What about...hear me out here...turning one frame rail into the exhaust? :lol:

right!!

:f2:

dude ... you are actually not the first person to suggest that :james:

The more I think about it...the more I think it could work. Cross section might be a bit small at the back section...I bet it would sound really weird :lol:

Got a new toy in the mail today! I had the swag press brake, but just got the adapter for tight bends. I think this is going to be good.

The sheet is 16g CORTEN i had left over from building the house, so its nice n solid. I was thinking about where to put a bead roll or 2 and its just noooot needed. The floor structure bridge will be plated over and under to box it.

https://i.imgur.com/ZBfU4eA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/FZV4csN.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/8tiemYN.jpg

I have a meeyon uses for that thing, where did you get it? It looks like it does an awesome job.

If you google swag off-road he makes a bunch of add ons for standard tools and HF stuff. We have an air over hydraulic adapter for the JD2 bender and it works great. Swag does cool stuff. He

Yep swag off road brings a lot of win! I have a portaband table mount as well

Getting a little better at this sheet metal thing. I'll fill the floor flat across to the tunnel, and will be a huge flare going fwd around the bell. Lucky me, i was able to read my own sketch :lol:

https://i.imgur.com/rGB7ojp.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/XKVbh2z.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/zwe22iq.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9pZO3NE.jpg

finally got the throttle pedal i ordered like 2 months ago. There was NO way my size 13 boot was going to fit between the tunnel and the brake pedal where it was. Relief cuts, reversed the bends to get the pedal arm on the other side of the column n i think we are golden. I actually like the mirrored look better to!

https://i.imgur.com/JTC2uAF.jpg

Welp, I know what I need to order now.

ok, finally stopped procrastinating and got to work on the new doghouse for the #6 cylinder. lots of trial work with the markers before i finally settled on something i liked.

made the firewall cuts, measured twice, then bent myself a 6.5" sidewall to the doghouse. fit it, realized i had measured wrong, and had to cut in half since i didn't want to waste that much steel. got it welded back together and that little panel had a little warp in it. i hate sheet metal. and i really could have taken a tiny bit more out of it, but oh well. she fit pretty well.

https://i.imgur.com/n95rs0Q.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/rIgQDj8.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/WtOx9Bs.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/n2criUn.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/igcgbVS.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Ctdnsas.jpg

so before i swung that massive chunk of cast iron out of the frame, i had measured about where i wanted to cut the tunnel on the dog house back plate. nothing like trusting in your notes and making holes! the back plate has a 6.5deg bend (same angle as engine tip) in it as well, trying to pull the face fwd and give my boot a little more room. i need to test fit with all the pedals and seat in place, but i could actually do like a 1" chamfer up that whole corner if needed too. i'll finish the rest of the tunnel first.

should have enough room on the exhaust side for an aftermarket manifold and full blanket to keep the cab cooler.

https://i.imgur.com/VK4baEV.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/b5wh5Rw.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/CKy2eFi.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/XDm9vxQ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/32vnZzP.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Bi3m2C4.jpg

my biggest win was that the engine/trans were able to swing in together at the same time! that trans is STUPID heavy and i have zero interest in trying to put it in from the bottom. i'd probably pull the cab. my tunnel cut lined up nice, and i'm buring it all in solid now.

https://i.imgur.com/o3jmUcN.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kjy7sYR.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/gVLytud.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/PhijXY1.jpg

Looking good. Also agree that I would not want to lift the trans in from the bottom unless I had a 2 post and trans jack.

fawk, i'd not even attempt it on a trans jack! maybe if i had 2 of them under it, one at the bell and one at the tail. only way i would do it would be on a lift, lower the truck down until the trans rests on an HD rolly cart, block it, unbolt n roll back, then lift the truck up off.

actually did that last time i pulled the nv4500 out of the TJ at a buddies house. sooooooo gooooood.

Drill 2 holes for the back head bolts and seal with grommets so you can pull the head bolts out and take the head of without pulling the motor.

In the top of the cowl? Or?

i was thinkin about that, but there are like 4-6 bolts under there. plus i'm not sure i can get the valve cover off, or the exhaust manifold easy.

other than the anxiety of the weight on a HF crane, it's actually not bad puling it vs other junk i've messed with. i made the engine mounts come out really easy totally out of the way, and the front clip won't have anything mounted to it but one lighting connection and 6 bolts to pull. drain some fluids, drive shaft, fuel line n starter wires.

Yeah dodge does it from the factory. I almost got ****ed on that doing a head gasket on a 12v swapped suburban.