Building a $120 CJ7 from the frame up.

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  • daddyusmaximus

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 98.8%
    82   1   0
    Aug 21, 2013
    8,508
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    Remington
    Hot damn! Been waiting on this forever... Welding guy finally fished stitching together my fuel tank. I'll get it cleaned out this week, then seal it, and get it painted, and ready to go in. I have to do the fuel lines, rear part of the brake lines, and move the rear shock mounts for the YJ tub, and I'll be able to get the tub on it to start the wiring. Probably get somebody started on the front bumper too, but I'm thinking I'll go with someone who doesn't take 2 months...

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    daddyusmaximus

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 98.8%
    82   1   0
    Aug 21, 2013
    8,508
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    Remington
    As is par for the course... I haven't done anything for a spell on the Jeep. It seems to come in spurts. Small spurts that are all too often, months apart. In any case, the heat of summer, being busy at the VFW, and my arthritis have all combined to keep me out of the garage. With the new fuel tank, I had hoped to get back at it. Come to find out, the fuel take was made incorrectly. The vent, and filler hose hook ups were just low enough to hit the frame... (but of course)

    The guy said he'd fix it soon as he can, but a week became two, then three, then I took it elsewhere.

    It's fixed.

    So, then I go grab my bottle of Eastwood fuel tank sealer I got online to read how to apply it. Guess what? That's not a 1, or 2, or even 3 step process... AND, they want you to start by using their Eastwood Metal Wash #10120.

    That you can ONLY get... from them. (but of course)

    Back to the online ordering... and corresponding waiting.

    In the meantime, I got another e-mail from Summit Racing asking if I wanted to cancel my order for my wheels.

    No, not really. Already got 2. Already paid for the other 3 way back in April, and have been getting different (progressively later) ship dates from the manufacturer all summer. Well now they're saying January 2022.

    OK, The proverbial straw, has broken this camel's back. I canceled the order, and went with another wheel. I really wanted the old school steelies with the dog dish hub caps, but I can only take so much. American Racing has a wheel that once powder coated should look fairly close to a modern military wheel, so I ordered 5 of them.

    Boom, they got here in 3 days from TX.

    **** California, and their Wheel Vintiques steelies.
     
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    daddyusmaximus

    Grandmaster
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    82   1   0
    Aug 21, 2013
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    I decided to put the tire mount and bumper on the swing out while I was out there. I left the bumper loose. Not shure where it will hit the tailgate on the YJ tub.


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    eldirector

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Apr 29, 2009
    14,677
    113
    Brownsburg, IN
    Slow and steady progress! You are well ahead of me. My CJs have been sitting untouched for a couple of years. Wife bugged me about getting something together, so time to get cracking....
     

    daddyusmaximus

    Grandmaster
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    82   1   0
    Aug 21, 2013
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    Wheels are back from powder coat. They look awesome except for one thing... The powder coat is a lighter color than the rattle can. Looked different on the color chart in the brochure. Probably close enough not to worry about. It's not gonna be a show vehicle or anything, but I may try to look for a lighter color or spray paint to match. I'll have to think on it. It's not like our military vehicles always had all matching parts anyhow.

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    daddyusmaximus

    Grandmaster
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    82   1   0
    Aug 21, 2013
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    I started in on the procedure for the cleaning, and sealing of the fuel tank, following the instructions of the Eastwood sealer. Went to take the bolt out of the tank where the sending unit goes. The guy who welded it up stainless screws would be cool given the recess would collect water. Not sure if one was cross threaded, or the dissimilar metals caused it to seize, but this happened...

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    Nothing like the fun of drilling out a broken bolt again...
    I get out the cutting oil I "borrowed" from the motorpool at Ft Hood back in 1985.

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    daddyusmaximus

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 98.8%
    82   1   0
    Aug 21, 2013
    8,508
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    In order to wash out the tank with the metal wash, muratic acid, rust remover, then put in the liner, I need to be able to plug that big hole in the top. Well, the bolts the new tank is made to use are bigger than the original was designed for... More drilling.

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    Then, so many minutes on each side, for each step...

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    tim87tr

    Freedom lover
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    Jul 3, 2010
    1,407
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    Eastern IL
    Nice. I've Jeeped with a few CJs out West. That Eastwood coating sounds like the POR-15 I'd used on some front suspension parts.

    Did your Jeep come with that V8? I know only a few had it. I had the 258 in an AMC. Best of luck, quite the endeavor.
     

    daddyusmaximus

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 98.8%
    82   1   0
    Aug 21, 2013
    8,508
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    Remington
    Nice. I've Jeeped with a few CJs out West. That Eastwood coating sounds like the POR-15 I'd used on some front suspension parts.

    Did your Jeep come with that V8? I know only a few had it. I had the 258 in an AMC. Best of luck, quite the endeavor.
    First off, NO Jeep ever came with that V-8 from the factory. That's not an AMC 360, that's a Mopar 360. Different animal. But yeah, it was in a CJ5. A sand toy I used to have, (got it that way from a previous owner) and I took it out for my CJ7 build.

    Secondly, I'll be needing the good luck, so thanks... lol.
     

    daddyusmaximus

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 98.8%
    82   1   0
    Aug 21, 2013
    8,508
    113
    Remington
    Sweet Lord this is taking too long. Had a little bit of money, so I picked up the first 2 tires today. Word is tires are gonna be hard to get here soon, so I want them while I can get them. Hell, EVERYTHING is hard to get. I got one type of fish out of 4 ordered for my VFW fish fry supplies I picked up today. Two 35x12.50 BFG KO2 tires pretty much take up the entire roof of my little 2000 Mitsubishi Montero Endeavor... that only rides on 31s.

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