Time to start the fabrication!
To start, I went ahead and took out the gas tank. Then I put some jack stands under the frame and started laying out my cut lines to make it into a short bed.
This is the area where the material will be removed from, between the middle and rear cab mount. 14" comes out.
Here you can kinda see my game plan:
And after a half hour of grinding with a cut off wheel you get this:
and this:
I must say that a plasma cutter is MUCH easier to do this with and is what I used to cut the frame on my '69. I decided to try using the cut off wheel this time....but not on the other side.
I only got one side cut tonight. I had to measure 4 times and cut once. Not something you want to f up on and cut too much.
After that I checked to make sure all of my fab pieces arrived correctly:
The front square tube is 6" x 6" x 1/4" wall tubing for the engine crossmember
Then 3 pieces of 1-1/2" DOM tubing for the panhard bar and crossover steering. There is also the panhard bar frame mount.
Then the 2 long 2" DOM tubing for the control arms and the 1 piece of 1-1/2" DOM is for the upper portion of the radius arms.
Then a 4" x 4" x .25" square tubing for the transmission crossmember
And finally a set of leaf spring perches to put the dodge axle under the gmc leafs. Still need to order a drop pitman arm. Also I ordered some plasma cutter consumables and a new roll of wire, but got sent someone elses stuff....hopefully this company will make it right and get this stuff to me by Saturday.
Oh yes, I also got a roll of material to re-do the headliner today!