FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
I was planning on going, just had a few set backs... but got it all resolved this weekend. I'll have to go in the upcoming weeks.
Legends Class 4800 Build - “Tinkerita”
- Thread starter FSU Off-Road
- Start date
FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
Not going to lie, over the past week I didn't sleep very much, pushing to get Tinkerita done for the weekend. With multiple late nights under my belt, unfortunately April 1st came and went and I was still stuck in the garage slamming parts and pieces back onto Tinkerita. It was a bummer watching videos and seeing pictures of everyone enjoying opening weekend, but I'm reminded from my wife that I'm only one person and can only do so much. Regardless, I still push hard and with only 1 big setback, I'll consider it a win... I'll get to that later.
First let's catch up a bit... once I got Tinkerita back home and stripped back down, I broke out the old and battered "to do" list. With multiple things added and marked out, I needed to refocus on what was a true necessity to get this thing trail ready. Notice I didn't say race ready, one step at a time lol. There were still lots of fluids to be filled, fab work to be done, and a huge amount of bolts to be torqued. To be completely honest, I knocked out the easier stuff first, to make a larger dent in the list. This included oil cooler lines with accusump, intake mounts and filters, the trans dipstick, vent tube, and fluids... also fix a few drips as well.
The next big ticket item on the list that was going to take some time was the exhaust. I'm definitely no exhaust guy, nor claim to be, but I knew enough to get myself started. The hardest part for me to wrap my head around was the carrier bearing on the driver side. So to help learn, I used my amazon special 2.5" SS pre-bent exhaust to mock up the passenger side. With a base knowledge, I then used multiple bends to go over and around the carrier bearing. After that it was time to start tack welding everything together, which included the hangers. Once I got everything set in place where I wanted it, I added a few additional welds so I could remove both sides without any bending. Once removed, I had a buddy weld up the exhaust with a SS mig wire, which worked perfectly. Although not his best welds, I wasn't concerned because it would all be wrapped, which is exactly what I worked on while he welded. This included the headers. Once it was all wrapped, we coated it all to seal it in and finalized everything by putting it back under the chassis.
With the exhaust done, it was time to start knocking out and finalizing the suspension. Coilover springs, tighten bolts, nitrogen charges, etc. Not going to lie, I was originally going to have someone charge them for me local since I didn't have anything to do it, but after calling around, there's literally no one (Scott did message me back, but it was too late). So I made a quick decision to order everything and pick up a tank at a local welding supply place and within a couple days I just filled everything myself. I also added the secondary springs on the front and rear, while torqueing bolts and installing the limit straps. Although a little light on the spring rates on the front, its close enough for now and the rear seems to be perfect.
.... part two below...
First let's catch up a bit... once I got Tinkerita back home and stripped back down, I broke out the old and battered "to do" list. With multiple things added and marked out, I needed to refocus on what was a true necessity to get this thing trail ready. Notice I didn't say race ready, one step at a time lol. There were still lots of fluids to be filled, fab work to be done, and a huge amount of bolts to be torqued. To be completely honest, I knocked out the easier stuff first, to make a larger dent in the list. This included oil cooler lines with accusump, intake mounts and filters, the trans dipstick, vent tube, and fluids... also fix a few drips as well.
The next big ticket item on the list that was going to take some time was the exhaust. I'm definitely no exhaust guy, nor claim to be, but I knew enough to get myself started. The hardest part for me to wrap my head around was the carrier bearing on the driver side. So to help learn, I used my amazon special 2.5" SS pre-bent exhaust to mock up the passenger side. With a base knowledge, I then used multiple bends to go over and around the carrier bearing. After that it was time to start tack welding everything together, which included the hangers. Once I got everything set in place where I wanted it, I added a few additional welds so I could remove both sides without any bending. Once removed, I had a buddy weld up the exhaust with a SS mig wire, which worked perfectly. Although not his best welds, I wasn't concerned because it would all be wrapped, which is exactly what I worked on while he welded. This included the headers. Once it was all wrapped, we coated it all to seal it in and finalized everything by putting it back under the chassis.
With the exhaust done, it was time to start knocking out and finalizing the suspension. Coilover springs, tighten bolts, nitrogen charges, etc. Not going to lie, I was originally going to have someone charge them for me local since I didn't have anything to do it, but after calling around, there's literally no one (Scott did message me back, but it was too late). So I made a quick decision to order everything and pick up a tank at a local welding supply place and within a couple days I just filled everything myself. I also added the secondary springs on the front and rear, while torqueing bolts and installing the limit straps. Although a little light on the spring rates on the front, its close enough for now and the rear seems to be perfect.
.... part two below...
FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
This part two is where things turn...
While working out some parameters in the Holley system, I was able to get her leaned out a bit with the new exhaust. I was playing with this in order to help cure the exhaust wrap and of course hear what the final exhaust sounded like. She's definitely built for the track, not the neighborhood lol. Regardless, I was happy with the end result. Now, in my efforts to make April 1st, I took time off from work again in hopes to finishing up enough to go play. As the saying goes, things were going good until they weren't. There were just a hand full of things on the list to take care of and I figured I could knock them out within a couple of days. The biggest on the list was the front axle. I saved this for last because I needed to strip off the knuckles and add additional plates for strength, which meant I wouldn't be able to move the chassis. So I needed a good amount of time to take care of this. Luckily I was able to make quick work of the teardown and knuckle gussets/plating. After a quick coat of paint, I started the assembly. This time included the front axle shafts which is where this story takes a turn. I wasn't able to get the axle shafts seated all the way, they would seize up when I started tightening the unit bearings. After some careful inspections, I noticed the actual axle shaft was hitting the inner axle tube. Since I put this axle housing together, I didn't know how far the axle shafts would sit in the housing and I didn't allow for enough clearance. My first thought was to just trim the shafts, but knew it wasn't the correct fix, so I started the miserable event of cutting out the 4" axle tube. I removed 3/8" from both sides in order to have enough clearance for the shafts. This setback costed me over 8 hours in total, which meant I didn't get everything else done on the list. To say the least, I was completely exhausted, bummed, and a little mad about my mistake. When you don't know, you just don't know.
