[Root2812]

I'm finally back on the truck project. This pandemic sure slowed things down for me and I'm finding time to work on the truck again. In the last few weeks I have had the engine out twice and finished making my transmission cross member. Like always its been one step forward and one step back though. I decided to start making an exhaust system and I bought the tightest exhaust manifolds I could find. It must just be the way I put my motor in because I put it in low but my passenger manifold flange was just touching the top of the frame rail where it met the boxing plates I put in. Engine comes back out now. I cut a notch in the top of the rail and into my boxing plate and now need to weld it back up. I think the stock frame is 10 guage and all I could find right now is 1/8 inch plate to do my notch boxing. The 1/8 inch is only .0095 inches thinner so for just a notch in the corner there I think it will be fine. After all most of the steel that came out was the boxing plate I put in.

I am totally new at metal fab, in fact that tranny cross member was my first welding job with my own welder. Once this notch is welded up and repainted I'll reinstall the motor and get you guys some photos. I fixed the mouse issue so after I finish this fab work and exhaust I should be ready to move toward hearing my truck run for the first time since I blew the 216 in the summer of 2014!

My exhaust is going to have a fixed exhaust tip coming out of the running board. I credit the idea to youngrodder. I saw it on his truck a long time ago and love the look. I am going to put braided flex pipes after my down pipes and before my x pipe. For now I will use a standard hanger for the back but I will probably need to ridged mount the whole exhaust from the flex joints back.

I am sure I am missing something but after the exhaust I should only be fuel lines and wiring away from making it run.