So... managed to get "some" progress on the ole girl this weekend. Couldn't wait to get the front end on the frame to see how she was going to fit! I found that with the additional width of the front end, the inner fenders should slip over the front suspension a little easier... well... it was a fair bit of trimming and fit, and trimming and fit to say the least!
First we had to see where the front frame "horns" needed to be bucked off so the rad support would drop down over it... this was the first location.
After a few more "fittings" when trimming the front inner, I found that it kept binding up and rubbing (cut it too close) so I trimmed it back just a little further...
It worked a fair bit better and I was able to get the body to sit down a LOT nicer on the front end. Keep in mind I had to trim out about 1 1/2" from each side at the rear where the notch sits over the frame. The inner sheetmetal was a bit rotten, so these are getting replaced anyways, as well as the typical cab corners.
A couple of the inner fender trims...
Driver's side
Passenger's side
The engine mounts are still on in these pictures, but they've been removed. The height on them is a little offset as the driver's side seem higher, but they'll be reworked anyways to fit the TPI block and NV3500 trans in.
And this is what she looks like now with the body in place...
I'm liking the look of the track width on this far more than the S10 and NO SPACERS!!! The tires on it are 28" on 17" aftermarket mustang rims, so they may be reduced in size for height, we'll see.
Next was getting the body back off and getting the frame ready for stretching... I've opted to cut the frame on both sides just forward of the front gas tank mounting crossmember. This is because I'm thinking of using the stock Explorer tank (it's a poly tank, quite large and I think I may be able to do the hidden filler neck behind the license plate route. So, levelled and on custom made stands, I used my machinist level (0.005"/ft) to get everything tickity boo. (I'll be tacking the top of the stand to the frame so they don't move when I pull the halves apart)
Then setting up the locator marks to ensure everything stays square when putting it back together.
These marks are located 11" back and forward of the front gas tank cross-member and measured from the upright tabs forward and aft respectively and 1 1/2" in from the outside of the frame. This gives a diagonal measurement of 50"
The nice parts about this location of the cut is that it can be measure from the square locating holes on both sides (with the two round holes beside it) back 6".
Keep in mind that when drawing the lines for the cut and using a square and scribe, if you put the square on the bottom of the frame and the top of the frame respectively, they aren't the same! This frame is rarely truly parallel in the same spots! This also applies to the front frame horns.