Low Rider Donny... Donny, Low Rider

I'm excited, I had a very nice time off during the Thanksgiving weekend. Spent time with my family, ate some good food, spent $1200, played some football... Oh well backing up to the spending $1200, I ordered the components of the front suspension this weekend. I was very happy that I was getting free shipping, and saved nearly $200. I was also amazed with the service of speedwaymotors.com. I had previously order the cross-member off their website on a Sunday morning, and had it Tuesday afternoon. When I placed the order for the components Saturday around one o'clock, by four i received a phone call explaining that some of the pieces were out of stock, and they wouldn't ship for a couple weeks. I was amazed to receive this call so quickly and even more so on a weekend. It makes me wish speedway had more parts available for my truck for me to order from them.

I spent a little time this weekend getting the frame ready for the cross-member and soon the components. Also I removed the steering column. Just a little more work before welding can be done. As I have also tried to keep up to date on the fender work I've been accomplishing while at school I have gotten one tail light nearly complete with just the rest of the fender needing to be straightened before sending off to primer. The other fender still needs more fiberglass work. It is looking just as good as I imagined it, I am happy with the results. Hopefully my next post will include pics of the components and the cross-member on the frame.

Is there anything else I can take apart?... Not much.

Iroh is pretty well stuck where she is at. I've removed the front suspension and soon the steering column will come too, to make room for the new suspension cross-member, suspension, and rack and pinion steering. I tried to put the frame all on jack stands but as my stands are too short even at the tallest height the truck would still sit higher had it been still on it's wheels. I actually couldn't put the jack stands on the frame in the back because the rear differential dropped too low, and the jack wouldn't come out from under it. So those stands got put under the rear end. I'll be preparing the frame for the cross-member, some areas need to be flattened, and it needs to be ground down to be welded.

Just as a side note as I'm thinking about it, I purchased a "Wel-bilt" Universal engine stand/rolling dolly, to hold my 454 as it waits its turn for installation. I don't want to have to become a member of the "Northern Tools and Equipment" website to write a review, but it sucks. The bolt holes were close to where they should be to bolt the motor on but they were off just far enough that we couldn't. We got the engine to mount on there but it worries me because only about half the bolts made it in. So don't waste your money you could probably build you're own better, this isn't to dis "Wel-bilt" their creeper I bought is nice but the engine dolly... no.
Anyways moving on... still slowly making progress on Iroh's fenders at school. I seem to be adding a fair amount of weight with the tail light housings but that's okay, it will just help push the rear tires into the ground. One of the front fenders saw some epoxy but a few other dents and maybe some finer sanding is in its future. Straightening, and filler work has started on the rear fenders so hopefully they too will be straightened out and see epoxy soon too.

 right rear fender, other fender saw fiber glass today but no pics yet. 

Left front fender

"What’s behind you doesn’t matter." – Enzo Ferrari

Have you ever done 40 mph in a truck with no engine, no brakes, no fenders, no windows, no seat belts, seat not bolted down, and driver door tied on? I have, and my brother joined me for it. Now my truck is in a friend of my dads, shed. So when I get around to buying the front suspension components, I'll be able to start welding it on to the truck. Once the suspension cross-member is welded in, the engine cross-member will be able to mocked up and welded in also.  

As far as progress with the fenders at school goes, the boxes made for the taillights are welded in and soon they will be getting finished up. The front fenders are being straightened by a couple of friends in my class. They are looking good and soon they should be able be shot with epoxy primer. I don't have the latest pics of the fenders on my computer yet, but here is the rear fenders after being shot with some primer before I welded them in. My brother is on the paint side and sprayed them for me.