Building a $120 CJ7 from the frame up.

[indyblue]

Great progress! That's gonna be fun to drive.

My buddy's 2001 Sahara, out with the 6-banger auto, in with a Vortex 5.3 and Tremec 5-speed manual.
Frame dressed out with POR-15, 1" body spacers. Wheels will be changed and 30's for shoes put on.

He's a Professional ME but no electrical/PCM skills. It's my job to get the computer to working. It's not complicated, just a real tedious PITA to remove the unnecessary wires & connectors from the engine harness to transplant it.

 

[churchmouse]

Nice day. Warm, but not hot. Got a lot of crap cleaned out in the garage. Always leaves blowing in when I'm out there with the door up... and I had about a year or more worth of clutter to clear out of the tub that has been serving as a catch all.

View attachment 197872

Next was coating the inside of the frame to prevent it from rusting out once I get it all done. Took about a can, and a half.

View attachment 197873

Eastwood has a huge line of reliable products.

 

[indyblue]

Eastwood has a huge line of reliable products.

Yes, I used many of them in the restoration of the Firebird.

I utilized lots of chassis black, por 15, zinc phosphate paint, metal blackening system and zinc plating system for bolts/nuts as well as oem rim paints.

 

[churchmouse]

Yes, I used many of them in the restoration of the Firebird.

I utilized lots of chassis black, por 15, zinc phosphate paint, metal blackening system and zinc plating system for bolts/nuts as well as oem rim paints.

The aftermarket is so thick with parts and pieces these days. You can near build a complete 1957 Chevy from the Danchuk lineup. When we did my 1964 Chevel SS the only parts I had problems sourcing were the grill and some interior trim that was damaged. It's gotten better since then.

 

[indyblue]

If I had the cash I would buy a new ‘67 Firebird convertible Dynacorn body shell and build it up with all modern powertrain and suspension with hydroformed frame.

 

[Amishman44]

There's so much work in just reading through this thread, I'm worn out from just reading it!
Lotta blood, sweat, and tears in this CJ-7 build...but the effort (aka, work) is worth it!
I wish I had both the knowledge and the skills to do something like this...
'Bout the only thing(s) I can work with is wood, polymers, and the human body (as a former Certified / Licensed Athletic Trainer) in getting injured athletes back onto the field of play, safely!

 

[daddyusmaximus]

How to deal with the whole full size axles sticking out thing.





Sure they're stronger, and they even kinda look cool if your into that sort of thing. However, first trip through the mud, and you get covered. Can't see out your mirrors, got it all over the vehicle, the windshield. If it's nice weather, and you have the doors off... Sweet Lord, what a mess! Same for snow & slush. Well, except you most likely won't have the doors off.

Sorry boys & girls, I'm too old for that crap.

Enter, the trailer fender.





Not 100% on the fronts yet, but I'm thinking just have two sets (yes, I have them) put together for one wider version. This, however will have to be done by somebody at a body shop, or with much better welding skills than mine. Funny how I keep putting off practicing to get better when I need it to be right... lol.

 

[RustyHornet]

Very cool build!!!

 

[daddyusmaximus]

Not too hip on working outside when it's ninety-eleven degrees, but had to get something done this week on her. decided to fab up the exhaust stack shrouds. Yes, you read that right... Stacks. That's the red-neck in me coming through a bit sure, but more important, any veteran who's ever driven a Deuce-and-a-half, at some point in the last 50 years can surely identify these things... Difference is this thing has a bit of a hot rod Mopar 360, so it's getting one on each side. They bolt right through the tub at the bottom, then I made a little bracket to hold them at the top.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

Again with the doing what I can with what I have on hand without any new parts... Today I worked a bit on fitting the military radio / sub enclosure to the tub. Mock up looks to be just about right. Probably be putting the finishing touches on that before too long. At least I'm pretty sure I have the stuff I need to do so already on hand, so that's one thing I could get knocked out.

 

[gregkl]

I'm following in your steps as far as working with what you have on hand. I now have my Cherokee opened up enough that I can always do something even as I wait for funds to buy the next part I need.

I got a setback this weekend when I discovered that I have to do a full rebuild on my front diff, so after a brief time of disappointment, I moved on and finished a repair on my broken front grill/header and got it in primer.

Then I dropped the oil pan for a rear main seal replacement and put some effort into cleaning it real good so I can paint it before putting it back on.

Then I cleaned up the "shop" some.

Always something to do!

