Build Thread Bill's 75 CJ5 ground up rebuild

[JR74CJ5]

Bill looking so great man!

Glad to hear about the seats / roll bar going to work out good for you!

I doubt I am much taller, I think my seats have a thicker bottom than yours and possibly at the wrong angle. lol


~ JR

 

[BC CJ]

Bill, your Jeep is looking awesome! And it's breaking all of my 'rules': normally I'm not a fan of camo, but your colour choice and numbers pattern is just right. Super unique and it looks great! Also, I usually think a CJ's dash should be flat but you did such a nice job on yours that I like that too! Plus it's functional, it'll be a lot easier to see.

Thats the sign of a great build: it isn't the way I would do it, but if you gave it to me I wouldn't change a thing! Nice work!

 

[billyocup]

Bill, your Jeep is looking awesome! And it's breaking all of my 'rules': normally I'm not a fan of camo, but your colour choice and numbers pattern is just right. Super unique and it looks great! Also, I usually think a CJ's dash should be flat but you did such a nice job on yours that I like that too! Plus it's functional, it'll be a lot easier to see.

Thats the sign of a great build: it isn't the way I would do it, but if you gave it to me I wouldn't change a thing! Nice work!

BC - I always thought camo for a Jeep would be a good choice because if it got scratched up it would be easy to touch up. I've had friends that put a lot of money into paint on Jeeps only to scratch them all up the first time out. But then I got carried away with the 3 scheme

The original dash was so chopped up that what I did covered most of the bad stuff up. I suppose I could have bought a new piece and kept it flat, but I like how it came out. And it was basically pretty inexpensive, as the only things I bought new were some of the gauges and the indicator lights.

Thanks of the encouragement - Bill

 

[Niedhogg]

Well Bill, I just spent some time catching up on your build, and as I start my next build with my new CJ5 , I'm encouraged and inspired to step up my game and can only hope to have as nice a jeep as yours has turned out to be when i'm finished!

 

[billyocup]

Well Bill, I just spent some time catching up on your build, and as I start my next build with my new CJ5 , I'm encouraged and inspired to step up my game and can only hope to have as nice a jeep as yours has turned out to be when i'm finished!

Niedhogg - Thanks man. Now if I can just get it finished

 

[billyocup]

I've made a little bit of progress over the past few days. I received the Borgeson lower steering column and test fit it, then pulled it back off in order to install the headers.

Got my headers sandblasted and painted with 2000 degree Rustoleum. I now understand why most guys go with fenderwell exit headers. The in-frame headers are really tight and I have some clearance issues. On the drivers side, I'm going to have to reroute the brake and fuel lines to get enough clearance. On the passenger side, the header is hitting the terminal on the starter motor. Think maybe I can dent one tube enough for clearance, but need to work with it a bit more to get it figured out.

I also got the Rock Equipment Complete tie rod flip kit. Hope to start on that this weekend. The tie rod and drag link are really heavy duty. Probably a bit of over kill I don't think I'll need to worry about bending another tie rod, but I may have to worry about breaking the parts attached to it.

I still have a list of things about 2 feet long to complete before I can get this thing on the road again, but I seem to be able to accomplish one or two items every day.

Will try to get some more progress pics posted this weekend.

Bill

 

[gliryan]

Wow that looks awesome. Very nice! The one thing I would strongly suggest though is getting the angle right on you harnesses. You want them no more than 4" below where your shoulders are or where the harness comes over the seat. Or no more than 15 degrees angle downward, you're around 75 degrees. In the case of an accident so much force will pull downward on your shoulders that your spine will collapse, not the base case scenario. Just put a bar higher up and remount the rear straps. It would be wise. Everything else though, I'm jealous. Looks awesome.

 

[billyocup]

gliryan - Thanks for the info on the harness. I knew that the mount should be higher, but couldn't find any info on exactly where it should be mounted. I should be able to remount the cross bar higher up on the roll cage vertical tubes without much problem.

Thanks Again - Bill

 

[billyocup]

So I was hoping to make a bunch of progress this weekend, but the headers have been fighting me a bit so I may have to be satisfied with just getting those installed.

On the passenger side, the header was hitting the terminal on the starter when I was sliding it in and up against the stud and nut at the spring perch on the frame side. I trimmed the terminal stud and the spring mount stud. Found a narrower profile nut for the spring stud. Made a couple of dents in the header tubes and finally got it to slide in place. It seems to have reasonable clearance all around now, so I think that side is done.

On the drivers side, I pulled the fuel and brake lines loose and will re-route them to get clearance from the header, but I need to do some more modification to a couple of the tubes to get the steering column to clear.

All this fitting, refitting and refitting seems to take up alot of time.

 

[tarry99]

So I was hoping to make a bunch of progress this weekend, but the headers have been fighting me a bit so I may have to be satisfied with just getting those installed.

On the passenger side, the header was hitting the terminal on the starter when I was sliding it in and up against the stud and nut at the spring perch on the frame side. I trimmed the terminal stud and the spring mount stud. Found a narrower profile nut for the spring stud. Made a couple of dents in the header tubes and finally got it to slide in place. It seems to have reasonable clearance all around now, so I think that side is done.

On the drivers side, I pulled the fuel and brake lines loose and will re-route them to get clearance from the header, but I need to do some more modification to a couple of the tubes to get the steering column to clear.

All this fitting, refitting and refitting seems to take up alot of time.

Billy,

Looks like your having fun.........squeezing everything thing in.
Not sure what nut you found but here are a couple of half size lock nuts on the left. One is a 1/2 size nylock the other an aircraft Jet nut.....those are all 3/8x24 with a 9/16 head just for comparison. I can put you in touch with a supplier if need be.

