Build Thread Jeep CJ for my daughters first car.

[BIG4D]

So you may have seen my other post about my daughter wanting the same make and model for her first car that I had for mine.
So here is the build post for this jeep....Enjoy!
Comments and suggestions are always welcome!

We stated off with what we "thought" was a pretty solid jeep....boy were we wrong! What we found was a series of half-assed repairs by someone who had no idea what they were doing. But, it's okay...."Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology, we have the capability to make the worlds first......", well, at least bring back to life another CJ7 ! Let the journey begin!

Here it is as we got it. We found it in Chechotah Oklahoma. Paid too much for it, $4000..and trailered it home. We knew it would need some clutch work but I was not worried about that.

We have made a lot of progress already. I'll post more on our current progress after this initial post is approved. I'll also try to post something everyday that we work on it. Please post if you have suggestions or see something we are missing.

 

[mtnwhlr]

So Please post if you have suggestions or see something we are missing.

pics we need lots of pics

 

[Lumpy Grits]

LG

 

[BIG4D]

Okay, I'm an idiot! I forgot to hit the "upload" button for the pictures on the original post. Sorry 'bout that. Here are the pics that were supposed to go with the original post.

 

[BIG4D]

Okay, so I have a quite a bit of progress on this thing since I joined this forum. I joined this forum 2 days after I got it. I have worked on it everyday since. I'm off all this week for Thanksgiving so I have had a lot of time to work on it.
Here are some shots of what I've done.

Had my helper out there tearing down the front hubs. All new bearings in the hubs, all new seals, new U-joints, new calipers, new locking hubs.

 

[mtnwhlr]

I like that she is out there getting here hands dirty and learning, good job. You are a good dad.

 

[Belizean]

Looks pretty good. Nice color. Looks can be deceiving sometimes. If the body & frame are in good condition I don't think 4K is out of control. Hopefully the PO didn't mess with everything

 

[BIG4D]

The guy I got the Jeep from told me that it "had new floorboards put in a couple of years ago." Well, turns out the floors were not replaced, all they did was rivet in some tin and fiber-glassed over the rest of it. When I pulled out the fiberglass, boy there were no floors left.
Everything is rusted out. Floors, lower part of firewall on drivers side, riser, both front and rear reinforcement braces, under the roll bar mount locations at the riser and at the rear mounting locations of the roll bar itself.
Even the rollbar itself is rusted out. Holes in the actual tubes. I'm not sure what i'm going to do about that. Any suggestions?

The firewall is also rusted where the master cylinder mounts. Looks like it was because the back of the master cylinder leaked brake fluid for years. The firewall brace on the engine side is intact. I think it will be okay.

 

[BIG4D]

So I got the firewall stripped down and cleaned up. I believe it will be okay. The runs in the primer was me trying to get the primer between the firewall and the stiffener.

 

[BIG4D]

So, some previous owner decided to install a bumper off of.....something that is not a Jeep. Looks like the shackle mounts stuck out to far so what was their solution? Cut them off with a torch! No now they are only held on with one bolt! That's not going to work! Add that to the list of things to repair.

 

[BIG4D]

And now we come to today. Did not get to spend a lot of time out there today but got a couple of things done. Got the fuel tank pulled and got a good look at the frame. Passenger side looks pretty good. Driver side is GONE! I am so glad I did not drive this thing home!
Looks like this thing was treated pretty rough. The fuel tank skid-plate is beat to HELL! It has even dented and rubbing on the diff cover. Another thing to have to order!

 

[BIG4D]

Found the rear spring does not look to be aligned correctly. This has had a BDS suspension lift installed. I'll loosen up the spring seat and try to straiten out the spring. I've ordered new shackles.
So, the front body mount on the drivers side is rusted out (not uncommon) but I really like the attempt at a repair. Just weld on a a piece of 2 in strap to the frame and the body can sit on that.....good grief!

 

[Belizean]

A lot to fix, but this jeep is not to far gone. There is a guy that makes the back support plate to replace it with. A major upgrade to the original

 

[mtnwhlr]

Looks like you have your work cut out for you. But you have a good helper and I know she will have a great Jeep to drive and will remember this for the rest of her life.:lpopcorn:

 

[BIG4D]

One more for tonight. Got the body loose, and ready to come off. Jacked it up about 6 inches and set it on blocks. Friday I'll roll it out and pressure wash the entire frame/tub/engine.
Parts should be rolling in starting friday. $1,000 worth of patch panels and new floors from Classic Enterprises should be here any day.
Painless wiring kit arrived today.

 

[BIG4D]

A lot to fix, but this jeep is not to far gone. There is a guy that makes the back support plate to replace it with. A major upgrade to the original

Hey, thanks. You have a link to what he is selling?

 

[Belizean]

Hey, thanks. You have a link to what he is selling?

There is a member on this forum, gr8dain that knows the guy and has his contact info. You could PM him.

 

[mdeluca]

This is going to be fun to watch...!!!

 

[BIG4D]

This is going to be fun to watch...!!!

Feel free to come help!

I'll put a wrench in your hand!

I'm in Edmond Oklahoma. If there is any local jeepers on here that want to come by and put eyeballs on my project, or lend a hand, PM me and I'll send you my address and be happy to have you.

Also, friday, I'll be putting the covers on the boat and will be rolling it out of the shop for the remainder of this project. I need to room! Once it's out, and the frame/body is cleaned up, I'll roll the chassis to the back of the shop and the tub will be going on wooden frame I'm going to build. I'll put some wheels on the bottom of the frame so I can roll it around.
My oldest daughters boyfriend is a welder. He is bringing over a plasma cutter and a nice mig welder for the body panel repairs, as well as the frame repairs. This should make the process go much more smoothly.
From my initial inspections, all of the structural members floor are in pretty good shape. They should be able to be reused.

Stay tuned!

 

[mdeluca]

I'd love to help… need you to be nearer. Would be a great opportunity to get some experience welding.
I just got a cheap used HF MIG to play with. May get a stick unit.