Finally getting somewhere

This web page will detail the work being done to my 5 seater sand rail. It all started about a year ago, I decided to buy some long travel shocks, have a friend build a frame, and swap all the good parts off of my old buggy onto the new frame. things did not go as planned. after 8 months, and very little work getting done on the frame, I decided that if this was going to happen, it was going to be me that builds it.

I rounded up all of my pieces, got a general layout, and decided on the direction I was going to go with the project. I purchased a 2.3 turbo ford engine, an 091 bus trans, and everything to bolt them together, adapter plate, flywheel, stage 2 pressure plate, and a 6 puck clutch. after getting everything figured out, I decided to do something a bit different. I decided to run a front engine V8.

I finally caved. the whole package was sold, and the new parts were purchased. A 350 V8, TH400 trans, and a ford nine inch are the direction I am going with the project. This has become less of a sand rail, and more of a 5 seater trophy truck. at this point, the frame that was bent up wasn't going to work with out some modifications, and that is where the story begins.

this is what 8 months of work looked like. I picked it up in this condition so that I could finish it myself.

it was decided that the frame would need to be braced up to handle a heavy V8, and auto trans sitting in the middle of the frame, so I built a brace that would add a little more rigidity to the two main rails. this is what the rails looked like to begin with.








Pretty simple, but hopefully effective, this is what will be added to the bottom side of the frame to stiffen things up a bit.









The bottom is all braced up. ready to be flipped upright once again, and start on the top of the cage.

Here is a look at the bracing from the top side. I am waiting on the headers to get the exact placement of the motor before I lay out the cross braces.

I bent up the two upper sides, and got them tacked in place. I tossed the seats in to check for head room, and pulled them out to weld.

all of the cross braces are in and welded. its finally starting to look like something.

Here's a few more pictures o the frame.