 

[billyocup]

tarry99 - thanks for the info. I did find a 1/2 size locking nut at my local NAPA store. They carry alot of stuff that regular auto parts stores don't because being in the mountains, there are alot of guys working on tractors and other equipment and need a wider variety of parts.

I had a neighbor, who is a long time hot rodder, come by yesterday and look at the header on the drivers side. He has built a number of sets of headers in his time and is going to help me reconfigure the tubes to work around the steering column. May take a few days to get it done, but he says it's not a real big deal.

In the mean time I'm finishing up re-routing the fuel and brake lines, then will get started on installing my tie rod flip kit.

 

[tarry99]

tarry99 - thanks for the info. I did find a 1/2 size locking nut at my local NAPA store. They carry alot of stuff that regular auto parts stores don't because being in the mountains, there are alot of guys working on tractors and other equipment and need a wider variety of parts.

I had a neighbor, who is a long time hot rodder, come by yesterday and look at the header on the drivers side. He has built a number of sets of headers in his time and is going to help me reconfigure the tubes to work around the steering column. May take a few days to get it done, but he says it's not a real big deal.

In the mean time I'm finishing up re-routing the fuel and brake lines, then will get started on installing my tie rod flip kit.

Billy,

Nothing is easy when your messing around with Jeeps , Hot Rods & aftermarket parts.........glad to hear your getting some of those nasty little distractions taken care of.

 

[billyocup]

Haven't gotten much accomplished the last couple of weeks. Was sick for a couple of days. Then it's been too hot in the afternoons to even think about trying to work out in the garage. The neighbor who is going to help me modify my header has a cabin up the mountain that was being threatened by a forest fire, so he was up there all week. The danger is past now, so maybe we'll get to the header next week.

I did finish up re-routing the brake and fuel lines, and I picked up this trail rack / spare tire carrier and started cleaning it up. This rack was on this Jeep at one time. A guy I know got it from the original owner of my Jeep. Sold the Jeep he was going to put it on, so he offered it to me.

Hopefully, it will cool off a bit and I can make some more progress in the next couple of weeks.

 

[JR74CJ5]

Thats the same basic type of rack I have on mine. I love it.

I have sides extended upward though to help "keep" things where they should be, like ice chests. You can easily weld up a 4" raise into it if you ever desired. Mine also holds jerry cans on the sides.

Sorry don't have any pics of just the rack on hand.

But you get the idea...



~ JR

 

[billyocup]

JR - I like the idea of the raised rail. Holds stuff in place and gives you something to tie off to. May try to add that later, but for now I put what I got in place. The first couple of pics are the finished product, bolted in place.

I also got my Rock Equipment steering linkage installed this week. The flip part was pretty easy to do, just follow the instructions. The holes took about 10 - 15 minutes each to ream out with the hand reamer, but there's only 3 holes to ream. The hardest part was coming up with a way to paint the tie rod and drag link. They're heavy (solid steel) and round. Without a bolt to thread into the end (and I didn't want to buy one) there was no way to hang them. I ended up sticking a smaller bolt up through the bottom of a 2x6 and weighting that down to keep it from tipping over. Then I stood the rods up on the bolts, so I could paint all of the side at one time. I really like the clearance you get with the finished flip.

 

[billyocup]

I finally got the driver's side header sorted out. We heated the tubes with a torch and moved them around a bit to get clearance at the steering column. There's not a lot of clearance but hopefully, with the poly engine mounts, the engine won't be moving a lot.

Finished cleaning up the intake manifold. Made a plate to blank off the choke heater port. Got it all painted and installed. Cleaning up the carb and trying to work out all the linkages. Ordered a new alternator bracket from Bulltear. Obviously, I still got to mount the radiator but it's getting close to being ready to fire up.

 

[tarry99]

I finally got the driver's side header sorted out. We heated the tubes with a torch and moved them around a bit to get clearance at the steering column. There's not a lot of clearance but hopefully, with the poly engine mounts, the engine won't be moving a lot.

Finished cleaning up the intake manifold. Made a plate to blank off the choke heater port. Got it all painted and installed. Cleaning up the carb and trying to work out all the linkages. Ordered a new alternator bracket from Bulltear. Obviously, I still got to mount the radiator but it's getting close to being ready to fire up.

Billy..........Lookin Good!

 

[billyocup]

Last couple of weeks have been kinda hectic, but have managed to get a few things done. I've got the carb mounted, fuel lines and linkage hooked up, got a new manual choke linkage installed and repaired part of the linkage that the PO had disconnected. Made some brackets to hold the spark plug wires and fuel filter in place. Got the Bulltear alternator bracket and mounted the alternator. Had to do a little hogging out on the underside of the bracket to make it fit flat on the intake manifold.

It's coming together . Hope to finish up the ignition wiring this week. I've had to do a little re-configuring on the Painless harness to get a clean installation. Some of it is because with the 1 piece hood, things aren't mounted in the stock positions and some of it is because the harness is universal for about 10 years of CJ's.

 

[JR74CJ5]

I really like that alternator position You know I've been eyeing that for my submarine racing

Do you know yet, does it use the same belt you'd normally order, or is this a measure with a string and go to good parts guy to get right belt kind of thing?

Looks Awesome Bill!


~ JR

 

[billyocup]

JR -

I tested the existing belt on it and it looks like the belt needs to be a little bit longer to get it adjusted right, but it's close. The bracket doesn't come with any instructions, but it's pretty straight forward to install other than having to grind out a notch in it so it fits flat on the stock intake manifold.

The thing was $86.50 with shipping, but since I didn't have the stock brackets it probably would have cost me that much in gas to get to a wrecking yard that had one, from where I live. And I like the way it moves the alternator to a higher position.

Bill