Jump to content

Mad Max Topless Tahoe

Chad N

Recommended Posts

Chad N Enthusiast

Chad N

Posted
Posted

How our Mad Max Topless Tahoe was born...

Long story short, we had some plans, covid hit, so we decided to make a lemon into lemonade.

 

Below is the story of what my son and did to convert an old tahoe and scrap metal into a one of a kind off road toy for the family.

 

2087012346_20200428_223756(Medium).thumb.jpg.75fbfed216545bf2cc1ba4c0bb98f046.jpg

 

Pre Covid We bought this tahoe that was in a rollover accident for $300 for the donor parts for the 46 ford sitting next to it here

965232649_20190805_140948(Medium).thumb.jpg.89a0bdda10d9fdeb94f4fd6345778718.jpg

 

I couldn't open the doors to move it around so out came the sawzall. It fired right up and now we could drive it into the shop to part out.

But now it was almost too much fun to drive it around our 5 acre wooded lot.

1682812783_20190806_211312(Medium).thumb.jpg.31af121a91344e7ec32c6ebf14f588fa.jpg

 

I sold the bumper and what was good off the front clip.

 

 

I planned on parking it back outside until my 18 year old son and I were ready to build his 46 Ford. So I thru an old GMC 4400 hood over the engine to keep the rain out.

 

But.... then Covid!

 

1003439562_20190808_231854(Medium).thumb.jpg.00625b87d921053580753d09a8286747.jpg

 

Well we didn't feel great about building the ford with being at home, and the hood looked pretty cool, so plans changed. We decided to make a lemon into lemonade. 

I loved the mad max movies, so why not take the time we had and the scrap metal I had collected and build a post apocalyptic mad max off-road dune car? We have a house near the Silver Lake Sand Dunes in Michigan. 

The basic rule was to use only scrap we had on hand. We first built a tubing bend out of a plow hydraulic cylinder.  Even the aluminum skull emblem was cast at home with our backyard foundry and scrap aluminum and the mold was 3d printed.

We bend up a roll cage. The only thing bought was some tubing, radiator fans, all new stainless brake lines and brakes and Some ebay led lighting.

1580030920_20190823_003222(Medium).thumb.jpg.1b3465b9c2894bfef996f6ba72f05e30.jpg

The Grill was made from a international combine thrasher cage.

 

 

 

972649987_20190823_003355(Medium).thumb.jpg.33fa91105004de818a6eacdda2eceac1.jpg

 

All paint was ground off and forced rusted using acid based vinegar peroxide and salt. 

2002479158_20191006_124121(Medium).thumb.jpg.3aac867d3a9434a0dbac7a8025ca2424.jpg

 

2106046131_20200408_235840(Medium).thumb.jpg.17996137c5753fadf7a2830788935048.jpg

 

We added a scoop made from the fuel tank of a farmall tractor.

1509000180_20200505_230304(Medium).thumb.jpg.b87323ce468cc354c001833ad44bb914.jpg

 

The hood is hydraulic assist front tilting. 

210563835_20200526_223418(Medium).thumb.jpg.56ebdc1522d99db09e82b56123e09d9b.jpg

 

305236747_20200615_205440(Medium).thumb.jpg.32fb09d251f820344cdd4d0ed87c2bed.jpg

 

i-bQRvfTx-X3.thumb.jpg.4e67b9716412d9de5ea1982fbcd55d05.jpg

 

20200615_205440.jpg

20190917_195122 (Medium).jpg

Donstar Senior Enthusiast

Donstar

Posted
Posted

Fun project! Great look!  It takes a lot of work to make something look like it didn't take a lot of work!  I'm a fan of "Vegas Rat Rods" and they would be the first custom shop I'd choose if I won the lottery!!

garagerog Enthusiast

garagerog

Posted
Posted

Sweet! All that needs now is a water cannon, 200 gallon tank and pump and you're ready to sweep the streets of the riff-raff rioters and looters!  My first impulse was to suggest a .50 cal with a very long belt, but my kinder and gentler side broke through .?

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Forum Statistics

    250.4k
    Total Topics
    2.7m
    Total Posts

  • Member Statistics

    342,837
    Total Members
    8,960
    Most Online
    bellssn690
    Newest Member
    bellssn690
    Joined

  • Who's Online   6 Members, 0 Anonymous, 579 Guests (See full list)

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • Atlas
      Gas Prices

      By Atlas · Posted

      Those can be high, as well as the big California cities. The ones that will pop your eyes out are the 395 corridor on the Eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas. Lee Vining, $7.19 for regular and $8.89 for diesel is what the Google said right now.
    • newdude
      2020 Trailboss 6.2 replacement

      By newdude · Posted

      Correct.  2019-2021 model years are serviced by a different p/n.  19420611.  Recall 2021s use 19420611.   The recall engines 2022-2024 model years are serviced with 12740076.     The difference between 19420611 and 12740076 is GM changed injector size for 2022.  The injectors are smaller on 12740076 with smaller injector bores in the cylinder heads to match the smaller injectors.  So you can't install a 19420611 in a 2022-2024, and you can't install a 12740076 in a 2019-2021.     Both engines are the replacement engine p/ns that are in the L87 recall.  So both of these are the updated engines.     Here's a version of the L87 recall with the p/ns for all the parts needed.    RCRIT-25V274-7075.pdf   Note it shows 19420611 and 12740076 with an asterisk to a footnote "Use the VIN and the GM Electronic Parts Catalog (EPC) to determine which part to order if two or more part numbers are listed for the same part, as it may vary by vehicle options."    
    • 2017Z
      2020 Trailboss 6.2 replacement

      By 2017Z · Posted

      Looking for advice from this group. Took my flawless 2020 6.2 TB to an unnamed shop for routine rear brakes and oil change. Tech forgot to put oil back in after the full service and needles to say, destroyed my engine.  It’s all on their shop video so they are responsible.   I had my Chevy dealer do the analysis and they confirmed its compromised and said engine replacement. The manager said they only get GM reman engines from GM with full 3 yr warranty and the one they would put in is not same as what’s they are swapping out on 21-25 for recall.    I am looking for advice why that would be a different engine because obviously I had the good 6.2 year and replacing it has my concerns with that recall for 21-15   Also what’s the pros and cons of accepting the engine swap vs telling the shop that bricked the truck to pay up so I buy a new truck. I’m concerned about stigma resale eventually if I just decide to get rid of it after the swap or other issues showing up after the swap out.  
    • GN2018
      AFM Disabler Question

      By GN2018 · Posted

      Just looked up my records.  I've never gone over 5000 miles between oil changes.  At 46K miles, I have 10 oil changes.  I hope that will help.  I also installed the disabler last year.  I've still had a few times when it didn't seem to engage (which I can tell because the start stop feature kicks in), but for the most part, I think it's working.  For some reason, GM did not include the number of cylinders running in the information screen like I had on other models.  In my Cadillac, it shows me when it's running on 4 cylinders on the fuel milage screen.  I can't find that on my '21 Denali.
    • davester
      Wiring Help, Please

      By davester · Posted

      you might read through the info on gmupfitter.com for your truck, to find a good power source.

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...