ZOMBIE RAMCHARGER (it LIVES!!!)!!! pt.1

[The War Wagon]

I finally put the Carr super hoop steps on the Ramcharger today (discovered my negative battery post terminal was also breaking apart, so I had to replace that, too!), and got a picture of it with my itty, bitty, Jeep Commander. Eeep.

[whitewidow]

Damn.that ride looks sweet would to by inside while running over z....thats sweet...think i can supp my corolla?lol

[The War Wagon]

WOOT-WOOT!


JUST heard from my 4x4 shop today - the RC goes in next Monday, for the final mechanical phase! Ring & pinion swap, steering gearbox and shaft upgrade, transmission band adjustment and B&M Transpak installed, a little touch-up welding, and the winch installed!!!

[The War Wagon]

So here's the LATEST batch of pics, now that she's in for the re-gear & assorted upgrades!

It's at Gibbs Automotive here in Pittsburgh - these guys are probably the closest 4WD shop to the city proper - about 4 miles from downtown - and they're GOOD! They don't even advertise, or have a listing in the phone book, but it took me 6 weeks to get a spot in their garage, from the time I told 'em I was ready to go! They're ALWAYS busy.

Here was the passenger seat, LOADED with goodies for the trip over!




Leavin' 'er out back!




Took me over a week before I could get back at see how it was coming along - DMG was working on the front axle when I came in today.





That's DMG!

The new carrier & ring & pinion are now in up front, as well as my SOLID diff cover.





#3 son is in the background - he had the day off, since his school is a polling place.

Turns out, DMG has a better plan for shocks - looks like Bilstein 5125's at all four corners, since shock technology has come quite a ways, since I bought this lift kit 6 years ago! We can ditch the dual shock setup, and make sure they're not bottomed out - as they are with the current setup!!!




Don't know if I EVER showed THESE off or not - JEGS Hi-Po cats!




And here's ANOTHER real PITA - the spare tire mount.



Dodge 15" 5 lug 5.5 x 5 wheel - should be a simple enough pattern to make a mount for, right? Wrong.

Kennesaw Mountain Products (whose reputation is known far & wide as... 'spotty'... ... I had this made 7 years ago, although it sat in a basement shrink-wrapped to the pallet they shipped it on for the first 6 years - probably a bit LATE to have them fix it now) mounted the studs at a 6 x 5 inch pattern in reality, so EZaccessories is gonna custom build me a billett aluminum adaptor. I thought about heating it up with a torch and re-positioning it... or just hammering the shiite out of it... but both will leave an extraordinarily HEAVY wheel and tire, dangling precariously back there - most likely working loose eventually, and creating havoc on the road, sooooo... custom adaptor it is.

More pictures to come - DMG is doing it RIGHT, so I'll try to limit myself to picture snapping, and staying OUT of the way of the working people!

[Mr Bear]

that is one nice piece of machinery you have there.

[The War Wagon]

that is one nice piece of machinery you have there.

It's GETTING there... but it should crush zombies with the best of 'em on Bug Out Day.

Some of the comms pieces are STARTING to arrive - that'll be a long-term 'tinkering project,' once I get it back. Something to pass the time, until NEXT year's mild cam, ported/polished heads swap, double-roller timing chain and solid lifters upgrade...

[The War Wagon]

Woot - woot! Things are finally moving again!!! Crappy cell phone pics to follow!

Stopped by the shop today, to check on progress. Dave was outside with a customer, so I parked in my usual spot. My RC's been outside for 6 mos. now, but THIS was parked in its spot today!



I said, "HEY! You SHRANK my Ramcharger!!!" (Neat little project, this '71 Cornbinder - has an automatic transmission and FACTORY A/C!)

Sure enough, there in the garage, is THE War Wagon!



The axles are now done, and Dave says it DEFINITELY has more giddy-yap, with 4.56 gears!



Transmission hangs in low sometimes, which we already knew. The B&M Transpak goes in next, with the new armored transmission pan, filter, and all new fluid. We think, with the forthcoming flush & new filter, the transmission will be good as new when done. Borgeson steering still to go in, too, but it's STARTING to get there!

[BMF]

Looks good man! That thing is a beast. Glad to see someone is making progress on a vehicle project.

[The War Wagon]

Nothing REALLY new to report - truck is STILL at Gibbs.

Here's a great article, on the guy who did the paint & bodywork on my Ramcharger, though. Big rigs is his SPECIALTY.

Old School Is “Cool”

Everyone at Reinsfelder, Inc. of Pittsburgh is into trucks. In fact, they practically eat, sleep and breathe trucks. They also love the old school look of trucks from days gone by, especially since the company has been hauling freight for 95 years. Luckily for them, Reinsfelder owner Ed Haser is a friend of Jimmy Davis, owner of Ol Skool Stainless Customs of Carnegie, Pennsylvania. For Jimmy it is a passion and a labor of love. What is most impressive is that Jimmy does all of his fabrication by hand, cutting and bending each piece without the help of automation or computers.

That's how he fabbed up that crusher bumper for my Ramcharger!

[The War Wagon]

The RC is STILL IN the shop at Gibbs (beats sitting OUTSIDE gathering snow...), so nothing really new to report.

I did get this for it the other day, though!


http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dcc-52...del/dakota




Now I just need 34 gallons of PREMIUM to go WITH it!