The "trophy husband" pro mod buggy build

[N-Smooth]

First off I know this probably won’t appeal to most people on here but I do have a couple of forum friends that might like to see it. Beyond that, Greg suggested I make a build thread when I bought a D300 from him a while back. I also look forward to having a record of info and pics that I can look back on later.

Anyways, I am in love with competitive rock crawling and after some years of success in my XJ thing I decided it was time to step up to the pro mod class in WERock. This is also a good time to mention that this build will likely take me a whiiiiiile. It turns out building buggies is hard, especially when you suck at it like I do.

Basic parts:

Engine: Chevy 3.9L from an '06 Impala Police

Transmission: 904 trans from an '85 XJ 2.8L V6

Transfercase: Atlas 4.3:1

Front Axle: Trail Gear 9” housing w/SuperDuty D60 (99-04) outers aka 609

Rear Axle: Custom Teraflex CRD60

Shocks: Profender 2.5x14 air shocks

Tires: 40" ProComp super stickies


That's what I have so far and I've started building the chassis. It's been ~5 years since I really did heavy tube work and I forgot how bad I suck at it. I'm starting with the key parts I need done and I've been putting off the parts with bends until I get back in the groove. I am not a fabricator but I have built some stuff. I will stress that again and again. So I've taken some measurements off of various chassis' over the years as I've been lucky enough to spend time around some really cool rigs. The initial plan was to have @skippy bring his pro mod to my house and I was going to copy the parts that work for me. It was going to be way easier to build with another one to look at. Well, he sucks so he sold it so he can build a neato single seat rear steer car. What a jerkface. So with that I have some of the aforementioned measurements that I’ve taken from other pro mods and build threads to look at for ideas.

 

[N-Smooth]

I purchased this majestic steed. I haven’t laughed so hard for a long time. Driving it was so fun!
It came with these glasses that look like a snapchat filter and some loose bullets in the trunk. I love this car.

The heart of the beast. 3.9L v6

Pulling it was sooooo much fun!

 

[N-Smooth]

CRD60 center I picked up for the rear axle. I was a little excited.

The Jeep that won me 2 national championships was kicked to the sideyard and covered with a HF tarp. It's a cruel, cruel world.

My "helpers" love being in the garage with me.

Pretty sure I'm almost done with the building part.

 

[N-Smooth]

But wait, there's more!

The aforementioned helpers were hanging out in here for at least an hour.

Making stuff fit in places is hard (that's what she said)

Now we're getting somewhere... kinda.

 

[Kevin B.]

Please please please promise to wear those glasses every time you drive the new buggy.

 

[I Lean]

When did you acquire a trophy husband?

Watching.

 

[Greg]

First off I know this won't matter to most people on here but I do have a couple of forum friends that might like to see it. Beyond that, Greg suggested I make a build thread when I bought a D300 from him a while back. I also look forward to having a record of info and pics that I can look back on later...

Nate, I think you'll find that a lot of people on here are way into your build! Just because we don't all have buggies or compete, doesn't mean we won't love it. I'm glad you started the thread, it's going to be fun watching it come together!

#makeRMErockcrawlingagain

 

[Greg]

What are the plans for the Cherocar? Keep it around as the recreational wheeler or sell it for buggy funds?

 

[N-Smooth]

Please please please promise to wear those glasses every time you drive the new buggy.

If you knew me better you’d already know they will be kept in the buggy for sure

When did you acquire a trophy husband?

Watching.

hey now, I’m the trophy husband. I thought it would be a fun name and well, my wife is significantly more successful than me and I like to joke about it. Some guys think it’s weird and may even think less of me as a man but I’m pretty sure they’re all mad because their wives are poor... it’s 2020 bro, women being successful is cool

Nate, I think you'll find that a lot of people on here are way into your build! Just because we don't all have buggies or compete, doesn't mean we won't love it. I'm glad you started the thread, it's going to be fun watching it come together!

#makeRMErockcrawlingagain

That would be cool if people like it. If not that’s fine too. I’ve been on here for like 17 years or something so it makes sense to post it here.

What are the plans for the Cherocar? Keep it around as the recreational wheeler or sell it for buggy funds?

last time I had the family in Moab my wife said I needed to build a buggy and she’d drive the Jeep so we can fit our family. I almost passed out from the erection that gave me and graciously accepted her proposal. So yeah, keeping the XJ. Also I plan on winning another national championship in it during this build.

