1971 f250 DESERT truck- 10/24 race prep

[1971ford]

yep
I love the black plates, both my truck's have them. I want custom plates but I'm not going to get them because of the black plates

[03rangerxlt]

damn cool project. just wnt from start to current now on it.

[1971ford]

thanks
Worked all day, didn't eat one thing all day i was so busy, lots of water though

notch by notch, tube by tube it comes together slowly.


Not totally sure yet but I think i am going to use big zip ties to zip tie the nets to the top of the door frame like it is now, then a quick-release rod running through the net loops, so if we roll and we can't open the doors we can crawl through the windows (or kick windshield out)






mocked up spares... I need to get some tubes bent that will hold the spares in

[rjewkes]

Cool have the neighbors finally decided to play nice? as in no complaints about the bronco?

[BradyCouchman]

i dont really see those tires staying in place.....also what happened with the bronco? its in your drive what can they say? and i dont know about the zip ties i hope that was a joke.....but the cage is lookiing great!

[1971ford]

yeah we havent had any notes for the wrecked bronco... or for my continuos grinding. We got the new bronco all driving and pretty so we park that behind the wrecked bronco so you can't reall see the carnage on the wrecked bronco, that side faces bushes.

[theskytoucher]

i dont really see those tires staying in place.....also what happened with the bronco? its in your drive what can they say? and i dont know about the zip ties i hope that was a joke.....but the cage is lookiing great!

If i remember correctly zip ties are legal for score international racing, im not sure right now cause my rule book is about 25 miles away but im almost positive they are legal!

[67 ford f100s rule]

Looking awesome Ryan. I like your idea for the spares. I still admire the C.I.D. on the side. Its got the makings of a winner.

[1971ford]

no no no the spares are veerry temporary in that spot with that ratchet strap! that was just to hold them in place as i stared at them! those would fly out in a second
As for the zip ties, those were to hold the nets in place as i stared at them as well. And zip tires are actually legal for SCORE, VORRA, etc. Even duct tape has been used in VORRA but Im sure they don't like it.
I will be making a seat-belt buckle quick release for the window nets or aself tapping screw snap-buttons all around hte window frame.

update
-add a high performance super-light weight racing jack
-brainstormed on spare tire mounting ideas
-mounted dust light
-added door bars and seat belt mount tube between door bars
-more brainstorming
-took truck to the welding shop i work at and had the boss weld the whole thing solid (didn't trust my welding skillz for saving lives yet )
-found that header to exhaust pipe flanges were about to fall off for the second time, so i tightened them back up and threw a tack on each nut. While the truck was on the lift i started grabbing wrenches and tightening every bolt. found some loose ones.
-notched rear of bed for bumper tubes. i should be making a bumper tomorrow that will also be a part of the tire carrier and will tie into the bed cage.
-found a interesting piece of information about the ol' truck

Scissor jack and a 4x4. perfect budget setup for this first race










Need your assistance on a crucial decision
Where should all my awesome stickers go! I decided on two possibly places. Any ideas on other places, if not which one of these two places is better in your opinion? Again, very crucial decision, my great horsepower gains depend on key placement.
There may be more stickers to come, especially in the future so maybe the rear spot is better, so when i get more stickers they are in the rear instead of clumped in the middle of the truck? hmm


I was talking to my boss at the welding shop about how the area looked 30 years ago. He told me how "Bennett Ford" used to be right across the street. It didn't click until i got home that the liscense plate frame i took off the truck a long time ago, says "Folsom Bennett Ford". So this truck was purchased a minute from my house.... cool I will be putting the liscense plate frame back on.

[67 ford f100s rule]

Hey Ryan, I was thinking. You said you wanted to use more tubing to house the spares right? What if you get some hubs that will fit the spares and weld them nito your roll cage. They should stay pretty still.
I think your idea about having your stickers on the bed is a good idea. It gives you much more space to work with.

Thats pretty cool that your truck was sold to the original owner that close.

[BradyCouchman]

how did you get the cage so close to the rear of the cab? does your bed not have the front wall anymore? just looks really close for being in the bed....

[1971ford]

Using hubs would be a pretty easy way but I have planned out hte spare mounts so the spares will seat inside of various tubes that i will be bending this weekend and welding in within a week along with the rear bumper.

The front of the bed has been cut out, the main hoop is about 1" away from the cab. to weld the door bars/roof bars we pulled the whole cage back then pushed it forward again.

Good idea on the video camera but I actually got one of my brothers old videocameras to work It is a sony handycam that should do great. I will be making a mount for it in a bit so that when we do testing.. we can test the video camera as well and get some footage for you guys

[67newschool]

nice work it will even be better when you get the suspension done. That is cool that other people are helping you out with free stuff. I got a 67 that i am still debating what to do lift it or lower it but i read your post and it makes me want to lift it. Keep up the good work it is cool to look at something you built and feel good when other people say it looks nice. Be careful when you race.

[1971ford]

-installed secondary door latches
-wired horn to switch in cab
-wired dust light
-replaced rear coilover shocks with normal shocks (off a wrecked bronco )
-broke a wheel off the truck, breaking the studs, wrecking the fender and the wheel





tire decided to make more room too in the inner-fender area

new studs and nuts. longer this time too

At this point i was laughing about it thinking no big deal, throw a new fender on and were done.
So we head off to get a few tubes bent so i can get some work done this week when there is a bad vibration while we are driving. What the heck!
So we go back and find that there is a huge bulge in the tire... wtf. This bulge was not here on the way home, or when the tire was off. why did it appear when we tried to go get tubing bent.

So here is my new tire.



That is the part that makes me mad. This is going to bring down chances of us having our first race at Hawthorne in september... we are running on barely any money, just enough for this race and here we are needing a new tire that i cannot find anywhere. I can't find any used 32/33 for 16" rim


Tuesday we are going to attempt to drive the truck to get the tubing bent again, chances are the wheel will explode

[aramil]

man i wish my 33"s would work but they are for a 15" rim and shipping would be killer from iowa.