Let's see your fender well header protection.

Hey guys I've been reading a lot lately about the block hugger/fender header debate and at this point I think I'm going to go for the hedmans(67 w/225) for my own reasons. That being said, I've only seen one pic of how people have rigged up protection for them as the front tire comes off a rock. Any shots of custom rock sliders or rocker panel bash plates that have the exhaust routed between it and the frame rail? Thanks.

 

I built these for the 3B but ones for a 5 would be identical.




There is a sheet of 22? gage aluminum on standoffs between the tub and exhaust for heat shielding that keeps the floor cool. It is just visible under the sill protection.

 

you do awesome work duffer! does the other side attach to the body as well?

 

i meant to say the other side of the shield of the one piece attaches to the body as well? i would imagine it would because of body and frame flex is different for each.

 

i was looking at doing something to protect my headers and muffler as well. also i like the idea of putting a heat shield on top of the mufflers as my floors get hot in the summer

 

The inside of my shields bolt to the frame. I guess I cheated a bit with the outside mount as those points bolt up to a 1.5" square tube "subframe" that is sandwiched between the tub and frame. If you went with something along these lines with a stock tub, I would incorporate the mount into sill protection to spread the load out. Those are stout enough to jack either side of the Willys completely off the ground.

Chuck, aluminum is just fun. Those were only my second project with the spool gun. 1/4" is as easy as steel, just have to remember it is aluminum and keep the speed up. I still have my problems with 1/16". Tig is a better deal for that.

 

Those do look great! They also look like far more than I could do. I was thinking a little more along the lines of the idea of "bolt-on boatsides" if you will. Same idea of a subframe with sill protection that bolts to the frame, but instead of your beautiful aluminum, just some heavy gauge sheet steel. Picture this if you will: a series of "L" shaped brackets of square tubing bolted to the frame where the long side is horizontal and directly below the tub and the short side points down the frame vertically. A sheet of steel would angle back from the top to bottom legs of tubing for the "boatsides" then. What size tubing did you make your frame from?

 

My bad, just read the 1.5" in previous post.