After facing defeat, April 1st came and went with me in the garage. Taking care of family plans early on, the afternoon and late night consisted of me putting interior panels back in, finishing up some last minute brake lines, and nut and bolt checking everything. To say the least it was an eventful week/weekend that left me completely dead. Although super happy to have a drivable and somewhat ready race chassis, I didn't want anything to do with it when Sunday morning came around lol.
Since then, I have bleed the brakes, continuously checked fluids, and terrorized the neighborhood with the deep growl of Tinkerita. I still have a long list to get her race ready, but like I said before, one thing at a time. I need to get her out in the trails and see what she's capable of. No time to slow down now, KY Race is just a few weeks away!
While working out some parameters in the Holley system, I was able to get her leaned out a bit with the new exhaust. I was playing with this in order to help cure the exhaust wrap and of course hear what the final exhaust sounded like. She's definitely built for the track, not the neighborhood lol. Regardless, I was happy with the end result. Now, in my efforts to make April 1st, I took time off from work again in hopes to finishing up enough to go play. As the saying goes, things were going good until they weren't. There were just a hand full of things on the list to take care of and I figured I could knock them out within a couple of days. The biggest on the list was the front axle. I saved this for last because I needed to strip off the knuckles and add additional plates for strength, which meant I wouldn't be able to move the chassis. So I needed a good amount of time to take care of this. Luckily I was able to make quick work of the teardown and knuckle gussets/plating. After a quick coat of paint, I started the assembly. This time included the front axle shafts which is where this story takes a turn. I wasn't able to get the axle shafts seated all the way, they would seize up when I started tightening the unit bearings. After some careful inspections, I noticed the actual axle shaft was hitting the inner axle tube. Since I put this axle housing together, I didn't know how far the axle shafts would sit in the housing and I didn't allow for enough clearance. My first thought was to just trim the shafts, but knew it wasn't the correct fix, so I started the miserable event of cutting out the 4" axle tube. I removed 3/8" from both sides in order to have enough clearance for the shafts. This setback costed me over 8 hours in total, which meant I didn't get everything else done on the list. To say the least, I was completely exhausted, bummed, and a little mad about my mistake. When you don't know, you just don't know.
After facing defeat, April 1st came and went with me in the garage. Taking care of family plans early on, the afternoon and late night consisted of me putting interior panels back in, finishing up some last minute brake lines, and nut and bolt checking everything. To say the least it was an eventful week/weekend that left me completely dead. Although super happy to have a drivable and somewhat ready race chassis, I didn't want anything to do with it when Sunday morning came around lol.
Since then, I have bleed the brakes, continuously checked fluids, and terrorized the neighborhood with the deep growl of Tinkerita. I still have a long list to get her race ready, but like I said before, one thing at a time. I need to get her out in the trails and see what she's capable of. No time to slow down now, KY Race is just a few weeks away!
FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
Well, as you can see above, I was able to get Tinkerita running and driving... unfortunately I was unsuccessful at getting reverse with the transmission which is a huge issue. Therefore in a last minute decision, I loaded up Tinkerita and headed back down to Digging Deeper Race shop for some transmission fixing. After some pressure testing we dropped the pan in an effort to modify the reverse servo, we were still unsuccessful at getting reverse. Therefore, we had to drop the transmission and get it shipped out. As you know, the Rush race is right around the corner, so time was of the essence. Luckily, Fritts Transmission Shop hooked us up in a last minute upgrade/rebuild. Was only a few days and we were reinstalling the Th400. We shouldn't have to worry about the transmission ever again.
In the meantime, while I awaited the transmission to get back, I worked on a few other things to the chassis race ready. Some of those included new last minute tire mounting, finishing up the skid plates, and getting the last few things ordered and installed.
When I was able to bring Tinkerita back home, now with reverse, we were set. The last few things left to focus on were all cosmetic. So I spent a few late nights working on the fiberglass work and bondo. I added some fiberglass to both the hood and the cowl. The fiberglass hood was to stiffen the center where we cut it, and on the cowl, I used the fiberglass to cover the holes created when getting it all fitted up. While waiting on the fiberglass to cure, I cut out the old exhaust hangers (on the wrong side for thermal expansion) and installed new ones. I also painted the grill, giving you a little taste of what's to come. Speaking of what's to come, we've been working with Routh Signs in Greensboro for our wrap. Not going to lie, the ideas are sick! But to finish this update, the last thing I did was knock out the bondo. I tried to cover the fiberglass as best as I could, and recreate the A pillar mounts. Although a little rough, they will work.
Although I need to finish sanding everything, I'm very pleased at the results. I was able to get everything back together and ready for it's maiden voyage. Trust me, you don't want to miss my next update, coming tomorrow.
Stay tuned...
In the meantime, while I awaited the transmission to get back, I worked on a few other things to the chassis race ready. Some of those included new last minute tire mounting, finishing up the skid plates, and getting the last few things ordered and installed.
When I was able to bring Tinkerita back home, now with reverse, we were set. The last few things left to focus on were all cosmetic. So I spent a few late nights working on the fiberglass work and bondo. I added some fiberglass to both the hood and the cowl. The fiberglass hood was to stiffen the center where we cut it, and on the cowl, I used the fiberglass to cover the holes created when getting it all fitted up. While waiting on the fiberglass to cure, I cut out the old exhaust hangers (on the wrong side for thermal expansion) and installed new ones. I also painted the grill, giving you a little taste of what's to come. Speaking of what's to come, we've been working with Routh Signs in Greensboro for our wrap. Not going to lie, the ideas are sick! But to finish this update, the last thing I did was knock out the bondo. I tried to cover the fiberglass as best as I could, and recreate the A pillar mounts. Although a little rough, they will work.
