Build Thread 79 CJ-7 Renagade

[Niedhogg]

Hey everyone, I'm starting my build this week, and this looks like the place to show it, so I'll give you a rundown of what I have, so far...

It's a 79 CJ7 Renagade, with the AMC 304 V8, Auto, and a QuadraTrac , that I bought off Craigslist, for 600 bucks. It has 35,000 original miles, but they must have never washed it because the tub was too bad to save, so I will be searching for a good tub over the next couple weeks, and I found a guy that goes south every month and said he could probably find one for me for about 650 bucks, he goes down in 3 weeks, which will give me time to get the chassis ready, and the body parts I do have prepped for paint. I have the grill, hood, and dash which are all in great shape, and I hope to pick up the fenders and a windshield frame w/glass tomorrow that I found on the CL, when we go get my sons new Chief.

The AMC 304 looks really clean, no dirt soaked oil anywhere, the only oil I see looks to be coming from the back of the valve covers, which I'm sure have the origilal gaskets that probably dried out over the last 12 yrs it's been sitting, and the guy I got it from had it running in the frame a couple times while showing it the last few weeks. The oil looks clean and the tranny fluid looks bright red, but I will be changing all fluids in the driveline in the next few weeks, cleaning the engine really well and re-painting it. I will also be pulling off the emission equipment and adding headers with the side pipes, my state has no emission laws, and I think I'll get a new 4bbl intake and carb, and possibly a mild RV grind cam for it but nothing outragious, I'm building this for a daily driver and will be driving it around the country for the next year for work, and I want to be able to tow my Harley and my little 12' boat with me where I go (I'll post up my trailer build as well .

The frame has already been cleaned and repainted from a previous owner, who also installed a 4" Superlift kit w/Superlift YJ springs and shackles, new stainless brake lines and fuel lines and a new emergency brake set-up. A quick glance says I'll be installing new rotors and calipers up front and checking the rear drums for sure. It has steel wheels and bald, flat tires, so.... I have found a nice new set of shiny aluminum wheels and tires for 600 bucks that I don't think I can turn down, but they are 35" and I'm a little worried they will be too big for any serious off-roading until I can upgrade the axle shafts, and may rub a bit without a body lift which may happen. I have also seen a couple sets of those cool alloy turbine wheels for cheap on CL, so 33" tires may happen too.

As I said earlier, I could have this guy go after a southern CJ7 tub, but I have also been looking at YJ tubs on CL for half the money, which from what I can tell is really not too big of a deal to use and even found one that has had the necessary work done to it, but it's abou 4hrs from where I'm at, so still trying to decide and maybe something else will turn up.

Well, that's about it for now, I'll post up some pics tomorrow night, it's late and I'm tired, but I do have a teaser pic for ya...
View attachment 6170
Kind of a metallic brown, and the hood has the cool 3 tone yellow, orange, orange stripe kit. Any help on the color?? Rootbeer brown, mocha brown??

Good night all...

 

[Busted Knuckles]

Personally, Id lean on looking at a YJ tub, they where sealed up much better from the factory. When I was working out west, Id bring home 4 at a time and sell them from Northern Illinois, take about 2 weeks to unload all 4. Most of them where going on Cjs.

Myself, Id go Yj or new tub, Ive seen what happens to a perfectly rot free Arizona tub when it comes up here to this climate, they dont do well. They are poorly sealed, and even when not driven in the winter they rot.

My 83 had never seen winter driving, has spent the better part of its life in inside storage and you can still see the spot welds pulling apart in the tub and its not even seen rain water in over 16 years, and I only drove it for one summer prior to that it was storage almost since new.

Anyhow, food for thought, good luck with the project.

 

[Niedhogg]

Personally, Id lean on looking at a YJ tub, they where sealed up much better from the factory. When I was working out west, Id bring home 4 at a time and sell them from Northern Illinois, take about 2 weeks to unload all 4. Most of them where going on Cjs.

Myself, Id go Yj or new tub, Ive seen what happens to a perfectly rot free Arizona tub when it comes up here to this climate, they dont do well. They are poorly sealed, and even when not driven in the winter they rot.

My 83 had never seen winter driving, has spent the better part of its life in inside storage and you can still see the spot welds pulling apart in the tub and its not even seen rain water in over 16 years, and I only drove it for one summer prior to that it was storage almost since new.

Anyhow, food for thought, good luck with the project.

Hey, thanks for the advice. I have been leaning that way, they sure seem to be more available and for less money.

 

[diddy2003]

I have a YJ tub on mine and I second the recommendation to get one. It is just more durable. I retained the tail gate on mine and I think it came out pretty well. Nice buy btw and I can't wait to follow along with the build.

 

[Niedhogg]

I have a YJ tub on mine and I second the recommendation to get one. It is just more durable. I retained the tail gate on mine and I think it came out pretty well. Nice buy btw and I can't wait to follow along with the build.

So then, the tailgate fits? That would be great, mines perfect aside from a small dent (character), and I want to keep the JEEP logo on the back.

