Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Some good progress.
Jimmy

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Any more updates?

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

They have had all the stuff available on the web site for a while. Have not seen any build threads with it.
Jimmy

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Not much to report lately. Most of our energy in the 4th quarter was focused on getting parts out. I made some marketing plans for April/May 2017 that include this truck so they better get on it. LOL

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Mine is ordered!!

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Can these engine towers be swapped side to side for a more rearward position?

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps6fc3ff49.jpg

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

No, they can't. The engine angle would be waaay off.

-J

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Yeah, I noticed that when I got my stuff unboxed last week. I'll get it figured out, though.

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Has this set up been test fitted to see if a stroked bbc and oil pan will clear that ..
Seems if the ls tiny oil pan didn't clear the bbc guys are sol

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

The big block clears just fine. Just don't run tall valve covers as they will hit the firewall.

-J

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Eck..
how much, like ball peen hammer dimple or cut,splice and weld..

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Cut, splice, weld. It's in the "tunnel" area so should not affect much else.

-J

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

I know it's been a while since a real update on our shop truck. Unfortuantely, we've just had too many new development projects lately so the truck has been collecting dust. So recently I approached Ed the owner and Sal the VP about spending my lunch and breaks working on the truck. This led to a situation where I would work towards finishing it and eventually it would be available for me to purchase. I've been wanting one for a long time so I am hopeful this will work out.

So anyways, with some freedom to proceed how I choose I began to mock up some things. First and foremost I put some shock simulators in place to mimick full compression of the 5.2" travel ridetech coilovers. Then I placed some wheel simulators in place mimicking 26" tall tires. I know this is probably less than what some may run but I plan to run 18x12 wheels all the way around with a 315/30/18 Falken tire which is 25.5".

Here is a pic with the frame at full compression.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps24chuplm.jpg

The frame under the front cab mount is 5" off the ground.
http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psg3hqwxqz.jpg

Something that has been lingering in the back of my head is the original upper shock mounts we made for the front end. The engineers ditched this design early on because the truck sat too low. Basically the inner fender had to be raised with them so they felt our kit wouldn't go this route. Anyways, we still have a couple of the original design mounts sitting in a box. There is roughly 2.5" difference in height between these.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psvz07e18z.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...pskzzjqd4a.jpg

The rear axle sits above the frame but it does clear the bed.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psfe8spdxt.jpg


So, I will try to keep this thread updated a little more often. It will be slow though since it will only be an hour or so at a time.

On a sidenote, we began designing the Squarebody rear suspension.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psqardct7x.jpg

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Nice lunch break project.

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

With the power this thing is going to make, we're going to need a strong foundation. I'll work on the back half next week.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psfvbrkxta.jpg

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Worked on the rear boxing plates. I removed the standard bolt-on frame plate that comes with the Torque Arm kit and placed it on top of the rail. I don't need to step the rails that far to get the desired ride height but it was a good starting point.

The frame is countoured in this area so I will have to put two bends in the new boxing plate to match the frame. R&D is really busy right now so I might not wait for them to draw these up and cut them on the plasma table. I might just trace and cut them out with the hand held plasma. Sure it's dirty but I am trying to get this thing back to a roller by the Brothers Truck Show.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps6csdhs7i.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psma1mjxkj.jpg

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Sending the frame rails out to get sand blasted. I've got a lot of work to do before the Brothers Truck Show.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psqbove1t6.jpg

We placed a rather large order with Holley and parts are starting to show up.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...pslopiqnhn.jpg

These 83 lb/hr injectors will likely be too small for what I've got planned. But it'll get us started on pump gas.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psjtg7e68g.jpg

I've got some ideas for a coil mount that involves the valley cover. The intake manifold hasn't arrived yet so that'll have to wait.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psnbip52pi.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps440lcwkd.jpg

Coil harness adapter for a factory type engine harness
http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psr8uodbmi.jpg

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Your gonna be super busy now.

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

There's definitely going to be some late nights and weekends in my future.

