My Crew Cab project

Fitting oversize tires, raising and lowering, suspension modifications...

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wirrrey21
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My Crew Cab project

Post by wirrrey21 »

Figured i'd share my project with you guys. I know it's a majority of lifted guys in here, but i hope you like it.

Alittle background to where it started. It was origionally a '94 Std Cab Sonoma. And since me, the wife, and the 2 kids can't all fit in it to go to car shows......i had to add some space. And i decided to do alittle modifying. when it's all finished, it'll be bagged, body dropped to the doors, suicide rear doors, with 18's and the origional '94 motor will be turbo'd. Other than that, the trucks staying stock.....completely stock interior, raised bed floor, stock rear bumper, etc.

What it started as
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I had a frame made from the firewall back and here's the cab getting dropped off at the shop
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cab with rockers cut off
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Frame and rear suspension getting mocked up
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Bringing it home
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Home
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These are the rims i ordered for it. 18x8's. Still need to order the rubber though.
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I have more progress done that i'll post later.

Hope you enjoy it.
mfulaytar
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Re: My Crew Cab project

Post by mfulaytar »

impressive..... I myself prefer a lifted truck. but I like what you've got going. keep us updated.
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HenryJ
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Post by HenryJ »

I like it. What will be the drivetrain? More details

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Blacknoma
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Re: My Crew Cab project

Post by Blacknoma »

I also like a slightly lifted truck (over 6" and it just gets stupid) and I also like a tastefully lowered truck... I like what your is looking like so far!!! Keep us updated!!!!!
'00 ZR2 Noma - home-built goodies here and there. Toy
'03 ZR5 S-10 - Stock
'04 4x4 Blazer - t-bar crank to level on 30x9.5's
'83 4x4 IH S1824 - Tow-rig
'13 LiFan 320 - China copy of mini cooper. 1.3l 5-speed, 89hp getting 52mpg
wirrrey21
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Re: My Crew Cab project

Post by wirrrey21 »

The drivetrain's gonna stay basically stock.

'94 2.2 and auto tranny

I'm not sure if i want to change out the stock 4.10's in the rear to maybe 3.73's.

But the only definite change to the drivetrain will be a turbo. I figured with the extra weight it'll need alittle help getting on parkways. I'm shooting for just 6-7 psi, anything more and the internals won't last very long.
wirrrey21
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Re: My Crew Cab project

Post by wirrrey21 »

So here's some more pics from the build

I had to cut down the frame height to give me extra floor clearance. I knocked it down from the 5", down to 3". then double plated it with 1/8" plate.
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Extended the 2x3 further forward inside the frame.
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I made a spot for the airline to run into the front bags.
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2nd plate on top
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drivers side
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front tubs
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dropping frame horns
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layed out on old zq8's
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I'll post more pics when i get to work tonight
Blacknoma
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Re: My Crew Cab project

Post by Blacknoma »

Looking nice!!!!
'00 ZR2 Noma - home-built goodies here and there. Toy
'03 ZR5 S-10 - Stock
'04 4x4 Blazer - t-bar crank to level on 30x9.5's
'83 4x4 IH S1824 - Tow-rig
'13 LiFan 320 - China copy of mini cooper. 1.3l 5-speed, 89hp getting 52mpg
wirrrey21
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Re: My Crew Cab project

Post by wirrrey21 »

Since i wanted to move onto the firewall and the floor i stuffed the motor back in. And what a pain in the balls that was.
As you can see in the pic i had to cut a hole in the wiper cowl because the chain was hitting where the rubber gasket seals to the hood. so i had to drop the chain down through the wiper cowl to get the motor back that last inch. Eventually, i will make a bracket that moves the chain pickup point further forward so i wont have that issue during final assembly.

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plenty of space between the motor and rad support
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started making gussets
[imghttp://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e20/wirrrey21/truck%20pics/42537ED5-874B-43A5-B082-28AD16DD0691_zpszjcjqeu5.jpg][/img]

this is the adapter plate that will let me put the 98+ cavalier intake manifold on my '94 motor.
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test fitting the Cavi intake.
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Not much room between the back of the intake and the firewall. Still need to work on that.
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wirrrey21
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Re: My Crew Cab project

Post by wirrrey21 »

Some other easy progress was recessing the radiator
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But when i tried to install the rad into the truck. this happened
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So i had to put alittle notch in the frame
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fits alittle better now
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now to make it look nice
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here it is all boxed in and welded. Since taking this pic, I've ground all the welds down and sprayed it quick so it looks alot better
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wirrrey21
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Re: My Crew Cab project

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Recently i cut the hood to clear the AC compressor so it'll close.
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This is my buddy hammer checking for any other issues.
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All my sheetmetal fun ahead of me
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first filler piece made
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wirrrey21
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Re: My Crew Cab project

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For once, something on this truck didn't fight me. The only issue i see is the downpipe too close to the upper control arm bushing, but that's easily fixable.
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I'm going to eventually make the pipe travel through the blue circle. Should keep it away from any issues i'll have.
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That's about up to speed on this project.
I try to work on it for a couple hours when i get home from work in the mornings, except when i've been left something on the "honey-do" list. I dont really have a concrete deadline for the truck. but i know i'd like to atleast get the motor running by september. I dont think it's a far fetched goal. It all depends how much the sheetmetal work fights me.

