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Build Thread 79 CJ-7 Renagade

Build Thread 79 CJ-7 Renagade
First of all, I have some really great news... I am getting a new hard top next weekend!!! Thanks, Joe!

Besides that, this afternoon we got the filler neck moved to the passenger side of the tub, the only difference is I had to keep it a few more inches to the left of normal to accomidate the tank which was moved to the left as well for my dual exhaust outlets. New filler and vent tubes installed and the first 2-1/2 gallons of gas has been poured into the tank..:D

Mounted the bumperettes, no big deal...

Started to install the steering collumn, don't seem to have the correct mounting bolts for under the dash, so we'll finish that tomorrow.

Let's see, we started to install the sway bar, but the bolts need to be replaced, sooo tomorrow for that as well. Seems to be a theme here...:rolleyes:

Tomorrow, I hope to start this thing... with the key..:eek:
 
Dave I hope you enjoy the Hardtop!! I'm sure it'll look good on that 79! If your out by Pittsburgh one day when u got her on the road, bring her out I'd love to see the old Renegade restored back to it's original glory! Thanks Dave and have fun out there. Jeepwave!
 
GoldenEagle36 said:
Dave I hope you enjoy the Hardtop!! I'm sure it'll look good on that 79! If your out by Pittsburgh one day when u got her on the road, bring her out I'd love to see the old Renegade restored back to it's original glory! Thanks Dave and have fun out there. Jeepwave!
Click to expand...

Thanks again Joe! ...and Joe! LOL, We put it on today and it looks great! I love the tinted windows!
View attachment 7471

:chug:
 
Petescj said:
:dung: I knew I shouldve bought it myself. :D
Click to expand...

sorry Pete haha i got a couple more things. im just looking for the money to find an old light up Jeep sign lol
 
So now that the new top is in place, we proceeded to finish the steering column, and since I've dropped the Transfer Case 2", I had to adjust the shift linkage which turned out pretty good, all the gears seem to click fully into their positions.

Hooked up the vacuum lines to the Qtrac, kinda guessed here, I know which line is intake vacuum to the switch, but I have no idea which side of the switch goes to what side of the actuator.. can anyone help?

Bled the brakes, well 3 of them, got a bleeder that won't budge with the wrench so I'm going to have get all caveman on it with the vise-grips...

Oh by the way, I started it with the fuel from it's own tank today! IKR??!:chug: Tomorrow I start it... with the key...:D
 
the Qtrac vacuum goes accoringly:

the middle hose goes to the motor vac source.
the very left one (as you face your switch) goes to the outside
way on the right (as you face your switch) goes to the inside of the Qtrac diaphram
 
GoldenEagle36 said:
the Qtrac vacuum goes accoringly:

the middle hose goes to the motor vac source.
the very left one (as you face your switch) goes to the outside
way on the right (as you face your switch) goes to the inside of the Qtrac diaphram
Click to expand...

Ok thanks! I'll have to trace them out tomorrow.. :D
 
Hey Joe, another thing I noticed about the two tops.. you know the one I got from you is textured and has the fiberglass tailgate, and my other one is completely smooth with the smooth metal tailgate.. Thought that was interesting to share..
 
i know close to nothing about hardtops hahaha but i must say thats interesting. maybe the complete fiberglass one is optional. im just glad you like it:chug:
 
WOO HOOO!! It started with the key! Wired up the new relay and it fired right off! Have a few more questions about the harness in another thread, but it seems to be coming together..

Also had to order two new front brake calipers today, but that's for the best, back brakes were brand new so I guess now they'll match! :D
 
Re: 79 CJ7 Renegade

New brakes and calipers installed, still trying to bleed them completely as the pedal is still soft. Fenders and hood installed, starting to look like it could be road worthy in a day or two.. :D
View attachment 7538

View attachment 7539
 
Re: 79 CJ7 Renegade

I'm having trouble bleeding the brakes, everytime I seem to get some peal after bleeding them, I plug in the vacuum and bam, almost no pedal, and I physically have to pull the pedal up with my left foot to pump them (should there be a spring return?). I've used a whole, large bottle of brake fluid so far, the system can't possibly take that much fluid, but we will open the second bottle and continue to try..

