Build Thread drivert builds a Jeep

Build Thread drivert builds a Jeep
drivert51

drivert51

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Location
Southern Illinois
Vehicle(s)
1972 CJ5, 304, 3 speed
Greetings everyone. Thought I might chronicle the rebuild of my 72 cj. This project is on a serious budget. After buying the Jeep my gf gave me $1000 dollars to spend on it. :( I have never rebuilt a vehicle before so this will be a learning experience.

90% of this project will be done in the driveway. I don't have a shop full of tools. Most work will be done on the weekend.

If all goes well, I hope to show that building a jeep is not necessarily a big money job that can only be performed by a competent mechanic.
 
The first pic is what I started with. Drove it home in below freezing weather with just a bikini top and doors. Looked for little things I could fix but one thing led to another and I was tearing it apart. Starting with the few hand tools I have I tore off the fenders. Next few pics are of that. Today I pulled the hood, radiator/grill, windshield and removed the tub bolts. Holy :dung: what I would have given for an impact wrench. Of all the bolts I took out about 25% of them broke. Waiting for help or a hoist to pull the tub off.
 
Invest in some PB Blaster. It will loosen some of those rusted on bolts.
 
Wait...your GF gave you a budget?? :eek::laugh::eek:

Ok I'm done...:D:p

thats going to be rough to accomplish with $1000. I have a warehouse full of parts and tools and I don't think I could do that to mine. BUT, We will see, since I started tearing mine down today, and I don't even get a $500 budget to build it. I will just spend what I need to if I can't scavenge it.
Good luck and keep us posted. :chug:
 
The trick is purchase lots of little things and tell her about any of the great deals you got. Before she knows it, you will have spent several thousand dollars.

At that point, you have reached the "no turning back" budget and the purse strings open a little more.

Finally, you reach the "customizing" budget so it looks cool, and she will agree.:D

Just be careful to avoid things that make it hers; such as steps or a hydraulic clutch that make it easy for her to drive :laugh:
 
CJ007 said:
The trick is purchase lots of little things and tell her about any of the great deals you got. Before she knows it, you will have spent several thousand dollars.

At that point, you have reached the "no turning back" budget and the purse strings open a little more.

Finally, you reach the "customizing" budget so it looks cool, and she will agree.:D

Just be careful to avoid things that make it hers; such as steps or a hydraulic clutch that make it easy for her to drive :laugh:
Click to expand...

Unfortunately she is WAY to smart for me to get by with this.
 
Finally got time to work. Broke the body free from the tub with a hi-lift jack. Waiting on the tractor to show up to pick it off. Sometime prior to my ownership the floor and back fenders were replaces with what looks to be 1/4" diamond plate steel...HEAVY:censored:
 
with the help of my girlfriends dads tractor i finally got the body off. i don't think it was ever washed underneath. gonna spend the rest of the day scraping and sweeping mud, then she gets a bath. it will be nice to see what i'm working on.

ps...the first pic is of the few tools i have to work with. buy as i go
 
That is a lot of mud :eek: but it looks like you have a good helper so you should have looking good in no time. :chug:
 
Hosed and scraped some more today on the under carriage. Found two cracks in the frame that need welding. Ideally I would like to take it apart to then smallest piece, clean and paint it. Not sure I got that kind of time to spend. Anyone got any ideas on a game plan from here?
 
drivert - It really depends on how much time and money you want to put into. If you don't want to spend a lot of either, clean and paint what you have apart now, fix what you have to so that it's safe and put it back together.

I started my 75 about like you, with the intention of spending about 3K. The more I took apart, the more I found that needed fixed or replaced. Now I'm in it a little over a year and around 9k.

But I'm really having fun with building it :D

Good Luck - Bill :chug:
 
billyocup said:
drivert - It really depends on how much time and money you want to put into. If you don't want to spend a lot of either, clean and paint what you have apart now, fix what you have to so that it's safe and put it back together.

I started my 75 about like you, with the intention of spending about 3K. The more I took apart, the more I found that needed fixed or replaced. Now I'm in it a little over a year and around 9k.

But I'm really having fun with building it :D

Good Luck - Bill :chug:
Click to expand...

Except for the parts I know need fixed, I've decided to wire wheel a part, paint it and move to the next. I shouldn't miss any problem areas that way. I've found a second crack in the frame (first by the steering box).
 
Hey...rusted brakes. yea :( Did some wire wheeling today. Took off a rear tire to clean behind it and look what I found. :eek: I'm sure I can clean and paint everything but not sure about the condition of the piston on top. The little rods that come out either side of it were rusted so it makes me wonder what the inside of it looks like. If only I had x ray vision.
 
Jeep induced depression has set in. Painted a little on the rear end today then I spent a little time just looking at it. I guess I should have done this in the beginning. I found 3 cracks in the frame, a few spots where the frame had eaten away a little, a 8" replacement piece welded to the end of one of the frame rails. FRUSTRATING :bang::bang:

I'm seriously thinking about making my own frame and, after looking a little closer at the bottom of the tub, a new tube frame.

Next project: draw/copy some plans, price materials, sob with my face in my hands as I realize this is going to cost just a tad more than what I had planned.
 
Sounds like all that mud may have been holding it togeather :popcorn:
 
I pressure washed my jeep four seperate times! I would put the body aside and concentrate on the frame, motor, tranny, suspension. It can be overwelming at first. Pick an item for the day and work on just that one item till it's the way you want it. Say for instance the tranny. Clean it up good check the oil paint if thats what you want. Also harbor frieght is cheap place for some things. I have quite a few tools from them. Some of their stuff is not good quality though.
 
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