I'd think I shouldn't have to worry about that until the very end...

 

Nice tip. I'll keep that in mind the next time I make a tank.

 

Easy solution is to install a bung in the tank that you'll use for the system first then weld the caps on. So long as the hot air has a place to escape to you won't have any issues with it blowing out.

 

White Trash, I was thinking the very same thing. Seems like an easy solution.

 

The tank I was building had 2 bungs (1/4" each). They may not have been enough though. Not quite as easy a solution as you might think.

 

When building cages, bumpers etc we just drill an 1/8" hole in one end of the tube near the joint. Once the project is done and cooled we go back through welding all the holes. Zero blow out. Two 1/4" pipe bungs would be far, far more than sufficient unless you didn't take the plugs out of them.

 

The frame build begins...

 

Still chugging along...sucks cutting this with an angle grinder and sawzall.

 

Looks great!! That's a good little table jig to build on as well!

 

Random reference photos.

Clutch flip:




And some frame progress...

 

Frames done...holds air too. Pumped it to 100 psi and it held it overnight.

It didnt do that in the beginning, I had to chase quite a few leaks with a squirt bottle and soapy water. But the engine is there to mock up the trans crossmember and then I can set the cab on to locate the cab mounts, then the bed, then it comes back off so I can build the wishbone and cantilever for the rear...





Also everything was built with a digital protractor and squared and the whole thing is dead square and all angles mirror each other to two tenths of a degree...doing this really shows you how much metal moves around with heat...

 

Looks awesome brah!!! You guys getting pounded down there with this storm? Glad I brought the bed in the shop to work on it. If I have tomorrow off (99% sure I will) I'm hoping to have all the bodywork done on the bed!!!

You going to plate the bottom of the frame as extra protection or your plan to lay rocker and keep the frame off the ground?

 

Lay rocker. But never drag...too much work to just destroy it.

 

cant wait to see the frame done mate, looks great!! I saw a kiwi dude that used the frame as a tank on a midmounted mazda mini project on youtube, but haven't seen any progress on it for a while!

 

Yes, all joints are going to be braced with fishplates, and any place where flex may appear will be braced, gusseted and supported. This has been done before, the idea came from an article in MiniTruckin from years back.

I read over and over many times where in the case of stock floor drops, 2x2 1/4 wall would have been sufficient, but I opted for 2x3 due to flex concerns. A factory frame will bend, before this one will.

 

Got a good bit done this wknd. Friday I went and bought some angle and 1" 3/16 wall square tubing. First thing I did was modify the engine cross member since after lowering the engine an inch the oil pan hits it. Then I made my own transmission crossmember.

 

Then the cab was set on the frame so I could finally tell if the Trans tunnel was gonna hit or not..I didn't know because of the engine being lowered or not. It does. So I cut it out.



This is before the cab obviously. But it's starting to look like a truck frame again..


But here it is as it sits.

 

Oh. And for some stupid a$$ reason I didn't think things through back when I cut the bottom of the cab for the frame rails. I thought it would come in the cab a little bit...even with using 2x3. Nope. Now I gotta close all this back up. Dammit.



In summary. My plan to cut the stock cab mounts off the frame and re use them is a bust. From the bottom of the cab that sits on the mount...to the ground. I have 2.5" So I'm gonna have to make custom cab mounts. I have all the measurements to where they need to be...I gotta wrangle some 1.5" tubing. And some 4 link bushings to make them...

But while doing all this I said you know what ? Eff these cut off wheels and angle grinders. I'm buying a plasma cutter next week. Lol. But seriously.