Build Thread My Build Begins!(83 CJ7)

[lloydwithAf]

This is my build on my 83 CJ7 . It all started after I decided to drive my truck through 9 stopper poles on the loop and total it out. So I pick up my CJ an hour north of Denver and drove it home to Lubbock. It was the scariest ride of my life....Death wobbling, speedo saying my top speed is 53mph, exhaust fumes through a bowling ball sized hole in the Transmission cover plate(had to stop every hour for 30 minutes to get rid of my headache and get undizzy), my foot on fire from a heater that wont turn off, almost running over a man(he was walking down the middle of the highway at 5 am?)...long story short this jeep needed some work. So here is where I started

View attachment 7340
View attachment 7341
View attachment 7342
View attachment 7343

 

[jeepboy45]

YEAH MAN!!! sounds like a good time!!

But you made it home, and you have the memories of it... (through the carbon monoxide haze)

Do it right and take your time...
put up lots of pics.!!

good luck..

 

[Niedhogg]

Welcome to the site, Lloyd, looks like a pretty scary ride you had there.. looks like a pretty nice CJ, what are your plans for this project? There's a lot of wisdom and experience on this site , and to help us help you, you should fill out what info you know about your new ride in your profile or your signature, so when you start to have questions (or doubts about continuing with your "project" later on) we can help answer those questions, and nurse you through the hard times, when you feel all is lost and you can't go forward anymore...

GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[rr41mag]

Wow what a ride! Sorry to hear about your truck dude. When I bought my jeep I no sooner got on the interstate than the driveshaft slung out of it. Thankfully it wasn't hurt but the 17 mile ride home was interesting with the piece still in the back of the tranny vibrating. Hell I didn't care I was in a jeep! Keep us up to date, and pictures, pictures, pictures

 

[BajaEdition]

hey, saw your suspension thread
scarey
now that I see this I just figure you are a glutton for punishment

Just kidding, wow what a wreck, glad you are ok, now lets start in on the CJ

 

[hutchman]

Looks much better from the outside than your description of the ride! Good luck with the build!

 

[Sasquach]

Well at least you did one thing right -you came here!
OK now let's get rid of that speed wobble and carbon monoxide poisoning issue.

 

[BajaEdition]

:lpopcorn:
just waiting for more pics

 

[lloydwithAf]

View attachment 7380

View attachment 7381

View attachment 7382

View attachment 7383

View attachment 7384
here is what I found out I was working with when I got home

 

[lloydwithAf]

View attachment 7385

View attachment 7386

View attachment 7387

View attachment 7388

View attachment 7389

 

[lloydwithAf]

View attachment 7390

View attachment 7391

View attachment 7392

View attachment 7393

View attachment 7394
I decided the body was too much work...I guess other people thought so too because I was offering it free for a couple weeks and no one picked it up. So I decided I didnt want to have to rent a trailer..So I cut it in half with a sawzall. I got $21 for scrap metal

 

[lloydwithAf]

View attachment 7395 Rebuilt AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l with 4.0 head from texomajeeps

View attachment 7396 AX15 and bellhousing

View attachment 7397 New Body in the shop

View attachment 7398 Replacement wheel wells from classic to current(really good price)

View attachment 7399

 

[lloydwithAf]

Just so yall kinda have an idea of where I plan on going with this here are my expectations for the build:

install rebuilt AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l with 4.0 headswap attach it to ax15 and keep the Dana 300 . Gear the rear with 4.10's. Paint it gunmetal and accent with black pocket style fender flares. Talked to a guy downtown and he said he would do a front hoop with spreaders-6 point rollcage to the frame with DOM40 for $700. I have a painless wiring kit sitting around also. I want to replace the 4" lift on jeep since the shackles are bent and the leafs are crooked. I hope to have 90% of the jeep together by mid january since I will be on Christmas break from school. I also have a yj brake booster setup sitting around. And I guess I will need to get some shock mounts for the rear to fix the the PO put on there

 

[BajaEdition]

Looks like you are really coming along

sorry about the tub, but then if the old one was as bad as it looked. you did good

How is the frame? have you looked it over real good?

oh, I am enjoying the thread, I like to see basket cases brought back to street cred, to many get junked.

 

[lloydwithAf]

The frame is in really good shape suprisingly. It has a little rust on the rear body mount hole and a small bend on the front right tub mount but no other rust. But there is some milky gear oil in the Transfer Case so I have to figure that one out. I really dont know too much about mechanics but I have been crawling the site for a few months and its helping a ton.

 

[BajaEdition]

milky oil means water, that could be a stream crossing or a rainstorm and leaky tub

 

[lloydwithAf]

I know it means water but with good seals it can still take on water if I crossed a big puddle?

 

[BajaEdition]

judging from the condition of that jeep, do you really think he kept the seals in good condition, or just go under there with some caulk?

 

[lloydwithAf]

he probably caulked it like he did with his welds on the body haha. But I will inspect all of it when I pull it out next week

 

[rr41mag]

What do you do in the af? I did 27 years in fabrication