Got the 66 in her spot for the Winter....Body Drop and Air Ride Woody Panels

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Got the van on the ground today. Getting like 14 inches of lift out of her. More than I will ever need. When the air is out of the back, it is only about 4 inches from rocker panel touching the ground. 4 inch body drop should be perfect.

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Well, no turning back now. I gotta blame this one on Army of Six. Got the motor out of the van today. Beautiful day in New York. Pushed her outside and now she is back in her spot minus one motor. Mustang II IFS going in.

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Got the air tank mounted today for the air ride.

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Gt the floor cut out and the front axle out of the van. Did a lot of measuring and getting ready for ifs. We are waiting for some parts, and I think Santa is gonna screw up our delivery date, so we are thinking of sorting the body drop.

Since I am waiting on parts for the ifs, a buddy and I decided to start on the 4 inch body channel. We first welded braces across the bottom of the body 4 inches up to help with keepin the body square, and also a stop to hit the floor at exactly 4 inches.

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Then we started cutting the outside of the body. Jacks and blocks to hold the body square while we cut. Plasma cutter made the job pretty easy. Lucky to have it. There were just a few braces that needed to be cut from the underneath of the van.

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Se lowered sown nicely, but there was some trimming as we went. Here are the gaps that are left. The front door gap looks a little big, but must be trick photography, all the gaps are right on 4 inches.

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Gaps in the panel side of the van, and the rear wheel wells.

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WOW! That is coming out nice. I like all the detail photos you are taking and posting. Look forward to seeing this sit on all fours and powered with some air!! Great job!!

Here is the new stance in the rear with the 4 inch channel. Lots of filling and welding for my Christmas weekend.

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Thanks very much. I figure that anyone that finds these pictures will either be happy to have them, or realize that it is a ton of work and forget it!

Hansolo99 wrote:WOW! That is coming out nice. I like all the detail photos you are taking and posting. Look forward to seeing this sit on all fours and powered with some air!! Great job!!

I have saved everyone of those pics so please keep the pics comeing, I might do the IFS my self someday. But first I have to see how everybody elses works first..lol. Nice work your doing here, gives the rest of us insperation to try this stuff.

Well I am back in the garage today. Wife is yelling at me to come help with Christmas dinner, but the van is too cool today.

Merry Christmas everyone from Saugerties NY.

Got some welding done on the floor today.

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Ad started working on the front body mounts.

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Still waiting on ups.....holiday pickle.....oh we'll, started working on some of the sheet metal inside. I'm going to build a 2 section box over the rear suspension to make it easier to handle. Used 1x1 for the frame and 16 guage sheet metal. Bent the one big section so I only have to weld on one end cap.


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This is pretty amazing to me. I know it's the magic of pictures , but it looks like you are breezing through this! I have only seen the end results of channeling and drops, thanks for all the pics.

Also did some work on the tubs. My poor little shop struggles with a full sheet of 16 gauge, but I got it all cut up and ready for the tubs and covers. I am using a roller that is from the 1890s, and it is well built, but it takes a workout to get a few tubs rolled.

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Good morning, and thanks. I am fortunate enough to have some time off right now, so I am working hard on the van, and I have a great helper who is smart and a good worker. I am dying to get the IFS corssmember, once I get the front wheels and tires on, I can start on the front floor and body mounts, and get the thing on the ground.

Digz wrote:This is pretty amazing to me. I know it's the magic of pictures , but it looks like you are breezing through this! I have only seen the end results of channeling and drops, thanks for all the pics.

you sure do some nice work.

dix wrote:you sure do some nice work.

Thanks a lot. I really enjoy it, not like work.

Looks Fantastic. Love all the pics. It's really amazing what you're doing with this van. Keep it going, you've got the rest of us drooling over what's coming next. Can't wait to see it rolling again... Thanks again for sharing.

Thanks for the nice compliments. I enjoy working with metal, and I am very lucky to be able to do this kind of stuff. I don't take any time in the garage for granted.

When I was about to dive into this project, I'm not sure if I would have wanted pictures before hand....ignorance is bliss, and I just figured I would dive in and set the van where I wanted it, and then make it steer and roll.

I have to give a lot of the credit to Army of Six. He inspired me to do what most of the hot rod companies would not even talk to me about....the IFS in the front. When I called FatMan Fabs, he said he would not even sell the parts to me, thought it was a bad idea to put Mustang II suspension intros particular van.. Well that sealed it for me....I had to.

Happy New Year guys.

vanny wrote:Looks Fantastic. Love all the pics. It's really amazing what you're doing with this van. Keep it going, you've got the rest of us drooling over what's coming next. Can't wait to see it rolling again... Thanks again for sharing.

Got the original section of frame cut out of the van today to get ready to install the IFS crossmember. Then tacked the crossmember to what will be the new frame section.

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First I had to cut out the brackets that would lower the crossmember and narrow the frame rails. I used 1/4 plate and cut them out with the plasma cutter. Then I raised the new frame section into place and tacked it to the old frame rails. It sounds like it happened quick, but the was a lot of measuring, leveling and degreeing, and then measuring , leveling and degreeing again before the tacks went in. (Is degreeing a word?). Anyway, now I have to box the frame a few feet in front and behind the new section. Then I will gusset the drop brackets to the newly boxed frame.

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