OP
Some meticulous work, combined with some half-assed work, is my usual approach.
Nashville TJ's Build - Continued
- Thread starter NashvilleTJ
- Start date
OP
I completed three years of advanced study at the Plasma Institute...
No, it really is that easy. Great for demo work. Throw it against a straight edge and you get a cut close to what a band saw can do.
I once cut an 8’ piece of 1/2” plate - the top of my assembly table - and it went through it like butter. Can’t do that on a band saw...
OP
Finished up the drivers side today. First up was to kill a few zip ties to get the fuel, brake and air lines away from the frame.
Then it was a repeat of yesterday. One mount at a time: plasma cut, grind it flat, measure, tack and finish weld the new mounts. They disappear quickly:..
Then it was a repeat of yesterday. One mount at a time: plasma cut, grind it flat, measure, tack and finish weld the new mounts. They disappear quickly:..
OP
After getting all the new mounts finish welded, and a final test fit to make sure all the mounts still lined up, I lifted the body off the frame just high enough to paint the top of the mounts. Some etching primer and a few coats of satin black and the fab work is all done.
Tomorrow I'll put it all back together, and start thinking about the next project.
Tomorrow I'll put it all back together, and start thinking about the next project.
OP
This morning I pulled the masking, slipped the rubber back in place, lowered the body and bolted it all back down. Replacing those mounts did turn out to be more of a pain then I anticipated, but still a fun little project.
Awesome read and a solid LJ. I really like the way the hood looks with the rectangular louvers. Where did you get them?
Thanks
Thanks
OP
Thank you very much.
I fabricated those louvers myself. I started out with a 4x8 sheet of 14 gauge aluminum (man, that stuff is expensive!), and plasma cut the pieces. Then I built a custom punch for my 30 ton press to....
Ahh,. dammit. I see that Wildman already outed me....
OP
Thanks. Welding does come in handy...
Good to hear from another Nashvillian, @concour77 . Are you nearby? I'm down in Brentwood.
Thank you very much.
I fabricated those louvers myself. I started out with a 4x8 sheet of 14 gauge aluminum (man, that stuff is expensive!), and plasma cut the pieces. Then I built a custom punch for my 30 ton press to....
Ahh,. dammit. I see that Wildman already outed me....
If I didn't know better coming from you I would have believed it.
Live over in Mt. Juliet. Been lurking here and "Jeeps & Wrenches" while getting my first LJ on the road after a year of "while I am in theres" that started with ujoint failure.
OP
I've been giving some thought to building a custom center console for the rig. A couple of things I'd like to accomplish if I do so:
1) I've always wanted to go to a Winters-Carr gated shifter, but I've come up with no simple way to do it on the current setup.
2) I run an Atlas 4-Speed with the shifter configuration in the pic. The shifters interfere with the tilt on both seats, so it makes it tough to access the back seat (especially with the shoulder harness bar back there), and I'd like to fix that.
3) A while ago I built a cutting brake setup using two parking brake levers, and I'd like to keep that.
4) I've got a couple of controls spread out over the console (throttle control for the welder, garage door opener, winch control, cooling fan cut-out) and I'd like to organize those a bit better.
5) I'd like to consolidate the Atlas shifters into a triple stick of some kind.
6) My welder takes up the entire glove box, so the center console is my only storage in the cab, and I'd like to keep that.
7) I still run a sub-woofer in the console, and I'd like to keep that somewhere as well.
9) I'd like to keep two cup holders.
Here is what the console looks like now.
Here is the Winters shifter I'd like to run. The issue is that they do not specifically make one to control the Dodge 545FRE. They do make a version for the Torqueflight 727 which I've heard may work with some modification, but I'm not sure. The 545 is a five speed tranny, but 4th and 5th are overdrive and controlled electronically via a switch, and not the shifter - so I only need 1-2-3 on the shifter.
I did a bit of searching for a T-Case Triple Stick, and I cam across this unit from Northwest Fab:
I also saw a cool triple stick unit from JB Custom Fabrication - but they don't make a version which works with the Atlas. I had an e-mail into them asking if they have any options there.
1) I've always wanted to go to a Winters-Carr gated shifter, but I've come up with no simple way to do it on the current setup.
2) I run an Atlas 4-Speed with the shifter configuration in the pic. The shifters interfere with the tilt on both seats, so it makes it tough to access the back seat (especially with the shoulder harness bar back there), and I'd like to fix that.
3) A while ago I built a cutting brake setup using two parking brake levers, and I'd like to keep that.
4) I've got a couple of controls spread out over the console (throttle control for the welder, garage door opener, winch control, cooling fan cut-out) and I'd like to organize those a bit better.
5) I'd like to consolidate the Atlas shifters into a triple stick of some kind.
6) My welder takes up the entire glove box, so the center console is my only storage in the cab, and I'd like to keep that.
7) I still run a sub-woofer in the console, and I'd like to keep that somewhere as well.
9) I'd like to keep two cup holders.
Here is what the console looks like now.
Here is the Winters shifter I'd like to run. The issue is that they do not specifically make one to control the Dodge 545FRE. They do make a version for the Torqueflight 727 which I've heard may work with some modification, but I'm not sure. The 545 is a five speed tranny, but 4th and 5th are overdrive and controlled electronically via a switch, and not the shifter - so I only need 1-2-3 on the shifter.
I did a bit of searching for a T-Case Triple Stick, and I cam across this unit from Northwest Fab:
I also saw a cool triple stick unit from JB Custom Fabrication - but they don't make a version which works with the Atlas. I had an e-mail into them asking if they have any options there.
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OP
For the console itself, Genright has an interesting unit. I like the angled configuration on the front. However, there is no accommodation for the parking brake levers, no storage, and no space for a sub. And as with many things Genright - they think it's made of gold. But, it could be a starting point.
OP
In terms of a layout, in general I'm thinking of putting the tranny shifter in the approximate location of the cup holders (within easy reach), and putting the triple shifter in the approximate location of the current trans shifter - perhaps on an angled section of the console if I do something similar to the Genright layout. I'd have to orient the shifters so as not to interfere with one another, but still keep the triple in easy reach if I'm harnessed in. I would leave the cutting brake levers in the current location, and build the console around it.
So I'm looking for ideas any of you may have, and I'd love to see any examples of custom consoles any of you have done.
So I'm looking for ideas any of you may have, and I'd love to see any examples of custom consoles any of you have done.
I'm in absolute awe of this build, I don't need a purpose built rock beast (more of a DD/Explorer) but I still the appreciate level of purpose built engineering in your build
When you ditch all that boring factory "stuff" I'm calling dibs on that shift indicator bezel
When you ditch all that boring factory "stuff" I'm calling dibs on that shift indicator bezel
You and I are both in the same boat with a lot of stuff. And losing the stock center console or TUffy in my case means I lose my arm rest. too.
But I did go with the GenRIght. console as I'll figure out some of the other stuff. And I don't have the steering brakes to try a package.
But I did go with the GenRIght. console as I'll figure out some of the other stuff. And I don't have the steering brakes to try a package.
OP