Idi powered 79' stepside recovery rig build

[mudduck]

Got almost all of the rear frame boxed in just have to start adding cross members

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Neighbor kid thought it was a monster truck

You must be registered for see images attach

Set the bed back on temporarily, looks much better with the frame at the correct lenght

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[mudduck]

More pics of boxing the frame, its very time consuming but necessary.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

The crossmembers in the rear are temporary just until i get the tubing i need

Got the front frame blasted and stripped down today

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[mudduck]

Been awhile since i updated this but i just finished boxing the entire frame today.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[IDIBRONCO]

That's amazing! Makes me feel ashamed of what I've done. I think I'm going to sell my stuff and just but one of those plastic new trucks. Well maybe not. I can have my stuff all showroom new for what it costs to buy a new one! Still, it's a great project!

 

[mudduck]

I could never go new, i love the old oddball trucks too much. Im also working on putting together a 78' bronco dd with a turbo'd 300 I6 4spd. And a legend/dwarf truck that i converted to four wheel drive with two transmissions, it will also be road legal in iowa

 

[mudduck]

Ive talked to some guys at work that bought new trucks that are almost double what my house cost! Theyre crazy

 

[mudduck]

This project is still alive to those following it, ive been working on it but havent posted up, sorry.the entire frame is now boxed and almost all of the crossmembers are in, i rebuilt the crossmembers for the bed and rear cab mounts, relocated the rest of the cab mounts, made solid engine mounts, bolted the c6 up to my idi and put it in the truck today

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Greg5OH]

this thing is awesome. 79 is my favourite front end year.

 

[GOOSE]

That is quite the project, there is more engineering going on there than just an engine swap. I can't wait to see the end product perform. Good luck man.

 

[mudduck]

Got some more pics for you guys, transfer case is now mounted, incase you guy are wondering, engine,trans,and transfer case are all solid mounted.

First new thing is i notched the front of the frame for some 4"x1/4" wall square tubing to go in to relocate my front shackles, all together it gained me the 6" of lift i needed to get rid of the 6" block in the front axle.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

All the gussets on it are 3/8"

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

And i am ordering new shackles that i am going to box in and plate.

Next thing i did was build some mounts for the tcase and get it in, the girlfriend even helped prep and sandblast it.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Mounts made

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[mudduck]

Next thing i did was put a nice new straight front bezel on and convert the front end to tilt front, i really like the new front end!
Old front bezel

You must be registered for see images attach

New front bezel

You must be registered for see images attach

And the tilt front all done

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[mudduck]

Got the blocks out of the front last night, the spring perches are 2 1/2" but i can live with that. Going to do the shackle flip on the rear axle tonight and build up the shackle mounts on both ends.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[dirtbiker]

Cool build, I really like that tilt front end... You're giving me some crazy ideas for my 79. It's actually identical to yours except mine isn't a stepside. Short bed and 4x4 though, 6.9 powered but it's a t19 instead of a C6.

 

[mudduck]

I have wanted to go through with this project for years but never had enough motivation, my favorite trucks are late 70's fords and my favorite powerplant is the idi's. i think if ford would have had the idi motors in the 70's fords that they would have been the best looking and most reliable trucks ever made. So i had to make my own.

I am normally a fan of the manual trans and i did have a zf5 but i cracked the bellhousing when it was in my old truck, and an auto is going to benefit me more for what im doing, being able to shift gears without loosing wheel speed and boost is a huge gain for me, and if i can keep the c6 cool it will take a good beating.

 

[iowaSVT]

is this the shop in front of JOD? Pretty sure i bought a 6.9 long block from you lol