Lightning gets an 8.5 cage and a 4-LINK

[lkatya]

I gave my truck to
Nate Kinder and his very talented welding partner. They are just starting a new business venture "Kustom Weldfab" up in Redwood City, Ca.

The truck is getting an 8.5 4130 cage. Figured with plans to some day get deep into the 9's I'd like to be safe and legal. Already been banned from every local track until a cage goes in.
I wand to run a DR with a 14.8 section width on a 12" rim and fully tuck em' under the bedsides with a nice low stance.
That resulted in a push to go 4-link for the extra room and ability to really dial in my suspension. I had already done away with the stock gas tank and fuel system so there was plenty of room do go this route.

The 4-LINK will all be 4130 with a wishbone locator and AFCO coilovers.

A couple before pics

And on to the build

Decided to go 9" with a Moser M9

41 spline gun drilled axles

Aluminum case w/spool 3:83 gears

15lbs out of the tailgate

Starting to come together

Also hanging the bedsides on an aluminum frame starting to come together

I should be able to update this thread fairly fast as much of the work is already done and I just need to throw pics up.

 

[lkatya]

Here are some progress pics.....

The passenger side got a little kick to clear my exhaust tips

Bars went in....

Wishbone locator just about finished

Started on the C-notch with some custom designed and water jet cut plates

 

[Derek@Amazon]

:drool:

 

[SWAMPMODULAR]

Wow awesome build!!

 

[lkatya]

Quote from Nate

We made the rear support bars and worked on the swingouts today. The swingouts need to curve out a bit to work with the factory seats, so we made them follow the contour of the door panels. We can't finish weld any of this stuff yet since we need to drop the cage down to paint the top of it. Up next is finishing the passenger side swingout and building a mounting bracket for a kirkey race seat. We'll be working on that this weekend.

"Got a seat bracket mostly finished to bolt a Kirkey race seat into the stock seat mounting location. We also added in some gussets around the halo to strengthen things a bit. These aren't required for an 8.50 cage, but they are a good idea. Next step is going to be dropping the cage down, fully welding the gussets, and painting the top of the cage. We can then raise it back up and start welding it to the frame and finishing it off."

 

[90goldtsiawd]

Wow is all I can say... Any engine pics? What's the drivetrain consist of?

 

[lkatya]

Wow is all I can say... Any engine pics? What's the drivetrain consist of?

Have a new motor build on paper and a few parts in the garage. A TH400 will go in shortly before that.
Right now it has your typical built motor. We built it back in 05' with all the typical good parts, 1mm over on the valves, all hand ported. KB2.6 with JL's Powerflow plenum and twin 75mm TB's. JLPCR exhaust. As long as this motor stays together I plan to spray it to get a number worthy of this cage.

 

[SID297]

Damn, you're not messing around with that build.:beer:

 

[lkatya]

The cage was droped down for paint. Now it can put up and tied into the frame.

Because of the new axles with 5/8" studs I decided I was tired of the old D-10's anyways and sold them.

Good news is a new set of Bogarts just showed up. :drool:

M&H came out with a new 28" tall tire for 17" wheels so I wanted to try out a new 17" wheel up front.

And the rears.

 

[chrisheltra]

 

[monsterpost]

^^^^^^:rolling:

 

[BlownBolt]

Wow sick truck. Nice thread

 

[lkatya]

updated pics....

Front skinnys and some new shocks

New rear DR's

 

[castellscl]

So the cab is going to be solid to the frame now?

With all that, I'm surprised you did just do a full tube chassis...

 

[BADASS03SVT]

:rockon:

 

[P49Y-CY]

wow! incredible, congrats :rockon:

 

[03LCalgaryAB]

o man. what a sick build. Keep us updated

 

[TrueBlueCobra01]

So the cab is going to be solid to the frame now?

With all that, I'm surprised you did just do a full tube chassis...

What would a full tube frame run you (ballpark)?

 

[IEatGt's]

One word: SICK!! :rockon:

 

[lkatya]

Some more updates

Interior coming back together....

Rear coming together :heart:

Just need to get the ARB done, some tin work, finish painting rear components, fuel cell, water tank, scale it, figure out the rear spring rate and should be about ready to come home. :drool:

Nate and Knutz are doing amazing work. ldtu: