TowMater 78K5 chop, cut, rebuild

ToWmaterK5

New Member
Joined
Feb 29, 2008
Location
Jonesborough, Tenn
Back in the day...(08?)
Just bought it from NCgameDog and started a few mods:

I dub the..."Mater"! As in "Tow Mater" from the movie CARS. Yes I know its not a tow truck, but when I bought it the paint condition resembled the character's. pronounced (May-durr).
Caged on 42" IROKs
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NOW 5/2009:
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Engine:
fresh 350 (10k), stageII RV cam, edlebrock alum intake, gear drive, all new acc. (water pump, alt, starter, ect) rebuilt 800cfm Q-jet w/ offroad mods, Headman shorty tube headers. new 4 core radiator, all belts and hoses, new heater core, re-man HEI dist w/ 50K volt coil, Morroso 10.2 plug wires, AC plugs, Optima red top.
Suspesion:
TC EZ-ride 4" fronts, ORD shakles, F-250 shock towers w/ 14" travel shocks. REAR 57" f-150 springs, shackle flip, 14" travel shocks. Rear M.O.O. track bar (similar to DIY's)
Axles:
CUCV, (d60/14b 4:56 detroits) both have M.O.O. diff covers, the rear has M.O.O axle truss and rear disks. 35 spl stubs.
Steering: ORD crossover w/ HD tierod, new West Texas Offroad steering box and ram assist, ORD steering box brace.
Drivetrain:
Rebuilt T400,np205 & np203 Auto with double cases)
truck also has all new exaust w/ Glasspacks (aluminized true dual) and new brakes (braided lines and calipers, pads, rotors, ect) New 1ton Master cyl.
Tires: 14/42"x16.5 IROKs on recentered Hummer wheels
Body protection: square tube rockers w/ tube sliders, 1 3/4" tube rear bumper.
Converted to truck tail gate w/ new hinges and bolts from LMC truck.
My Planned Mods:
Done:
#) First thing first ...Full ROLL CAGE front & rear, seats tie in:) by Drake at Tangent Design Johnson City
#) Install the detroit locker, 35 spline outters, and warn hubs in the D60 up front
#) Now sitting on 42" IROKs with re-centered Hummer beadlocks (With Stazworks lightweight inserts)
#) Turbo400 swap and doubled transfer cases (203/205 with Nortwest Fab Doubler & triple shifter kit)
#) Great Lakes Offroad 14bolt yoke guard
#) Dove tail front & rear
#) custom soft top for the winter or rainy season
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78 K5 350/th400/np205/203/d60/14bolt/detroits/42"IROKs
Step 1 was to pull the existing sm465/205 and begin cage work while waiting on a doubler.
Started cage work done by Drake Walsh at Tangent Design Offroad here in Johnson City, TN.
I wanted to go ahead and do a full cage since I'll be haulin a centered rear seat for my kiddo.
 
I done a little trading and ended up with some 42" IROKs on recentered Hummer beadlocks with stamped centers and Drake added rockrings....
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203/205 transfer cases doubler & Turbo 400 progress.
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Here are a few pics of the doubled cases. skid plate/support, and the shifter set-up from the creative mind of Drake at TD Offroad.
 
I swapped in an XJ steering shaft finally...way much stronger than the GM design. Was an easy swap in, had to file down the plastic bushing inside the XJ shaft tp get it to collapse enough to install. Also had to grind the two sides flat on the shaft coming from the firewall.

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Relocated the battery to the cab since the fronts getting narrowed and had to leave room in the back since its getting narrowed next:

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Heres some shots of the Tennessee Sawzall Massacre for the dove tailed front in progress.

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Project I'm broke dovetail is finally wheel-able:
extended the fenders 7", didn't like the straight line from the body to the radiator support, so put a arc in fenders. The hood is a skin secured front and rear with hood pins, cut the grill down.

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Next?
Looking at a winch bumper, tubed going thru the engine compartment into the cage. Either adding newer 1 piece headlamps/signals into the bumper tubing...or...just adding my old headlights someway...or a set of hellas.

Balled up & sawzalled the rear....
 
Got the rear chopped and almost where I want it trimmed down to before welding. 12" was bob'ed from the rear and the sides cut to meet the cage. Going to tube under the floor panel and add some plate tabs for the side sheet metal to the vertical cage tube. Still have some fine tuning to trim up, but the majority is cut.

Bat Winged!
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All Mocked up :eusa_think:

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I do believe the Sawzall can be addictive :sad4:
I got plans to tube the rear gate and add tail lights buggy style. Like I said lots to come...cut the fenders, tube, skin, lights, ...oh and a fuel cell. But, I'm so broke right now my bologna don't have a first name !
 
UPDATE 5/2009
She ran Harlan for the first time at the Southern Shine Crawl:
My Bro put together his pics as a slideshow on youtube enjoy:
There is alot of recognizable vehicles in it... its well worth the watch
GO HERE
 
Pics as of 5/09 Harlan, KY, trail: Mason Jar:
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at camp:
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I've got the DIY rear shackle flip-n-switch kit with shackles going on soon... Stop by any 4x4 fab/build shop and the stuff you find second hand laying around that no one wants. Maybe they'll go to someone else if I get to ever link it.
 
Nice Work! :huggy: Subscribed!! :popcorn:
 
haha you should take it to car shows and win trophies for being Badass:huggy:

The paint job is perfect

Classic and Definably a Cool Rig
 
Guys...Dont know who dug this thread up, but this rig died along time ago I was told it has been parted out. It was def sweet though wish I would have never sold it.
 
Could the cage be cut out & reused?

How much are you asking for what's left? How much for just the cage? How much for the cage & seat's?
 
The seats are goin in my Blazer and the cage could be cut out I guess but it would be a nitemare to try and reuse since its tied to the frame,rocksliders and stinger.
 
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