Build Thread My 86 CJ7 build and drive.......
hutchman
Jeeper
- Posts
- 88
- Media
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- Thanks
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- Location
- kennewick, wa
- Vehicle(s)
- 1986 CJ7 - 90,000 original unmolested and rust free miles - Stock - well almost.........
I bought this 86 CJ last May from the 3rd owner........it had been owned by his family for over 20 years and it has been in the desert it's entire life. It was basically a rust free stock CJ.
This was the way it came home.......no top, 33x12.50-15s on aluminum wheels, 7" long shackles, a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l , and a T-176 . It also had only 90,000 original miles on it! Being how it has been in the desert all it's life, it is rust free too. Plans at this point were to do a mild restoration with a new hood, fender, and paint.
After I got it home, I traded the 33s for a set of 31x10.50 all terrains, sold the aftermarket wheels, bought a set of factory wagon wheels, and installed a new windshiel and top from Bestop. It looked like this at that point>
You will not with keen interest that the looooooong shackles are still there. Shortly after this picture was taken, I made a set of stock 3" length for the rear and made the front 5". I wanted to leave some extra height on the front to allow for the extra weight of the winch. Reducing the length of the front shackles made a huge difference in the way it handled. I also know the they are still too long and need to be reduced to stock length for even better handling, but I am waiting until I can find some 1" lift springs.......
Anyway, here is the way it looks today with the winch, top, wheels, and tires:
This image was taken on our property in the Blue Mountains of NE Oregon. We bought 40 acres this summer so the Jeep project went from a "restoration" to a build it to use it type of project.
Projects so far have been listed here except for the recent tune up to the TeamRush specs, which I detailed here:
http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f2/tune-up-my-cj7-11780/
Plans for the rest of the winter include a new clutch, rear main seal, Nutter bypass, MC2100 carb, and a dual battery setup. That should keep me busy......
Not much of a build thread yet, but after the first of the year, it should get better....
This was the way it came home.......no top, 33x12.50-15s on aluminum wheels, 7" long shackles, a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l , and a T-176 . It also had only 90,000 original miles on it! Being how it has been in the desert all it's life, it is rust free too. Plans at this point were to do a mild restoration with a new hood, fender, and paint.
After I got it home, I traded the 33s for a set of 31x10.50 all terrains, sold the aftermarket wheels, bought a set of factory wagon wheels, and installed a new windshiel and top from Bestop. It looked like this at that point>
You will not with keen interest that the looooooong shackles are still there. Shortly after this picture was taken, I made a set of stock 3" length for the rear and made the front 5". I wanted to leave some extra height on the front to allow for the extra weight of the winch. Reducing the length of the front shackles made a huge difference in the way it handled. I also know the they are still too long and need to be reduced to stock length for even better handling, but I am waiting until I can find some 1" lift springs.......
Anyway, here is the way it looks today with the winch, top, wheels, and tires:
This image was taken on our property in the Blue Mountains of NE Oregon. We bought 40 acres this summer so the Jeep project went from a "restoration" to a build it to use it type of project.
Projects so far have been listed here except for the recent tune up to the TeamRush specs, which I detailed here:
http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f2/tune-up-my-cj7-11780/
Plans for the rest of the winter include a new clutch, rear main seal, Nutter bypass, MC2100 carb, and a dual battery setup. That should keep me busy......
Not much of a build thread yet, but after the first of the year, it should get better....