Although I need to finish sanding everything, I'm very pleased at the results. I was able to get everything back together and ready for it's maiden voyage. Trust me, you don't want to miss my next update, coming tomorrow.
Stay tuned...
FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
As you all know, I was time crunching to get Tinkerita race ready for Rush this weekend. We were actually suppose to arrive today to debut our new 4800 car into the Legends Class. Unfortunately, as some of you know, that's not what happened today. Tinkerita and I were left behind as an accident happened leaving me hospitalized. Now I'm not one to post a lot of personal things on social media platforms, however this one changes a lot.
Sunday before loading up, I was finishing up nut and bolt checking everything, and decided to check all the fluids. While finishing up the transmission fluid, one of the radiator elbows blew off while I was underneath, leaving multiple first and second degree burns down both legs and forearm. As a result, I was transported to Baptist Hospital and admitted into the burn clinic for the night. After hours of care, scraping/cleaning, and heavy medication, I was able to go home and get settled for the long road to recovery ahead. To say the least, I will not be at the race this weekend, honestly just grateful to be alive. It could of been so much worse.
Now home, I wish I could say things are all better. Unfortunately it's not that simple. It's been a rough few days on bed rest with a long road to recovery still to go. The worst is having to clean and redress the open wounds every day. However with that said, I've been surrounded with so many amazing people willing to help in so many different ways. For that, I am truly grateful for everyone in my life right now, especially my wife.
With all of this said, I just want to wish all the racers the best of luck this weekend at Rush. For those of you that are like me, I pray you all are safe while working on your rigs/haulers/toys, and I simply hope none of you have to go through this ever in your lifetime. It's going to take some time, but I'll be back at it and ready to hit the trails. See you all soon.
Sunday before loading up, I was finishing up nut and bolt checking everything, and decided to check all the fluids. While finishing up the transmission fluid, one of the radiator elbows blew off while I was underneath, leaving multiple first and second degree burns down both legs and forearm. As a result, I was transported to Baptist Hospital and admitted into the burn clinic for the night. After hours of care, scraping/cleaning, and heavy medication, I was able to go home and get settled for the long road to recovery ahead. To say the least, I will not be at the race this weekend, honestly just grateful to be alive. It could of been so much worse.
Now home, I wish I could say things are all better. Unfortunately it's not that simple. It's been a rough few days on bed rest with a long road to recovery still to go. The worst is having to clean and redress the open wounds every day. However with that said, I've been surrounded with so many amazing people willing to help in so many different ways. For that, I am truly grateful for everyone in my life right now, especially my wife.
With all of this said, I just want to wish all the racers the best of luck this weekend at Rush. For those of you that are like me, I pray you all are safe while working on your rigs/haulers/toys, and I simply hope none of you have to go through this ever in your lifetime. It's going to take some time, but I'll be back at it and ready to hit the trails. See you all soon.
baggednissan
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2010
- Location
- Monroe,NC
Dang man sorry to be reading this and yes it could have been worse. Think if that was your face could be blind will add ya to my prayer list. God was and is looking out for you!
pitbullcruiser
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2010
- Location
- Longmont, CO
Damn bro! Get well soon.
FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
It has been a few weeks and I'm happy to announce that I am making a speedy recovery according to the burn doctors. Not going to lie, the first 10 days were pretty unbearable, but we've managed to stay positive and get back into some type of normalcy. I have been gaining more and more mobility as the healing has progressed which I'm thankful for. For everyone that has prayed for me, encouraged me, and supported me through all of this, sincerely THANK YOU!
This past weekend I managed to jump back on the horse and make some small progress on the race jeep. I was able to diagnose the problem child, and unfortunately in a rush I missed a bead roll on a coupler. That's what happens when you're in too big of a hurry, however it was a humbling experience regardless and it taught me a lot. None the less, I rolled Tinkerita out of the garage to clean up and prepare for what's to come next.
Although not perfect, the overall profile turned out better than I could have imagined. Aside from some more sanding on the bondo, the last thing to complete the look will be our wrap. We have the designs almost completed, trust me, we're going to stick out for sure. That'll come with time thought, right now I'm working on finishing up everything to get this thing race ready. Obviously I'm planning on going through the cooling system again, just to make sure, however I'm still a little limited on leg mobility so I've been focusing on stuff I can accomplish standing. This includes getting all the components on the dash installed and wired. Thanks to Rugged Radios for getting everything shipped out in a quick manner. Had we raced Rush, we would of had them with time to spare.
Aside from a few additional switches, the dash is pretty much completed. There's just a few things to change up and add to the chassis before she's tech ready for racing, but it won't be long until we're officially done the build. I cannot wait to have this thing on the trails and track!
This past weekend I managed to jump back on the horse and make some small progress on the race jeep. I was able to diagnose the problem child, and unfortunately in a rush I missed a bead roll on a coupler. That's what happens when you're in too big of a hurry, however it was a humbling experience regardless and it taught me a lot. None the less, I rolled Tinkerita out of the garage to clean up and prepare for what's to come next.
Although not perfect, the overall profile turned out better than I could have imagined. Aside from some more sanding on the bondo, the last thing to complete the look will be our wrap. We have the designs almost completed, trust me, we're going to stick out for sure. That'll come with time thought, right now I'm working on finishing up everything to get this thing race ready. Obviously I'm planning on going through the cooling system again, just to make sure, however I'm still a little limited on leg mobility so I've been focusing on stuff I can accomplish standing. This includes getting all the components on the dash installed and wired. Thanks to Rugged Radios for getting everything shipped out in a quick manner. Had we raced Rush, we would of had them with time to spare.
Aside from a few additional switches, the dash is pretty much completed. There's just a few things to change up and add to the chassis before she's tech ready for racing, but it won't be long until we're officially done the build. I cannot wait to have this thing on the trails and track!
skyhighZJ
Gov retirement < needs to live
- Joined
- May 31, 2012
- Location
- Aberdeen, NC.
