Project: Alice

[rwjohnstone]

Made some progress this weekend did some mock ups to see how everything would end up height wise. its tempting to make a monster truck out of it... with the stock blocks on the axles from the dodge the top of the cab is almost 7 feet...


the rear springs are the same length and could use the same mounts... if the jeep had a narrower frame, so I removed the originals and made some new front mounts











I know what everyone is thinking, and yes that is the definition of overkill, but its what I have available to use, and I know they will never fail me. Most of the things I build or design tend to have an overkill theme to them anyway...



I loaded up the fenders and the doors to take to a friend of mine who does body work. Over the next month or two I will bring him the pieces I am ready to have straightened and painted. He will work on them when he has down time, the only thing I need to decide on is color, I was originally going to have everything painted with the factory look using the paint codes on the truck, however I am really like some of the custom paint jobs I am finding now that I am trying to decide..... I might try to find a very dark maroon, maybe a "gun metal" dark red or something similar that I would like.

I spent today cleaning out the paint booth I have been working in, thats the only problem with using someone else's shop

I sold the original 230 motor saturday morning. If they have found this thread, best of luck to Frank and his son, I hope she treats you well.

[JeepinPete]

No mistaking that frame for a desert truck. I've got a set of Dodge axles that are just as pock marked from rust.

[rwjohnstone]

Man has it been a busy week at work Not much to update on the truck, just getting material to plate the frame so I can put the front axle on, and then the cummins. I have decided I should replace the front springs, several years of snowplow abuse make them sit with a frown with that big engine on there. I'm trying to decide what route to take with the suspension. I have been pricing out individual springs vs. lift kits and package deals and everything seems to work out within the same $100 for a total. I really only need the front springs to be replaced (the rear are fine and in the proper shape) and most of the 1" or 2" lifts come with new fronts and add-a-leafs for the back. Does anyone have any great or terrible experiances with a certain brand lift kit or company? I have never done suspension work on something that weighs so much and wil be towing. Another thing on my list is to add air bags in the rear, my father has them on his 96 dodge and in my opinion they are worth their weight in gold. I came across some air charged adjustable shocks a few days ago... does anyone have any experiance with these? they seem like a good idea. More pictures to come this weekend, my goal is to at least have the front axle mounts and frame plating complete. We shall see

[rwjohnstone]

All right I found a sweet deal on some new front springs $125 for both from skyjacker, I also ordered bushings, body mounts, and gauges. I took the cab off the frame and made plating for the outside frame rails. I will take pictures of them later, I left my camera in my truck outside this morning and it was so cold the screen froze.





Action shot...

[rwjohnstone]

Parts are in!! springs are wrong bushings are out of stock... tomorrow morning I am taking the front springs in to be rebuilt Hopefully this weekend will have some better results

[rwjohnstone]

got the frame plating almost done, front spring mounts are made and the holes for the rear shackle mounts have been drilled. Got my springs back, they replaced the bottom three on each and rearched them more tomorrow

http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc369/rwjohnstone/Test%20album%201/102_0162.jpg

[rwjohnstone]

woo! made it to the second page! Life has been catching up to me, it has a way of doing that, so I do not have as much done on Alice as I would like, but here are some updates via photo enjoy!

[rwjohnstone]

Funny how life has a way of getting in the way of life. I had to take a month off from forward progress, two fuel pumps burned out in the same week on family daily drivers, new lights were put in the whole shop so everything had to remain out for that. Rental properties had to be repaired. And I had a loss in the family, some things, not many, are more important than Jeeps. But now she is back in the shop. Today I got everything back in working order and started making the support for my goose neck receiver. I also took a shot of the gauges I purchased last month, I finally opened the package and the tanks I will be using for the on board air

http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc369/rwjohnstone/102_0195.jpg

[Resbum]

Nice. Glad you're back on track.

I'm using an old propane bottle, about twice the size of one on a bbq, for my onboard air. Are you going to use the AC compressor on the engine for your compressor?

Thems perty gauges.

Subscribed

Resbum

[rwjohnstone]

Nice. Glad you're back on track.

I'm using an old propane bottle, about twice the size of one on a bbq, for my onboard air. Are you going to use the AC compressor on the engine for your compressor?

Thems perty gauges.

Subscribed

Resbum

Thank you sir, your build is coming along nicely, and watching your progress over the last month has been pure torture for me. I would say lets race to see who gets their jeep done first, however I am at the opposite end of retirement.... I am going to get a York a/c compressor and mount it on the engine, I kept the v belt pulley from the snow plow setup that came on the Dodge. The York's have their own separate oil reservoir for cooling the compressor instead of using free-on. Are you still planning on modifying your stock compressor?

[Resbum]

Actually, I thought the ac compressor on Cummins was a York. I guess I should have looked at it by now.

Hmm, time to go shopping for a York 210

Resbum

[rwjohnstone]

Actually, I thought the ac compressor on Cummins was a York. I guess I should have looked at it by now.

Hmm, time to go shopping for a York 210

Resbum

Yea, I have an extensive list of things to gather from the junk yard (including a york 210) now that the weather has gotten a bit warmer, one of these weekends....

Today I got the cross member mounts for the goose neck hitch fabricated and tacked to the frame. I bolted everything together, placed the bed back on the frame, marked the hole, then started drilling. The bed is now on my trailer awaiting delivery to my paint guy next week. Next on the list: Cummins mounting
Sorry for the poor cell phone photos, I forgot my camera...

[rwjohnstone]

Once I find the camera I will upload the pictures of last weeks progress: I moved somethings around and have prepped for the first engine placement. The engine mount cross member has some shim plates made, The Jeep frame is 1/4" wider than the Dodge. This past week end I worked at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. All of this funds Camp Good Days and Special Times, check them out sometime they really do change peoples lives, even if it is only for a week. So instead of wrenching all weekend I donated some time to a good cause and drank wine for 2 days straight.... The plan is to have the Cummins located on the frame so I can send the the cab out by this weekend.... a man can dream cant he?

[rwjohnstone]

Ok, I found the camera. A pic from last weekend with the gooseneck mount


Then I decided to build the truck backwards


Then I added 1/8" plate to each side of the dodge engine mount to make it wedge between the frame of the Jeep....



Then I made the shackles quick and bolted them on to get my engine position set...


Then the Cummins took flight...


Then Landed with my best guess for location....



My custom unistrut mount to get the trans case low enough to set the cab back on, the stock support is about too far forward...





and right about here I had to leave and go to the family Easter party. The suspense is killing me!

I plan on placing the cab back on its mounts, shifting the engine as far back, and as high as possible to clear the radiator, and the differential. Worst case, I will have to get some blocks for the axle and make some engine mounts on the frame instead of using the cross member from the Dodge due to the fact that it hangs lower than the engine and might interfere with the pumpkin if I happen to encounter a large enough hole... my goal is to keep the truck from getting too high off of the ground, I like a little lift, however I am building this truck to do quite a bit of towing, so keeping my center of gravity at a reasonable level will help. That and jumping into a daily, or near daily, driver can get old...

The man I bought this truck from found me on facebook recently and has clued me in on a 65 Gladiator not far from here....I will call tomorrow and see if it has fewer holes through it than mine does...

[Resbum]

Nice update