68 half cab retro build

ratbilt · Jul 22, 2020

rbushey41 did I miss something?
Cut the floor out (lowering 2" / 6" under drivers seat), made new cross braces & brackets.
made rear panels
got my steering wheel. lathed horn button & install a challenge coin a customer gave me for helping his son (he designed the coin)
the photos won't load I'll try later

ratbilt · Jul 25, 2020

pics got some more pans built & installed, i'll get pics later

JGO · Jul 31, 2020

Just saw this in person, jaw dropping!

ratbilt · Aug 1, 2020

Thanks Jim it was good to meet you. My place no longer looks trashed, yours probably does now.
Just made the seat mounts (like fitting 2 lbs of sh in a 1 lb container) running out of room fast. Still have to make a roll bar fit.
Forgot to show the floor pan, not doing the center until the trans fill tube, cooler lines, linkage gets hooked up.

Howard2x4x4 · Aug 2, 2020

Wowza, terrific fab skills! Very, very tasty!

ratbilt · Aug 9, 2020

Roll bar finally done, 5 bends in each loop (A&B pillars) 3" shy of 10' per loop, holes at each cross bar & feed wire already installed for wiring (lights & switches). Had to jack up & stand my bender to do the last bend wouldn't clear the floor. I took a pic of the markings for all the bends except the last bend (the 1st bar took about 4-5 hrs 2nd took 10 min. Had to tuck the bar as close as possible to clear the seats & I didn't want to bump my feet getting in & or out. took a porta-power to straighten the right lower rear leg (warped while welding). Need to punch the forward floor boards another 2" out (still a little tight) That's next weeks project along with starting on the dash.

ratbilt · Aug 12, 2020

Worked on the shift assy. made a bracket and the lever. Also supported the twin stick bolt. need to make the link to trans

ratbilt · Aug 26, 2020

Pushed the floor boards 2" forward & dropped 3" at the firewall. Finished the trans tunnel had to make an extra cover to clear the right side header.
Now has a lot of room
now i have to move the steering column to the left 1.5"

ratbilt · Aug 27, 2020

Drilled spot welds and moved the upper steering mount to the left 1 1/4", bent the mount so the column sits higher approx 1", drilled the firewall, now have to trim the inner fender. As soon as the steering is done then I can start the dash (installing a dakota ditigal speedo and climate control, a 10" stereo touch screen with 3 camera imput.
I've been working with Taylor at accutune offroad (where I bought my shocks) and ordered lighter rear springs (their spring swap program) I'm too stiff in the rear. Want the shocks riding at 5" of shaft showing. They can estimate weight at each wheel by spring compression.

ratbilt · Aug 31, 2020

I got the lower steering mount finished, bent the brake pedal arm 2" to the left and made a new larger pad(took 15 tons of pressure to dimple 3/16) (a lot more room for the gas pedal)
Made the power steering reservoir & the lines all hooked up. Starting on the dash. My new springs just came in & the power steps that i'm going have to modify the shit out of because of the floor drop. Only 53 more steps until the next list. crap the pics won't load

ratbilt · Sep 1, 2020

Hope i can get the pics up now

71 CA Bronco · Sep 1, 2020

WOW. Very nicely done.

ratbilt · Sep 1, 2020

Thanks I live for comments good or bad makes me feel alive. Still trying to get pics up 4th time I'm on hughs net sat internet (smoke signals are faster)

ratbilt · Sep 16, 2020

Finally back on the bronco, got the frame for the dash done spent more time trying to get the look I like,putting the speedo above the bottom of windshield so the stereo isn't to low. had to make the center 11.5" wide to clear the stereo. Next i,m going to skin with alum. by the way I used tig wire for the inside of the roll bar (to feed electrical wire), I rolled it up and taped to the bar. after poking my arm for 3 weeks (maybe 50 times) finally bent the tips inward.

ratbilt · Oct 8, 2020

I tried to bend aluminum over the dash frame (didn't work), decided to fiber glass. I used cardboard, tape & mold release. Put 3 coats of glass on everything except the center (what a mess). Making the gauge mounts & bezel for the speedo. Hope to have pictures the next couple of days

ratbilt · Oct 10, 2020

Finished the bezel except mounting made the center face & cut out for the gauge & stereo
I have more glass work to do (what a pain - destroyed my garage) the yellow is the tape & cardboard, after I fiber glassed - took it apart cleaned all the tape & cardboard. Need to cut out for steering, vents & switches

ratbilt · Oct 11, 2020

Installed the gauges and stereo

JeffG · Oct 13, 2020

The dash is coming out nice! From the pics its hard to tell, but have you tried shifting your T-case into low with the stereo in place? Looks very close when you put a shift knob on.

However, easy fix if it is too close.

ratbilt · Oct 14, 2020

Hi Jeff there is plenty of room (you can't see in the pictures). I'm going to bend later when the dash is complete, I do need to raise the stereo up 1 inch. I'm going to have the dash covered. Thanks for your comment. I'll keep the pics coming

ratbilt · Oct 22, 2020

The dash is done except the climate control & seat heater switches, I'm going to have it covered later.

68 half cab retro build

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