Build Thread 1965 Jeep CJ6 Tuxedo Park Model (Project spare parts)

[warrpath4x4]

I picked this Jeep up about 18 years ago if my maths math out.

It was a running driving jeep with a bunch of rust and dents, a roached frame, and a questionable paint job lol.

(old pics from various places)

with some sweet carpet screwed to the floor

At the time I had a dodge drivetrain I was going to install the body on the chassis so I started stripping it down and sold the Jeep chassis

started a little body work (which I will be revisiting)

stripped paint and welded up holes but when i come back to this I will be doing some more in depth body work now that I have more tools and knowledge 18 years later

revisiting this picture, check out that sweet "roll cage" that i didnt notice with the soft top on it

Shortly after this point I ended up moving to Wyoming and the jeep sat at my parents house in Oregon, then we moved to Nevada and the jeep stayed at my parents, then we moved to Washington and the jeep came home but has just sat outside waiting for the last 10 years or so. Currently my wife and I have a 5 year plan to move back to Wyoming after our son is out of school, one of those plans is downsizing the amount of vehicles and projects. I have several vehicles that are mid project either waiting on parts, waiting on time, or waiting on ambition lol. So as i move between my project ADHD the plan is to keep the CJ6 and the K10(30) stepside and build then get rid of the Samurai and Cherokee.

 

[warrpath4x4]

So where are we going from here?

I have a bunch of spare parts from previous projects that need a home as we move towards our 5 year plan. I have a cammed 350 that will be running Aces fuel injection, that will go to a TH350 and either an NP208 or if I can find one a NP241 passenger drop that will get a SYE. The axles I have are a 12 bolt rear (already built) with either 4.56 or 4.88 gears as I cant remember right now, a posi, undercover fab diff cover and chromoly shafts. Front axle is a Dana 44 (that im currently putting together) with matching gears, zip locker, RuffStuff diff cover, chromoly shafts, and crossover steering.

Had to order a new spindle for one side

The other side isnt as bad but has had some heat, will have to check tolerances when I put it back together

tire/wheel combo are 37" super swamper M16 tires on spyderco beadlocks

As for a frame I picked up a YJ frame yesterday for $100

It does have some questionable repairs that I will have to remove/go over

not sure how they planned to run a shock lol

I plan on cleaning, repairing, stretching, and reinforcing the frame. I have a mix of leaf springs here that I will see what I can make work or if i just need to order some new ones, it will be spring over and I would like to keep it at stock YJ spring height or maybe 2". I want to run a later year hood (current hood has holes anyways) for more length to fit the engine and cooling package and plan to build tube fenders for it to match.

 

[Belizean]

I like 6s and K10s.

 

[warrpath4x4]

Doing some planning thinking, I was looking at just grabbing a YJ gas tank so it would just bolt into the frame but from what ive been reading the tanks were the size of a 20 gallon tank but had EPA limitations to only fill with 15 gallons and thats not gonna work, plus the ones around me aint cheap and new ones are expensive. So I was looking at fuel cells and the like and again they aint cheap either. Well keeping with the spare parts theme... I have a spare 20 gallon XJ tank thats basically the same dimensions of the YJ tank but wider.

Also thinking of where I wasnt to stretch the frame at, originally I was just looking at doing it in the middle of the frame but now im thinking about doing part of the stretch in between the rear spring hangers to run longer leaves. Ultimately I need to get the body over the chassis as is so I can mark things out and to some thinkin drinkin.

 

[warrpath4x4]

Plan was to work on this yesterday since I was off for New Years

mother nature be like

How about freezing rain all day?

 

[warrpath4x4]

Saturday we did a bunch of running around but I picked up a bench top sandblast cabinet from HB on sale and a shelving unit for more organization in my work space (too small to really call it a "shop" lol). Sunday was building a rolling cart for the sand blaster and cleaning.

Yesterday after work I actually got something done on the Jeep even though it wasnt anything ground breaking. I got one of the reinforcing plates removed and got a better look at what im dealing with there. Looks like someone replaced the last foot of frame rail on both sides

outside plate on passenger side

inside of driver side

then I bounced back and forth between the sand blaster (waiting on the compressor) and started stripping the axle down

removed brackets and started blasting them

 

[warrpath4x4]

A sand blaster is one of those things where you don't realize how much you would use it until you have one.

brackets on the engine

welcome to my paint booth

primed

shiny black

 

[warrpath4x4]

Saturday after removing the hood, doors, tailgate, Transmission tunnel and other pieces being stored in the back of it

It was time to get the dirt, leaves, walnuts, and growing grass out of it

scraped most of it then loaded it on the trailer and off to the car wash, brought it back home and hovered it over the YJ frame so I could get an idea of what and where things needed to be cut. you can see with all the damage and rust why im not heart broken about not keeping this original.

then sat it on some pallets and stripped the dash, wiring, heater (if anyone needs it), brackets

this is the "bolt" someone used to hold the resistor up

this thing is a godsend for rusted bolts and screws, especially the windshield brackets

still some chrome bits and pieces

the piece de resistance

 

[warrpath4x4]

Saturday after removing the hood, doors, tailgate, Transmission tunnel and other pieces being stored in the back of it

It was time to get the dirt, leaves, walnuts, and growing grass out of it

scraped most of it then loaded it on the trailer and off to the car wash, brought it back home and hovered it over the YJ frame so I could get an idea of what and where things needed to be cut. you can see with all the damage and rust why im not heart broken about not keeping this original.

then sat it on some pallets and stripped the dash, wiring, heater (if anyone needs it), brackets

this is the "bolt" someone used to hold the resistor up

this thing is a godsend for rusted bolts and screws, especially the windshield brackets

still some chrome bits and pieces

the piece de resistance

 

[warrpath4x4]

Sunday I decided to work on the engine a bit as the weather outside was less than pleasant. The plan was to reseal the pan, timing cover, intake, and front/rear seals. Well while pulling the balancer off the engine turned over a bit and water came out of # 6 spark plug hole &%#$*&^@!

looks like it got in there somehow after starting the tear down of the truck because its not any lower than where the piston was sitting

the other side is fine

so now I get to wait on more parts

 

[CJ]

Nice work! Looks like you are keeping busy...
Thanks for the updates!

 

[warrpath4x4]

Did some numbers checking and the block is a 350 running 305 heads most likely from a Monza or Malibu with head casting number 376450 with the small (stock) valves

 

[warrpath4x4]

Finally did... well... anything after work yesterday. Put a new battery in the one ton, put a new cord on my grinder, removed a leaking pressure regulator from my shop air, and finished cutting the body and rear shock mounts off the Jeep frame.

also not sure how I missed this earlier but the engine is also bored out .030 over.

 

[warrpath4x4]

Saturday I bounced around from thing to thing

pulled the pistons and cleaned up the cylinders, this was the rusty one

These factory shock mounts were a great design

no problem there

tried to get an angle to show just how pitted the top of the rail is

driver side is not as bad but will get repaired also

I will end up cutting that section out and welding in a new piece but it was too windy to weld outside. I did some more frame clean up and threw some sacrificial primer on it for now.

Then pulled the car trailer up to the shop and repacked the bearings and found 2 of my tires starting to separate. Need to put my tongue box on that the wife got me for Christmas and move the winch battery into it and install the solar tender.

 

[CJ]

Definitely have a bit of work to do but you have the skills !

 

[Serdich77CJ5]

Wish you were close to me so i could come learn a thing or two.