Build Thread 1986 CJ7 Rebuild - Chasing my youth

[Masscj7]

So after the joys of getting her fired up, now time to take 2 or 5 steps backwards.

First, definitely had a bad exhaust leak on cylinder 4, some new Remflex gaskets on order.


No pics needed, but replaced my alternator cause either mine was bad from the start or it was when the bracket that I made to hold my fuel lines on the alternator mount slipped down and stopped the alternator pulley from spinning cooked it . Bracket ground down to avoid this again and alternator replaced.

Knew my plug wire was super close to my header on cylinder 5, but when I pulled the header found this


No pics cause just didn’t want to, but was over engineering mounting my Sniper ECU on my fire wall and snapped of a tap flush on my perfectly pained firewall . No idea how I’m going to get that one out.

Lastly, got my replacement harness from UltraRunner and it’s in great shape, so began prepping that to swap in, so that’s a plus, but have to undo the wiring already done (but that at least was planned).




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[Belizean]

Been wonder where I'm going to mount my Sniper ECU when I do it.

 

[Masscj7]

Yeah, a lot of folks were saying inside the cab, but I didn’t see a lot of easy places without significant fabrication of brackets. Fits good here, I just got ahead of myself. First was going to through bolt it with 10-32’s. But didn’t like how it was a little behind the ebrake assembly, but easily could have gotten an open end on a nut. Then said I’d tap them and make it a cleaner look from the inside, well at that point the hole was too big for a 10-32 tap, didn’t want to do what I feel is weird 12-24 size, so in a moment of let’s over complicate it, I tried to tap 1/4-20. Hole was just a size too small and snap! So now once I figure out how to get the tap out, just going to through bolt the 10-32’s abs send it.




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[Masscj7]

Man, what a bunch of forward and backwards in the last couple of weeks. Got my new exhaust gaskets, way thicker! Haven’t tested yet, but their installed. Also replaced #5 plug wire and ran a different way, hopefully this works. So tight with the header.




Replaced my headlight switch as the dimmer spring was all tore up and causing dash light issues. Replaced the remainder of my bulb sockets and noticed that they grounded terrible against the gauge housings, flickering at the slightest touch. So got some real thin wire, heated up the sockets to make them stretch so could pull ground wire through same hole and then soldered dedicated grounds right to the sockets.







Pulled the column in and out three times cause didn’t realize I was moving the firewall grommet. So found place online, same grommet as advertised for an older Chevy. Then find the ignition plugs on top of the column are binding with the brake pedal (don’t think this is a correct CJ pedal and assembly, came with Jeep). So after tons of shifting, bolt length changes, and then spacers, free pedal and we have all lights!








Was looking at the exhaust as I was tightening back up after changing gaskets and noticed what looked like a pin hole at the O2 bung. Grabbed some .30 welding wire and wire enough, my exhaust guy didn’t get a full seal, so of course real mother to get my welder nozzle in there, but laid some good bird poop and sealed it up.

Now the bad, the Transmission pan is leaking super expensive Amsoil fluid out of the gasket, the new In-line Tubing master cylinder brake lines are no where close to fitting, and made up some spacers to drop the tcase an inch for drive shaft angle and only netted 3 degrees, so now at 27 degrees vs 30, still I think too steep. Even with cardan shaft, looks sketchy and that’s with 6 degree shims in the rear.


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[Masscj7]

The biggest success of the weekend was hanging up some new garage swag and it only took 1 time.






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[Belizean]

I can see how that wire got roasted.

 

[gert]

Beautiful work, sure looks like your gauge cluster is way brighter than mine


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[Masscj7]

I can see how that wire got roasted.

Yeah, I originally ran it behind the header. The problem is that there was no way to snug the wire real tight back against the block. There was a 1/2” threaded hole by the back by the dip stick. so I drilled out a big bolt so that I could thread a smaller one into it and use a p clamp to hold the plug wire back toward block, but because the hole was not directly behind the plug it didn’t really work.






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[Masscj7]

Beautiful work, sure looks like your gauge cluster is way brighter than mine


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Thanks Gert, your build was awesome and I read every single post. You killed a lot of work productivity for me!

I did LED bulbs as well as new sockets.


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[Belizean]

Thanks Gert, your build was awesome and I read every single post. You killed a lot of work productivity for me!

I did LED bulbs as well as new sockets.


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It was a good entertaining read.