Messing around with coil mounts options today. The intake manifold is still in transit so this could all be futile.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psu9mei4z2.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps8yxr4srd.jpg

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

The Holley Hi-Ram is in our possession now so we can actually do some mock up with the coils. There is plenty room to mount them underneath it. We just want to make sure that they are serviceable somewhat easily. Probably make a one piece removable shaft so they come out as a unit.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...pstyz3ctgi.jpg

Some more major components have arrived. We haven't done a bagged shop project in a few years so this is kinda exciting. Ridetech triple adjustable shockwaves 5" travel front and 6" travel rear. Dual 3 gallon tanks, dual pumps and their pressure based ride control system.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psp1xloxoc.jpg

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Well I hope your cost for the truck doesn't exceed the parts cost if you're putting your own time into it! Looking good though. But why get those frame rails blasted? They look pretty clean to me...

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

That chassis was our display so it was already powdercaoted. I am going to box the rails though so they need to be raw. The blasting was going to cost waaay too much so I will just be grinding back all the weld areas.

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

So the thing about boost. It's just a measurement of restriction. Less restriction, more flow at a given pressure. On a naturally aspirated LQ4 these 230cc AFR heads would be overkill. I've already said too much. Those that know me, know the direction this is headed.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psbyqp0qxo.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psokfyhcqz.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps0ti3skgj.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psac6wfg3z.jpg

-J

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

We finally got the frame rails back from sandblasting. Well......they only baked it apparently. Anyways, waited this long so we are moving on.

One of the guys in the shop mentioned that we had a chassis dolly in storage. He thought it was sturdy enough to build a temporary fixture out of so we took a few guys down there and grabbed it. Sure enough, this thing is a monster and honestly I am kinda glad that it is short. This way I can place the cab and bed on it if need be. Will come in handy with doing a body drop. ;)


I had to install a CPP driveshaft loop because the stock one would interfere with the chassis dolly.
http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...pst9k5hifn.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psfbr8t9zw.jpg

Unfortunately, not much progress will be madefor the next week. I fly out to Louisville tomorrow for the Street Rod Nationals and I won't be back until Thursday next week.

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

I am finally back in town so it's time to make some real progress. I spent my lunch today tracing and cutting one of the rear boxing plates. It's sucks that I had to cut it with the hand held plasma vs. the hi-def but I can't wait for R&D to draw the plate(they're super busy finishing up the squarebody 4-Link).

So basically what we have done is give the rear suspension an extra 3.5" of travel. The bottomed out height before is where the new set up will be at ride height. I left the rail height at 6" at the step so there is plenty of strength for towing.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psa2hatk3m.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psu4zt6h8s.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...pswx4ajtki.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psmbwcixfb.jpg

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Here are two renderings we've been working on. Leaning towards the blue.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psqakwljo8.jpg

Making progress on the stepped rails. Just a lot of mocking up, grinding, cutting. welding and not necessarily in that order.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps3itzt5xz.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psxt92nby1.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psra5pfgod.jpg

Dimensionally I am pretty happy with the outcome. Side to side height is perfect and front to back placement are within 1/32". I am off .25 degree of vertical on the driver side(should have cross braced it before the heat). I've still got work to do on it cosmetically though.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psli3sxzlm.jpg

I am going to lay another panel on the outside here that butts up against the top of the stock frame.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psqobl2pco.jpg

Still need to drill a few holes for Rosettes.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps8yscimrc.jpg

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

I like the blue also...Jim

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

August was a busy month of shows so not much progress has been made.

The boxing plates are slowly coming along though.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psoms3tb0h.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...pskgcngtev.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psn8giq3xb.jpg

Braced the top of the step and cut the stock frame piece out.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...pshcxn1eqn.jpg

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Got some cool(errr hot) parts ordered this week. :mm: No picture tease yet but parts are on the way. Getting real close to engine/tranny mock up.

