Donate to Save Dannyboy's life...cage time

[mounty71]

Looks really good! I was gonna ask about that curved pipe, but figured it was just a cool detail w/o any real purpose. That's cool that it does have a purpose though.

 

[FROADER]

Looking good Dan. I'm ready to see the finished product.

 

[Dannyboy]

yeah, I kinda got antsy earlier this week and told him to just get the thing done. It looks a little spaghetti in pics, but in person I am going to be really happy and have everything mounted up nicely for trail gear.


It's dashboard time and then we're ready to run. I may do the spare tire mount after a bit just so I can get this out of the shop and test everything.

 

[RockRanger]

So is this cage doubling your investment in the explorer? It is turning out slick. Can't wait to see the final product.

 

[Dannyboy]

So is this cage doubling your investment in the explorer? It is turning out slick. Can't wait to see the final product.

Ummm, here's my build on it so far

Truck-$2500
1 year of wheeling, misc parts from my other truck-freebie
brakes, alternator, tires, lights, fuse panel, bearings, u-joints-$900
new springs-$600
shocks-$1400
seats-$700
cagework including new dash/gauges-approx $3500
5-points-$500

Wow, I don't like to add everything up, BUT, I think I did that one time on my white truck and including the cost of the truck I had sunk over $30K into that truck over 8 years. Once this is done I'm pretty sure there's nothing in addition I will want out of my wheeling rig. I'm a little over my budget of what I thought I would spend on this build, but not by much. Those shocks would have been $2200 right there if I bought them new, and Corbeau seats were less than half of Beards or Mastercrafts. We'll see how they hold up.

I can appreciate paying a pro for my safety too because I think if I flop this truck it's probably not going to be a slow and low rock crawling incedent and there is a price for safety for me and my passengers.

 

[RockRanger]

Good price for the work you are getting done. I thought you were crazy before, now with the cage and other changes you will make for some fun shows

 

[Dannyboy]

I'm not that crazy, I get all nervous watching you climb up CJ hill.

 

[RockRanger]

A rear locker and some front shocks and that hill will be mine next time. I can handle the slow speed steep or off camber stuff. That fast stuff scares me, especally with all the quads, bikes, and buggies that are running around out there now.

 

[Dannyboy]

Update, I scored this crazy deal on a V8 toyota engine that mates up to sand rail transmission with a front output. I'm going to build a bulkhead behind the rear seats and go with a rear engine setup. It should help keep the front end up in the whoops. Under the hood will be nothing but some recovery gear and a 15 gallon fuel cell and room for some ridiculous suspension travel

 

[IZwack]

Woot! Serious long arm setup possibilities!

Dont forget to post all the tech and details (and pics), I'm interested in a rear-engine config.

 

[Burns]

Man that cage looks really awesome!!! There is some good work there. I want one....


Oh and the rear engine idea is great. You have my full attention

 

[Dannyboy]

Haha, gotcha, I was curious who would be first to fall for it. Rear engine would be sick though, I'm friends with the guys who own this trophy truck with that setup. It's freaking out of control how sexy this is, and there is very few cars that I would talk like that, but when it's worth more than my house I can be attracted to it. That truck is metalflake too, my favorite part. Me, I'm just really bored wanting my sad little 18 year old truck back soon. I'm about ready to go nuts. I actually am getting work done around my house even.

 

[Burns]

HAHA lol


i went back and looked at the cage and was thinking there gonna have to re do the rear half ahh but whatever its his money lol

 

[Lilmule]

Nice stands. You should make yourself a set!!
You'll need'em.

 

[Dannyboy]

Finally got a few more pics. I smashed the LCD viewer on my digi cam at TDS so I couldn't focus on what I was shooting, plus the lighting in the shop is dull.

John actually fits in the back seats, he's 6'6 and it was funny, not a place to ride all day, but it would work to run to the beach store or on a night run. Plus, who else is 6'6"?

So the rear seats will definitely throw a loop in the bracing on the front seat harness bars and having any leg room at all, but I have faith that I will have ample structure when it's all said and done. Above the harness bar it will be like any other cage, below the harness bar will be a little freestyled.

 

[R.J.]

im jealous you have pics of your truck and we none of ours

 

[Dannyboy]

I snapped a few more pics today, we're finally near the end. This scares me a little because now I need to figure out how to wire autometer guages; speedo, tach, temp, voltage, oil pressure and fuel. I have not done my homework yet so this will be another project in itself.

But on with the pics.

mockup of the dash w/ windshield bars

front seat framework

harness bar support

something sexy looking

and something not so sexy, turn down the brightness of your monitor so John's legs dont blind you, but he is like 6'6" or 6'7" and he fits in the backseat

 

[IZwack]

Got any pics w/o the cardboard dashboard? I'm curious to see whats under there

 

[Dannyboy]

Got any pics w/o the cardboard dashboard? I'm curious to see whats under there

a fridge, sleeper sofa, gunrack, midget and bowling ball hole driller.




it's actually just the main bar curved across the bottom of the windshield. It is going to get tabs and some additional side support and a full dash piece should be able to bolt in. I was thinking more tubework, but the aluminum with the correct bends should have enough strength to hold in place.

 

[Dannyboy]

quick update on the build, I spent some time in the shop 2 nights ago. It was supposed to leave the shop today. Not a snowball's chance in Hell that will happen.

We kicked out the windshield to weld in the spreader bars and a-pillar supports.

My hood is going 4-pin removable. It's light enough and doesn't need to come off that often. I was going to try to fix it at the hinges, but who cares, nothing else is pretty or original so who needs a flip up hood when you can just toss it next to the truck.

Dash tabs are finished. Looks awesome, dash bolts in with a few bolts and is plenty strong. Gauges will be cut into that next week.

Pretty much all that needs to happen is weld shock tabs on the rear axle and to the cage and finishe welding up the interior that is 90% done.


some more bad cell phone pics of the dash