 

[Niedhogg]

So today I'm a little discouraged, I can't seem to beg, borrow or steal a trailer to get my Jeep to the house... Let me digress... I have my home, and live in Iowa, in a very small town in the middle of the flattest land you can imagine, planted with acres and acres of corn and soybeans. I mean, you can easily see 15 to 20 miles in any direction, and on most nights you can see the red beacons flashing on the wind farm some 35 miles away... so, you ask, what the hell are you going to do with a Jeep? Well, my friends, I am never home. I work all over the country, which currently has me in the middle of some of the most beautiful country I have ever seen, North central Pennsylvania, and just 20-30 miles from New York state. I have been here since March, and will leave in November, and I have decided I needed something to do in my evenings, and this place is loaded with jeeps!
I love Jeeps, I have had a couple, a 78 Wagoneer that seemed like it could go anywhere, and until I blew the velocity joint in the front driveshaft, which simultaniously blew a hole in the side of the tranny, it did. I sold it for parts, and later purchased a 98 Grand Cherokee Larado, but 4 yrs ago I traded it off on my dually. I miss having a Jeep, and have always wanted a CJ. I will be literally building this Jeep in the backyard of the house I've rented, no garage... what am I thinking, this is going to be crazy! And if I can't get the damn thing here... impossible.

 

[Busted Knuckles]

Im at a loss, where is the jeep and to which house are you trying to get it too ?

Your description of where you live matches mine. Until they killed the economy, I kept my 1991 Xj 2dr out in Portland, OR, for something to do on on the weekends. I brought it home in 2009. I had not worked out there since 07, but was spending 9 months a year between Sacramento and Seattle for almost a decade prior. Wish I had moved out there when I could have.

 

[1986cj7]

So then, the tailgate fits? That would be great, mines perfect aside from a small dent (character), and I want to keep the JEEP logo on the back.

If your putting a new tub in I would put por15 rust inhibitoron about 138.99 agal down over it. When I bought my 86cj7 the tub was new and had spots of surface rust on it. I took a wire wheel knocked of the rust and put down bedliner herculiner down. But wish not I would have used used por 15 I think it is a smooth finish, and comes in black and silver, not sure but I think it is also paintable to what ever color you want. I would check floor board and put this down on them to. My floor boards had a few holes rusted though not to big. A friend thats I auto body repair said to cut out the bad spots wire wheel the whole thing down and put down a mesh over the holes poprivot it in and put bedliner down over it and it would repair the spots cheaper then replaceing them. Now I had small holes nothing big. And the bedliner would prevent any future rust. And clean up is easy put the tumble seat up take out the drain plugs and spray down at the car wash. Have fun working on her.

 

[1986cj7]

So then, the tailgate fits? That would be great, mines perfect aside from a small dent (character), and I want to keep the JEEP logo on the back.

Sorry got my threads mixed up. please disregaurd this post. Not the above. Sorry again!!!!!

 

[Niedhogg]

Im at a loss, where is the jeep and to which house are you trying to get it too ?

Your description of where you live matches mine. Until they killed the economy, I kept my 1991 Xj 2dr out in Portland, OR, for something to do on on the weekends. I brought it home in 2009. I had not worked out there since 07, but was spending 9 months a year between Sacramento and Seattle for almost a decade prior. Wish I had moved out there when I could have.

Ok, to clarify... My home, family and most of my toys and tools are in Iowa... I am currently working near and have rented a house for the duration near Smethport, PA... The Jeep I purchased for my project is in Erie, PA about 2hrs from Smethport... The Jeep needs to be hauled from Erie to Smethport and soon. I have a nieghbor that keeps telling me he can borrow a trailer or a tow dolly but has yet to produce it...

...this, is my dilema...

 

[Niedhogg]

If your putting a new tub in I would put por15 rust inhibitoron about 138.99 agal down over it. When I bought my 86cj7 the tub was new and had spots of surface rust on it. I took a wire wheel knocked of the rust and put down bedliner herculiner down. But wish not I would have used used por 15 I think it is a smooth finish, and comes in black and silver, not sure but I think it is also paintable to what ever color you want. I would check floor board and put this down on them to. My floor boards had a few holes rusted though not to big. A friend thats I auto body repair said to cut out the bad spots wire wheel the whole thing down and put down a mesh over the holes poprivot it in and put bedliner down over it and it would repair the spots cheaper then replaceing them. Now I had small holes nothing big. And the bedliner would prevent any future rust. And clean up is easy put the tumble seat up take out the drain plugs and spray down at the car wash. Have fun working on her.

Thanks for the advice, I had been thinking along those lines, like using LineX or something, but stopping the rust is priority!

 

[Niedhogg]

Personally, Id lean on looking at a YJ tub, they where sealed up much better from the factory. When I was working out west, Id bring home 4 at a time and sell them from Northern Illinois, take about 2 weeks to unload all 4. Most of them where going on Cjs.

Myself, Id go Yj or new tub, Ive seen what happens to a perfectly rot free Arizona tub when it comes up here to this climate, they dont do well. They are poorly sealed, and even when not driven in the winter they rot.

