1990 Ford150 4x4 "Bajamobile"

Post by **SteveG** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 10:27 pm

That looks like such an awesome trip! Buggies are super cool but sealed cabs sure are comfy!

BajaF250 · Post by **BajaF250** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:57 am

Dustin,
Looks like you guys had an absolutely fantastic time... thanks for the pics... and, there's nothing like having all the amenities when mother nature throws the spectrum at you... nice. Most heartily concur on the cage... it's nice to have all that safety wrapped around you, especially for those unplanned excursions!

SC150 · Post by **SC150** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 10:22 am

Decided to bring my build post back from the dead. Phase II is going down with the Bajamobile. Waiting to hear back from Mark (hint hint), but here's a list of what I'm planning to do for next:

-4.5" wider beams
-2" rear wheel spacers
-GU front glass
-Trailer Products 3" bedsides
-Vertical center console
-New highback 2" wider seats
-Cab Cage
-37" GSA's

Hoping to get all this done by late October. Planning on doing the Peninsula run/vacation for the 1000. Gonna tackle the mounting of the glass with my brother and a few friends. Was gonna do the 8.8 hybrid from Currie, but since my rear end is essentially the same thing, I'm gonna run it with spacers till something blows up and go for a big bad 9" rear end then. Should look like the poor man's version of the Goodman Bronco when she's all done. Psyched!
Updates to come.

tcm glx · Post by **tcm glx** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 10:26 am

Dustin,
I have tons of pics on the skinning of the fenders, feel free to PM your email addy and I can send you the link to the photobucket for them. Its not hard to do, plasma cutter or a half dozen cutting wheels and you should be good!! Can't wait to see Phase II

ChaseTruck754 · Post by **ChaseTruck754** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 10:30 am

Does phase 2 include the 3rd seat or is that phase 3?

SC150 · Post by **SC150** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 12:32 pm

Ha. I don't think so, unfortunately. Don't think I can spend the funds on the "walk through" with a third seat quite yet. I'll have to save it for DefCon III. Gonna keep the middle jump seat for now, or until I win the lottery. I think I'd like to do a four point harness for the middle in the meantime though. That jump seat wouldn't be awful if you didn't have to worry about sliding back and forth. The walk through would be more aimed at gaining lockable storage space, although a full size third seat is definitely a perk too.
Glass is ordered up along with the spacers, some driving light, a new work lamp, a vinyl interior kit and a few other goodies. Trying to get my hands on the beams and schedule a drop off date with Mark so he can put the thing together for me. Yeehaw.
Tony, appreciate the offer. I'll PM you my email. I have a feeling we're gonna need all the "how to" photos we can find.

ESHALLBETTER · Post by **ESHALLBETTER** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 3:10 pm

Have you thought about just running the acordian boot gasket (http://www.pickupspecialties.com/Camper_shell_parts.htm - about 3/4 way down) in place of the rear window on the cab and the topper? If you are redoing the cage anyway you could extend it back into the camper to go over your third seat. While this wouldn't get you the "walk through" it would at least get you a third seat thats not totally segregated. You would need to get in through the back, so it may be more of an "emergency situation" type seat, but at least the cage would be there and you could do the walk through later.

Eitherway, I've always liked your truck and am really excited to see the updated build!

SC150 · Post by **SC150** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 3:34 pm

Appreciate the kind words and thanks for posting that. I actually looked all over online to try and find that stuff and couldn't come up with the right key term to locate it. I considered doing what you're saying and might still go that route. Only problem would be the noise (which is something I'd have to consider with a walk-through as well. I think an intercom would be a must. When I open my back window now the bypass are sooooo loud. I plan on paneling out the back and doing sound deadening, but I can't imagine that "clacking" being bearable for the poor shmuck stuck in the back for too long without an intercom.
On the subject, is there any way of quieting down bypass shocks (some sort of different internals, maybe)? The guys with bypass coming into the cab in broncos had to have dealt with this issue, right?

philofab · Post by **philofab** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 3:46 pm

SC150 wrote:On the subject, is there any way of quieting down bypass shocks (some sort of different internals, maybe)? The guys with bypass coming into the cab in broncos had to have dealt with this issue, right?

King 3.0s seem to be the loudest and SAW the quietest. A different spring in the bypass may quiet them down a little bit. Bill from Mirage said he has tried a few different materials to quiet the valves down without finding anything that will survive.

