The Hornet. 96 S-10 2wd to 4wd

[paradisePWoffrd]

Order weld washers, and blow the holes out with a plasma, weld in washers...easy peasy

Matt

By far the easiest way. I killed 2 bits trying to drill a trans mount.

 

[BigSouth]

Just fyi, drilling it is a PITA.

Order weld washers, and blow the holes out with a plasma, weld in washers...easy peasy

Matt

My plan is to cut out 6 bolt head size holes in the AR plate. I'll weld 1/2" Grade 8 bolts top and bottom of the AR plate. Those bolts will serve as studs to extend up through my 2 crossmembers and be secured with lock washers and nuts. That way the threads and nuts will also be protected by the AR plate.

 

[seed60]

Digging the headlights. This thing is super clean.

 

[BigSouth]

Digging the headlights. This thing is super clean.

Thanks! Hopefully I get it on the trail this spring so it can start earning it's keep.

 

[BigSouth]

Scored this from Jody Treadway when I went to pick up my front diff. I mentioned I wanted one to try and improve my front driveline angle and he just so happened to have one sitting on his shelf. My Atlas was ordered with Toyota flanges so I was wasting about 3" of driveshaft length just making the connection. Oh well, live and learn. $50 is a rather cheap lesson.

 

[BigSouth]

I'll use Jody's term here and I quote "Hog that thing out!". This gained me about another 5 degrees of flex if you trust the iPhone app.

 

[BigSouth]

Much better driveline angles now. Again, if you trust the app, I'm resting at about a 29 degree angle now. Still steep, but I think it'll flex with my leaf springs no problem.

 

[BigSouth]

Finally got this thing running, driving, and stopping on its on. Just a little drive through the field and flex across a few terraces. Already rubbed the paint off of those pretty driveshafts.

 

[BigSouth]

Here's where it rubs the exhaust crossover. Hope to fix that this week when I get the rest of the exhaust ran.

 

[BigSouth]

This one might be a bigger deal. Gotta do some flexing on purpose and see exactly when I start to make contact. Hopefully I can address this with a simple bump stop.

 

[BigSouth]

Finally got to town to get my exhaust handled. I don't own a tubing bender and I needed some special attention to get up and over the transmission crossmember and around the Atlas. I picked up that 3" inlet pipe, Flowmaster single chamber, and the turndowns, all welded up off Craigslist for $25. Fits my needs perfect. Kenny's Muffler Shop in Shelby did great work.

 

[BigSouth]

Flowmaster and dual turndowns sound pretty good. At idle it sounds like a small block.

 

[BigSouth]

Picked up some exhaust wrap to protect the Atlas.

 

[BigSouth]

Had the trailer sitting there and thought I'd try some flexing and posing to see if I had any clearance problems anywhere.

 

[BigSouth]

 

[BigSouth]

Nothing bound up or popped loose. I'll take it.

 

[BigSouth]

It's time to address that huge hole in my floorboard. The kids are getting antsy to ride and I gotta keep their piggies safe. Picked up some 1/2" angle iron, 1/8" thick and a sheet of 20 gauge to skin it with. If it all works out, there'll be a removable access to get to that front u-joint for regular grease and a possible trail fix.

 

[BigSouth]

Mocked up the cable shifter base. It's gonna be a tight fit, but I should still have full travel of my sliding bench for when the wife wants to try her hand at driving.

 

[BigSouth]

 

[BigSouth]

Absolute worst part! Arts and crafts with my kids stealing my marker and my scissors. No shortage of paper airplanes laying around my shop right now.

 

[BigSouth]

I know the welds are ugly, but that's what a flapper disc is for. I'm gonna spray it with truck bed coating and then cover the whole floor with vinyl anyway.

 

[BigSouth]

 

[BigSouth]

3 coats of Truck Bed Coating and it's finally ready for install.

 

[BigSouth]

Fits like a glove! Seat slides all the way forward without any binding. I'll get that little door made next time I'm off. I have to get the vinyl floor kit ordered anyway.

 

[BigSouth]

View from the drivers side. Took the truck out for a few spins around the farm. The Atlas is still a little stiff shifting, but it does go into HI and LO and works as it should. Just need some breaking in.