Thursday, April 29, 2010

We are impressed how well a little article in the local newspaper can do for business. Thanks again to Joseph and Community Impact! Chris Cook joined us again on Monday. It is amazing how one person can help the morale, output, and quality of a shop. We are very glad to have him back on the Krawltex team!

Krawltex got a few new toys. Jeremy came up with a "walkie" style Forklift. 4 steel I-beam rack systems are coming in on Saturday so we can keep DOM tubing and various plate steel in stock for the customers' projects. The shop got a second 10K Challenger truck lift on Tuesday. In addition to those upgrades, we purchased two Miller 252 digital 220V MIG welders and a Miller Dynasty 200 TIG welder. Let the fabrication continue!

It has been a zoo around here. Ed's Cruiser received a TRD supercharger a couple weeks ago. This week we installed a Roger Brown 1.25 body lift and have reworked the bumper mounts on the Fab Fours pieces to relocate them up. We are in the works of getting URD's smaller pulley, fuel management system, 7th injector, 02 simulaters, Doug Thorley long tube headers, hand building an exhaust, and reworking the factory cross members to run a completely flat belly pan from the motor back to the rear suspension.

Matt and Ted have been plumbing on board air, fuel/brake lines, and wiring on the 12V. Chris' tube work looks great on the freshly powder coated front bumper. She should be buttoned up today or mid tomorrow, just in time for Jake's arrival.

I boxed the front truss on Al's D60 for the CJ buggy, as well as tied the rear cage in to the frame and cleaned up some rear tube work. Ted wired in a dual pole switch to operate the front winch inside the cab. Matt swapped in an 8.8 on Matt Jonson's TJ. Tomorrow he will replace the leaking pinion and rear main seals. Chris is also in the process of stripping the rear D60, rebuilding the brakes and wheel bearings in preparation of the link suspension on Matt's 5.3L CJ7 project.

The shop ranger that has been in the works received some Glassworks front fenders, bent I-beams, and some Krawltex built long travel radius arms with 1 1/4" heims. As soon as the diesel sells... 35's, rear glass and possibly front coil overs in place of those Eibach coil springs.

A slew of Strand vans have been in here. We have done everything from minor brake and fluid changes to a transmission swap and complete AC system over haul. It's great to have some line work in the monthly schedule! Now if I can only convince them to do a long travel suspension upgrade on their cargo vans...

It has also been a week of leveling kits. Landon's suburban and Kevin's 2010 Dodge now sit 2" taller. Eric's TJ has a rear drive shaft and working AC. Stephen's WJ knuckles are reamed and ready for a 1 ton steering. JR's CJ7 has a new fuel pump and runs like a top after its tune up. Dave's sidekick has a working throttle cable and an exhaust system that doesn't leak. Grady's brakes actually stop his 2500 diesel.

On the books for the next few weeks... linking the front and rear of Mack's CJ7, as well as a full interior cage and 5.3L/4L60/241 swap, AW4 auto swaps in Chris' TJ and possibly Patrick's new Jeep, finishing the SAS in Eric and Andrew's Tahoe, a bunch of prep and repair work on Bomshell 5099 for the June Odessa 250 race, and along with the future engine upgrades to Ed's FJcruiser will be a full interior cage with satellite internet/phone/lights/communication equipment and a dash mounted Ipad.

I almost forgot to re-mention that Ted and I are driving Long Beach Racers Class7SX next weekend in the SNORE Dusty Times 250 race. If it performs well and we like the truck, it's coming back to Texas and living at Krawltex under Bombshell Racing!