Bu-suzu

Any luck finding a transmission yet?

(...and Thanks For Serving!)

In reply to crisd:

It sounds like you were in Afghanistan, trying to avoid getting your butt shot off. Now, you are here, (hopefully, btdt with overseas interwebz) putting the Isuzick? Buzu? together...

Awesome build thread, and a hearty thanks for your service from an Iraqi Freedom Jarhead... BTDT on not getting my butt shot off.

Another trans option is the getrag 282. These are supposed to be fairly robust.

OK, let me know if this works. I'm copying my FB picture location and pasting it here.

As you can see, I ditched the Buick unibody and just welded some square tubing onto the Buick frame assembly.

But to make sure the CV axle bearings would fit into the cups sufficiently, I had to narrow the frame because of the new length of the A-arms I got from a 1995ish Ford Explorer which are longer than the stock Buick lower A-arm... but then the engine would not sink down between them... so I rotated the left frame rail 90 degrees and lowered it because I needed the lower attachment points to be on top of the rail to ensure the cv bearings would stay in the cup. Then welded it all back up.

So what your looking at is the left and right frame rails pinched in with the left one also rotated 90 degrees.

Then I put the engine back in... Notice the metal hanging down onto the ground on the left side. It was cut off and turned back 90 degrees and welded up. So now with the engine sitting on some wood I made engine mounts (the unibody being gone now). Nothing goes to waste... and the old Buick A-arms donated the rubber bushed end to make the right side engine mount.

On the other side I flipped the OEM engine mount upside down and used a thick piece of aluminum scrap I had to make a platform to connect the engine to the mount which is about 10" highernow. I'll clean up the brace later.

Now I wanted to start plugging in the Buick wiring harness... that was labled and put in a box circa 2006. My sister helped me pull the harness while i was at work and she labled everything she pulled... Yeah... that says 'Something under the hood'. Awesome sauce.

This is incredible!

In reply to Pete Gossett:

Thanks Pete

Something under the hood!?

That's pure comedic gold! High five to your sister!

In reply to stan:

I've decided against dealing with a transmission swap this year. Maybe a project for later in the future.

This makes me happy!

See you at the challenge!

On the right side, the leading side of the upper A-arm would hit where the pulley is so I cut and moved it. The piece of wood is where the space that was needed is.

If there are any other pictures of something specific or a close up let me know,and I'll post them.

In reply to minivan_racer:

Pictures posted minivan racer :-)

I always wondered what happened to this, glad to see it lives again.

In reply to mndsm:

I wish I could have finished it back in 2006, I was convinced that I would have been a top contender as no trucks had been run yet, much less a mid-engined truck. Now trucks have been done plenty of times, its not so much a novelty any more and the concourse portion doesn't count as much any more either. I'm hoping for a good drag time!

On the upright, the lower ball joint pivot point is too high so I drilled the hole deeper to sink it down about 1/2". Now, the suspension will have the correct geometry.

Then

Resulting with

Wait...what? Dude, this build is nuts. So, it's perfect. Welcome back. Great job.

This is my last project, I'm thinking of making the truck match the bare metal theme with copper pinch striping with brown leather seats. What do ya'll think? ...

Grateful for your service.

Truck and bike both look like riots. This should be fun.

It's starting to look like a truck again.

I'm thinking of fabbing a piece like this out of the Buick hood...

In reply to OHSCrifle:

Thank you OHS

Cant wait to see this thing run!

In reply to java230:

Key word there is run... I'm hoping that after sitting for ten years it will run too!

i love the idea of using the SC3800 in a mid engine application since having the subframe makes it relatively easy.

this truck is nothing short of awesome

In reply to edizzle89:

Thanks. In retrospect I'd do a lot of things differently, but in 2006 when I bought everything it made perfect sense. At the time I wanted the biggest FWD with a supercharged engine that was OEM because it would have stronger internals for even more power without having to replace cast pistons for forged and stock rods for beefier ones. The plan is to spray as much NO2 as I can get away with. If I were to do it all over today, I'd use the Series III Supercharged 3800 if I stayed with the 3800. There are 400hp plus 3800 engines running out there; the motor is quite stout.