Deleted Account · Post by **Deleted Account** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 7:06 am

the bilstiens make 0 noise.... thats one of the reasons i like them. and no spacers for you.... lol

SC150 · Post by **SC150** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 7:39 pm

Shit, Mark. Don't make me max out my card! Are spacers really that bad in the rear???

Deleted Account · Post by **Deleted Account** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 10:40 am

SC150 wrote:Shit, Mark. Don't make me max out my card! Are spacers really that bad in the rear???

yes they are.... i know how you drive.. lol run it for know and get a wide rearend when your ready.

D1cker1 · Post by **D1cker1** » Sun Sep 02, 2012 11:36 am

Who makes decent 2" spacers?

SC150 · Post by **SC150** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:15 am

I was looking around on polyperformance.com . Saw a couple of different options for spacers.
Really torn on what to do now that Mark shot down my spacer idea (I won't hold it against ya Mark).
Here's what I'm considering http://giantmotorsports.com/content/view/43/55/. Is a mini spool gonna suck on the highway??? What options should I go with??

Deleted Account · Post by **Deleted Account** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 7:33 am

SC150 wrote:I was looking around on polyperformance.com . Saw a couple of different options for spacers.
Really torn on what to do now that Mark shot down my spacer idea (I won't hold it against ya Mark).
Here's what I'm considering http://giantmotorsports.com/content/view/43/55/. Is a mini spool gonna suck on the highway??? What options should I go with??

ill set you up with a rearend. That one is worse then your 8.8 It is a nice housing but a stock case and mini spool? that is staight up junkyard parts. A spool isnt bad to drive on the hiway at all.

BajaF250 · Post by **BajaF250** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 7:41 am

mkiefer wrote:
SC150 wrote:I was looking around on polyperformance.com . Saw a couple of different options for spacers.
Really torn on what to do now that Mark shot down my spacer idea (I won't hold it against ya Mark).
Here's what I'm considering http://giantmotorsports.com/content/view/43/55/. Is a mini spool gonna suck on the highway??? What options should I go with??

ill set you up with a rearend. That one is worse then your 8.8 It is a nice housing but a stock case and mini spool? that is staight up junkyard parts. A spool isnt bad to drive on the hiway at all.

Just around town, in tight spaces and in parking lots.

SC150 · Post by **SC150** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 3:40 pm

Anyone know if Currie would be able to build a beefier 8.8 Hybrid (bigger axle tubes and thicker material)? What's the spline count for the axles in an 8.8? What's the strongest axle you could run in this set up?
I'm thinking a custom 8.8 hybrid from Currie might not be a pretty good compromise if I can make it strong enough. I'd get the desired width, could do a similar truss to what I have now and would be able to use my current third member and brakes. I think all said and done I could keep it under $2,000, vs most likely around $3500-4000 for a 9".
The difference in cost between the two would probably allow me to cage it at the same time if I went with the Hybrid.
Opinions???

philofab · Post by **philofab** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 4:08 pm

Just go to a 9.75 center section. Pff the shelf parts, stronger, and still has a VSS.

cs_drums · Post by **cs_drums** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 10:52 pm

Know you can put 9" ends on 8.8 and use 9" axles to eliminate the c-clip. A guy that straightened my rear end made a really wide 8.8 with a good lookin truss and 9" ends. PM me if you want his info. I can text you a pic of the rear he built too.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 11:05 pm

SC150 wrote:Anyone know if Currie would be able to build a beefier 8.8 Hybrid (bigger axle tubes and thicker material)? What's the spline count for the axles in an 8.8? What's the strongest axle you could run in this set up?
I'm thinking a custom 8.8 hybrid from Currie might not be a pretty good compromise if I can make it strong enough. I'd get the desired width, could do a similar truss to what I have now and would be able to use my current third member and brakes. I think all said and done I could keep it under $2,000, vs most likely around $3500-4000 for a 9".
The difference in cost between the two would probably allow me to cage it at the same time if I went with the Hybrid.
Opinions???

Currie does make a hybrid housing. It's an 8.8 with 9" outers. You used to be able to get them from Jeff's bronco graveyard, but i don't see them listed anymore. I'm sure you can still get one through Currie.