From my very small hole in the middle of nowhere and after watching all that you’ve been through congratulations on making it this far and best wishes on progress as it moves forward. I hope the healing process is very smooth and you’re out there getting after it very soon!It has been a few weeks and I'm happy to announce that I am making a speedy recovery according to the burn doctors. Not going to lie, the first 10 days were pretty unbearable, but we've managed to stay positive and get back into some type of normalcy. I have been gaining more and more mobility as the healing has progressed which I'm thankful for. For everyone that has prayed for me, encouraged me, and supported me through all of this, sincerely THANK YOU!
This past weekend I managed to jump back on the horse and make some small progress on the race jeep. I was able to diagnose the problem child, and unfortunately in a rush I missed a bead roll on a coupler. That's what happens when you're in too big of a hurry, however it was a humbling experience regardless and it taught me a lot. None the less, I rolled Tinkerita out of the garage to clean up and prepare for what's to come next.
Although not perfect, the overall profile turned out better than I could have imagined. Aside from some more sanding on the bondo, the last thing to complete the look will be our wrap. We have the designs almost completed, trust me, we're going to stick out for sure. That'll come with time thought, right now I'm working on finishing up everything to get this thing race ready. Obviously I'm planning on going through the cooling system again, just to make sure, however I'm still a little limited on leg mobility so I've been focusing on stuff I can accomplish standing. This includes getting all the components on the dash installed and wired. Thanks to Rugged Radios for getting everything shipped out in a quick manner. Had we raced Rush, we would of had them with time to spare.
Aside from a few additional switches, the dash is pretty much completed. There's just a few things to change up and add to the chassis before she's tech ready for racing, but it won't be long until we're officially done the build. I cannot wait to have this thing on the trails and track!
FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
Last week, I went over my U4 tech sheet and started finishing up everything that I needed. With mostly everything already done, there were a few fuel related things that I needed to address. Per the rules, I needed shutoff valves, something I overlooked originally. So I made quick work of installing shutoffs on both the supply and return. Everything else regarding the fuel like baffling and rollover valves were previously installed. Good news, my design of the coolers worked out perfectly for quick accessibility.
Over the past weekend, I was able to finish up the wiring under the dash. In order to utilize the Switch-Pro to its fullest, I changed some trigger wires around and was able to use them elsewhere. Also installed the 5V Autosport Labs sensor for the transmission temp and uploaded everything in the Holley system. The last thing I completed was getting the in-cab winch controls installed and pre-ran to the front. Since I'm using my old Warn winch, I needed to have a grounded momentary switch. Last thing to do will be to simply install the winch, but that shouldn't take too long. After getting everything buttoned up and secured, I finally installed the dash for the hopefully the last time.
With much excitement, there's only a few things to do on my list before this things 100% ready. Some of those things also include upgrades that aren't necessary right now, but still on my list. However, the one lingering thing that really does haunt me is the dang coolant lines. It's only fair considering the injury that occurred. So, in order to ease my mind, I'm redoing the lines with AN fittings and hoses. I've decided to install AN weld bungs on the radiator, took measurements off the water pump for those AN fittings and will be running AN hoses with the proper fittings for each end. Although pricey, just for the simple ease of mind and safety, it's worth it! I'm going to be leaning on some buddies for welding aluminum, and then throw everything back together. While doing so, I have a new alternator to install, new tensioner, new belt, and just installed a new idler pulley so everything will be brand new. Meaning I'm also starting to collect spares.
Stay safe out there!
Over the past weekend, I was able to finish up the wiring under the dash. In order to utilize the Switch-Pro to its fullest, I changed some trigger wires around and was able to use them elsewhere. Also installed the 5V Autosport Labs sensor for the transmission temp and uploaded everything in the Holley system. The last thing I completed was getting the in-cab winch controls installed and pre-ran to the front. Since I'm using my old Warn winch, I needed to have a grounded momentary switch. Last thing to do will be to simply install the winch, but that shouldn't take too long. After getting everything buttoned up and secured, I finally installed the dash for the hopefully the last time.
With much excitement, there's only a few things to do on my list before this things 100% ready. Some of those things also include upgrades that aren't necessary right now, but still on my list. However, the one lingering thing that really does haunt me is the dang coolant lines. It's only fair considering the injury that occurred. So, in order to ease my mind, I'm redoing the lines with AN fittings and hoses. I've decided to install AN weld bungs on the radiator, took measurements off the water pump for those AN fittings and will be running AN hoses with the proper fittings for each end. Although pricey, just for the simple ease of mind and safety, it's worth it! I'm going to be leaning on some buddies for welding aluminum, and then throw everything back together. While doing so, I have a new alternator to install, new tensioner, new belt, and just installed a new idler pulley so everything will be brand new. Meaning I'm also starting to collect spares.
Stay safe out there!
FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
Before I get to the finale, there is one last post I want to make beforehand. Thanks to some constructive criticism, I decided to move the fuel shutoffs. Instead of being in the center, I agree that they weren't functional. Therefore, I made a bracket and moved them off to the side. I'll be able to label them on the wrap and shouldn't have any complications. Thank you all for the input... and to clarify a few details, we have 2 in tank fuel pumps. Therefore I'm not worried about vapor locking, however, just to help out where I can, I added some heat wrap to keep things cool.
Now for the biggest and most needed upgrade yet... -20AN coolant hoses. From this point forward, no matter what I do, I'll utilize -AN fittings for everything especially coolant lines. It might be more expensive, but I assure all of you, it's cheaper than the hospital bills. So, in order to convert everything over, I opened my wallet one last time in hopes to have enough to pay for everything lol. I had to remove the radiator, all the existing couplers, as well as the water pump. Cut off the existing inlet and outlet on the radiator to make room for the weld bungs and took it to a buddies shop for some tig welding. He also welded up the thermostat housing and the inline vent housing we're utilizing. After that, it was a simple fitting install to make sure we had everything where it needed to be before we ran the big hose. After multiple measurements and installs, we got the completed lines installed.