 

[Masscj7]

Wow, one thing I thought about as I read all the epic build posts of the past, I wondered what my biggest break away from the project was going to be. I feel like 8 weeks has to the longest.
So after I got the garage cleaned back up and ready for wrenching, I needed to do something on the Jeep.
I needed to fit my new Borgenson shaft and drill my new set dimples.








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[Masscj7]

Maybe one of the most frustrating experiences so far, who would have thought doing a glove box would take a couple weeks. Heads up to those using after market glove boxes, if you want to use the OEM lock, make sure you get one that has the mounting tabs, ask me how I know. Two painted doors later.



Then it seems that I’ve looked at two OEM glove boxes and they are either notched or were ground by previous owners because my new ones were hitting my new dash. So don’t know if the DD dash holes are too far back or if it’s the aftermarket doors.




So I ended up having to oblong the freshly painted mounting holes and then of course the latch holes didn’t line up.





The middle of the tape is the center of the lock. Holes are way off. So had to drill a new hole and then finesse the bracket with a hammer.



Finally after all the fighting, getting new keys made for the lock, it’s finally all in.




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[Belizean]

What did you use for the box/container part ? Not the door.

 

[Masscj7]

Belizean, if remember correctly, it’s a plastic Crown one. Both my cardboard ones were shot.


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[Belizean]

Yea that’s what I used about 30 years ago.

 

[mdeluca]

Then it seems that I’ve looked at two OEM glove boxes and they are either notched or were ground by previous owners because my new ones were hitting my new dash. So don’t know if the DD dash holes are too far back.


The middle of the tape is the center of the lock. Holes are way off. So had to drill a new hole and then finesse the bracket with a hammer.

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Weird, I've got an '86 and my OEM glove box door looks like the one on the left in your first photo (blue) and the painted one in your second photo. I used the Crown plastic insert box.

 

[Belizean]

Mine 84 original is like that blue. Wondering if the other is older of after market

 

[Patrick]

The biggest success of the weekend was hanging up some new garage swag and it only took 1 time.






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That 1960 copper clad Cadillac from Kindig It is my favorite restomod.

 

[Masscj7]

The tan one is a recent Kentrol. What I was trying to say was be aware if you buy and want to use your or any other original lock. Otherwise you need to get the Kentrol or someone else’s after market button, which I don’t think lock.

I bought the Kentrol because it was cheaper than a couple hours of body work on my two OEM ones. But it in the end it was cheaper. But the jokes on me because painted the first a Kentrol and didn’t realize my mistake till when I went to put the lock in. Then I looked at buttons, didn’t like the looks, so I paid attention and bought another Kentrol with the bracket (very subtle in part description, not in title) and then had that painted.
Of well, did the same with tailgate hinges, painted and didn’t realize that someone had used aftermarket and they weren’t the countersunk OEM hinges. So found some OEM ones and paying to pint those now.







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[Masscj7]

So it’s been summer time and life so my days have been Limited to maybe an hour a week. When the wife wants to go out on the boat, you take her.

So got a bunch more hardware back from the painter.



Also got my header wrap on trying to fight the melting plug wire. I am upset that fishing all the safety wore through the tubes must have scratched some of the ceramic coat off. Been super humid here last two weeks and got some rust starting, but oh well, not a show rig.



Next big task was getting the brake system bled. Pro tip, don’t start this at 7:00 at night if your not sure on your flares. Bench bled my mc and mounted on the Jeep. Cracked the bleeders and went inside took a shower and waited to see what happened on a gravity bleed. Returned 30 min later and oh yeah, it’s gravity bleeding super corrosive brake fluid out of all my flare fittings! 2 hours of spraying simple green and trying to reflare ends, I disconnected lines and tried to plug them. Over the next two weeks, went through 3 different tools before I got one that I could make work. Had to take several steps backwards and remove the grill, radiator, and steering shaft to make a new passenger side front line.

Grrrrr, after crappy tools and learning curves, finally got some decent flares.




Borrowed a vacuum bleeder and got a friend over and got a really nice pedal, very quick. Adjusted the ebrake and that is one step closer.

Tonight, decided to fab up some brackets to temporarily hold the mock up grill in place to get a first ride. Man, with all the finish work and frustration of fit and finish, I forgot how much fun it is to just cut, drill, bend, and weld metal.

Also forgot how much practice I need with the welder. Some crappy bird poop to start, turn up the heat, slow the feed and some snail trails that are a little better. Again, just temp brackets to get her rolling and shake down before mounting the fenders permanently.






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