LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

Well time to have a bit of PorterBuilt fun. XXL has asked me to install his DM for him as he has been doing some crazy work hours. I have been working allot as well but I don't sleep much so what the heck.
What is also interesting is I found a pic of XXL's truck over 8-10yrs ago on-line before this cab or paint but it was a great looking truck that had the right look. It is the truck that got me back into this body style and pointed me in the direction I am in today and now he is coming to me for work. Small world isn't it.

Well here are a few before shots of the truck layed out and a few front suspension shots for reference. This truck has a pancaked front cross member right now and it does the job of getting it in the weeds but not it will do that with much better manors and get the front wheels centered up were they should be.

I also included a few shots of the DropMember kit. Heck their is over $100 in just hardware alone being everything is grade 8. Does it need grade 8 probably not but Nate Porter is not one to cut corners just to save a few bucks and it shows. I was lucky enough to be able to head to AZ to his shop and work for him for the day and he has a first rate set up going on with allot more coming for all of us.

Now Nate has not installed a DM with a Striate 6 yet so he sent me an extra set of motor mounts in kit form so I can see what it will take to make it work. Once I get it set up I will send Nate a set of the mounts so he can include them for other 6 banger guys. After a quick look under the truck I think the motor will stay right were it is and should clear fine. As long as the rack does not get in the way I think it will go smooth since this is a running and driving truck so I really don't want to have to move the engine up or around if not needed.

Stay tuned for more fun!

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL4.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL3.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL5.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL6.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL7.jpg[/IMG]

Yep he like his truck low, Very low!

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL10.jpg[/IMG]

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

subscribing to this one,...

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

looks like a good start......i like the fact he's keeping the inline 6 too....

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

Glad to see kens truck getting some work done he's the one who talked me into pancakeing my crossmember long ago...

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

Can't wait to see how this turns out... :D

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

Well my first look was only off by 3" Yep the motor has to come up about 3" for the rack to clear the oil pan. The DropMember fit fine and cleared the pan well the not the rack. I made a brace to hold the motor in place while I pulled everything else out that had to come out for the install. Then the fun began! I love cutting into painted vehicles, Not! But it had to happen so I started small and kept cutting until the rack would fit. Then I raised the rear of the trany some to keep it all in line. I could have cut a bit less if I moved the motor over to the passenger side but it looked to good right in the center and I know XXL would want it to stay centered as well. So once it was raised enough I tacked the engine mounts together and I will pull them back out for Tig welding before I send them off to Nate to copy.

We placed the hood back on for a quick clearance check and all is good but I do need to rework the throttle and trany linkage once things are set for the final time. Right now I have pulled the gas pedal and linkage so I could slice the fire wall right in the corner by were the pedal is for bell housing clearance and this will get a new corner made later. The floor is sitting right on the trany so I will need to space it up another 1/2" before welding in new side fillers and re-fitting the large hump section back over it to hide the brake lines and wiring. I will also make a simple cover to fill in the gapping hole in the rear of the floor were the drive shaft comes through.

Now the good news is by doing this now the motor is raised up so the oil pan will no longer get rubbed going down the HWY and the trany mount and exhaust will also now be tucked up inside the frame and not rub.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL15.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL16.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL20.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL21.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL23.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL22.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL19.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL18.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL17.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL24.jpg[/IMG]

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

looks like a good days work!

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

Subscribed. Haven't seen this truck before. Are there more pics of the modified hood hinges in another thread?

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

That things gonna be nice

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

The owner is XXL so do a search and you should find some info on it all. He is hanging out in the suspension forum allot.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

Tagging in.

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

Hinge info starts here

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

Nice work kevin and i love xxl truck

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

Cool stuff.......

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

looking good.

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

Gotta love a dropmember.... I know I love mine...

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

Very cool!
Can't wait to see more :metal:

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

I had about an hour before my wife and son got home so I got a few things done. The new trany mount and cross member are in but not yet drilled through the frame in case some adjustment is needed. I cut out the rack notches per PorterBuilts directions and of course they worked out great. I then was able to place the rack and after tweaking one trans line it fit perfect with about 1/4" of clearance between the rack and the oil pan. This will be plenty because if the motor rolls at all it will be up not down. I think the steering will be a bit tricky due to the angles and the fire wall still has some shaving needed for about a 1/2" clearance around the trans and the bell housing. Once the trimming is done then I will mod the shifter linkage as well as the throttle linkage.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL25.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL26.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL27.jpg[/IMG]

This pic is from the back of the motor showing the rack clearance to the oil pan.

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL28.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL29.jpg[/IMG]

It is hard to tell but I have a striate edge from frame rail to frame rail and the trans pan and exhaust now has about 1 1/2" of clearance and before the exhaust was 1/4" below the frame as you can see from the flat spot.

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL30.jpg[/IMG]

This shows the bottom of the frame compared to the oil pan and cross member.

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL31.jpg[/IMG]

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

Rokcrln,
Excellent looking work as usual ! That truck was nice to begin with, it is cool to see the transformation. Subscribing to see the progress :metal:

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

No kidding. Sitting in a dirt floored garage for the last 9 months is a sad state. Combined damage caused by movers and obdurate workloads have left me a little disgusted with the Wallet Eater's current state. Fortunately (and after considerable searching in the "hot rod mecca" that CA is supposed to be), I found someone who I trust to do quality work on the thing. This trip to LFD is basically to get the DM in place, but I've got a list a mile long for both the truck and my daily driver. Kevin just needs more hours in the day!

:ito:

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

Looks awsome, if I had the coin, I'd feel way more than comfortable letting Kevin work on any of my rides!

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

Looking good...just another improvement to an already awesome truck....

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

In ftw.

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

Well now the trans mount is drilled and bolted and the trans tunnel is cut and has 1/2"+ of clearance all around it as well as bell housing clearance in the engine bay. The stock low hump had to come up 1 1/4" in the rear and 1 3/4" in the front and it is slid back about 3-4". The high hump cover will fit back over it after a quick stretch and changing the mounting flange so it is more vertical and would bolt to the added sides of the low hump.

XXL- Let me know what you think and if you want to go this direction or if you have changes you want to go with.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL32.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL33.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL34.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL35.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL36.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL37.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL38.jpg[/IMG]

I have never been a fan of Chops but for some reason this one looks right. Maybe it is the rain gutters being left on or something.

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL39.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b20/rokcrln/XXL40.jpg[/IMG]

Re: LFD's XXL DropMember I6 Install
 

How much is the cab chopped? Nice truck but the chop is a little too much for my tastes.