Also while installing the water pump with the AN conversion, I also installed a new alternator, tensioner, belt, while triple checking all the bracket bolts and marking them. It was super short notice, but I was able to finish the AN conversion on a Friday afternoon with plans to take Tinkerita out the following Saturday morning. Although mostly complete, I still needed to install the new oil pan seal, skid plates, flush the coolant system, and triple check the oil. So I worked diligently into the wee hours of the night.
I'm proud to say I did NOT get everything finished that night, but it didn't stop me from loading up the next morning. Although Tinkerita isn't 100% complete, she's good enough for now, and good enough for her maiden voyage.
Now for the biggest and most needed upgrade yet... -20AN coolant hoses. From this point forward, no matter what I do, I'll utilize -AN fittings for everything especially coolant lines. It might be more expensive, but I assure all of you, it's cheaper than the hospital bills. So, in order to convert everything over, I opened my wallet one last time in hopes to have enough to pay for everything lol. I had to remove the radiator, all the existing couplers, as well as the water pump. Cut off the existing inlet and outlet on the radiator to make room for the weld bungs and took it to a buddies shop for some tig welding. He also welded up the thermostat housing and the inline vent housing we're utilizing. After that, it was a simple fitting install to make sure we had everything where it needed to be before we ran the big hose. After multiple measurements and installs, we got the completed lines installed.
Also while installing the water pump with the AN conversion, I also installed a new alternator, tensioner, belt, while triple checking all the bracket bolts and marking them. It was super short notice, but I was able to finish the AN conversion on a Friday afternoon with plans to take Tinkerita out the following Saturday morning. Although mostly complete, I still needed to install the new oil pan seal, skid plates, flush the coolant system, and triple check the oil. So I worked diligently into the wee hours of the night.
I'm proud to say I did NOT get everything finished that night, but it didn't stop me from loading up the next morning. Although Tinkerita isn't 100% complete, she's good enough for now, and good enough for her maiden voyage.
FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
BigSouth
Doesn't play well with others!
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2011
- Location
- Shelby, NC
I know with mine, WOD sells a -20 thermostat housing and I bought the water pump neck that presses in. No welding required.
He had a swivel outlet, cut it and welded the a fitting to it.
FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
Not a problem. Since my original thermostat housing was a swivel design, I simply cut it at the base in order to install a weld bung. My clearances are super tight between the upper link and the belt tensioner, so having the swivel design was important to me. It allows just enough clearance for the tensioner to max out and about 1/8" from the upper link at full bump. Then just utilized my AN fitting to get it out of the way. As for the water pump, CBM Motorsports offers a press in style design for both front and top LS water pumps. It's a super tight fit, but worked perfectly for what I needed it to do. Just specify what opening you need, they offer different ones as well as different AN sizes.
FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
As most of you know, a few weeks back I loaded up Tinkerita for its maiden voyage. The night before I finished everything super late (fluids, bolt check, etc.), therefore I decided to load up the next morning. Sleep deprived and a little rusty on loading up the small trailer, I about missed my marks lol. But with a few quick adjustments and a good tie down, I was on my way to Uwharrie National Forest.
Since I didn't get 100% everything done the night before, we took a few minutes after unloading to go over everything one last time. Fixed a vent tube, topped off the coolant, loaded up a few tools and necessities and off we went on the first trail. Started on some easy trails to make sure everything was good, focusing on temps, braking power, and just getting comfortable in it. After an hour or so, everything was running as it should. We stopped for a quick water break and decided to head to some rockier trails to play.
Since we were on a tight schedule, we made quick work of the wide open trails as we made way to the rock sections. Aside from Dickie Bell, Daniel has the most room to play when it comes to rock sections and trails. After climbing the back side multiple times (hitting different rock slabs at different speeds) we moved to the top to concur the front side. There we tried all the lines ranging in different difficulties and succeeded at each one. At the end, we stopped at the top for a snack break and enjoyed the view before coming back down.
All in all, the day was a huge success. It's been a long time coming with so many different set backs along the way, but we did it. After loading back up and heading home, it was quite emotional to think that we built this thing from a single box of tubes and now driving this thing on the trails. A lot of personal sacrifices to get this thing where it is today, and this is only the beginning.
By no means is this thing completely ready, but were so dang close. After getting it back, cleaning it off, I went back through checking things. There were a few loose nuts, couple of things to address, suspension to dial in, safety items to install, but I'm very happy with the handling and it's stability. The LS1 is super responsive and the TH400 ran flawless all day. Coolant temps never rose over 190F even in the 90+ weather. The day couldn't of went any better, drove it on the trailer, drove it off. That was the goal.
Since I didn't get 100% everything done the night before, we took a few minutes after unloading to go over everything one last time. Fixed a vent tube, topped off the coolant, loaded up a few tools and necessities and off we went on the first trail. Started on some easy trails to make sure everything was good, focusing on temps, braking power, and just getting comfortable in it. After an hour or so, everything was running as it should. We stopped for a quick water break and decided to head to some rockier trails to play.
Since we were on a tight schedule, we made quick work of the wide open trails as we made way to the rock sections. Aside from Dickie Bell, Daniel has the most room to play when it comes to rock sections and trails. After climbing the back side multiple times (hitting different rock slabs at different speeds) we moved to the top to concur the front side. There we tried all the lines ranging in different difficulties and succeeded at each one. At the end, we stopped at the top for a snack break and enjoyed the view before coming back down.
All in all, the day was a huge success. It's been a long time coming with so many different set backs along the way, but we did it. After loading back up and heading home, it was quite emotional to think that we built this thing from a single box of tubes and now driving this thing on the trails. A lot of personal sacrifices to get this thing where it is today, and this is only the beginning.
