[Sinisterspeed]

Chapter 5 Ok now what?

Well we brought home with this funky bed I had never seen and started looking it up. Why was it like this? Lots of parts laying in the back of it so we began looking through it. Most of the AC parts, extra glass, extra wings, new body bushings and a few other interesting things.

Checking the job the guys was doing on this frame I would never drive it even if it was done. So we pulled the body off the frame while its still on the trailer and began setting it out in the yard.

Cab: Looks pretty good
fenders: look perfect (but I have good ones with body work done)
Hood: good
Bed: looks pretty good.

So after some research I came to the conclusion I have to use the longhorn frame for the longhorn bed. I never actually measured it but seemed like the thing to do at the time cause no matter what I was cutting the frame on either of them.

So using the existing longhorn frame I cut back off the shoddy work that the other guy had started. Only cross-member that was left was the one that held the carrier bearing. I started with the trusty tape measure and the existing frame and cut the pieces off that I needed to make it a true 4x4. All the 4x4 cross-members as well as the front frame horns (from about the front cab mounts fwd) we added to the longhorn frame. 1/2 plate on the insides on all 3 flat surfaces. Welded the outsides and ground them smooth. It turned out pretty good, you can't even see where they were joined unless you know it's there. We added the front cross-member that I always do the kept the front frame horn from breaking at the power steering box as well as some for the 84 blazer tank I got at the wrecking yard.

After mocking up everything that I could think of that goes on the frame I had a buddy of mine thats a real welder go through everything I had done re-welding while I was grinding. We smoothed all the holes that were unused. The rear spring mounts had to be relocated as well since it had longer springs on the rear of the longhorn we moved the rear spring mounts to make sure I could mount the normal lifted springs to this frame.

Another one of my buddies owed me some money for a hot tub I sold him from the house I lost between chapter 1 and 2. He did allot of powder coating through Portland powder, They are the only place local that I knew of that could do things this big. So I worked out a deal with him to call it even if he waned to get my frame done for me.

Wallah! a candy red longhorn 4x4 frame. and its only about 2 years after I started.. LOL