I will get to work on it today when i get home. I'd like to get the filler piece made for the wiper cowl at the very least.
crews10
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Re: My Crew Cab project

Post by crews10 »

I always wanted to sfbd an s10 but don't have the skills. Word of advice, make sure you know how tall your 18s are gonna be with tires before you cut too much using your stock wheels as mockup.
wirrrey21
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Re: My Crew Cab project

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crews10 wrote:I always wanted to sfbd an s10 but don't have the skills. Word of advice, make sure you know how tall your 18s are gonna be with tires before you cut too much using your stock wheels as mockup.

Thanks for the advice. I already decided i'm going to go with a 225/40/18 tire. It's roughly 1" shorter than what's on the truck now. I know 1" of clearance is considered alot, but this way i know i'll have no issues rolling low and turning alittle too.
wirrrey21
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Re: My Crew Cab project

Post by wirrrey21 »

Does anyone know if a 4 door blazer, jimmy, or bravada roof rack will fit the crew cab?
Blacknoma
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Re: My Crew Cab project

Post by Blacknoma »

It will, you can cut it down to fit however long you want it to. Lots of guys do that to put roof racks on their non-zr5 crews, or even on extended cab trucks (seen lots on zr2's). the ends come off and you cut the rails to what length you want, throw the ends back on and bolt it down.
'00 ZR2 Noma - home-built goodies here and there. Toy
'03 ZR5 S-10 - Stock
'04 4x4 Blazer - t-bar crank to level on 30x9.5's
'83 4x4 IH S1824 - Tow-rig
'13 LiFan 320 - China copy of mini cooper. 1.3l 5-speed, 89hp getting 52mpg
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HenryJ
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Re: My Crew Cab project

Post by HenryJ »

wirrrey21 wrote:Does anyone know if a 4 door blazer, jimmy, or bravada roof rack will fit the crew cab?
Yes. Like he siad , just cut the rails to the correct length. I used a Bravada rack and piced up some extra bows

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"Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary does." - Richard Hammond
"Speed is just a matter of Money - How fast do YOU want to go?"-Mechanic from Mad Max-
If at first you don't succeed - Don't take up Skydiving!
- ThunderII KE7CSK
wirrrey21
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Re: My Crew Cab project

Post by wirrrey21 »

What about a 2dr roof rack? Got a buddy who can sell me a 2dr rack for dirt cheap.
crews10
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Re: My Crew Cab project

Post by crews10 »

2 door, perfect fit
wirrrey21
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Re: My Crew Cab project

Post by wirrrey21 »

crews10 wrote:2 door, perfect fit
awesome. Thank you!!!
wirrrey21
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Re: My Crew Cab project

Post by wirrrey21 »

so i got home from work at 9am and was pretty motivated to get something done on this thing.
I decided to try to raise the rear section of flooring between the rear seats and the front seats. I sectioned out 2" from the hump infront of the rear seats and it lined back up perfectly. i was so happy. Yes, i could easily frame out a whole new floor out of 1x1 and lay down some 16g stitch weld it and call it a wrap. but i wanted to try to keep the stock seat and center console mounting points because the stock interior is going back in this. well enough talking, on to some pictures.

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wirrrey21
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Re: My Crew Cab project

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So i've gotten a decent amount done on the floor. Not as much as i'd like but it's still progress. So i welded a piece of stock floor back in that has two of the driver seat bolts on it. I cut the sill plates back so i can make angled fillers which will help to retain the stock carpet. And then i went to work on making filler pieces to tie it all back in. I'm not concerned about replacing the bracing under the floor right now, i will handle that when the floors completely done. I'll pull the cab off and work like a gentlemen.

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Started on the passenger side
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Decided to test fit the seats and they are dead on....thank god. lol They are also still at the same angle at stock.
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Working on duplicating the PS to match the DS. I wasn't so lucky to have the stock sheetmetal with the outter seat bolts so it'll slightly more work.
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This is how it sits as of 2 days ago. If i can have the whole floor done by the end of august i'll be happy. We'll see if it actually works out though....haha.