By no means is this thing completely ready, but were so dang close. After getting it back, cleaning it off, I went back through checking things. There were a few loose nuts, couple of things to address, suspension to dial in, safety items to install, but I'm very happy with the handling and it's stability. The LS1 is super responsive and the TH400 ran flawless all day. Coolant temps never rose over 190F even in the 90+ weather. The day couldn't of went any better, drove it on the trailer, drove it off. That was the goal.
FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
Yes, The Big House... I've definitely went to the deep end first! But better than KOH which I did in 21'. Not advised!
As we approach our first race, there are still a few things to address. #1 I don't have a winch installed. So that's where this journey begins. A few weeks back, I started working on this in preparation for another outing. Typically this would be a super quick install, however the TMR Customs winch bracket that I cut up and made work within the chassis doesn't utilize the narrower mounting points which I need. In order to use our Warn 9.0RC, I needed to add some material to make the mounting locations stronger. I predrilled my new mounting holes that way I didn't have any issues after I welded things together. Made some quick filler plates for each side and away I went. I wanted to keep the capabilities to winch directly down just in case as well. After a little welding both on top and bottom, I cleaned everything up, drilled out the small holes, and got the winch installed.
Since I pre-ran the wiring from the in-cab controls, all I had to do was hook everything up from an electrical side. This made quick work of the overall install.
Like I said, this was all done in order to take it out again. There was a small Jeep Festival locally here and I wanted to take it, and then our plans were to go riding after the event was over. So we loaded it up again and down the road I went. To my surprise (not really) there wasn't many built rigs to be used and abused. Therefore we won our first trophy with it, best off-road build!
All in all it was a great time with the family and we did meet a lot of cool people. But the true fun was ahead of us as we went back to Uwharrie to hit the other trails we missed last trip. We also met up with a Willys owner that showed us all what they were truly built for. That thing went everywhere! After multiple hours of riding, jumping, crawling, we set up camp and stayed the night.
Once I got back home and got everything unloaded, I officially started the countdown to Crandon. One of the biggest hurdles was/is TIME! After taking Tinkerita out a couple of times, I knew I needed to act fast to get everything prepped and 100% ready. Before starting the race prep, I needed to focus on the fiberglass. I also needed to have access to the brake reservoirs, so I cut out the fiberglass to make a secondary panel. I then finished the bondo work on the corners, middle and on the hood. After a few hours of sanding, I primered over the bondo, and finish sanded everything. Not being a body panel guy, I surprised myself.
All of this was in order to get this thing wrapped. So after getting the body work done, I called in reinforcements to help with the race prep. Of the list, we were able to knock out a few important things. Although I have a few additional things to address, we're on our way to getting this thing 100% ready for The Big House.
As we approach our first race, there are still a few things to address. #1 I don't have a winch installed. So that's where this journey begins. A few weeks back, I started working on this in preparation for another outing. Typically this would be a super quick install, however the TMR Customs winch bracket that I cut up and made work within the chassis doesn't utilize the narrower mounting points which I need. In order to use our Warn 9.0RC, I needed to add some material to make the mounting locations stronger. I predrilled my new mounting holes that way I didn't have any issues after I welded things together. Made some quick filler plates for each side and away I went. I wanted to keep the capabilities to winch directly down just in case as well. After a little welding both on top and bottom, I cleaned everything up, drilled out the small holes, and got the winch installed.
Since I pre-ran the wiring from the in-cab controls, all I had to do was hook everything up from an electrical side. This made quick work of the overall install.
Like I said, this was all done in order to take it out again. There was a small Jeep Festival locally here and I wanted to take it, and then our plans were to go riding after the event was over. So we loaded it up again and down the road I went. To my surprise (not really) there wasn't many built rigs to be used and abused. Therefore we won our first trophy with it, best off-road build!
All in all it was a great time with the family and we did meet a lot of cool people. But the true fun was ahead of us as we went back to Uwharrie to hit the other trails we missed last trip. We also met up with a Willys owner that showed us all what they were truly built for. That thing went everywhere! After multiple hours of riding, jumping, crawling, we set up camp and stayed the night.
Once I got back home and got everything unloaded, I officially started the countdown to Crandon. One of the biggest hurdles was/is TIME! After taking Tinkerita out a couple of times, I knew I needed to act fast to get everything prepped and 100% ready. Before starting the race prep, I needed to focus on the fiberglass. I also needed to have access to the brake reservoirs, so I cut out the fiberglass to make a secondary panel. I then finished the bondo work on the corners, middle and on the hood. After a few hours of sanding, I primered over the bondo, and finish sanded everything. Not being a body panel guy, I surprised myself.
All of this was in order to get this thing wrapped. So after getting the body work done, I called in reinforcements to help with the race prep. Of the list, we were able to knock out a few important things. Although I have a few additional things to address, we're on our way to getting this thing 100% ready for The Big House.
FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
There has been much anticipation around here with my buddies as I, as I dropped off the race Jeep this past week to get it wrapped. The wife and I came to an agreement long ago that she would have the final say so on what it would look like before we take it to the track. I was a little concerned, however Neil at Routh Signs did an amazing job at getting this thing all wrapped and ready for the Big House. It was one thing to see the renderings, however it's totally different seeing it in person! If you miss us, it's because you weren't watching lol.
After getting it home, the final part of the race prep was to begin. Unfortunately I didn't have the help I was expecting, so to say the least I didn't sleep much this past weekend. Aside from standard prep stuff, nut/bolt checks, fluids, etc. I had to address a few issues. 1. To date, I haven't put together any new race totes for the new build. Therefore I worked on that... prior to picking up the Jeep from Routh Signs.
2. Harness issues... due to the design of the Corbeau harnesses, I wasn't able to get them tight enough with the seats. Therefore I had to remove them and install another set where they tighten close to the buckles. I went with Zamp 2" x 3" for the hans device. After getting them installed, I had to get them adjusted. No issues now with a tight belt.
3. I needed to address the leaking brake master cylinder. It was my fault it failed since I didn't bleed them correctly. Instead of installing a rebuild, I wanted to replace it with a larger bore to get a little better pedal response. So the journey started with me replacing the masters, since I was that far, I converted my soft lines back to hard lines with -3 fittings, and finished them off with a proper bleeding.