The frame is absolutely ugly right now but the fitment is pretty darn good. Had to section the top and bottom(note the cut) in order to pull the outer wall of the frame into the step. Still have to clean it up before laying down a bead.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps6fjtbgrk.jpg

I wanted to add a little extra bracing inside the frame rail where the front shock mounts. It's a just a piece of 1x2.120w tubing

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps22wrtvfz.jpg

Started working on the front boxing plates. I cut the driver side with the handheld plasma like I did the rears. Once it fit I used that as the tamplate for the passenger side. There will be a filler plate added to the top of the rail to close the gap.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...pssbclqleg.jpg

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Not a whole lot to report the last two weeks. Spent roughly 20 hours grinding all the excess pieces of frame/weld.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...pssq2tfc8f.jpg

12.5 lbs worth

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...pszw4mw7lf.jpg

In honor of Hugh Heffner, here are the twins.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psazuplzho.jpg

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Schwing!! haha

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

twins are every one fantasy

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Mounting the ballast.... Since the bed wasn't mounted yet I just took a guess on where they should be based off the factory cab mounts.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psgkwfpgk1.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psmzxldxer.jpg

Came pretty close on my guesstimate.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psl3yackc1.jpg

You can kinda see it hiding under there.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps75dbb7xn.jpg

Mounted the Holley Hi-Ram to check for clearance issues.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps0r3bvpbz.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psrvs3uyn3.jpg

I have always hated the 67-72 dash. It's flat, tall, ugly and boring.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...pswkna86wq.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...pswgkatdnh.jpg

So about 5:30 last night I'm in the shop and Ed(Owner of TCI) comes walking out of his office. I'm sitting on a short stool inside the cab just staring at the dash contemplating things. Ed says "You know, when I was building my Mustang I wish I would have cut the dash out. It would have made my life much easier". That was all I needed to hear. I grabbed a sharpie and started marking it up. Removed the few retaining bolts and fired up the plasma cutter. I left a one inch flange to attach the replacement dash to later.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...pssem8ihqu.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps23n7xvbs.jpg


With the dash out it became very clear to me how the tunnel and firewall should be cut. I knew I wanted to push the engine back, I just didn't know how much.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps1yfaomjx.jpg

So I took some measurements and rigged up a floor mounted fixture to use as a guide with the plasma cutter and went to town.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps5pntcf7z.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psgtpuybwk.jpg

Once you exceed 3-4" of setback things start to get interesting (difficult). However, once you go beyond 3-4" it's not much different to go 10-12" vs. 6". In the position below the engine is back 10" from the factory location.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psrqgxajzy.jpg

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Ouch..... Maintenance is going to be a beoch.

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

We made a removable tunnel for #ProjectReddawn, we'll do something similar here. I'm definitely going to reinforce it much more than this one is. Plus add an SFI blanket. I don't want to lose a leg if the tranny decides to scatter itself.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...pssovnnkzt.jpg

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

:metal: :metal: :metal:

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

it's an LS-based engine, what maintenance? ;)

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

With the engine set back there's plenty of room for the twins out front.

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

Mounting them behind the cab was never about real estate issues under the hood. I'm trying to take weight off the front.

We have a few different sets of headers sitting around the shop we use for mock up. Of all the ones I tried our own off the shelf headers fit the best. Mainly because the rear cylinder primaries go forward slightly before going down. This actually allowed me to move the engine back another 2.5"(12.5" total) with relative ease. I had to raise the engine in order to keep the pans(engine & tranny) above the bottom of the frame anyway. It had to go up over an inch(too much) in order to keep the transmission tabs off the tunnel. Now I've got clearance issues with the intake manifold. Next week I'll trim the tunnel a little more where the tranny tabs are interfering so I can bring the engine down roughly 1/2". This may or may not be enough to clear the intake manifold again.

Needless to say if the engine stays this far back I will have a constant foot warmer.

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psqoejy1ep.jpg

http://i981.photobucket.com/albums/a...psmm8czukd.jpg

Re: TCI to start new R&D Project with a C10!
 

I really like the idea of the super far set back. I have mine set back about 3 inches and want to do more but I'm concerned about doing any engine work. I guess a removable hump would solve that. I don't think my engine hoist would even let me get that far back either....

Great project. Looks awesome and cant wait to see how it turns out.