My 83 had never seen winter driving, has spent the better part of its life in inside storage and you can still see the spot welds pulling apart in the tub and its not even seen rain water in over 16 years, and I only drove it for one summer prior to that it was storage almost since new.

Anyhow, food for thought, good luck with the project.

Thanks again for the advice, the only thing is I reeeeally like the round wheel openings of the CJ body.. but the YJ tubs are sooo cheap, and I called on one for 300 bucks today, but no response.

 

[Niedhogg]

And to add something progress wise, my electrical foreman at the site is having a Ramsey 12,000lb upright winch sent here from La. for me!!!

 

[Busted Knuckles]

Thanks again for the advice, the only thing is I reeeeally like the round wheel openings of the CJ body.. but the YJ tubs are sooo cheap, and I called on one for 300 bucks today, but no response.

The wheel openings are the same, only the wheel well flares are different.

The fuel door is on the wrong side, and two of the body mounts have to be moved, read up on it before you buy, but the wheel wells are the same.

 

[Niedhogg]

The wheel openings are the same, only the wheel well flares are different.

The fuel door is on the wrong side, and two of the body mounts have to be moved, read up on it before you buy, but the wheel wells are the same.

Aren't the CJs rounded and the YJs squared off across the top??? I thought I was sure on this...

 

[Busted Knuckles]

Yes, once again, the steel wheel house opening is round on a YJ, the fender flare is sqared off, the Cj fender flare is round like the Yj or Cj tub, that is the steel of the tub on both is the same, the metal is round, only the flare is different.

Googl Yj tub and look at images and you will under stand.

 

[Niedhogg]

Yes, once again, the steel wheel house opening is round on a YJ, the fender flare is sqared off, the Cj fender flare is round like the Yj or Cj tub, that is the steel of the tub on both is the same, the metal is round, only the flare is different.

Googl Yj tub and look at images and you will under stand.

Oh I see! Well that's the best news I've heard about the YJ tubs so far, and the body mount, from what I understand, isn't too big of a deal. But as I recall now, I've heard two different versions. One guy told me it was the rear mount was only different by a width of about 1-3", and you can just re-drill the holes in the tub. Another guys said the same thing but added something about the center frame mounts had to be moved as well? And then also the way the defroster vents worked were different in that the YJ blew the air throught the windshield frame onto the glass, and the CJ had the vents in the dash, and in order for a CJ heater box to work on a YJ tub you had to weld in some duct work or something like that. Some clarification would be appreciated...

 

[Niedhogg]

Which reminds me, somehow i didn't get an email from a guy with a perfect YJ tub for sale that I had asked about last week until today, as in, he responded promptly according to the date of the email, but somehow I didn't receive it til today. I've tried three times to reach him today, but no response. It was a really nice tub...

 

[1986cj7]

Oh I see! Well that's the best news I've heard about the YJ tubs so far, and the body mount, from what I understand, isn't too big of a deal. But as I recall now, I've heard two different versions. One guy told me it was the rear mount was only different by a width of about 1-3", and you can just re-drill the holes in the tub. Another guys said the same thing but added something about the center frame mounts had to be moved as well? And then also the way the defroster vents worked were different in that the YJ blew the air throught the windshield frame onto the glass, and the CJ had the vents in the dash, and in order for a CJ heater box to work on a YJ tub you had to weld in some duct work or something like that. Some clarification would be appreciated...

My cj86 uses the windshield frame as the vents also, it has ductwork running form the heater box to the top of the dash where there are 2 holes cut into the dash top and bottom of the winshield frame inbetween the dash and the windshield frame there is a cowl or rubber seal that seals the windshield frame and the dash. The hot air blows though the windshield frame and up out of the frame to two holes in top of frame that use two plastic vent like things to blow the hot air onto the windshield. This is a bad spot for rust to build up. I'm also thinking of using some of that expanding foam to block off the sides of the frame that run up the sides to get as much air flowing into the vents at the window. This is just something I thought of to try? Maybe someone else out there has done this and can give advice on if it helped or not. I need to replace my windshield frame its all rusted out there pretty cheap I think mine was about $170 Just for the frame you'll have to reuse the wiper linkage and motor and all that. It seem the most I do to my jeep the more I find I want to inprove or replace. Some times it seems like a never ending process. But its fun to work on it and keeps me out of trouble.

 

[Niedhogg]

"I need to replace my windshield frame its all rusted out there pretty cheap I think mine was about $170 Just for the frame you'll have to reuse the wiper linkage and motor and all that."

That brings up another question 86cj, will the wiper system, motor and linkage stuff, out of my CJ, work in a YJ frame?? I found one for 30 bucks, from the guy I'm getting my tub from. YES, I HAVE FOUND A TUB! for 300 bucks, and the only rust he's advertising is where the roll bar mounts behind the seat, so I'm pretty happy about that! I HAVE ALSO LOCATED A TRAILER! and I can now go get the rest of my Jeep!