4. After going over the U4 safety inspection, I wanted to button up a few small holes in the fire wall with the trans tunnel. Therefore I removed the trans tunnel, installed some heat shield and aluminum tape, and reinstalled everything for the last time.
5. After working through all of those issues, it was time to address the darkness to come with the night race. Although I have some KC headlights, I wanted to make sure I had some lights for the sides. I picked up some KC Flex for the A pillar. It was easy to install the one, however the hard part was getting them to match. Then having to re-wire everything because the supplied wiring loom was horrible. All in all, we'll have all the light we need.
6. After completing the light install, it was officially time to go over everything one last time as I put the skins back on. After adding blue loctite here, and a few zip ties there, putting the safety gear back on it, Tinkerita was put all back together and ready for the road.
Won't be long now and we'll be loaded up and headed to the Big House in Crandon.
After getting it home, the final part of the race prep was to begin. Unfortunately I didn't have the help I was expecting, so to say the least I didn't sleep much this past weekend. Aside from standard prep stuff, nut/bolt checks, fluids, etc. I had to address a few issues. 1. To date, I haven't put together any new race totes for the new build. Therefore I worked on that... prior to picking up the Jeep from Routh Signs.
2. Harness issues... due to the design of the Corbeau harnesses, I wasn't able to get them tight enough with the seats. Therefore I had to remove them and install another set where they tighten close to the buckles. I went with Zamp 2" x 3" for the hans device. After getting them installed, I had to get them adjusted. No issues now with a tight belt.
3. I needed to address the leaking brake master cylinder. It was my fault it failed since I didn't bleed them correctly. Instead of installing a rebuild, I wanted to replace it with a larger bore to get a little better pedal response. So the journey started with me replacing the masters, since I was that far, I converted my soft lines back to hard lines with -3 fittings, and finished them off with a proper bleeding.
4. After going over the U4 safety inspection, I wanted to button up a few small holes in the fire wall with the trans tunnel. Therefore I removed the trans tunnel, installed some heat shield and aluminum tape, and reinstalled everything for the last time.
5. After working through all of those issues, it was time to address the darkness to come with the night race. Although I have some KC headlights, I wanted to make sure I had some lights for the sides. I picked up some KC Flex for the A pillar. It was easy to install the one, however the hard part was getting them to match. Then having to re-wire everything because the supplied wiring loom was horrible. All in all, we'll have all the light we need.
6. After completing the light install, it was officially time to go over everything one last time as I put the skins back on. After adding blue loctite here, and a few zip ties there, putting the safety gear back on it, Tinkerita was put all back together and ready for the road.
Won't be long now and we'll be loaded up and headed to the Big House in Crandon.
BigSouth
Doesn't play well with others!
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2011
- Location
- Shelby, NC
and here I was thinking that I was a good husband because I let my wife pick out purple harnesses…
FSU Off-Road
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2018
- Location
- Hickory, NC
Sorry everyone, I know this has been long awaited. A lot has happened personally since we returned from The Big House, but things have stabilized now and hopefully I'll get back to enjoying race car things and social media stuff.
Prior to leaving, I did take some pictures of Tinkerita all ready and of course, loaded up on the way! Thankful for a great support system and team that we have in place. We were able to take the toterhome and stacker trailer to have some creature comforts. Was a tight squeeze, but we made it work. Very thankful for this because this came in handy at Crandon. None the less, 18 hours later we arrived and started the unloading process.
To date, we've never had the opportunity to have these comforts, so it was a huge blessing to have at Crandon. I didn't realize how far we jumped into the deep end until we got there. If anyone ever gets the chance to go, do it! It's literally a mini Hammers and a huge event for the area. Absolutely awesome as a driver and a spectator. Regardless, we made it through tech with no issues and were tagged to go race. After doing some adjustments, we were off on our first practice session. Thankfully it started out slow, because I wasn't prepared for the full-on assault that was to unfold. The car handled very well and the faster I drove it in the rocks, the better the suspension worked. Was on the very last lap where our first issue would arise, on the homestretch rocks, the throttle cable came off the pedal leaving me stranded. Thankfully it was the last lap and an easy fix. The crew towed me back to camp so we could fix the minor issue.
Thankfully it was a quick fix as our second practice was qualifying for the Friday afternoon short course race. As posted earlier on the thread, we did well for our first time qualifying. The more seat time I got in the car, the more comfortable it became which allowed me to go faster and faster each lap. I was pleased with our standing and we as a team were excited about what was to come!
One of the coolest things about the Cradon experience was the parade before the racing started. I'm glad we decided to partake. Not only did we get to meet a lot of cool people, but we were able to make some key connections for the 2024 season!
Now for the good stuff... I wish I could say things went perfect for our first race but that was 100% not the case. At the very start of the race, we made tire contact on takeoff which punted me sideways and put me in a bad starting position right out of the gate. I wasn't able to have that desired clean space on the track with the faster guys, so we had to push pretty hard in the rocks to make up some time. As most of you saw, around lap 3 we got a rear flat that slowed us down, but I refused to stop! I believe we made it 4 or so laps on the flat before total destruction to the car. Coming out of the homestretch rocks, I nailed the lower skid plate with one of the boulders which unfortunately bent up the lower link bracket which in return bent the crossover tube up enough to crack the transmission pan, puking ATF all over the place. Luckily my spotter noticed the fumes right away and I was able to limp it off the track on the backside. The track crew towed me to the start line where we could assess the damage.
I'm not sure how most people would react busting up their car, but I was so stoked about what we had just accomplished. The first time racing the car was and unbelievable moment and I was so ecstatic to say the least. When the team drove up, they weren't 100% sure how I would react, but I believe my smiling face said it all, which I know eased the situation. And having so many locals come up after the race praising the pink leopard print car as something I'll never forget.
