[1234]

Hi all,
Thought you might like to see my long wheelbase conversion.
I'll try to post some pics.
This one is a picture of the donor sammy frame section installed with inner sleeve and butt and button hole welds.
I was an idiot and didn't get any pictures of it cut in two.

 

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This is the outer sleeve made from a chunk of tracker frame.

 

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clamped to weld

 

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Frame rail finished.

 

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X member and cab mount cut out of donor sammy.

 

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X member welded in. The plan is to use a section of floor from the donor sammy to fill in the floor gap and make a total set of 8 body mounting points through here. Then it will be covered with a section from the bed floor. Rocker sections will fill the lower outer gap and door panels will be used for the outer-upper quarters. Anyone have a good set of body mount grommets and washers? Oh yeah, the extra spring hangar brackets will have to go.

 

[1234]

Last pic. This one was taken before the X member was in with the rear body sitting on. The body is going to be a slow process. (Building my daughter a big playhouse inside the shop. Gonna drag it outside in the spring.)After the body, then suspension, axles, BIG tires, roll cage, gears, Yada Yada. I will post pics someday when and if I get it done. Any suggestions or comments are welcome.
Kerry Halls
Morgan Utah

Iwannabeanoobie

 

[1234]

Forgot.
I think it was 15 inches of frame extension or so. 95 inch wheelbase. Could be easily punched out to 100 if desired.
I'm gonna try it at 95.

 

[686]

Cool, keep us updated.

 

[JIMZUKI]

howdy,
looken really good, you are doing some find work. i think you need some diamond plate pieces on it, but then again it might just be me.

 

[rockrat]

Nice clean work

 

[13337]

Nice fab work . I look forwad to seeing you tie the body back together .

 

[daxe]

Nice work, Kerry. That's an ambitious project ya got there! I look forward to the final pix, too. And I also wanna see your daughter's playhouse when you're done. I just won't show it to my daughter or she'll start getting ideas....

~daxe

 

[1918]

Looks real good. Can't wait to see the finished product. You'll be amazed at how much those few extra inches in length help offroad.

 

[2781]

In reply to:

You'll be amazed at how much those few extra inches in length help

[/ QUOTE ]

If I had a nickle for every time I heard that line...

LOL!

 

[1918]

In reply to:

If I had a nickle for every time I heard that line...

[/ QUOTE ]

JerseyZuk, you had me laughing out loud when I read that. Thanks for bringing some humour to my day.

 

[CTBrent]

So, what is the plan for it? Is this the beginning of a build-up? Looks like a pretty good start. Keep them coming.

 

[1234]

Yup, It's a start. I will keep posting as the buidup goes along. But it's gonna be slow. I have a playhouse to build.
Kerry
BTW; maybe you would like some pics of the playhouse buildup?

 

[1234]

I thought I would re-open this old thread again being as so many people have hit the original. The playhouse is finally built and I am getting a little time for the project again. Is anyone still interested in pics of the body lengthening process? I have the back half of another sammy ready to be trimmed and set on the frame. The suspension is basically done, although that is not what this write up is about.
Thanks & Let me know.
Kerry

 

[ackerdackerly]

Heck yes!

Anyone with stick-to-itiveness over that much time on a project deserves our attention AND admiration!

More pics!

I was wondering if the frame size was different from the size of box steel available commercially. Using a section of Tracker frame for the stretch answers that question.

You are now at the point where everyone wants to see one person's solution to the "missing sheet metal" problem.

If it were my problem, I would start with aligning the two body sections, then running pieces of reinforcement channels across the gap from the front section to the rear section. Maybe you could salvage some channel from the unused bodies by drilling out the spotwelds -- or is the bedpan/rear bed one stamped piece?? It's too cold to run outside and crawl under my truck right now...

Once you had enough reinforcement material bridging the two sections, you could start cutting and fitting new sheet metal into place starting with the floor. Of course, you can't actually support yourself on the truck while you do any of this as it would distort your work...

your thoughts and MORE PICS!