cage progress - updates

[trailpsycho]

I agree the WH 1" BL is very nice and it goes on sale for about $90 (reg price is $100) often.

I too am going with some vairation of a lime green on my FO build with all black trim, bumpers and accents. Cant wait to see your finished project. My tub, panels, etc are currently at the media-blaster's shop, so hopefully, paint, line-x, etc will be done some time in mid-late Feb and I can start trying to piece it all back together. Again, great work!

John

 

[malcolmzilla]

Lifted the cage out, welded on the dash and e-brake support tabs, and cut some chain to make tiedown loops for the cargo area. Still lots of grinding to clean it up, and then prep and paint.

 

[Imagator]

Looks Bad Ass! When can you start on mine?

 

[crawln68]

Nice welds too! Keep up the good work and you'll be back on the trails before you know it.

 

[malcolmzilla]

Thanks, hoping to put the cage back in on the weekend, then finish the dash, terminate the wiring and switches, and possibly get the e-brake in.

The nice welds are my brothers! ;D

 

[Slick]

LoL...

That is 1 SWEET cage and awsome look'n too!!!

If ya mass produced it for sale it'd prolly ONLY have to cost ya about $3k!!! LoL, as such I'm fairly sure yers will remain a 1 of a kind master piece!

You should send some pics to poison spider or proto fab, bet they'd pay ya to move down and work for them!!

The tire carrier idea is not only unique but both cool AND funtional!!! I have to admit, I was sceptical of the concept till I saw your vision completed!

Little doubt, the inside of your bronco is 1 of the safest places outside a nucular fall-out shelter!!!

GOOD JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[malcolmzilla]

Thanks, but to give credit the prerunner idea was ripped off of Crab, and the thru dash idea off Dusty. I suppose I can take credit for the funky bent gussets and the swing out spare carrier though.

And yeah, I couldn't make these cost effectively. It's kinda turned into a bit of white elephant, but I had to see it through, and in the end surprised myself - I do like it and it should be safe.

But I do like working with tube (a lot more now). Bumpers are the next bending project...

My advice? Buy a Crab Cage, then add the triangulation if ya want it. They are a deal than can't be beat IMO... ;D

 

[Broncitis]

My advice? Buy a Crab Cage, then add the triangulation if ya want it. They are a deal than can't be beat IMO... ;D

Very nice work!

I agree about deals on cages. I've had a few people ask me to make them one and I tell them that for a custom one-off it will cost a minimum of $1K for me to break out the bender and do one (something like yours would be at least double that in materials and labor I'm sure). It's just way too time consuming measuring, checking, fitting, etc. for a one-off. Guys like Crab, Protofab, CORE and others who come up with one or two designs and have them all speced out so they can precut lengths and bend to specified angles then fit and weld in a jig can do the cages at a much more reasonable cost.

When I visited Protofab earlier this year I got to see first hand how those Keith and the gang knock them out. They had a very nice operatrion there and the place was stacked with various product in process and ready to ship.

 

[malcolmzilla]

Clean up grinding, cleaned, sanded, 1 coat self etch primer and 2 coats of Rustoleum Hammered.

 

[crawln68]

That is one sweet cage! ;D

 

[screamin reel]

Very nice Malcolm. You do nice work.
Want to trade ?

 

[malcolmzilla]

Not trading... yet! ;D But we can tune that one up if ya like.

Hmm - those tabs to bolt to the bedrail lip area good idea! Damn, why didn't I think of that...:-X

Might hafta add those yet, a set on each leg would sure reinforce the tub...

 

[screamin reel]

Malcolm,
I'm going to have to change something with it because the hard top does not fit over it. I also dont like the look of the cage. Looking to flatten it out more like the family cage offered by the vendors.
I also plan on adding a bar to meet the front hoop. Maybe something a little higher since I will be running Roadster doors.
I will be tying the mounts into the frame at some point in time as well.
I may have to make a road trip up to your place one day for another BS session to have a look.
This is what it looked like years ago behind Drews shop.

 

[malcolmzilla]

I'm sure we could do something like that in a (long) day... If you want swept B and C hoops, I have to cut my bender stand down however - my die to rafter height is EXACTLY the width of the inside of an EB. :-X

Or convert to hydro... That'd be cool! Mostly then cuz I could have it on casters, ready to bend w/o any setup, and store all the related gear on it, manual bending ain't hard at all.

Or get a CRAB cage shipped unwelded... They look to be a good value.

Frame tie-ins to come.

Get 12 Evolution foot plates ($2.50 each), and 1 front leaf spring bushing kit for a 73-87 GM 1/2 ton 4x4 (they fit a 9/16 bolt and inside 1.75" .120 wall tubing) $40 as long as ya only wanna do A and B tie-ins - 4 bushings, and a trip to the Bolt supply house for Grade 8 hardware... ;D

I have enough scrap tube for the rest of the tie-in...

 

[screamin reel]

I'm a ways away from having to deal with the cage right now. Trying to get some of the sheet metal replaced over the winter and a few other things.
When spring hits hopefully my wife will share her side of the garage so I have some extra room to work.
I know what your going through with your set up.
I'll call you one of these days when your not to busy and pop in to say hello.

 

[malcolmzilla]

Back in in the truck... Decided to wait to hang the doors and see if the tabs to the bedrails, etc. are necessary, can just lift it up in the truck a bit and add them...

 

[screamin reel]

Looks like you're ready for the Baja ! A bit of a trip from Calgary though.
I thought you already had your Bronco painted Malcolm ?
Looks good though.

 

[malcolmzilla]

It's been epoxy primered, undercoated and bedlined, color has been cut in onn the door sills, bay and hood, but just high build on the tub and, only epoxy on the front clip and windshield.

Still got the front clip to work and fill, but then hopefully one trip back to get more epoxy, the high build on, block and then color and clear. I love sanding...

I am aiming to have it safetied and on the road for May, work out the bugs around town, and do the suspension, gears, lockers etc. over the summer and then ready for trail by late summer.

 

[BoltBuster]

It's been epoxy primered, undercoated and bedlined, color has been cut in onn the door sills, bay and hood, but just high build on the tub and, only epoxy on the front clip and windshield........

What kind of epoxy primer did you use?

 

[malcolmzilla]

IIRC, it was DP40 on the tub. It stuck to the bare blasted metal fine, but not so good to the galvanized weld thru primer. I had it primed with the DP40 right after the blasting, then again a few months later after I had it all patched. I used the weld thru to cover the patches in the interim, in hindsight I'd use a self etch out of a can as opposed to the galvanizing.

DP40 only on the hood and grille right now, its been outside since early summer, admittedly not a real wet climate here, but its holding just fine.

The rollcage got roughed with 180 grit and then got light dusting of self etch out of a spray can.