Jake's 12V suburban progress

here's some pics of the stock drivetrain removed. the crossmember from TN diesel will interfere with the ORD highsteer so we will fab one up. Chris POR'd the frame and did the KDP mod on the 12V. Tomorrow the gaskets come in for the timing cover and oil pan so we can replace the rear main. Clean, paint and mock up...

Ted is working on refurbing the 14 bolt FF. we'e ordering brakes, POR'ing the housing, and dropping a Detroit in it.

OLD TBI 350
[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album261/9_10_09_001.jpg[/img]

Before power washing
[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album261/9_10_09_003.jpg[/img]

Post power wash
[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album261/9_10_09_004.jpg[/img]

clean timing cover
[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album261/9_10_09_007.jpg[/img]

KDP Mod... pretty clean internals
[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album261/9_10_09_006.jpg[/img]

before KPD mod
[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album261/9_10_09_008.jpg[/img]

after kpd mod
[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album261/9_10_09_012.jpg[/img]

POR 15 engine bay
[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album261/9_10_09_010.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album261/9_10_09_011.jpg[/img]

We had a pretty good time at the Trees Ranch Labor Day Run. Chris got 4th in the rock race. Ted broke in his new 36" Iroks. I figured out the electric ghost in the XJ before spitting out the rear driveshaft. It was a very relaxing wheeling trip and the weather was pretty nice. It got a little challenging with the drizzle.

Today, Ted and Chris are concentrating on removing the stock suburban drivetrain so the 12V can be transplanted. I ordered all of the gauges today and am on my way to the paint supply shop to pick up some more POR15. The rest of the week, we will focus on this project and a cut and turn D44 in a Scout 800.

Next week we begin on an EB cage, 2" body lift and regear... but it may get finished at the new shop. So much is up in limbo about moving, getting out of the lease a month early, and whether or not the electricians will have our wiring done on October 1st. We are very hesitant to take on any more long term projects until that transition is made. We already have a 4.8L YJ, a 6.0L buggy, an Avalanche enginering buggy, a 2500 HD solid axle swap and a few other projects on the books when space and time permits.

Yesterday, the Jeepspeed finally returned to it's owner and is going under the knife, prepping for the October race in Sweetwater, Texas.

Fluids are drained and disassembly has started on the stock burban drivetrain.

Ted has been working on a Chevy 1500's ignition system and looking over a Cavalier for maintenance. I got all the prep work done for my XJ's maiden voyage at Trees Ranch this weekend.

Kevin Shelly just pulled up with his YJ, so it's back to the grind.

Friday we worked on John's Jeepspeed. Chris finished the rear bump stops and I bent some tubing for the front bumper. Today, Chris did the prep work for mounting the 32 gallon fuel cell and I tied part of the bump stops to the cage. He also replaced a steering column in a YJ.

Ted did a lift on an FJ cruiser. We stayed late and got the 3" rough country installed on my budget XJ. Tomorrow he will do a clutch on a TJ and look at an AC system on a Sidekick.

We're trying to clear as much work as possible before we go to Trees Ranch this weekend for Labor Day.

Some more goodies... the NV4500 parts!

Chevy NV4500 with Dodge input shaft
[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album258/jake_006.jpg[/img]

Diesel swap care package
[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album258/jake_019.jpg[/img]

slave cylinder, master, and stainless clutch line
[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album258/jake_021.jpg[/img]

pedal assembly
[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album258/jake_022.jpg[/img]

bell housing, adapter plate, clutch fork
[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album258/jake_023.jpg[/img]

14mm turbo housing, shifter, 12V crossmember
[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album258/jake_024.jpg[/img]

Jake's 12V suburban progress...

We've made some headway, but I have been slacking on the pics. Got a ton of parts today and the motor will be pulled on monday. hope to have the drivetrain sitting in the burban by the end of next week. The suspension is mostly done, with the front D60, ORD highsteer, PSC box, 4" tuff country springs, stainless brakelines, ORD shackle hangers and greasable bushings, and a rear shackle flip...

Boyce D60 w/4.10's and an ARB

[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album256/august_20_012.jpg[/img]

POR 15 the frame

[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album256/august_21_008.jpg[/img]

PSC 2wd ported box

[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album256/august_21_012.jpg[/img]

ORD cross over high steer kit

[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album256/august_21_013.jpg[/img]

4" Tuff Country springs

[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album256/jake_011.jpg[/img]

ORD greasable shackles and poly bushings

[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album256/jake_012.jpg[/img]

mounted steering box

[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album256/jake_013.jpg[/img]

warn premiums

[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album256/jake_015.jpg[/img]

Boyce D60, 4.10's, ARB

[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album256/jake_016.jpg[/img]

crossover steering

[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album256/jake_017.jpg[/img]

SKY u-bolts and spring plate kit

[img]http://www.krawltex.com/newtex/albums/album256/jake_020.jpg[/img]

Austin is such a small community that everybody runs in to each other eventually. I met Dave Carpetyon some time about a year ago. He is probably the youngest premier driver in American rally racing and is a local 21 year old driver; a very laid back guy.

There was a rally in Paris, Texas and his usual co-driver couldn't make it. I sat in for Rob and after a crash course and no sort of in car practice, we ended up winning both races in the open (highest) class in a Japnese only, imported Lancer Evo.

While he is young, Dave is no novice to rally racing. Last year he won Pike's Peak and the Snow Drift challenge in his tired Evo. This year he got a new car... and won Pike's Peak Rally for a consecutive year in the open class. The man has serious talent!

Which brings me to his next milestone. His company, Rally Ready Motorsports is moving to a larger shop off of Ben White. He will be sharing a portion of a 15000 square foot warehouse with another company. This gives Dave the space he needs to build and maintain more rally cars.

The new shop will also be the head quarters of Rally Ready Driving School. Their team is building a full rally training course with a skid pad and several miles of track in San Marcos. Details are still in the works, but it looks like classes will start as early as October. In the beginning, it will be a two day weekend class... run what you brung. There will be classroom and field instruction, driving and braking techniques, and an intro to stage notes.

Hopefully, I will be in one of his preliminary test classes. Eventually, Rally Ready will offer race prepped vehicles to rent for the class. After talking with Dave a bit about it last night, his preference is a stock front wheel drive beater to teach people the basic skills of this kind of driving... acuras, hondas, vw jettas and gti's. This can be a very fun low budget "beater" kind of racing if you don't go high tech on an all wheel drive turbo car. Honestly, any car can be rallied. A lot of people race escorts, festivas, old bmw's and other $1000 vehicles. I'm looking at it as training for desert racing. With the Texas desert racing scene starting to take shape, there may be the same opportunities for hosting rallys on these properties and start a Texas rally circuit...