So it begins...

[J Cooper]

Anyone want a free Scout II hardtop?

jimmy????

[Fredo]

nah, jimmy's scout is holding up my hardtop right now since I put the halfcab on. It almost makes his scout look complete again...well, except for the lack of a windshield frame.

[Cajun]

A bit more progress. Added some armor to the rear quarters, fixes my rust problem and relocates the wheelwell. I also added a swing out door bar to the cage. Sorry, pic is kinda dark:


The aforementioned door bar, swung out. Final plans call for a receiver hitch pin in the top for simplicity. After I got it in, I realized I could put the pin in the front bushing and have suicide door bars!


In related news, the transmission is back from the shop, all rebuilt with a mild towing shift kit and lower stall speed converter. My longblock is also in my posession waiting for me to throw some brackets and accessories on it. Any input as to whether a high volume water pump is worth the extra $$? I'm looking at $17 for a NAPA reman or $90 for a Milodon steel high volume.

[Jackasic]

looking good Andy. I think a high volune oil pump would be worth it, faster water flow probably wouldn't, not enough time for the heat to transfer. What type of fans and radiator are you going to run?

[Cajun]

I have a Melling high volume oil pump ready to go, so that's good news. I plan on running a Taurus electric fan and a 26" aluminum radidiator from Speedway Motors (thanks Flem! ). I'm anticipating having to cut a hole in the hood for the air cleaner to fit, so hopefully between being able to pull in air from outside the engine bay and having no inner fenders at all she'll stay cool. Who knows, I may even try some of that fancy synthetic coolant.

[robertf03]

I have a Melling high volume oil pump ready to go, so that's good news. I plan on running a Taurus electric fan and a 26" aluminum radidiator from Speedway Motors (thanks Flem! ).

You sure I told you about them? Must have been drinkin

I say regular water pump too. I've had a water pump take a dump on the trail and an off the shelf one swapped right in (thanks Mark! ) , I'd hate to have a cooling system that required a $90 mail order pump.

[Fredo]

You sure I told you about them? Must have been drinkin

I say regular water pump too. I've had a water pump take a dump on the trail and an off the shelf one swapped right in (thanks Mark! ) , I'd hate to have a cooling system that required a $90 mail order pump.

or a $175 electric pump crapping out and leaving you in the ghetto near Hwy 35 in Dallas. But now I have a backup.

[BigRedFord04]

i'll 3rd the discrediting of a HV water pump. talked to a lot of engine people while working at Vilas and the concensus is that water moves too fast to let the water cool off. I've put a HV oil pump in my 5.0 when i rebuilt it and am not especially pleased. the pressure bounces up and down ALL the time and never gets high enough to make me comfortable....but its got ~25K on it and still going. i dig the door bars. leaf spring bushings are so useful.

[AgDieseler]

As for the HV water pump, it depends. How much heat does the 460 make, and where does it make it? If most of the heat transfer is to the cylinder walls, then a standard flow pump should be fine. If there is a large amount of heat transfer to the heads (usually dependent on injection style), then a higher flow unit may be a good idea.

On my engine, most of the heat transfer is in the heads since that's where the combustino actually takes place, so a 130 gpm pump is on the list. Your 460 may not be so sensitive, but I don't know how propane would affect that.

[Cajun]

A bit more progress. I got the bed area taken care of, new 16 ga. floor and wheelwells are in. In keeping with the bastard theme of this rig, the wheelwells are standard GM issue. I cut out the inner bedsides, slid the wheelwells through, and spot welded them to the inside of my diamond plate armor. I also finished one rock slider/cage mount and trimmed the front fenders.

[Doug Krebs]

Andy, I can't see what you did with the rocker, but on mine i cut the rocker out and just welded 2x4 box in place. It's very solid and it gives you more ground clearance.

[AgDieseler]

Very nice. The more I look at the cage, the more I like it. Have you set yourself a deadline, or is this just "going to be done when it's done?"

[Cajun]

Doug, I just butted 2"x2" tubing up against the bottom of my rocker and the seam where the rocker is spot welded to the body. I could've cut the rocker up but I would've lost the seam which adds a lot of strength to the body.

As for deadlines, the baby is due March 15. I'd really like to be finished by, or very soon after, then. I have just about all the parts I need, save the steering system. It's just a matter of putting them all together!

[StevenAg03]

the baby is due March 15.

thats one hell of a day to be born

[agjohn02]

that things looking sweet! someday, when mines not a DD, i want it looking like that.