 

[Jinx]

Wives who wheel are pretty cool 😎

 

[Hickey]

If it involves metal fab, I wanna see it. I would like a buggy, but it really doesn't work for me... Then again, I have a sxs that I hate because it's not the buggy that I really want it to be.

 

[N-Smooth]

If it involves metal fab, I wanna see it. I would like a buggy, but it really doesn't work for me... Then again, I have a sxs that I hate because it's not the buggy that I really want it to be.

well with me it’s kinda like metal fab but done poorly. You should definitely build a buggy. I seem to remember you having a CJ juggy of sorts when I joined RME. I’m thinking leafs in the front and coils in the rear? Anarchy4x4 links that twist...? I remember weird stuff.

 

[N-Smooth]

Tonight I got the motor and trans married. It was a lovely ceremony, not a dry eye in the place. I even had to make a socially distant trip to calranch to buy bolts since they’re metric and that’s stupid. I picked up some .035 wire and some mig tips since heaven knows I’ll run out of those at a crucial time.

There’s a lot of stuff I need to figure out on the motor. For one I’m surprised GM didn’t run out of pulleys because they used them all on this motor. I need to have less of them. I also need to figure out getting rid of heater hoses, the stupid oil filter adapter with cooler lines and most importantly I will need an exhaust solution. Some of this stuff is really going to suck to figure out but hey I signed up for this!

 

[skippy]

Should have done a 1.4 mine is working out well for me....

 

[N-Smooth]

Should have done a 1.4 mine is working out well for me....

so I’ve wanted to say that but I was waiting for it to all be fixed...

 

[N-Smooth]

The motor and trans are separated. That didn’t last long but hopefully they get back together. I rolled it outside and soaked it in simple green and sprayed it down with my hose. It’s a little bit cleaner I guess.
I decided it was time to benderify some stuff and finish the boatside tubes

I was very happy that I nailed the bends and notches on the first try. That’s always a treat for me. I made the other 2 for the back but need to figure out some other stuff related to the length and position of the drivetrain before placing them.

You may have noticed the new boatside tubes are sleeved into a larger tube. Well, the rockers and the belly pan are 1.75” DOM because they’ll be at least partially sleeved with 1.5” DOM. I always hate the sleeving part when the tubes resist (sounds weird) so I created this magnificent contraption. It’s a scotch brite pad wrapped around a piece of heater hose and screwed in place. Jam a big drill bit in there and go to town. It gets the inside of the tube shiiiiiiny and really helps but make sure to push a rag through the tube after to clean out the debris.

 

[Agility Customs]

Thats looking really awesome

 

[POR]

I'd really suggest stuffing an atlas in there over the 300.. while the 300's are awesome, they are just not up to task. They're alot like toyotas, they strong until not strong.. I gave them an honest try lol.. after 15 broken, i figured I give up an go atlas so other jeeple could enjoy some of the remaining cases hahhaha..

 

[Gravy]

Keep up the good work.

That Chev LZ9 is a weirdly cool motor. You know it's good when Chev names it the "High Value" engine
You should find a Buick Lucerne hood to cut down for it.
Are you planning to sleeve your roof line tube too?

 

[N-Smooth]

I'd really suggest stuffing an atlas in there over the 300.. while the 300's are awesome, they are just not up to task. They're alot like toyotas, they strong until not strong.. I gave them an honest try lol.. after 15 broken, i figured I give up an go atlas so other jeeple could enjoy some of the remaining cases hahhaha..

that’s a possibility for sure. I just have some stuff to work our first. It’s also hard to drop $2500 on an Atlas while this economic weirdness continues.

Keep up the good work.

That Chev LZ9 is a weirdly cool motor. You know it's good when Chev names it the "High Value" engine
You should find a Buick Lucerne hood to cut down for it.
Are you planning to sleeve your roof line tube too?

it really is. I drove Jesse Haines’ pro mod Pokey and that’s what made me fall in love with this motor. The power is perfect for a buggy and it’s not too hard to package. Being able to throw a 904 behind it with no adapters is also a perk.

I’m thinking I’ll sleeve the tube from A-B for sure since those get rubbed on pretty often. I really need to decide how much tube has to actually go in the different pieces. As in if I can put in a few small sections and have it be almost as strong as fully sleeving I am interested in that.