The car did have a lot of damage though and we knew we only had 24hrs to get it back to the starting line for the night race. We changed the busted wheel and towed it back to camp. This is where the stacker trailer was a life saver as we winched the car into the trailer and raised it up. Once we were able to assess the damage, we strategically came up with a game plan on what we were to do. After a little bit of work to get things torn apart, we called it a night as we didn't have what we needed to fix it. The next morning came early as well all had our jobs to get Tinkerita back up and running. Half the team worked on the coilovers and the broken pieces, others chased down parts, as the rest of us focused on the transmission and getting a replacement pan in there. Was a very long exhausting day, but with just a little bit if time to spare, Tinkerita was able to make it to the starting line once more.
Our goal at this point was to go out and have fun! We started near the back due to our overall finish with the Friday night race, so we just wanted to run our race and see what would happen. Unfortunately, there was scary rollover at the beginning of the race that took place right in front of me. I'm thankful Anthony was able to walk away, however the car was a totaled mess (we saw it later). After that, the second restart was a little tougher due to watching that happen. My goal was to keep it clean and that's exactly what we did. Starting in nearly the very back we were able to work our way to 9th overall before the D300 let loose on the last lap, leaving me down on the homestretch for the last time. Luckily, I was able to drive it out in 2WD and drive it back onto the trailer. For our first race, I was so happy with our 6th in class and 12th overall finish at The Big House. We faced a lot of adversity and not once did the team get discouraged. I'm happy to have surrounded myself around a bunch of guys that are positive and love this sport as much as I do. I truly couldn't have done it without them.
There's a lot more to come, so stay tuned
Prior to leaving, I did take some pictures of Tinkerita all ready and of course, loaded up on the way! Thankful for a great support system and team that we have in place. We were able to take the toterhome and stacker trailer to have some creature comforts. Was a tight squeeze, but we made it work. Very thankful for this because this came in handy at Crandon. None the less, 18 hours later we arrived and started the unloading process.
To date, we've never had the opportunity to have these comforts, so it was a huge blessing to have at Crandon. I didn't realize how far we jumped into the deep end until we got there. If anyone ever gets the chance to go, do it! It's literally a mini Hammers and a huge event for the area. Absolutely awesome as a driver and a spectator. Regardless, we made it through tech with no issues and were tagged to go race. After doing some adjustments, we were off on our first practice session. Thankfully it started out slow, because I wasn't prepared for the full-on assault that was to unfold. The car handled very well and the faster I drove it in the rocks, the better the suspension worked. Was on the very last lap where our first issue would arise, on the homestretch rocks, the throttle cable came off the pedal leaving me stranded. Thankfully it was the last lap and an easy fix. The crew towed me back to camp so we could fix the minor issue.
Thankfully it was a quick fix as our second practice was qualifying for the Friday afternoon short course race. As posted earlier on the thread, we did well for our first time qualifying. The more seat time I got in the car, the more comfortable it became which allowed me to go faster and faster each lap. I was pleased with our standing and we as a team were excited about what was to come!
One of the coolest things about the Cradon experience was the parade before the racing started. I'm glad we decided to partake. Not only did we get to meet a lot of cool people, but we were able to make some key connections for the 2024 season!
Now for the good stuff... I wish I could say things went perfect for our first race but that was 100% not the case. At the very start of the race, we made tire contact on takeoff which punted me sideways and put me in a bad starting position right out of the gate. I wasn't able to have that desired clean space on the track with the faster guys, so we had to push pretty hard in the rocks to make up some time. As most of you saw, around lap 3 we got a rear flat that slowed us down, but I refused to stop! I believe we made it 4 or so laps on the flat before total destruction to the car. Coming out of the homestretch rocks, I nailed the lower skid plate with one of the boulders which unfortunately bent up the lower link bracket which in return bent the crossover tube up enough to crack the transmission pan, puking ATF all over the place. Luckily my spotter noticed the fumes right away and I was able to limp it off the track on the backside. The track crew towed me to the start line where we could assess the damage.
I'm not sure how most people would react busting up their car, but I was so stoked about what we had just accomplished. The first time racing the car was and unbelievable moment and I was so ecstatic to say the least. When the team drove up, they weren't 100% sure how I would react, but I believe my smiling face said it all, which I know eased the situation. And having so many locals come up after the race praising the pink leopard print car as something I'll never forget.
The car did have a lot of damage though and we knew we only had 24hrs to get it back to the starting line for the night race. We changed the busted wheel and towed it back to camp. This is where the stacker trailer was a life saver as we winched the car into the trailer and raised it up. Once we were able to assess the damage, we strategically came up with a game plan on what we were to do. After a little bit of work to get things torn apart, we called it a night as we didn't have what we needed to fix it. The next morning came early as well all had our jobs to get Tinkerita back up and running. Half the team worked on the coilovers and the broken pieces, others chased down parts, as the rest of us focused on the transmission and getting a replacement pan in there. Was a very long exhausting day, but with just a little bit if time to spare, Tinkerita was able to make it to the starting line once more.
Our goal at this point was to go out and have fun! We started near the back due to our overall finish with the Friday night race, so we just wanted to run our race and see what would happen. Unfortunately, there was scary rollover at the beginning of the race that took place right in front of me. I'm thankful Anthony was able to walk away, however the car was a totaled mess (we saw it later). After that, the second restart was a little tougher due to watching that happen. My goal was to keep it clean and that's exactly what we did. Starting in nearly the very back we were able to work our way to 9th overall before the D300 let loose on the last lap, leaving me down on the homestretch for the last time. Luckily, I was able to drive it out in 2WD and drive it back onto the trailer. For our first race, I was so happy with our 6th in class and 12th overall finish at The Big House. We faced a lot of adversity and not once did the team get discouraged. I'm happy to have surrounded myself around a bunch of guys that are positive and love this sport as much as I do. I truly couldn't have done it without them.
There's a lot more to come, so stay tuned
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