Attention: TDR Forum Junkies I've always loved the 80's chevy bodies, but disliked the interior and diesel. So my crazy plan...
I'm acquiring a 91' Chevy crew frame and body for next to nothing. Axles, motor, transmission, and t-case were robbed so it's not worth much to the owner anymore.
I've found a guy that buys wrecked dodges from insurance auctions. I'll wait for him to get the perfect donor. i. e. 94-98 12v, standard, 4x4, srw that's been hit from the side or doesn't have intercooler damage.
Now for the crazy conversion...
Drivetrain is pretty much a straigh forward conversion. I'm just going to use axles, motor, transmission, and tcase. I have a dodge dana 60, but it's passenger side drop and it's reserved for my rock buggy. I don't feel like buying a ford dana 60 because they are pricey and I don't feel like messing with transfer case conversions to get it too a passenger side drop. I figure this will be the easiest, most reliable solution without spending too much money.
Suspension, I figure I'm going to go with airbags and link suspension. I know a decent amount about link suspension from messing around with rock crawlers. Most of this can be solved once I get the frame and start figuring out mounting points. Might almost be worth it to build a custom frame at this point. As far as the airbags, I don't have any experience with them, but they seem pretty straight forward. Haven't researched them much but I'm assuming they have some kinda of spring rate that has to be chosen.
Now for the part that most people don't do... I absolutely hate the dash configuration in the chevy's. My blazer has this style and everytime I get in it I dislike it more. So I'm planning on grafting the dodge dash into the chevy. I've seen later model chevy dashes in older chevies and I like the way they look. Since I'll be getting a whole dodge donor truck though, I figure I'll just use a dodge dash. I like the way they are configured and the stock gauges would also work with the engine and the drivetrain perfect. Only concern is the physical dimensions. I'll cross that bridge when I get both trucks. Might not work at all.
Just dreaming at the moment since we're closing on a house on friday. I also went back to school to get a second degree (Mechanical engineering). The house will also need a few months of work. So this project is going to be slow for a few months. Probably just start doing body work on the chevy while I'm working on the house and searching for a donor truck.
Someone please tell me I'm crazy! Oo.
I'm acquiring a 91' Chevy crew frame and body for next to nothing. Axles, motor, transmission, and t-case were robbed so it's not worth much to the owner anymore.
I've found a guy that buys wrecked dodges from insurance auctions. I'll wait for him to get the perfect donor. i. e. 94-98 12v, standard, 4x4, srw that's been hit from the side or doesn't have intercooler damage.
Now for the crazy conversion...
Drivetrain is pretty much a straigh forward conversion. I'm just going to use axles, motor, transmission, and tcase. I have a dodge dana 60, but it's passenger side drop and it's reserved for my rock buggy. I don't feel like buying a ford dana 60 because they are pricey and I don't feel like messing with transfer case conversions to get it too a passenger side drop. I figure this will be the easiest, most reliable solution without spending too much money.
Suspension, I figure I'm going to go with airbags and link suspension. I know a decent amount about link suspension from messing around with rock crawlers. Most of this can be solved once I get the frame and start figuring out mounting points. Might almost be worth it to build a custom frame at this point. As far as the airbags, I don't have any experience with them, but they seem pretty straight forward. Haven't researched them much but I'm assuming they have some kinda of spring rate that has to be chosen.
Now for the part that most people don't do... I absolutely hate the dash configuration in the chevy's. My blazer has this style and everytime I get in it I dislike it more. So I'm planning on grafting the dodge dash into the chevy. I've seen later model chevy dashes in older chevies and I like the way they look. Since I'll be getting a whole dodge donor truck though, I figure I'll just use a dodge dash. I like the way they are configured and the stock gauges would also work with the engine and the drivetrain perfect. Only concern is the physical dimensions. I'll cross that bridge when I get both trucks. Might not work at all.
Just dreaming at the moment since we're closing on a house on friday. I also went back to school to get a second degree (Mechanical engineering). The house will also need a few months of work. So this project is going to be slow for a few months. Probably just start doing body work on the chevy while I'm working on the house and searching for a donor truck.
Someone please tell me I'm crazy! Oo.
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