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Half-Cab - "Annie" Build Thread

u10072

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 18, 2007
Messages
2,249
Hello All,
Here are some pics of my half cab I am building and the cage that is going in. In trying to avoid the typical half cab cage look. It took some extra work but in the end I think its going to be really sweet. The top will be removable by unbolting the extra 12 bolts that bolt the cage to the floor and by the jaws up at the top/back of the cage. I could have put in an extra set but at $80 a pair you sacrafice strength and not all the much speed . I included the "Stroppe-Style" feet and bent the tubing to mirror the body and try to give it that "full-race" look while still allowing the most room possible in the bed. The silver bronco pic is of the typical style of half-cab cage that I was trying to avoid-- reminds me too much of the '80s Chevy truck with 12" of lift, 44" Ground Hawg Mudders, 48 pink shocks and a double tube triple chrome light bar. Thats how I see it at least :)

Matt
 

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deltarat

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 12, 2006
Messages
3,371
Loc.
Drew,Ms
I like the way you tucked it up in the top. I want to do one like that, but run it through the dash to get the pillar out of the door. How are you going to seal where the tube goes through the top? Have you driven it yet? I was wondering with the top and tube flexing different would it rattle?
I saw some tube joints used on Extreme 4x4 and wondered how strong they are? Is that what you used? Does anyone have any experience with them and how they work and how strong are they?
 

ol gray mare

Sr. Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2009
Messages
465
;D reminds me too much of the '80s Chevy truck with 12" of lift, 44" Ground Hawg Mudders, 48 pink shocks and a double tube triple chrome light bar. Thats how I see it at least

Matt

;D"Now, that there's funny..I don't care who you are!"
 

patrickmitton

Jr. Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Messages
70
Loc.
kerby Or.
I always liked the 80S chevy truck with all the LIFT AND THE hot pink SHOCKS. They had one at the tuff truck challange at the local fair grounds, It was to be smashed by the monster trucks....the best Garbage pile ever....on a Quite nite you can here a chevy truck Rust...at ..twenty feet..
 
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u10072

u10072

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 18, 2007
Messages
2,249
Last pic are the new bed braces added-- just an idea to keep the bed from spreading
 

68ford

Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 26, 2004
Messages
2,710
i used the same method of bed support. same hole and all :)
 
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u10072

u10072

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 18, 2007
Messages
2,249
HC Bumper Pics

Here are some pics of my front and rear bumper on my "Annie" half-cab project. The front light-bar is removable in case I want a winch or another mounting setup- its held on with two 7/16" bolts with the heads cut off welded to the tube. The rear tire doesn't need a spinner or a platform to hold the tire as the combination of the tube configuration and the strap holds it down perfectly and keeps it in place. I figured if it works on trophy-trucks it would make do for me. Just a FYI the way the strap works is you get a perfectly good nice ratchet strap with nice cad-plated hooks-- and you cut them off ;D Sounds stupid but then you slide a piece of 3/4" x .120 wall tubing (perfect 1/2" i.d.) cut about 3/8" longer than the webbing, weld on two tabs, slide in the 1/2" bolt and than makes up the pivot. Its amazing what you pick up sometimes at a good fab shop!
 

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u10072

u10072

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 18, 2007
Messages
2,249
Thanks- I would like to make the hoop on the front bumper a tad taller for better light options-- nothing is finished welded so that is still on the table.
 
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u10072

u10072

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 18, 2007
Messages
2,249
Inner Fender Mods

Here are some of the inner fender mods that to me are about a mandatory operation on the bronco. For simple ease of maintenance, inspection and installation. Why fight the inner fender when you don't have to?? By marking where the seam is with the drill bit on the engine side you can cut on the wheel side where there is much more room to work. Makes perfect cut lines and much easier- unless you are engineless of course.
 

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u10072

u10072

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 18, 2007
Messages
2,249
4x4x2 Install Pics

Here is how I install the 4x4x2 power steering box. The only mod that needs to be performed is a cut to the front drivers side mount. It is very strong and has almost no weight on it. There is no reason to notch the frame, heat it up, install an access hole or put the bolts at an angle. Simply cutting the rearward portion of the front drivers mount almost in half makes the install very simple. Starting with the bottom back hole or the top back hole. Drill out the hole to 3/4" and sleeve it. Install every sleeve one at a time. Weld the sleeve in, grind it down, and pilot drill out the sleeve to account for any distortion due to welding. Rebolt up the steering box to the new sleeved hole to locate the next hole --touch frame through the steering box with a 1/2" drill bit for exact placement of the next sleeve. To the next hole and repeat process. If you use the bottom back hole take a 3/4" socket with two pieces of 16ga. sheet metal, mark the socket at the centerline to orient the top back hole on the box. This is done to confirm the abilty to clear a socket for box installation and removal. The last pic is what you do first-- take off the bumper and with about a 24" blunt object beat out the factory frame pieces to keep the frame from collapsing.
 

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Gas Pig

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Oct 19, 2005
Messages
2,664
That's a thing of beauty! I honestly had that same thought but could find any threads on if anyone mounted the 4x4x2 box that way.

Did you reuse the "factory frame pieces" on your 2 new holes or did you omit them?

Looks like a very clean installation. ;D

Jeff
 
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u10072

u10072

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 18, 2007
Messages
2,249
Do not reuse those frame pieces-- only the bottom rear lines up anyway and they are just not strong enough. New sleeves must be put in otherwise the frame is really just too weak and will metal fatique and start cracks over time.

Glad you liked the pics.
 
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