Build Thread I'm making progress on my project 79 CJ

[Rescue Diver]

The engine is assembled and I managed to find the Holly Grail of transmissions, a factory 1979 Jeep T-18 with the ultra low 1st gear that will bolt directly to my Dana 20 Transfer Case and will also work with the bell housing from the old T-150 and the new clutch that came with my CJ!

I'm done cutting the holes in the firewall and I installed the steering column, heater and pedals. It'll all have to come back out when I paint it, but at least I'm done with the hard work of locating and cutting all the holes, since my project came with a fiberglass tub and no template from the old tub.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

looks good man i like the black and silver on the motor

 

[BrockGrimes]

looks good man i like the black and silver on the motor

I agree

 

[Rescue Diver]

Thanks! The one thing I can never escape when building a new car is that I spend about 10 times as many hours cleaning, stripping and painting parts as I do putting stuff together. My huge stack of old rusty greasy parts is getting a lot smaller! Soon I'll be able to actually put the damn thing together and keep my hands clean while doing it. I'm more than a little tired of having raw stained hands from spending countless hours with the wire wheels on the bench gringer and die grinder, and from soaking my hands in brake and parts cleaner!

 

[Petescj]

I'm more than a little tired of having raw stained hands from spending countless hours with the wire wheels on the bench grinder and die grinder, and from soaking my hands in brake and parts cleaner!

But the results look worth it. These are the type of pics that are gonna force me into a frame off of the Scrambler.

 

[Rescue Diver]

But the results look worth it. These are the type of pics that are gonna force me into a frame off of the Scrambler.

That's what I liked about buying this half finished project. If I'd bought a metal tubbed running jeep, If the body could be fixed, I would have been tempted to just fix it and not do what I've always wanted to do, build a fiberglass bodied CJ from the frame up.

I have a small hang up when it comes to working on cars. I refuse to ever re-install any part if it's not totally cleaned up and new looking first. Starting with nothing but a huge pile of parts instead of a running jeep forces me to make it a show jeep.

 

[BrockGrimes]

I have a similar problem, I modify everything.

 

[Rescue Diver]

I have a similar problem, I modify everything.

I just want to make it as simple and reliable as possible.

 

[Rescue Diver]

I made a little more progress over a three day weekend. The AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l motor, T-18 tranny, and Dana 20 Transfer Case are now assembled and back on the frame. I stripped the metal hood so I can do a few small repairs and primer it, and I picked up a decent top and hardware.

 

[Petescj]

I like the wheel and tire combo you picked. Seriously looking good

 

[Rescue Diver]

I like the wheel and tire combo you picked. Seriously looking good

Now that's funny!

Those will definitely be going away in favor of aluminum 15x10 wheels and 33x12.50 tires after I finish getting it all together and painted.

 

[Petescj]

I like the way your thinking. Thats my next set up. I have some 15 x 10 outlaws in the shed , waiting patiently till the cash comes in for some 33in M/T Baja MTZs.

Now that's funny!

Those will definitely be going away in favor of aluminum 15x10 wheels and 33x12.50 tires after I finish getting it all together and painted.

 

[Rescue Diver]

It has a windshield frame and the seat bolt holes have been drilled in the fiberglass tub.

 

[Rescue Diver]

And the progress continues.....

I decided the metal hood that came with it needed too much blocking to make it straight enough for black paint so I bought a new one.

I just wish I'd known that before going to all the trouble to strip the old paint off of it!

 

[priceg]

That is going to be one slick 7

 

[coldwater]

Now that's how you do a proper jeep build. Fantastic job, and good for you for having the patience and ambition to get it right the first time. Funny how some Jeepers think exactly alike. When I did mine, I did it the same way. a big pile of junk sitting in the corner, and taking me a solid year of digging through it, repairing, replacing, cleaning, painting, and tagging every single nut bolt screw and part to get it ready for reassembly. Not to mention the fussing with the frame and the new glass body and fenders to get everything right, basically building the entire thing, only to disassemble it AGAIN to paint every single spot on the body. The good thing? When I shut the hood and started it up it was DONE! It's never broken on me or let me down once. It could use a little freshening up now, but hell, It's given me 14 years of flawless service, so who am i to complain??

 

[Rescue Diver]

Now that's how you do a proper jeep build. Fantastic job, and good for you for having the patience and ambition to get it right the first time. Funny how some Jeepers think exactly alike. When I did mine, I did it the same way. a big pile of junk sitting in the corner, and taking me a solid year of digging through it, repairing, replacing, cleaning, painting, and tagging every single nut bolt screw and part to get it ready for reassembly. Not to mention the fussing with the frame and the new glass body and fenders to get everything right, basically building the entire thing, only to disassemble it AGAIN to paint every single spot on the body. The good thing? When I shut the hood and started it up it was DONE! It's never broken on me or let me down once. It could use a little freshening up now, but hell, It's given me 14 years of flawless service, so who am i to complain??

Yeah I know what you mean! Just about every time I install a part I know it has to come back off when I'm ready to paint. The one thing about going with fiberglass is you have to spend a whole lot of time measuring, drilling, and fitting things up correctly before you can even think about going forward with painting. I wonder how many guys have gotten impatient and just painted, only to scratch the hell out of it trying to line the parts up and drill later?

 

[Rescue Diver]

Ok Ok! I finally took care of the tire and wheel situation. No more little whitewalls on white basket wheels!

I grabbed a set of old school Ansen aluminum wheels that were all oxydized and dingy, used toilet cleaner to remove all the ozydation, then wet sanded and polished them up. I was planning to buy a new set of outlaw 2s but decided that a 79 Jeep deserved more vintage looking wheels.

As for the tires. I was about to order a new set of 33s for about $700 delivered when I stumbled across this set of very good used tires for only $100! I spent half the day yesterday scrubbing the road grime off the tires and dismounting them from the rusty steel wheels they came on, and then mounting them on the Ansens. By the way, mounting a set of 33x12.50s in the driveway by hand on a 95 degree day is a BIOTCH!

I'll have them balanced when I can drive the thing up to the shop.

I also got the new radiator installed.

All that's left to do is paint it, run the brake and fuel lines, and shorten the rear drive shaft. It's getting closer to being a Jeep instead of a big pile of parts.

 

[Rescue Diver]

The painting is almost complete. All I have left is the top of the hood, the roll bar and the front bumper to go!

 

[Rescue Diver]

I'm done with the paint! All that's left is to wetsand and buff, do the bedliner and put it back together!