Build Thread CJ5 to CJ6 stretch project. PIC's

[dsrt4]

I have a 1973 CJ5 Renegade that has been in my family since new. It started out as a AMC 304 T-15 model. I got hold of it in 1997 when I was 17 years old. I did a nut and bolt restoration back to stock. Then I got into wheeling and used it all over . Moab, Colorado, New Mexico, Missouri, Illinois...bla blah.

It ended up going through several iterations until it it was finally stretched with T18a 1 tons and 39.5 tsl's. We wheeled it for a long time. Then came life and it sat. My wife and I almost sold it but then wised up and decided to keep it and make it into a mild CJ6 since we have always wanted a CJ6 .

My original frame had been plated front to rear and had a later CJ7 suspension grafted onto it. It had been mothballed when I went to another frame. I drug this one out of the barn swung some CJ7 axles under it that I redid with one piece axles. I mounted the engine Transmission and case in it it and drove it with my bobbed CJ5 tub before we made the decision to stretch it out to CJ6 specs.

I have since cut the original tub up. Acquired a New Fiberglass CJ6 tub that some one had on Craigslist for cheap and now I am gearing up for the 20" Frame Stretch. I am stretching my original plated CJ5 tub with 2X4 1/4" wall tubing. Pics of those are below. The final product will be essentially a intermediate CJ5 stretched to CJ6 specs with 4" lift and 33's. The frame piece show a stock section of frame that used as a guide when making the 20" filler sections. They have 4" stub shafts that will slip into the frame on both ends. My original 73 frame has been boxed in completely.

Pics below show it's transformations throughout the years. And where it is today. I'll update with pics as I go along.

 

[dsrt4]

Here's the weld layout for the 20" sections to lengthen the frame. The inside vertical weld will be onto the existing frame plate that I put on this frame years ago. So 4" stub shafts into the frame at the ends and 20" length in middle.

 

[dsrt4]

Here's the new CJ6 fiberglass tub. Surprisingly not too bad really.

 

[Kane]

Cool. That will be a nice Jeep when completed. I love the CJ6 style.

 

[Posi]

Welcome to the CJ5 .5 club.

 

[Petescj]

Here's the new CJ6 fiberglass tub. Surprisingly not too bad really.

Welcome. I've been waiting for a build thread like this for a long time.

Welcome to the CJ5 .5 club.

 

[Posi]

..

 

[dsrt4]

Frame cut in half and the boxed in sections cut back 4"

 

[dsrt4]

Filthy garage And stretch. Ran out of gas right off the get go. Thankfully my old mig runs flux core wire really well.

I made covers for this area out of a second frame I had to give it somewhat of a stock appearance. I'll show those later.

Hope to get tub flopped up on it this week.

 

[Petescj]

Nice can't wait to see it.

 

[Kane]

I use an ARC welder at home myself. It is slower and the welds are not as pretty but she gets the job done and I never worry about gas.

 

[dsrt4]

I use an ARC welder at home myself. It is slower and the welds are not as pretty but she gets the job done and I never worry about gas.

I used to use ARC for everything. I started getting a bit of shaky hand syndrome and went to MIG. I do miss ARC welding a bit. I was never good at vertical welding with it though.

Anyhow. Another update.

Got new front and rear stock shock towers on. And new brackets fabbed up in the intermediate style for the gas tank.

I ended up just getting another gas tank because of the varnish that was in mine even though I drained it.

Lots of old brackets cut off here and there on the frame from old builds. Hope to still get it out of the garage this weekend and pressure wash it and clean the rest of the garage out. Pics to come.

Thanks for watching my thread!

 

[Hedgehog]

Just a quick note on varnish in a gas tank. Fill the tank with a 50/50 mix of water and pool muriatic acid. Let it sit for a few hours. Does wonders. At that point you can go ahead and use it or better yet the metal is etched nicely for the application of a tank lining material like they use on Harley Davidson tanks.

I wasn't much of a stick welder, then a Thermal Arc welder came my way. All welders are not the same any more. With a special starting circuit it is almost as easy as a MIG to start a weld. Then there is the advantage of being able to weld a less than perfect surface. Finally a good stick welder can really dig into thick metal and finally/finally you can always find the perfect rod for the kind of welding you are trying to do. My MIG sees 90% of my welding jobs, but for the big dirty jobs a stick is the only thing to use.

Sorry for the welding side track. I like the job on the frame. One thing did make me wonder though. When hot rod guys are working on a body, cutting the top for instance, to make sure everything stays straight they weld or tack in cross pieces. Yes, thing sheet metal isn't the same as a frame, but did you do something similar to the frame before cutting? If not, have you run into problems that wouldn't have happened if the stabilizers were in place?

 

[dsrt4]

The tank for this year was only $75 shipped so it just made more sense to go that route.

And yes I braced the two frame ends with 1X1 square tubing before I cut it . One raised and up and over the Transmission spanning the frame. The crossmember did the work on the bottom. The rear section of the frame simply had a 1X1 spanning the inside of the frame. The frame ends absolutely have to be braced before cutting. I've cut a few frames up before and they always spring sometimes a lot!. If you ever do something like this don't skimp. The 1X1 tubing only ran like $14..


After it is all said and done I'm about .062" off my original dimensions +20" so the bracing worked alright. You don't need much just something to hold it together.

If you don't use braces you better take a ton of measurements and have a bunch of straps and bottle jacks to reign it all back in..

 

[ksouthw80]

cant wait to see this

 

[dsrt4]

Got the tank brackets fabbed up and mounted. I had to make factory replacement style parts since I tossed the originals during a old build years ago. My old gas tank had a ton of varnish in it even though I drained it when I put it up. I found a replacement tank on ebay for $75 and installed it after making the brackets.

The brackets were pretty easy to make and install so it went pretty quick.

Was bored and decided to see what the Fiberglass tub looked like on the frame So I trial fitted it. Just in case you are wondering...It sucks to put a CJ6 tub on by yourself.

Looks pretty good for what it is! Now to start fabbing up some frame mounts for the body. I plan on making something for the front under your feet. This Cheapo body doesn't have mount boxes under you feet like stock tubs and better made Fiberglass tubs. Some of the guys from the early CJ5 forum gave me some great ideas for that.

Its pretty tall...I may go with a 2.5" lift or take the longer shackles out of it and see what that gets me. It has a 4" 76-86 tough country lift on it now.. I'm done with the super tall cj's . Those are 33's in the pic.

Drivers side long panel has a dip in it. Im not sure if I am going to try and correct it or just leave it be.

Anyhow.......Slowly but surely.

 

[mtnwhlr]

Looking good

 

[Hedgehog]

How big a dip? You might be able to shrink the tubing. A talented metal man can do wonders with a little heat and a little water.

 

[dsrt4]

I'm not sure what you mean. Its a glass tub

The top rail on the drivers side has a tapered low spot then it tapers back up.
You can kinda see it in the pic on the drivers side top rail.

I'll probably split it under the lip, raise it up and clamp it with angle iron and then fill in the cut/gap with resin and mat. Some friends on another forum gave me that Idea.

I'm not looking to win any shows.

 

[Hedgehog]

Misunderstanding, I thought you found a slight dig in the frame rail. Since your measurements are so close to your original dimensions I should have realized my mistake.