first time doing anything this in depth when it comes to building a truck. so far so good i think. let me know what you guys think.
good or bad...ok...different etc. please be honest..you wont hurt my feelings i promise.

plates i made

first of work..




basic mount minus gussets and final plate size

this is a side view...and the little squiggly weld s just a filler to give me a better finish.... i have a lot of cleaning up, bracing, gusseting and misc. stuff to do still...

this is where i am at now as of this morning...

[l.k.]

heres a few pics.. they are current as of today...

motor mounts off and cleaned up, drivers side uca mount started.

damn i have so much more work to do....

thanks for looking..

please comment, like, dis=like, leave feedback please. thanks









4doorciv wrote:
I'm sorry but I don't quite understand the consept of the square tubing designed like that. Also, removing the engine mounts tells me you won't be using the 2.4 anymore, or you are going to do a body drop and modify where the engine sits in the bay.

the square tubing is used to mock up and fab to the original two bolt holes that are from the factory locations. it looks like it does because its just scrap pieces that i had and didnt want to waste the money on buying more.... There are many other ways to do this. This being my first build that is this far in depth i chose to go this route.

this keeps the two points in the right spots while i build to them and come up with my design. then allows me to build them and not lose the original positions.

the motor mounts were removed because i am going with a sbc once i am done and satisfied with my frame and all its work still to come.

I am going to body drop it to the pinch...well atleast to the pinch but most likely to the rockers. I also z'd the frame. this helps with laying out ..it brings the cross member and the steering linkage components that are below the frame to be raised up so the truck truly lays out and doesnt rest on the components that are naturally below the frame rails.

[l.k.]

4doorciv wrote:
Ah. Okay. I was wondering about the design. Have you given any thoughts on rolling the pinch? Also I remember a few builds on mightyd50 that layed frame without z-ing it. They pie cut the upper and lower control arms, and that's all I remember. It was a while ago.

pie cutting is to keep your ball joints from binding which helps with laying out or getting lift..depending on which way you cut them... i have never seen one of these in person that has layed on the frame and only the frame with out work... Truly laying frame flat with no ugly as rake.... and not sitting on anything else. ----without alot of work to steering components crossmembes....

---i have heard that some years are different ...idk about all of them...just mine...i had to z it so it would lay FLAT AND EVEN and not on the steering components..

thanks for looking

pennyman1 wrote:
The Ram50/MM frame needs to be z'd to lay totally flat because the front crossmember sits too low in relation to the rear, causing the front to sit higher than the rear. Raising the front crossmember puts the bottom of the crossmember flush with the frame. Z'ing and new carrier and tranny crossmembers will make the frame totally flat side to side and front to rear. Definately not for the novice; btw great work on all the mods, much more than I can do. That's why I have friends that build race cars make the parts i need, it's worth it to be safe to me.


thanks for the help on clearing that up....and on the "SAFE" part i wouldnt do this stuff if i didnt have the know how and understanding of welding and fabbing. It was my job to weld, fit, and fab up structural and pipe. But yeah i get what you are saying. And thanks for reminding me to keep safety in my build. For others around me when its time.
Thanks for looking and all of your input..

4doorciv wrote:
Makes sense. Maybe that's what the guy did. Oh well. Please keep up the good work.

yeah most likely did. Thanks for looking and all of your input and questions. Please keep them coming..this is all a learning experience to me--the building a truck part atleast..
thanks..

[l.k.]

FOR MORE INFO ON MY BUILD OR A SOME STUFF THAT I LEFT OUT YOU CAN VISIT OTHER SITES WITH MY BUILD ON THEM..

HERE ARE MY LINKS TO THREADS AND PHOTOBUCKET project mghty max

http://s346.photobucket.com/albums/p...0mighty%20max/

http://www.maxd50scene.com/forums/pr...mple-t978.html

i update very regularly..this is my dream and i have got my life together and can pursue it..thanks for looking

[l.k.]

Guys i am still debating on going with a sloped rise from the door to the raised floor or a straight/vertical wall ledge. I just want to hear what you all think. i have my game plan just want some input for general purposes

[4doorciv]

What are the perk of both? I don't have much experiense in this departmen, nore know what either means.

[LethalEthan]

I think a slope looks better, seems like it'd be easier to hide under carpet as well

[DroppedMitsu]

Slope looks better and will make body drop less noticable inside cab

[Payrion]

i agree with the sloped as well....you might get away with the carpet covering it back up...

[l.k.]

thanks for the input guys. I think i am gonna go with the slope. I have done it this way on every body drop ive done and helped with. I was gonna go the other route just to be different and try something new.

no update today guys been trying to sell some mazda parts..not working out bout to trash the sh!t

[4doorciv]

I would first see what else is in the pile you can use on your project first. Kinda rummage through it while tossing away first.

[l.k.]