 

[daddyusmaximus]

I'm following in your steps as far as working with what you have on hand. I now have my Cherokee opened up enough that I can always do something even as I wait for funds to buy the next part I need.

I got a setback this weekend when I discovered that I have to do a full rebuild on my front diff, so after a brief time of disappointment, I moved on and finished a repair on my broken front grill/header and got it in primer.

Then I dropped the oil pan for a rear main seal replacement and put some effort into cleaning it real good so I can paint it before putting it back on.

Then I cleaned up the "shop" some.

Always something to do!

I need to spend some time putting my tools away that's for sure. Got me a big old Craftsman chest, but most of the tools are piled up on my workbench right now... or in the Jeep tub, or on the floor, or on my Black & Decker Workmate, or... well, you get the idea.

 

[Ingomike]

I need to spend some time putting my tools away that's for sure. Got me a big old Craftsman chest, but most of the tools are piled up on my workbench right now... or in the Jeep tub, or on the floor, or on my Black & Decker Workmate, or... well, you get the idea.

If tools were meant to be in a tool box we could use them there…

 

[daddyusmaximus]

Been spending some time out in the garage last few days. I did get SOME of one order in. My front shocks. No rear shocks, or limit straps yet. I did run into a problem however... I have been using an old Fox Racing 2.0 shock I got used as a mock up. Seems they have changed their design in the last few years. The mock up shock is exactly like the ones I had on my 1999 F-250, and I was expecting this style. My order was shocks that had to fit according to the collapsed, and extended length I need, but the ends are not the same.



Old style fits fine...



New style... yup... ever so slightly... too wide.



As if that's not enough, they upped the bolt size to 9/16. Soooo, I have to drill the holes bigger. If you go back to that first photo you can see the holes are not the same.




Long story short, drilling out these mounts wasn't easy for my little 20v DeWalt, and I had to take a grinder to my bran-new $173 apiece shocks to narrow the bushing sleeve that little bit on each end. In the end, I got them on like e true red-neck.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

I also did some work with some of the Army parts I have already.

Toolbox will mount over the left rear fender like a sponson box on a tank, and the taillights went on.
Next, fenders came off to be undercoated, and got the first coat of paint.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

Of course then as I was looking at it from the front end admiring my new shocks... I noticed something. Thinking back to how I got the engine out of a sand toy Jeep, that had been stripped down, I didn't have a heater. I'll have to unplug the holes where the heater hoses go once I get to that point.

 

[Rookie]

For future reference, harbor freight has step bits that are reasonably priced. Of course, they don't last forever, but they're great for opening up hole sizes.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

For future reference, harbor freight has step bits that are reasonably priced. Of course, they don't last forever, but they're great for opening up hole sizes.

I have a couple, just have yet to use them. Probably would have been a good time.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

I still have a lot of work to do on the jeep, and here I go getting sidetracked with yet another new project...



Yes, that's a new Predator 420. It all started when I saw a video on youtube. (Yeah, 'cause that always ends well.) I subscribe to Jay Leno's Garage, and he recently did a video on a 1916 Autocar coal truck.



I absolutely love the vehicles from that era. They're so simple, yet so rugged. Kinda like the Jeep... This one looks sorta like a big Kawasaki Mule, something I've always wanted to tool around in, and to carry stuff in. Well, I do have a old riding lawnmower sitting around with a blown motor. Good wheels, tires, steering gear, battery... I have some scrap steel... Just need a few things like a new engine... I can build the bed with lumber I have... I got on Powerpoint, and did some cutting, and pasting. (no photoshop)



So far, just one evening in, this is what I got. My ancient yard sale Milwaukee hand held ban saw needs a blade real bad, and it is really starting to wander. Also you can feel the weld bump it's way through the material with every rotation. That, in combination with my horrible welding skills have me thinking I'll probably be dropping the frame off at the machine shop to be finished. Everything that goes on it will be bolted, so I can handle the easy stuff.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

Remember way back when I showed a photo of a NOS deuce-and-a-half windshield, and said I wanted those safari-style windows? Well, I still do. And, a while back, I dropped it off, with the windshield frame from this tub at a local machine shop so they could make it easy for me to relive those memories of driving behind them. I had to stop in with a big sheet of steel for them to sheer for me for the go cart-truck, and they showed me the progress so far. (working in between their big contracts) I wish I had that level of fabrication skills. Man, I'm so stoked...! I probably won't be once I get the bill, but I'll have a one-of-a kind CJ7 for sure.