Build Kalif portal buggy build

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A

ASTAR

Spotter Required
Joined
Sep 16, 2021
Messages
22
Location
Hurricane UT
I’ve been spending a decent amount of time (and paying attention) with people in Sand Hollow with all the cool toys and have been acquiring parts for a new build.

After much debate between a few different, really awesome chassis’, I went with Kalif Redden chassis. I’ve been watching them just flat work really well over the last couple of years and with as many people as I know that have them, it will be a huge advantage having one sitting next to mine during the build process so it became a no brainer.

The parts list is as follows so far…

- Kalif Gen2 Hybrid chassis. This is sort of a combination of the Gen1 and 2. Mostly, it’s a Gen2 but has the bent lower kick panel tube that runs up to the A pillar. I prefer the look of it over the corner.
- Engine…not positive on this at this time. Looking at either an SRT-4 or a GM 3.9.
- C4 transmission
- D300 (stock gears for now)
- Trail gear Toyota housings/H1 portals/zip lockers, 5.29’s, rear steer
- Trail Ready wheels
- 42” BFG Reds
- PSC steering
- Shocks…not sure on what shocks exactly yet. Looking at all 2.0 and 2.5 air shock offerings at this time.
I want this to be a super capable trail car that can hang with my buddy’s through every trail in Sand Hollow. I don’t plan on competing with it but can’t promise I won’t lol.

This will be a slow build initially (because we are having a house built that keeps being delayed) but once we move, it should go together a lot quicker. Hoping to have a roller before we move in December. 😎

Here is the chassis anyways!

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Definitely 2.5 airs...less pressure needed for ride height, less unloading concerns too.

And IMO, find a smaller/compact seat without a headrest...space is a premium.
 
Ya, Poulsen was convincing me of the 2.5’s as well, just worried about packaging, Kalif said they’re gonna be TIGHT in there.

Definitely going to go with a more compact seat. Probably the Roadster. Just had this sitting around and had to sit in the car 😆👍
 
Ttocs said:
Is this chassis one of his XL version ? The window opening appear to be fairly large. I have a first gen XL and love it
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Well the Gen2 is a little bigger chassis as it is (not by much) but I had the roof line lowered slightly so it actually matches up with a Gen1 total height (as I understand it anyways). I measured Brent Jolley's (used to be Jeff McKinlay's) and the floor ro the roof looks to be about the same but the window opening does look to be a little larger. I think that the door bar is lowered a little (reflected in the bend at the A pillar) so it gives a larger opening without making the car taller. I believe the Gen2 in normal configuration is a little taller (belly to roof).

From bottom of belly to top of roof, mine is 45" and the window opening is 20¼" from the top of the door tube to the bottom of the roof tube. What are your measurements?
 
From A to C (waistline) is 45”
Window opening is 21” tall
Top of roof at B is 66.5. Belly @19”
So 47.5” from top to bottom of chassis
 
Well, small update...painful wait for everything, waiting on our house to be completed so I can actually get to work on this thing.

Just stuffing parts into our tiny rental house garage for the time being... *rolleyes

- Got my diffs, thanks to Ryan at Agility
- Went with ADS 2.5 air shocks, got those
- Got my wheels and tires, powdercoated Illusion Blueberry, thanks to Will at FX in Hurricane for adding the color!
- Got my t-case
Huge thanks to Steve at SHO for the advice and help with getting this build started! I definitely have more people to thank for their words of wisdom and will do so once this thing looks like something to actually brag about LOL!
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Update: We ended up delayed on our home so we didn’t even move in till the very end of December. Then, with moving and trying to make my garage a workable space, it’s finally getting going.
Went with the 3.9L LZ9 and 904 with D300. Was a tough decision but it came down to cost, simplicity, the width as well as the fact that everyone I know that runs this combo is happy with it, and the local support around it is huge (much thanks to thanks Steve Nantz, John Hembel, Devin Brandt and others).
No regrets.

Steve Humphrey's engine harness is on the way.

As of now, I’ve got the engine freshly sealed/gasketed and had to have FX Powdercoating lay down some more color on the engine which is almost ready to go in. The trans has a fresh rebuild with a CRT RMVB and billet servo, and the D300 is in pieces getting ready to be resealed with new nicknacks as well as the new AA input shaft and new 1310 u-bolt yokes instead of straps.

The housings are in (thanks for the brackets SHO!), front shocks mounted, and now mocking up seats (Corbeau low back heated).

Inner shafts just came in so I’m ready to assemble the portals with RCV’s and Branik inners.

Hoping to have a roller with drivetrain in it by this weekend.

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LOVE that blue, very nice!!

Are you springing for the Midnight MM300 case? I absolutely love how easy mine shifts...
 
woody said:
LOVE that blue, very nice!!

Are you springing for the Midnight MM300 case? I absolutely love how easy mine shifts...
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I considered it. Especially that week that they said they’d keep the old price before the increase.
Budgetary constraints prevent it but I wanted it.
 
MNorby said:
engine looks nice and clean. Whats your plan for upper radiator hose?
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Making brackets that bolt up to the heads with a tube coming off from the holes in the heads (removing the freeze plugs), joining the two heads together with a tube and "Y-ing" off the driver side to the radiator.
 
Here is my rear head crossover from 1.25" tube. I must not have ever taken a finished picture but I added ports for my spal+ fan switch and water temp gauge. If I did again I would add a bleeder port too for burping air but I can crack my water temp fitting pretty easy for burping. I also had the inside coated with Cerekote heat barrier and outside done in a high heat Cerekote the same as my exhaust. Maybe give ya a few ideas to play with.


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MNorby said:
Here is my rear head crossover from 1.25" tube. I must not have ever taken a finished picture but I added ports for my spal+ fan switch and water temp gauge. If I did again I would add a bleeder port too for burping air but I can crack my water temp fitting pretty easy for burping. I also had the inside coated with Cerekote heat barrier and outside done in a high heat Cerekote the same as my exhaust. Maybe give ya a few ideas to play with.
Click to expand...

Nice! Yes, that is similar to what I’m thinking I’ll be doing. I like the idea of having it cerekoted, I hadn’t thought of that. Also a means to burp it, great ideas man, thanks!
 
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