↓    Click  the  Image  to  Enlarge       

  Made more progress on the Tail Gate.  Completed the hinges, and the bed side retailers.  Not sure if I will make a filler panel for the center or not, sure is nice to be able to lower it with the winch in place.  Also worked on the chain's and license plate bracket (not shown).  03/02/2008

  The Tailgate is painted and installed.  I won't call it finished, as I still need to cover the chains, and determine what I will do with the center opening.  With the tailgate open, I have 98" from the edge of the tailgate to the front of the bed vertical support.  It doesn't open 180 degrees, I made a slight error when I used the 1" tube across the bottom, and further aggravated it with the two inner hinge plates, but it opens enough for me and my use.  The design is such, that you remove one bolt, and pull the hinge pin and the tailgate is completely removable.  The license plate is visible with the tailgate Open and closed.  03/04/2008

  Well I got the new springs cleaned, painted and installed.  The new "added leafs" worked out well, giving the same spring pack thickness as the block I'd used for tire clearance reasons..  The New springs both spring the same, and are not tired yet, so the front bumper sets an inch higher.  I still need to see about the drooping bumper, but that's the same frame end that was bent when I bought the truck, so I may not have got it completely straight.  04/09/2008

  This could be construed as taking the term "carry a Spare" too for, but the only way I can get the M and the RZR on my current trailer at the same time is to load the RZR in the M, and then the M on the trailer.  All in all, not too bad.  Will need to do a little more reinforcement on the upper rack, and install the wheel forward stops on it.  I will also need to install the center tailgate hinge support, as the load on the tailgate is a little more than I'd like, as it's bowing the center.  Will also need to make sure I get the right secure points to tie it in and down securely.  04/13/2008

  The Gama-Goat Military  Rear Light Lenses are installed now, as well as a better set of back-up lights.  04/13/2006

  The Center Tailgate Support Hinge is now fabricated and mounted.  I also mounted a fire extinguisher in the floor of the cab.  04/14/2006

  Well I had a great time at my first time at the Badlands in Attica, IN!  WOW, running with Jill, Jon, Bill and a few other Jeep's was a blast.  I'm very proud of the M, as she went every where the Jeeps went (as long as the trees were at least close to wide enough).  I suffered a little body damage to the front left fender, the left running board, and the right rear running board.  The right rear running board took the blunt of my squeeze plays to follow the jeeps, some where along the line I actually rubbed the paint off down to bare metal.  The Holley TBI gave me a lot of sre-starting problems, I have one more thing to try, make sure the ground is as good as I though it was.  I did go through one of the ballast resister this trip, but being a good Dodge Electronic Ignition user, I was caring a spare.  4/20/2008

  I did have one piece of bad luck while at the Badlands.  On the last trail, running over some boulders following Jon, I must have gone over a bolder taller than I thought, as when the front wheel road over it, the came down and it hit the muffler hard, and put a nice dent in it, and managed to break the exhaust manifold.  Now to see if this 1984 Manifold will fit the '68 Block and the M's exhaust pipes.  I hope it's a direct bolt in.  4/20/2008

All things Military & Civilian Dodge Trucks