Build Thread CJ's CJ5 - Rebuild Thread

[mylittlecj5]

Hey I noticed the gas cap still on there, make sure the hose is loose before you pull the body off. Same thing for all the grounds and wires (I see a few on the firewall).
Lift it up 6 inches and look underneath to see whats still hanging on. I know you already know this, but what the heck!

 

[CJ]

Great tips for all that will be pulling a body and very much worth noting! Thanks for pointing those things out.

Since I wired the CJ myself I actually know where the ground wires are - cut them already... The gas cap is just on there to keep crud out but it is disconnected from the body...

 

[CJ]

The body is off and the CJ running gear is home.
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Here are the pics pulling the body... It had a little lean to it but I pulled it easily...

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Here is a good shot of why I pulled this thing and I'm getting a replacement body. Check out how the Body just broke in half on me!

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I had to air down the tire to get enough clearance...

Now I needed to pull the cage. This cage is designed to fit all the way across the wheel wells. To get it off I had to use straps and squeeze the cage together to clear the body.

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It's separated, body and cage no longer are joined...

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I flipped the tub up on the firewall and put it on some furniture dollies so it would be easy to roll. It's off to a corner of the shop lot until I can take it to its final resting place...

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I took a few shots of the rot, not much left of the underside bracing!

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I found a couple of interesting things when I removed the body... Some very old mud and straw!

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And even a bent leaf spring I was unaware of!

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Final shots of the cage, back in my driveway. I'm going to strip it and have it powder coated.

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I also attached a few pics of my friends shop. Check out the great bender! I didn't even know he had that! The 'Purple People Eating Truck' is almost done! It looks great! Anyone need a engine?

I'm over the 602 mill, it came from our work. It's great for making those 'special' pieces...

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[CJ]

I forgot to add a little note... A few posts up I attached a picture of the trailer. Man that thing tows GREAT! I put on some new lights and - I worked for hours removing that bent jack! It is still on there! Take a look at what 3 hours of grinding got me! They welded it from underneath as well as the top. And, whoever welded it was a damn good welder!!!!

 

[projectcrawler]

Time for the Blue wrench. Cut the bottom section off with the torch, and weld a new one on the other side. At least it gives you an excuse to cut with fire. I bet your buddy with the garage has a plasma cutter. Those things are worth their weight in gold.

 

[CJ]

We were ZERO for Two today... The blue wrench was out of gas and the plasma cutter is having technical difficulties! I did the best I could with what I had.

Between the grinding I did and all the work pulling that body. I'm dead tired! I'm not even going to finish watching the race tonight... I'm just going to fall asleep and hope I'm not too sore tomorrow! Damn it sucks getting older!

 

[CJ]

I pulled the bellhousing today and started to map out the remainder of the tear down.

Anyone want to buy a very well worn zoom clutch?

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Here are some good shots showing the differences between the T-15 and the T-18 bellhousing.

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[projectcrawler]

Guess you aren't going to reuse the clutch? Looks like you might gain a few inches on your rear driveshaft. Bellhousing shorter, or just the angle of pic?

 

[CJ]

The bellhousing is shorter but the T-18 is longer. They about even out. The adapter for the Dana 20 adds a few inches so the drive shaft actually has to be shortened.

 

[CJ]

All the pieces are starting to come together. And for a change, I actually had some real good news. We have a local Powder Coater and his booth is now expanded to 8' x 12'. He can do my cage and just about anything else. I'm going to take him my bellhousing as a test.

The wiring kit showed up today. I purchased the 20 circuit waterproof kit. Since I want to ad a few addition items to the CJ (it normally has 10 circuits), the additional 10 circuits will come in very handy. And also, since the ends aren't terminated, I can run the wires exactly as I want... It is a very thorough kit!

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[mrsdalefan88]

You will have to let me know how that goes. That is the kit we want to get. All of those wires don't look very painless to me though lol.

 

[mylittlecj5]

Man, I packed up all the stuff I'd need to do the rough wiring of the new gages and dash systems in the hotel room, and the box weighed over 100 lbs. Guess I have to wait to start playing till I get time at home.
Good luck with your wiring, I'm eagerly awaiting pics and diagrams

 

[CJ]

~I'm eagerly awaiting pics and diagrams

I'll keep ya updated once I start the work...