I would first see what else is in the pile you can use on your project first. Kinda rummage through it while tossing away first.

the way i have my build planned...I dont see anything being good to me. just gonna keep the front clip and a few small items. but that still leaves me with a bunch of stuff....

[l.k.]

well guys its been a while since i updated. I havent done too much lately. Just a little here and there.

Since my last post i have got the entire floor cut out. Both front wheel wells cut out. I JUST SET THE CAB DOWN TO GET AN EYE FOR WHAT IT IS GONNA LOOK LIKE...SO PAY NO MIND TO THE OVERLAPS AND STUFF...... Nothing is final but at a good spot to take a break and do some much needed cleaning and some more organizing.

Next step is to raise cab up about 3 feet off the ground. Got to get rid of the pinch weld. SHOULD I CUT IT OFF NOW OR FOLD IT OVER AND EXTEND MY ROCKERS LIFESPAN? ANY OPINIONS. I JUST WANT TO HEAR WHAT YALL THINK...IT MATTERS..
Then clean up all areas that were cut and those that will be welding surfaces. Gonna pull the floor up, flip it over and clean it and prep it for welding.

After those 2 things are done i have to address 2 issues with my frame and uca mounts. I have to trim one of my plates on top where i z'd and one spot where my uca mounts just barely touch my steering box. Then its onto cutting the floor for the proper slope at the doors and some hand made braces/gussets for the floor to mount to the cab.

[crvtec90]

yeah buddy! measure twice and cut once.

[l.k.]

yeah buddy! measure twice and cut once.

you know it man....thanks for looking

[l.k.]

havent done much been busy building a rabbit cage in my spare time.

slowly getting some side money for my adjustable uca's for my truck....

[l.k.]

Well its been a while since i been around.. not much going on with my truck. My adj. upper control arms are being shipped out this coming week. I also got the money for my drop spindles. I will be ordering those this week.

I got the floor cut out and am cleaning and prepping it to be put back in now. Just got to clean up the cab and prep it for welding and i can get it back together. ill have some pics up sometime.

BEEN REAL BUSY WITH WORK AND THINGS AROUND THE HOUSE> HOPE TO GET SOME MORE TIME IN ON THE TRUCK SINCE SUMMER IS HERE AND THE WIFE WORKS FOR THE SCHOOL AND WILL BE OFF WORK.--AND SHE STILL GETS PAID, SINCE SHE IS CONTRACTED THROUGH THE COUNTY

[l.k.]

Im back to working on the truck a little now and then. Upper control arms will be here thurday. Spindles hopefully by saturday.

My next plans are to finish the cab body drop. Take care of a few things on the frame and set up front bags. Once i get from the cab forward done I will be starting on redoing the back half of the frame...and 3 link bars. Not sure if i am doing a full backhalf or just a notch back.

pics are coming...been super busy still....

[l.k.]

here are some pics of where my project stands or sits....along with my uca's and my car dollies i got from harbor freight---$70 for 4 of them locking wheels and all...wooot wooot


adjustable uca's thanks to mike white at www.dallashotrodparts.com (i got my lowers from him also.


car dollies---





thanks for looking

[l.k.]

uppers are here...spindles should be here tuesday.

i met some local mini truckers. were gonna start putting in some work on each others trucks. make some more progress. i dont know anyone around here besides them and another friend of mine that are into bags and body drops..eventhough there are a good deal of bagged rides around here. i dont get out much.

gonna have some pics up ..I PROMISE GUYS AND GIRLS. JUST BEEN SUPER BUSY WITH WORK AND PARTING OUT TWO VEHICLES AND A 3RD STARTING THIS WEEKEND

[l.k.]

ok guys im still alive. I figured i would update while i had it on my mind. Havent done much, just been collecting parts. I got my spindles a few days ago. Now im about to purchase some wheels and get some tires on them. still not sure on what size rims....nothing crazy though.

After the rims and tires are gotten..i am gonna get my metal for backhalf, 3-link, and other random things i need. Fuel cell is on the list of things i need to get soon also. airtank, comps, .....blah blah blah... Also got to get some supplies for all the work ill be doing. I hate running out when i am almost there...total buzzkill.

list to do
finish body drop on cab
take care of loose ends on the frame
back half
bags
.....then so much more...

[l.k.]

ok .....been real busy lately. but managed to get some work done on the old mighty max. Me and my buddy Cam got the floor back in the cab. Started some welding. Gonna weld it inside and out on the front and back then hit the side fillers...

ill have pics tomorrow night.. after we get some more done. Hope to have the sides trimmed and some fillers made. I think i got my rims tonight. got to call the guy tomorrow to confirm. I just need some tires now. Getting the metal for my backhalf this week...

[l.k.]

here are a few of the cab ready to install the floor. We moved the frame out from underneath it. got everything prepped. i havent got pics of the cab floor being installed yet but they are coming.

did some welding on the back wall then a little on the front wall. Got to trim the frame in one spot and refinish then gonna set the cab back down on it.