68' M715 AKA "Smokey", 8.1 engine on links, coils and 40's

All filled in.

Did 3 rounds of rough sanding with a flap wheel then going back over and filling any low spots with silicone bronze

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Once everything was level, hit it with the DA

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Wow that’s dedication. Lotta time under the hood right there! Came out awesome. Forgive me if you already mentioned this, but are you using silicone bronze filler metal on all of this tig work?
 
Wow that’s dedication. Lotta time under the hood right there! Came out awesome. Forgive me if you already mentioned this, but are you using silicone bronze filler metal on all of this tig work?
Thanks!!

Yes I’m using silicone bronze in the stuff I consider “non structural”, mostly sheet metal and the like. Nearly all of it is 1/16” rod but I have some .045 for the really thin stuff

Strength wise, it is very good. About 50,000 psi compared to the 70,000 of the ER70S2 I use for the high strength steel welds. Bottom line is it shouldn’t come apart AND it’s much easier sanding it
 
Thanks!!

Yes I’m using silicone bronze in the stuff I consider “non structural”, mostly sheet metal and the like. Nearly all of it is 1/16” rod but I have some .045 for the really thin stuff

Strength wise, it is very good. About 50,000 psi compared to the 70,000 of the ER70S2 I use for the high strength steel welds. Bottom line is it shouldn’t come apart AND it’s much easier sanding it

Oh ok, it’s maybe a bit softer and therefore easy to sand / smooth out. Yea I’ve never used that wire, that’s why I was curious. I like how it looks. Very cool👍
 
Fun with seats…

These are PRP with installed seat heaters

Mounted the rails…

My buddy Ethan was over to do the tube bending work

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On blocks for setup. Front floor bar has been added here

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Rear cross bar. Bent to clear the rear of the transmission hump

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Main seat hoop tacked in…

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And the passenger side had major clearance issues which we saw coming.

Out came the plasma…

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To make room for the main hoop. I’ll box the floor back in this week

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A few little things. Got the doors out that mount on the lower portion of the bad. Blasted them, super nasty and 3 coats of thick paint

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I can only imagine what the truck looked like when it was this glow orange color


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Blasted the tailgate hinges. Of the 4, only 1 is remotely straight

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Added some support legs and feet to the seat hoops. This is the driver side

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Passenger side support

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And cut out seat mount brackets. Hopefully the seats will get installed tomorrow

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Nearly got both seat mounts knocked out today. Actually ran out of plate steel but it’s very close

Used some OSB to assist with the seat bolt spacing and you can see the 1” DOM bent up in place

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Driver seat will sit just like this, some very odd bends and copes but it works

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Seats are in and fully mounted now. Cut out a chunk of 3/16” plate this morning, spaced out the mounts appropriately and burned them in. LOTS of clamps and a big chunk of angle to keep things flat while welding

Both inboard seat mounts will require a small gusset on the forward edge

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Bent up some chunks of 1.5” DOM and made some hip guards. They also triangulate and reinforce the rear of the cage

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Added two small 1” grab handles and called it a day

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Seats are in and fully mounted now. Cut out a chunk of 3/16” plate this morning, spaced out the mounts appropriately and burned them in. LOTS of clamps and a big chunk of angle to keep things flat while welding

Both inboard seat mounts will require a small gusset on the forward edge

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Bent up some chunks of 1.5” DOM and made some hip guards. They also triangulate and reinforce the rear of the cage

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Added two small 1” grab handles and called it a day

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I see it’s a typical Jeep windshield 🤣 this thing is going to be killer when finished.
 
Now that the seats and brackets are in, I was able to figure out the radio mounts

We wanted to get both under the passenger seat and it was a SQUEEZE. Layed out the mounting brackets…

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Drilled 8 holes for welded nutserts

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Burned them in

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And now they’re mounted. I need some strips of 1/2” UHMW to push them off the floor but you get the idea.
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They fit VERY well and are a good use of space in the fairly cramped cab

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Now that the seats and brackets are in, I was able to figure out the radio mounts

We wanted to get both under the passenger seat and it was a SQUEEZE. Layed out the mounting brackets…

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Drilled 8 holes for welded nutserts

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Burned them in

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And now they’re mounted. I need some strips of 1/2” UHMW to push them off the floor but you get the idea.
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They fit VERY well and are a good use of space in the fairly cramped cab

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Shit I don't think I'd bother with umhw for shims, just get some nylon washers at the hardware store. Pretty bad ass whoever you decide to do...
 
Shit I don't think I'd bother with umhw for shims, just get some nylon washers at the hardware store. Pretty bad ass whoever you decide to do...
Yeah, I just want to make sure I have them spaced off the floor quite a bit. Not only for air flow and cooling but also if water and mud gets in I don't want the radios sitting in it. UHMW is great stuff, only about $25 for four feet of 1.5"x.5" thick material. It drills and machines very nicely and wont ever corrode in addition to being somewhat of an insulator
 
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