Varg In Jeep's Clothing

Maybe you're into getting your nuts chromed, but I'm not.

 

Seat belt retractor, part one.

The seat belt mechanisms I'm using are a bit backwards for my application. Because the were mounted inside the unibody B pillar of a car, the mounting hole is facing the center of the vehicle. This would be a whole lot easier if they were on the posterior side.

This is requiring me to make boxes out of 1/8" plate to house the units, and make it strong enough to handle an impact.

Loving this finger brake, even though it nearly destroyed my press.



My CAD template is below...



On the left of the next pic, you can see the retractor unit is installed, and you can sorta see the locking tab I had to cut a keyway for above the mounting bolt.
On the right is the template for the 14g bolt-on cover that will slide over top and cover everything. The U-shaped section that protrudes on the bottom will get coped and welded to the roll cage behind the seat.



Ready to start cutting...

 

Very cool. At my last job when I was he press room Superintendent we had a die that cranked out two boxes off a coil through a progression of cams and ready benders with a carrier strip down the middle. It was pretty cool to watch it come out the end of the 800 ton press.

 

Part two:

I had to improvise a little to bend this box. The sides of the box are longer than my brake was tall, so I took the top off the brake, and freehanded one of the dies in the press.



I welded the boxes, cleaned them up, drilled holes and welded nuts inside, and cut the copes. They're ready to tack in place. I'll pick up some nice stainless socket button head bolts for these the next time I'm at Ace.

 

Just incredible. I am always in awe of your craftsmanship.

 

I look at this fabrication and feel I am riding the short yellow bus!

 

Yeah, I am the one in the seat by himself eating crayons.

 

You guys are funny.
It's nothing special, just a box in a box.
Most of this build is just the result of refusing to not cut corners. That inner voice that says, this is what I should do if I had time, patience and knowhow..."

I have nothing but the knowhow, and even that I'm often fudging my way through it. I sneak down to the shop for 1 1/2 hours after my wife leaves for work and before the kids start school, since I got tired of the battle of working nights.

But it would kill me to start throwing crap together just to get it going at this point; especially when I'm finally up into the visible areas.

One step at a time...
Thanks for following along.

 

I would settle for the patience and knowhow!!!! I'll find time.

 

Guess that leaves me out, cause I don't got the patience, or knowhow. And I'm almost always fudging my way through.
Great work

 

Exactamundo!

 

Says the guy who builds custom cabinets and finishes them.

 

Seat belts are finally done!

I forgot about drain holes; I got those drilled in the boxes this morning, plus I slotted the mounts for the retractors a little to enable them sit at a bit of an angle inside the box. I can't mount the box directly (vertically) under the top strap mount because the box would block the cage mount bolts. So those are done, but I can't tack them in place yet because part of the box overlaps one of the cage welds. I'll put them in when I'm welding everything.

The last piece of the puzzle was these outer strap mounts. They were little pains in the butt.



The only tabs I have left to add to the cage are for what I plan to be cutting brakes between the seats, but that is far down the road. I can add them and do touchup later.

I'll be running the e-brake cables to two seperate handles to operate each rear brake independently. I don't want to sacrifice streetability by adding a locker, and a selectable locker will never be in the cards, so I'll make the best out of what I have: a trac-lok with cutting brakes. Why not.

I have a desk to build for a client, so I might be putting this on hold for a few weeks.

 

So your definition of a "super-reliable, comfortable daily driver, as well as a capable, mild off-roader" rig has rear cutting brakes? Wow! So how would you equip a serious off-roader?

 

A bigger engine.

 

This sounds like a drifter's dream car! I can't wait to see a video of your wife drifting this jeep (aka varg) around the corners on the way to work.

 

You know she will, too. That psycho.