Boy oh boy am I in trouble! I stopped by the local powder coater to take a look around and see what they had to offer. They have just now cost me allot more work. I was so impressed with their establishment and their work that I think I'm going to have a whole bunch of pieces coated that I wasn't before.

I'm going to have to sit down and really do some serious ciphering... They even have a way of doing hammer and crinkle finishes as well as metalics and a quasy pearl. I need to really think about colors and finishes... I attached a few shots, one of the color chart and the other of their spray booth. Their oven is even larger then their booth!

Question... If you all were to powder coat anything on your CJ's, what would you do?

 

[CJ]

Took the clutch off and pulled the flywheel. The flywheel needs to be resurfaced, it was slipping before. I hope I didn't do to much heat damage to it as it was balanced.

Tomorrow, more left turns of the wrench...

 

[CJ]

I forgot to post pictures of the very worn but barely holding clutch. Zoom makes a great clutch. I can't believe it didn't slip more then it did!


Come on... You all have to have ideas for paint and powder coating? I need to get some things planned out soon so I can decide on what to do for a color.

 

[projectcrawler]

Judging by pic, you had a good couple thousandths left. As far as powder coated, I would like to have any brackets, housings(alt,p/s,etc.), and pulleys powder coated. Basically anything that bolts to the motor. I would like to do a theme color. Like dash, shifter, windshield brackets, etc.. Maybe gas tank skid plate because it would look nice from behind. I am doing my frame, axles, suspension with Por-15 because I believe it will hold up better. The motor, Transmission , Transfer Case are all getting VHT high temp coating. The headers are getting VHT "flame proof" header paint. I used the VHT paints on my motorcycle engine and headers about 3,000 miles ago and it is holding up very well.

 

[CJ]

Judging by pic, you had a good couple thousandths left.

LOL - barely! The pressure plate has some serious hot spots though! We'll see how the new Centerforce holds up this time...

I'm pretty sure I'm going to do a 'theme' as you said... Just not sure what yet. The powder coater was really helpful when I was there day before yesterday. We talked for a long time to get ideas on what they can and can't do... They can't match colors or mix colors (no one can) but they have a fantastic selection already. I am going to order all new SS hardware (hinges and such) for them to coat... So much to think about !!!

 

[CJ]

The master rebuild kit for the Model 20 Transfer Case came in today. I'm off to the shop to begin the tear down and cleaning. I'll post progress shot of the rebuild...

 

[BrockGrimes]

I forgot to post pictures of the very worn but barely holding clutch. Zoom makes a great clutch. I can't believe it didn't slip more then it did!


Come on... You all have to have ideas for paint and powder coating? I need to get some things planned out soon so I can decide on what to do for a color.

You had a zoom clutch. Do you know which one? and with what pressure plate? Standard diaphram type or borg & beck?

You getting the same setup or different?
I've been doing alot of reading, and you can really make problems for yourself if you pick "upgrade parts". Had a good link but seem to have misplaced it.

As for powder coat, take it one step at a time and don't bomb yourself out with the big picture. By that I mean to many people want it all, all the dodads, and odds and ends, then just end up bombing themselves out with information overload.

Do this:
1. Decide on a body color! (gonna coat it to, lol)
2. Make a list of the parts of the jeep you want coated.
3. What parts you want lined if you want that.
4. Now once you have a body color and lined parts list,
choose your powder colors.

Me personally I've always liked misc. body color, with black underbody, with body matching accessories in powder, like a candy or metalic orange, bright blue or even a emerald green, hmmm....purple.

I wonder if they do olive drab powder, never looked into it.
I used to powder coat using a home built oven.

 

[CJ]

It was a Borg and Beck plate. I'll have to look at the #'s on it when I get home. I believe it was the MF series, half Kevlar and half organic disk material. It worked well on the street and the drags.

I have a new Centerforce plate and disc this time.


Thanks for the thoughts on the powder coating. I do plan on doing a theme and I am SERIOUSLY considering having the body coated also... I don't want different colors on the CJ, I want it all to be the same, just not sure how extreme I want to take it. I'm even torn on if I want the cage black or the same as the body...