'65 J200 Doubler Install

[Elliott]

I seem to have a few too many projects and none of them run... so I keep chipping away at each one... but I really miss wheeling a Jeep so I've narrowed most of my efforts down to the dually Jtruck I'm building and this '65 J200. This truck has a 401/Ford NP435/GM203 rangebox/NWFab doubler/GM NP205.... it's heavy, it's now in the Jeep but it needs the crossmember built/finished so I can get on with the drive shafts, etc.

Here's the pig:



Finally started on building a crossmember to get this in there. I've tried a couple things that didn't work but I'm on the right track now since I finally to go full custom. I made up some side plates that bolt to the OEM crossmember bolt holes in the frame, only it overlaps one set of bolt holes on the second mounting location:



Added the side rails, these will be welded to the sideplates:



I've cut out some of the other pieces but haven't tacked them in place yet. The truck is out in the shop and I can't weld out there since someone keeps hay in it... and I don't have 220 in there anyway. So, since I have this J20 frame in my driveway I can do the mock up on it, tack things together and test it on the truck in the shop... that's the plan anyway.

[Elliott]

Weather is nice and cold, clear, so I got more welding done today. Had a lil setback when I found that the spacing between the two sets of crossmember bolt holes changed after '79 so the plates I drilled on the '84 frame and to have the front two holes redrilled on the '79 frame because I used the back two holes from both crossmember locations. Had I used one set or the other I would have been ok. Tomorrow I'll put it back in the J200 and sort the actual mounting points for the doubler and the transmission. You can see I cut out a section to allow the drive shaft to drop. I'll add supports later for the back of the crossmember and the NP205 will tie in also. The plan is to skid plate the bottom as everything fits up under the frame. This ain't no Chevy... I spent some time with the NWFab doubler removing bolts to reclock the front output up above the crossmember as the crossbar for the doubler mount will run right under the 205 flange (that will be the center crossbar):



Working on that doubler clocking while installed sure made me appreciate the 3" body lift.

[Elliott]

I finally found the tranny mount I want to use in poly so I built a mount for it as it has different bolt spacing than my tranny. Things seem to be coming along. Michael was over here for a bit yesterday after a run in Bridgeport and I was telling him that I was concerned that my cross bars in the rear would interfere with the PTO/pump if I go to hang it there. I checked that out today and I have plenty of room to run two PTOs if I wanted. Both the PTO and the pump will clear the crossmember and tuck up nicely above it. I'm planning on a Ramsey DC up front. For the rear, because the roller fairlead weighs an honest 75Lbs... I plan to put it and the long drum Ramsey PTO winch up in the bed with the winch right over the axle. Then, I'm thinking of building a frame to slide back that the fairlead will fit on and I'll be able to lock it in place at the very end of the bed so the cable can run at a 90* if I need to and not tear up the bed. The drum on this Ramsey spools 235' of 1/2" cable rated at 20,000Lbs. I don't like a light rear end in a truck with a light bed and I think this will cure that nicely.