The "Donkey" build/rebuild

[Bracket racer]

Looks like that will just rub out...

Nobody hurt?

Couple ribs, wicked black and blue spot 4"x8" on my inner thigh (?) shoulders sore and the wife got a wicked crack in the noggin. Oh, and my pride, definitely my pride! Lol.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I'm sure all was good just before the sudden stop.

Be careful out there!

 

[Bracket racer]

The Y pipe build.

Bend two pieces of pipe and weld them together.

Cut the end off

Get a piece of flat 2 1/2" exh pipe from the race car pile.

Weld it up, voila, a Y pipe that flows well.

 

[Bracket racer]

I'm sure all was good just before the sudden stop.

Be careful out there!

It was great, just like falling off a cliff, fine on the way down, just the sudden stop at the bottom sucked!

 

[Bracket racer]

Well I've been working on the donkey at dinner time and got some progress to show. I tore everything I could off the front and cut the rad support so I could pull/bend the drivers fender back to its original position...ish. Then made a new body mount, bolted it down and proceeded to bend/kick/sledgehammer the rad support back across the front of the vehicle instead of sticking straight out the front. Once that was bent back and then somewhat levelled I welded the two pieces of the support back together. The bottom of the support where the rad "plugs in" was tore all apart and I'll have to make another whenever I get a rad. The hood was too high on the passenger side because not only was the support bent side to side, it was also twisted. So I got the support back together but it was still trapezoidal instead of square. So, out came the trusty sledgehammer and beat it into submission. Now, the hood clicks down better and fits tighter now than before the accident! Siliconed the windshield back in, removed all the glass from...well...EVERYWHERE.

Here's the rad and spare parts...

Front end with bumper extensions from the frame,

Down the drivers side,

The beat-into-submission rad support,

Again, yes I'm using my potato to take pictures because my kid has his phone at school.
Fix exh, replace drivers door, put plate in where the back left window was blown out and a rad...THAT'S IT!

Oh yeah...then start building an exoskeleton because the wife is convinced I'm going to roll it at some point. (it climbs like a bastard, I'm sure I will roll it at some point, lol)

 

[Bracket racer]

Forgot to mention that the drivers door works better than it ever has too. Slight push and it swings closed and clicks tight like a new Lincoln!
Still replacing it because I'd rather change the complete door than do just the window.

Rad and a door, both are nearby (a door farther away is $40 but he doesn't have a rad)

Anyway...that's the latest in my "next level hackery" lol!

 

[Bracket racer]

Stopped by at a guys place, has a rad that will fit a ranger, out of an explorer I think. Well, it looks taller and doesn't attach the same, but the hoses are correct. $50, sure. Got to the shop.....ummm....welllllllll....time to start cutting. I have it in (just held by zip ties for now) but it sits lower and the hose on the top of the engine is higher than the rad cap. This means it will air lock, so, filled the rad, put the cap on then pulled the top hose off the engine and topped it off. This is temporary until I have time to mount it better. Regardless, got it out of the shop for next week.(we have an inspection, didn't want anyone to see it)

So, it's sitting home, running but with no windows on the drivers side. Parked it and tarped it up.
Maybe more pics tomorrow.

 

[Bracket racer]

Well I got the explorer rad to fit, I had to cut off the sway bar though because the bottom rad hose is right in line with it. I figured I don't need a sway bar at 20mph and without it I'll have better articulation. Chopped away at the rad support a bit more and used a piece of exhaust tubing to extend the top rad hose as it was too short. Oh, and the top rad hose is not square to the rad, it angles off to the passenger side...right into the battery tray. Cut off disc trimmed a couple inches so that's all good. Building a lower rad support now and when done the rad will sit in it and the two bolts at the top will only keep the rad from flopping around and not support the weight of the rad. (like factory)
Got a door from the junk yard for $50 and did some head scratching, the side is still caved in way more than I thought. Anyway, used the sawz all to cut away some interior panels so I could get the frame straightener in. Did some more pushing and hammering and got the B pillar when it should be (ish) but the latch pin was all messed up. So, replaced the pin with a metric bolt and adjusted everything (with the maul) to fit. It now closes like new, gentle push and click, its closed! Still looks like crap because I couldn't push the rear panel out anymore but it works!

Here's the new door (painted with black tremclad rust paint)

Just have to put the new "Donkey" decal on.
And since I'm posting pictures from my potato...here's one of the front end. just need to finish the rad support, add the expanded metal in front and then start into bending tubing for the push bars.

Holy crap these pictures are horrendous....I need a camera or something.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Or clean the camera lens.

 

[Bracket racer]

Clean the camera lens.....huh....Clean the camera lens.......WELL SON OF A BI#CH!!!

Yer a pretty fart smeller ain't cha?? lol!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I have lots of experience under my belt...
And gas too...lol

 

[Bracket racer]

Wanted to get some work done today but that went sideways. Before leaving work lastnight though I welded in the pushbar in front and chopped up some 2" for the sliders. Monday at dinnertime I'll finish cutting that tubing up and start welding.
I drained the oil out of the t case...I mean the muddy water from the t case, silicone the seam between the two halves and hopefully that will stop the seepage. I noticed a spot on the floor after hitting the t case on a rock previously. I thought it might of cracked the case or something but no, all it did was pull out the silicone from between the two halves. The rest of the t case has a half inch gob of silicone hanging out except for the bottom where it was rubbed off, pulling the film in between the halves out. Don't know who had the case apart but they weren't scared of using silicone. I am concerned though that the same amount is blobbed along the seam inside the case as well!

More pictures as I progress.

 

[Bracket racer]

Started the rock sliders using my angle finder and tube bender;

Just realised my camera was dirty...AGAIN!

I'll go take a new picture of the slider mounted and the first tube I started bending for the A pillar.

Be right back.

 

[Bracket racer]

Let's try this...

 

[Bracket racer]

Got the A pillar bar laid back and put the fender guard on. I'll trim all the fender below the bar and I think I'll add some metal on top from the fender down to the bar...

Did I mention compound bends are a bitch? Lol!