'84 Dodge Rampage Build Thread

[Glen]

Make a solid alum. block to use in place of the the two spacers between the column and the attach point under the dash, this will take any side loading  off the column.

Progress is looking GREAT Steve!!!!!  

A few things to maybe help:

Be sure to put a plate behind the ends of the dash bar.....Gives anchor support (kinda hard to see till I can get a better pic).


Your seat bars will need to be bent like mine in order to lower the seat:


My steering column is dropped about two inches as well:


I have a 13" flat aluminum Speedway Motors steering wheel with a Woodward splined quick disconnect (hex was to sloppy for my liking).


Also, be sure to add tabs / gussets on the top bar intersections:



Finally, it's always fun making engine noises and going through the gears .....I also include the sound of the chute opening as well  .

Gregg
P.S.
Let me know if I can help with any questions you may have.

[gkabbt]

Glen,

Many thanks for the aluminum block suggestion instead of the spacers.....Something I had not thought of and will be an easy fix.

That is now at the top of my "to do" list for this week.

Gregg

[gkabbt]

Gregg, I'm no inspector, but I think yours looks okay.  I'd get in, make a few "vroom vroom" noises with my brain bucket on, and lean forward just to check.  

I'm going to start calling you guys, "The Rampage Brothers".  This is a great study, seeing two identical doorslammers being built on these pages during the same time period.

Chris,

Thanks for the info from the WF and what the inspectors were looking for. I am still tweaking mine so nothing is set in stone.....yet.
I will do the vroom, vroom thing with my helment on and see what that gets me.....Just haven't gotten around to it yet.

"The Rampage Brothers".....that's really funny  
I'll agree that it is pretty neat to see two Rampages being built at the same time. I really was not going to do a build diary of mine because of the sometimes internet bickering. When Steve started this diary I felt that my pics and input might possibly help him (and others), so that is how mine started.
In talking with Steve, the plan is for both he and I to be at WoS 2013 with our Rampages, so how cool will that be?
The more I think about "The Rampage Brothers".....The more I like it. That IS very cool!  

Gregg
1/2 of The Rampage Brothers

[gkabbt]

Gregg - I like the 4" extension on the steering shaft - that's another good idea for ingress/egress room.  I may have to borrow that idea also.  If I can get in & out of the truck with the "Bonneville" halo installed, I'll consider myself fortunate.  Otherwise, I'll have to come up with some kind of hinged arrangement like you are describing.

Steve.

Steve, I got my steering shaft extension from:
http://www.gre6.com/cgi/quikstore.cgi?search=yes&hits_seen=&product=STEERING:GRE6-4&category=STEERING&keywords=&detail=yes&page=search.html&template=database_list_page&and=
Not really cheap but it does make it easier for me to get in and out of the truck, so I'm happy.

Gregg

[maguromic]

If your going to run a steering shaft extension make it collapsible.  It easy to fabricate and in the event of an unexpected event you will be glad you had it.  The collapsible part of the lower steering shaft is not adequate if you run the extension.   This is a picture of a fabricated unit in an Audi DTM car (picture is from Auto Sport off the net).  Tony

[Peter Jack]

Nice looking piece and simple too. I also like the cage gussets. You can gain a lot of ideas from good pictures.

Pete

[gkabbt]

If your going to run a steering shaft extension make it collapsible.  It easy to fabricate and in the event of an unexpected event you will be glad you had it.  The collapsible part of the lower steering shaft is not adequate if you run the extension.   This is a picture of a fabricated unit in an Audi DTM car (picture is from Auto Sport off the net).  Tony

Tony,
I hear what you are saying and understand about the collapsible extension, so I have a question for you.
The extension I am using is only 4" in length and the one on your picture "looks" to be about 6 - 8".

I am not as close to the steering wheel as the driver in your picture so would I really need a collapsible one instead of the short extension I am using?

Thanks for your input,
Gregg

P.S.
Steve, Not trying to hijack your thread but I think this is applicable for both you and me.

[gkabbt]

Nice looking piece and simple too. I also like the cage gussets. You can gain a lot of ideas from good pictures.

Pete

Pete,

Thanks for your input and it is a nice piece, albeit, not cheap. As I posted earlier, the reason I went this route was for easier ingress / egress.
I made sure my chassis guy did the cage gussets and he was in contact with Kiwi Steve several times about them.
Again, I started my build diary to "try" to help others, hence all the pictures in my build diary. Also, that is why I keep putting some of them in Steve's diary.....Just to help.

Thanks again,
Gregg

[SteveM]

I certainly don't consider it hijacking of "my" thread.  I'm open to all ideas, and there are a lot of good ones flowing around.   Since I'm not nearly as tall as Gregg - (I'm 5 foot 9), I will have to strike the right balance between seat placement, shifter reach, steering reach, and being able to get out of the truck when needed.

If the seat is too far forward, the side of the seat and lateral head restraints take up a fair bit of the door opening space.  Moving the seat back and using a collapsible steering column extension sounds like a good idea.  That idea leads to moving the pedal cluster, the shifter position, and re-thinking the location of the switches and controls inside the vehicle.

I'm ordering the new seat today.  I'll be cutting, bending, and tacking more tubes over the weekend so that I can be ready to play with the new seat when it gets here.

Let the ideas flow,

Steve.

[maguromic]

Gregg, Even though you are not close to the wheel the 4” extension is significant and in an unexpected event if there is nothing to give it can be problematic.  The body and seat belts also do stretch and it is next to impossible to determine what ifs.  I personally don’t believe that the collapsible steering columns are enough (just go to a junkyard and see all the bent steering wheels, and that’s with air bags).  I cant tell you if you need it or not, that’s a decision that each one of us that builds a car has to make.  Tony

[gkabbt]

Tony,
I hope I did not come across the wrong way in my post to you.    Sometimes I really hate the internet (not being able to talk face to face).
I have just been looking on the internet for the collapsible extension you were talking about and all I see are rather large diameter ones and nothing like the one in your picture.
In your 1st post you said it would be easy to fabricate. By chance do you have any pictures or diagrams like what you are talking about as these are VERY uncharted waters for me?

Many thanks again,
Gregg

[SteveM]

Gregg:

    I think I could make one of those extensions with thin walled tubing, a Bridgeport, and a hole saw.  At least that's my vision of how it would work.  I assume that the one in the photo is steel, but it may be something more exotic.

Steve.

[Tman]

Go watch the Youtube of Danny Thompsons Mustang crash to see what can go wrong. Lots of movement there.

Here, I found it real quick.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TTzbBRyOO0o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Steve, just got home, I assume it is too late to call?

[maguromic]

Gregg, I didn't read anything into your post and the only time I really get upset is when I fill my car up ($75) .  Its very easy to make, a couple of flanges and thin wall tubing.  Steve has the right idea, and if you look at the Danny Thompson video, it will make you think twice.  I am enjoying both rampage builds  . Tony

[SteveM]

Trent- feel free to call. I'm cleaning up the garage and listening to the Cardinals game.