Vannin' Home Forums Dodge Performance (Dodge) I'm in the Garage! YEAH!

Not sure what's going on with that door , as I just jumped in here but it is looking like you have my attention. You need to get this thread on a single thread so people like me can see this from the start.

your confused? This thread has been going for a such long time that I have used it as a reference. You Could always subscribe to it.
Like I said in the beginning, this is an adventure..... I don't know what's going to happen along the way, but will continue to inch along towards the destination. Had to document it somewhere and vanning.com seemed like a fine place.
I have been updating this thread since it started on July 27th 2010 @ 4:02 pm. Its going to be long. It started with getting a garage, buying a MIG welder at a yard sale, and cutting a hole in the side of my van. It snow balled from there. You can read all about it, hahaha....

If you just want to surf pics taken over the years I started stuffing them into a blog just to consolidate them. And even that is not in total chronological order. Click-Clack

HomeBrew, I just finished reading this entire thread (over a few days)and I must tell you how impressed I am at your "won't take "no" for answer" mentality! I've been a Welder now for 30+ years and from what I can see in the pics your welding prowess has come a long way since the beginning. Practice, practice, practice...the only way to get better! Good luck with this project. hope you finish it (relatively) soon!

Thanks BudVan - I'm having a lot of fun learning. (can't believe you read the whole thing, but thanks!! Its and Adventure.)



I've been back on the IFS kick. Been on the horn with about a dozen or so MFGrs and custom shops the last two weeks. Still a bit shocked by what a few of them said (and didn't say). I'm getting super excited to make the plunge.

The rear axle is nearly ready, got my gaskets made. That was a trip and took for ever. I'll have to dump and post pics of that tangent.

Not sure wtf I was thinking when I thought It would only get baked to 150*F.....brain fart or something. They are going to cook this thing after plating and then again after powder coating, somewhere around 400*F. Good news - the gaskets between the plates and the housing are really only there to keep the chemicals, metals, and powders from getting INSIDE the housing. The plates and gasket are individually keyed so they don't get mixed up and can be removed for baking. (....jackass... )


I do have one question about what appears to be an oil seal at either end of the 8.75 axle housing shaft. Is that something I can remove / replace / reinstall on my own? Or is that something that needs to be pressed in or requires a special tool reinstall?

Some Gasket pics.

Someone on here Suggested using a mud flap as the material. It seemed like the best option and worked out well.

Picked up a Rubber Semi truck Mud flap. It was taller than my van tire and just as wide. 1/4" thick in the thickest parts and 1/8" thick in the thinnest. One side of the flap is flat, I used that for the axle housing matting side. the grooved site towards the plate/caps. Added in some 1/8" flat bar to off set the grove. Seems to work. Each plate is now keyed to its matching gasket. It can only be assembled one way. This should avoid confusion at the plating plant.




















You get the idea.... Finished welding up the tabs last night and started polishing. Bit more polishing and a quick sand blast of the very ends of the axle housing and we should be about ready to plate it and the bars.


Some "frame" diagrams to follow along.

Basic Stock Frame:



Mods to Frame (no IFS clip yet):




Very glad I did not rush out and buy a mustang II kit. It would have worked, but I have a better and safer solution now. Regardless of which IFS being used, the front frame still requires a some modification.

Totally dig'in to the Art Morrison IFS. Out of all the people I contacted, they provided me with the best information and drawings. They make some top notch shit and I don't mind paying a little more. (It could be the difference between life and death.) I'll end up with higher end parts too, for example Flaming River Power front steering rack'n'pinion, wilwood spindles/rotors/calipers, etc.

Their weld in crossmembers come in six widths. [see page 44 of their catalog] (For some price they could likely make what ever you wanted.) For my application the 62" track width would be about perfect. Check measured my stock one again last night.

Then noticed their fully welded Bikini clip package [Page 45 in their catalog] ooohhhhhh. That would make grafting it onto my frame much easier. Knowing everything to that point is straight/true and welded up at their shop some how makes me feel better about it. I 'm confident I can get that attached to the frame in a manner that it wont fall off, lol, but keeping the geometry true is another story.


Need to save up a bit more before I can order the parts, but that's the plan as it stands.

They have some really cool stuff check it out:
2013 AME Catalog

HomeBrew Thanks for showing you're body work with the mig welder,you spured me on to buy a new Lincoln mig welder 140 amp and now Thanks to you I have a better understanding of the process and how to go about it,Thanks again,joe

AWESOME! That's how it starts, I found it addictive.

I do love my Lincoln. I've fixed lawn mower decks, made mini bike gas tanks, metal stands for stuff, exhaust pipes on numerous cars, helped the neighbor kid out, Modded a bike and go-kart frame or two, hell Clover and I made keg hauling wagon by cutting up a bicycle and welding some shelving to it, etc. It's kind of funny to be honest. If something steel breaks.....you could fix that.... need a bracket on something? you can make that... don't fit? cut more off or weld more on. Kind of like gluing steel together The practical uses for a welder just kind of present themselves after you have one. It is an eye opening experience.

Like everyone keeps saying, "Practice, practice, practice..."

I'd suggest just getting a bunch of scrap metal and cutting it up and welding shapes and stuff out of it (seriously), or even just cutting it up and welding it back together. Play with different steel thicknesses, that lets you play with the wire speed and heat vs. the material you are working with. I still don't have it dialed in but I get a little better each time I play with it. Best of luck on YOUR adventure
Do some google'n, "how to Mig weld" - Youtube is great too!

- oh, one more thing....

someone once told me, "You will either get REAL good at grinding or REAL good at welding by the time your done..."

I still don't know how that's going to play out. BUT I am doing less grinding then before... so buy an angle grinder with extra wheels and some good protective wear ;-)
Safety First!

I have my 84 dodge 4x4 pickup that has a bad frame so I have all kinds body metal to practice on But rest assured i'll read everyone of your posts and learn as I go, I have all the safety equipment and the new grinder to use and let's not forget the fire extinguisher on hand too,weld on,Thanks joe.