Thursday, April 23, 2009
















The 3 link is done on Al's buggy! All the welding is complete and the parts are painted awaiting final installation tomorrow. After we put it all back together, charge the coil overs, set ride height, bleed the brakes and plumb the full hydro... it's on to some tube work and remounting the rear coilovers. Mr Hughes should be tearing it up this weekend.

On Davin's Tacoma, the rear gears are done and Ted has the steering shaft/firewall mod mostly complete. The crossmember is bolted to the t-case but the frame mounts need to be welded in. We'll take care of that tomorrow and mount the front spring hanger. Can't wait to get our shackle mounts in.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Boy what a day! Ted and I became firefighters! Somehow the yard/fence of a house across the street went up in flames. The bamboo was engulfed at least 4 or 5 feet high in flames and was quickly spreading. We went through three industrial fire extinguishers to put it out. I think AFD was disappointed when they rolled up, only to drag a small hose out and hit the smoldering areas.

As far as actual work goes, Ted set up the rear gears in Davin's Tacoma. I got the steering box, driver's side frame stiffener and front crossmember in. We'll finish the rear axle, mount the spring hanger, and work on the t-case suspensded crossmember.

Chris got the coilovers on Al's buggy mounted. Tomorrow we'll finish all the welding and disassemble for paint. He also got a full brake job on a Grand Cherokee in.

So the team will work on these projects and get a 3" JK lift in there as well.

The carbs came in today for the race car with some sweet orange air cleaners and 6" tall K&N filters. Maybe we'll get it all together and run the car a little bit this weekend.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Usually I hate Mondays... planning the week out, getting parts ordered, calling customers and distributers back. But at least we got our new uniforms today. Something about your name on a shirt that makes a guy feel professional...

On Davin's Tacoma SAS Project, we're on track for mounting the ifs steering box tomorrow. I finished smoothing down the frame on the passenger side and welding in the frame stiffener. Ted's hacking away at the driver's side frame rail right now. After we pull the radiator and weld the crossmember and hangers, should be no time before we hang the springs and axle. The stuff from Ruff Stuff better show up soon. Ted got the D44 assembled hub to hub, minus the steering.

On Al's 3 Link CJ buggy, Chris got all the links and trackbar mocked up, as well as mounted the link bracketry. We flexed it out and have the coilover hoops bent up. Tomorrow we'll get those hung, fully weld and paint everything. Should have it all reassembled so we can start on remounting the rear coil overs and finishing up some tube work.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Davin's Tacoma D44 SAS
















We started this project on Friday. Winch bumper and front suspension is torched. Should have the frame cleaned by the end of monday so the frame stiffeners and steering can be installed before hanging the front axle/suspension. we are using sky's hanger kit with leaf springs and high steer arms, ruff stuff bracketry and shackle mounts, and we'll build the shock hoops, steering, and shackles. It will also get a t-case mounted crossmember so the driveshaft will have proper clearance, custom brake and steering lines, steering shaft, Yota IFS box, 4.56 gears, a lock right, Yukon 4340 shafts and Warn premiums Here's some pics of Ted and Kenneth disassembling the IFS

Progress on Al's Buggy





























We're getting a lot closer. On Friday, Chris built both ends of the track bar mounts. I finished the steering shaft and the upper link bracket. On monday we will build all the link arms, cycle the suspension, notch the driver's side frame and figure out where to mount the coilovers.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Kenneth is working well with the shop. Tomorrow, disassembly of the Tacoma is on. First will be removing the front bumper and welding the spring hangers. Then we can put the front end on jack stands and start torching brackets and grinding frame rails. Ted is building the front end and will be lead on this D44 solid axle swap.

Chris has finished the steering on Al's buggy. I got the shaft reworked and the truss mocked up. Chris got the link brackets mounted. Tomorrow we will build the arms, cycle the suspension, and fully weld the bracketry.Once that is done, it will be on to mounting the coilovers

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Our new apprentice/shop hand started working for us today. Kenneth wrestled a rusty FJ40 frontend, replacing birfield seals and knuckle bearings.

I finally got the OX locker shimmed up properly in a D44.

Ted is continuing with wiring.

Chris knocked out the fab work on Al's full hydro. The motor is resting on its new mounts.

Tomorrow we finish the FJ40, I'll slap the shafts and brakes on the D44, we'll continue on the CJ buggy and start tear down on Davin's Tacoma D44 SAS