New Trail Rig Build (86 Xtra Cab Flatbed) Lots of Pics!

[amgraham]

I've been trying to find a rig to build to get my dad out on the trails with me. He doesn't like to drive a manual so that made it difficult but we finally found a 1986 Xtra Cab with the limited edition "lightweight bed". Here's what it looked like when bought:














We got it cheap because of the rust plus it had a dead battery, a miss in the motor, and a blown rad. hose. It's a one owner truck though and I drove it home stopping once to add water. After a tune up with all NGK stuff and a new rad hose it runs pretty good (I still need to adjust the valves though).

[amgraham]

It didn't take me long to decide that it wasn't worth messing with this bed so out came the sawzall and torch:







There it sat for a few weeks while I got some other projects out of the way. I cut up the old bed and also got rid of that old light bar the front bumper ends and brackets. Took all that stuff to the metal recyclers (got $23 for it ). Also, I'm thinking about selling my 88 DD so I swapped my Taco wheels and 31s off of that with the stockers that were on the red truck. Here's what it looked like Friday:

[amgraham]

I had been hedging on getting a sandblaster to clean all the rust scale off the frame and see what was left. Friday I finally got one of those cheap Harbor Freight deals and about 150lb of media and had at it. Fortunately everything is pretty solid with the exception of the spare tire crossmember. After I got it cleaned up and started priming I decided to fab up the new "bumper" so I could go ahead and eliminate that crossmember and paint everything.

Cleaned up and fabbing up the bumper with receiver and shackle mounts:






Welded in the bumper, cut out the old rotted crossmember, and bobbed the frame 4.5":





All painted up and purty:






Next is the flatbed build. I'll hopefully be able to start on that this week.

[Seanz0rz]

OMG that makes me want a project vehicle soooo bad!!! thats so fricken sweet!


i cant believe im so excited about a 86 bucket of rust!

[amgraham]

I had a little time to mess with the truck Friday before it rained. I wish I had been able to get more done but oh well.. I ran it up on the wall to check the flex (or lack thereof). Then I was able to cut my crossbars and mounts for the bed and wired up the taillights to see if they worked (I realized I'm going to have to run separate turnsignals because these taillights feed back through the turn signal circuit.. No biggie.). Anyway, here's a few pics:

[89BlueToy]

Looking good as usual but wanted to know if you knew or anyone else how reliable the automatic is in the 22re's?

[blknblu]

It cracks me up how you keep posting these trucks you're tearing apart at your place and then to see your neighbors are trying to sell. Haha.

[amgraham]

Looking good as usual but wanted to know if you knew or anyone else how reliable the automatic is in the 22re's?

Thanks man.. I don't know on the reliability. I just don't like autos but my dad won't drive a manual with any regularity

[amgraham]

It cracks me up how you keep posting these trucks you're tearing apart at your place and then to see your neighbors are trying to sell. Haha.

The houses on either side of us are for sale What can I say? I'm a country boy stuck in a subdivision.. I do keep all my parts and projects while torn apart in the back yard behind a privacy fence. Oh, my neighbors hated me before when I just played loud music with my band.. Now they have grinders and crap going on too.. Heaven help them

[blknblu]

Yeah my neighbors were trying to sell and a prospect came by while my buddy and I had his beater cherokee all over my drive. They didn't look like they even wanted to get out of the car.