We also seem to have the cooling system topped off and working properly, so I started topping off the tranny with fluid.. one quart, not showing on the stick.. two quarts, still not showing on the stick.. three quarts... four quarts, and I am now on the add fluid mark on the stick, LOL! WOW! I mean, I had slipped it into gear after each quart to see if it would even engage with no results, and I was thinking this was going to be the last straw, if I'd went through all this blood sweat and tears, only to find out this thing has a bad tranny!! But after the fourth quart, I slipped it into reverse and it had a very positive engagement at this point, and I could hardly contain my excitement!! "WE HAVE TO DRIVE THIS BEAST!!" LOL, so we run around kicking tools out of the way, pulled that GIANT 2" spacer out from under my carb, bolted it back down, hooked up the throttle cable (which is now plenty long enough), :dung:, we need to put the alternator belt on! And the new power steering belt, gave everything another look over, "OK! All's good let's do this!" (Did I mention it's pitch dark out by this time, but the headlights are working now).. We get in, (Damn this thing is high, and a lot tighter than I figured for a big guy like me) Brakes are still soft, damn! But I don't care, there's some peddle! Slip it into reverse, which is good cause we're facing downhill in the backyard, which really, is kinda steep, and ease it back a bit (still open headers :D) and did I mention it's pitch dark out?? (I'm actually pretty nervous! The brake thing and all, and the hill, and the side hill into the "test pasture"), put her into drive and pull out of the yard, up a slight incline on this side hill into the test pasture (throttle is pretty crisp), and we're still leaning to the right pretty good (this soft brake thing is REALLY making me nervous) easing into the pasture for a little jaunt aaand..... we run out of gas.. :laugh:

Which actually gave me some relief.. I have got to get these brakes lined out, and we should be doing this in the daylight, but you know what?? It moved under it's own power for the first time since at least 1997!! And I built it in a backyard, over 1000 miles from my home in Iowa! I am a Happy Jeeper!!

We put some more gas in it, backed back into the yard and parked it till tomorrow. We'll bleed the brakes, again, and get her down on the road to seat the brakes, make sure it shifts through all the gears, and load it onto the trailer for the trip to the exhaust shop on sunday for the custom, 2-1/2" dual flowmaster exhaust :D... ooh yeaa...
 
That my friend is awsome:chug: and btw how are you routing your pipes?
 
GoldenEagle36 said:
That my friend is awsome:chug: and btw how are you routing your pipes?
Click to expand...

Thanks, Joe

I have headers inside the framerails, so the pipes are going to hug the inside of the frame to the mufflers. The mufflers are offset inlets/outlets, so the outlets will be towards the center over the axle and then down and out on each side of the gas tank, then turn down slightly below the rear frame/bumber support. :D

Buuut, I got a call from the muffler shop, saying their guy won't be in tomorrow now, soo it looks like this will have to wait until I get home to Iowa. We leave Tuesday afternoon sometime, after rent-a-center pics up the washer/dryer and the TV I've been renting. Soon as we hit home, we pack up and hit the road for Wichita, Kansas to the in-laws for xmas, then home for good the Tuesday after... whew! I can't hardly wait...
 
the guy that lives below me said he had headers with glasspacks......worst mistake ever. i love my glass packs with just the stock manifolds. but it will probably sound real good with the duals:cool:
 
GoldenEagle36 said:
the guy that lives below me said he had headers with glasspacks......worst mistake ever. i love my glass packs with just the stock manifolds. but it will probably sound real good with the duals:cool:
Click to expand...

You have yours dumping out the side too, right? That was my original plan, fenderwell headers, some type of header muffler and then turn out the side in front of the rear tire... but I started asking around and reading the threads on this subject, and most people who had done this were not big fans of it. They are extremely loud, in the sense that you are constantly having that tone in your ear while driving, might not bother you for right now, but us old people get annoyed easily..:D and the other big thing, which was the kicker for me, evrybody said the exhaust fumes from dumping out the side, are really bad and the main reason they had switched to inside the frame and out the back.. and most switch back to stock manifolds as well, they really are a PITA.. There's some kind of fab work to do in either case, cutting the fenderwells for headers, or in my case moving the fuel tank so they could exit either side. I almost left my tank alone and was going to bring both tips out on the left side of it, but decided this was cooler..:cool:
 
Been there with the fenderwell headers. Neat for a while but then annoying. I now have inframe headers with pipes to the back. Love it, not loud inside and doesn't stink like exhaust fumes inside.
 
I love the stance of this Cj. I always thought 33s was the correct tire size for a Cj. I may have to amend that to 35s. :D

 
Petescj said:
I love the stance of this Cj. I always thought 33s was the correct tire size for a Cj. I may have to amend that to 35s. :D

Click to expand...

Thanks Pete, i figured it'd catch on.. I'm what you'd call.. a trend setter..:D
 
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