Build Thread 79 V8 CJ7 rebuild

[wondernad]

So, I have been mulling it over for quite some time now and have decided its time for a rebuild. The cancer has started spreading rapidly and needs to be fixed before it is no longer saveable. Unfortunately due to family and budget restraints the build process will be going along at a snails pace. But since its been sitting for a while and no sign of actually being driven in any near future now is as good a time as any. And since teardown wont cost a dime I can get started on that.




I originally started by trying to rebuild the carb to get it running again. So the carb was off and I needed to drain the tank due to bad fuel. Well the fuel had disintegrated the fuel sender float and tank filter causing the lines to clog while draining with an electric fuel pump. So I dropped the tank and noticed the frame rust to the passenger side frame rail. So on for the debate of what to do. Body off or try to bandaid the current issues and wait for new ones to arise. Well I don't like option 2 so body off is the way I am going.



Start with some pre-teardown pictures of the rust and PO's riggings. Hope to start the body removal soon as the weather is improving quickly.





More Pictures

CJ7 pictures by wondernad - Photobucket

 

[wondernad]

Update, been moving along slowly as expected. I've got the tub almost off. Just need to take it loose and pull it off. My donor vehicle arrived today! hope to pull the tub tomorrow and start the frame repair and reseal/rebuild of the drivetrain. Will post new pictures when I get the tub off.

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[jeepboy45]

Great Jeep....
Its always nice to see a Jeep being restored..!!

good luck... thanks for pics... everyone loves to see before / after pics!

brian

 

[wondernad]

Got some work done today. couldn't get much done yesterday due to rain in the morning and plans in the afternoon. Got the tub off and further inspected the frame for rust. Definitely need to repair passenger rear frame rail, both body mounts in front of rear tires and the rear cross member. Fortunately I had planned on replacing the rear cross member and have to move the body mounts already due to doing the YJ tub swap. So not much extra work has been found just yet.

Next step is to pull the Transfer Case , Transmission and engine for rebuilds/ reseals. Then I can really get in there to clean up the frame and paint it up to keep the rusting to a minimum.





More pictures - CJ7 pictures by wondernad - Photobucket

 

[wondernad]

Got the engine, Transmission and Transfer Case removed for cleaning, rebuilding and resealing.



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[Petescj]

Looks like your moving right along. Gonna be doing a Yj tub swap myself pretty soon. I'll be watching.

 

[CJ BRIAN NJ]

hey bud i just picked up a 79 CJ7 304v8 and a three speed! we are both starting at the same time with the same jeep! my rear frame is ugly like yours but mine has rotted alot further! im trying to fix her without removing the body , it will be cool to check out your progress along with mine !

GOOD LUCK AND GREAT JEEP! (CJ BRIAN NJ)

 

[wondernad]

Cool man, I see your thread. Waiting on some pictures. It'll be interesting to see how different they are when done.

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[mtnwhlr]

 

[richardoutwest]

Man rust sucks big time! That factory paint doesn't look to bad if it wasent for the rust! I really feel for you guys back East that have to deal with that. On the other hand, parts are more readily available for you guys! Looking forward to watching you build!

 

[wondernad]

I'm not so sure that being down east is my cause for the rust. Since the rest of my frame is still real solid. More like the fact that the rear frame was filled with mud from sinking it in holes. The stewing of the moisture from the mud caused the most rust. Been spraying mud out of there for 2 weeks almost. I think I am going to drill some holes in the rear crossmember to allow some more drainage for that area. But I also don't plan on sticking it into any more mud.

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[CJ BRIAN NJ]

Cool man, I see your thread. Waiting on some pictures. It'll be interesting to see how different they are when done.

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round 1 of my pics are up!

brian

 

[wondernad]

Ok, so it's been a while since I updated. Haven't gotten too much done. Been busy with my sons birthday and my wife being sick. So I have only done a little work. Got the frame down to a Roller. No brake/fuel lines, no steering gear and any/all hardware removed.

Cut out the bent rear crossmember getting ready for rust repair to the frame. While I have the frame "open" I decided to clean the gunk out of the inside as best I could. Started by taking a hammer and tapping all around the frame to looses up any debris. then i lifted the front end up with a engine hoist. Using compressed air I was able to get a lot out of the rails. Unfortunately I also found another area needing repair.

Now to have the rust cut out and replaced with fresh metal. Then off to the get sandblasted and sealed up

 

[CJ BRIAN NJ]

Ok, so it's been a while since I updated. Haven't gotten too much done. Been busy with my sons birthday and my wife being sick. So I have only done a little work. Got the frame down to a Roller. No brake/fuel lines, no steering gear and any/all hardware removed.

Cut out the bent rear crossmember getting ready for rust repair to the frame. While I have the frame "open" I decided to clean the gunk out of the inside as best I could. Started by taking a hammer and tapping all around the frame to looses up any debris. then i lifted the front end up with a engine hoist. Using compressed air I was able to get a lot out of the rails. Unfortunately I also found another area needing repair.

Now to have the rust cut out and replaced with fresh metal. Then off to the get sandblasted and sealed up

thats exactly what mine looks like! i started chopping the rust out , i got all the thin metal out so i have something solid to weld the repair panels to . just got a new bottle for my mig welder so i should be starting the patching soon!

frame rot and my 1 bad body mount

keep up the great work ! i will be updating my build in the next day or two.

it would be alot easier for me to fix mine if i pulled the body off but i was afraid i wouldnt get it back together ! most of my buddies are 9-5 office guys so its tough finding a helping hand with the big stuff. im going to use a b&g sprayer with a 8 foot wand to get rust convertor down the entire insides of my frame rails and i was thinking about filling them with dense expanding foam to keep the out . i havent seen any full frames filled with foam , any thought on the pros and cons? since im coating the insides with rust convertor moisture in the foam shouldnt cause rot but im not sure???

brian

 

[CJ BRIAN NJ]

have you thought about doing a spring over flip since its down to a roller? im going to flip mine and it should get me 3.75-4.25 inches of lift without buying an expensive kit. plus the lift springs are so stiff that it really makes the ride quality pretty rough (until you get 50-75 thousand miles on them) or so i hear.

 

[wondernad]

Not going to do a SOA. Not really doing much of a lift at all. Swapping my springs with a set of YJ sprinds. Which should give me about half an inch, plus doing a 1in body lift. Will be plenty for what I plan for this Jeep. Just putting a set of 31 or maybe 33 inch tires on it. Depends on how it looks when I get the body and fenders on. Not planning any hard wheeling with this.

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[wondernad]

It's been a while, but I haven't forgotten about it. I've just been waiting on my neighbor who said he would do the repair work on my frame. Said this early April. Still waiting.... But I found another frame that is supposedly in really good shape that i'm going to look at this weekend. Hopefully it pans out.
Anyway I also started tearing down the engine. Main bearings look ok. But the rod bearings seem like the tolerance was too tight in the previous build. I suspected this cause it was harder to turn over after the rebuild. That's what I get for trusting a machine shop. Gonna plastigage them and see what I have.
Progress will hopefully increase when I get the frame situation squared away. Trying not to have too many of these little CJ projects that a complete rebuild turns into going on one at a time so I don't make any major errors or miss something.

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[CJ BRIAN NJ]

hey bud im getting back into my jeep and i starterd a thread for the motorcraft 2100-2150 carbs i will have pics of my build up soon too!