Build Thread The '80 FrankenJeep frame off reassembly
- Posts
- 12,366
- Featured
- 3
- Media
- 71
- Resources
- 2
- Thanks
- 274
- Location
- Rockwall,TX
- Vehicle(s)
- 1983 cj7, 1971 Dart, 1942 Willys slat grill
-
To celebrate the 4th of July, starting today (07/01/2025) all User Upgrades will be reduced by 10% (thru 07/08/2025) To use this special coupon use the code 2025-4th-10percent at check out. If you are already a supporter your existing package will be extended.
Thank you for your support!
-
Hello Guest, we are proud to now have our Wiki online that is completely compiled and written by our members. Feel free to browse our Jeep-CJ Wiki or click on any orange keyword when looking at posts in the forum.
Build Thread The '80 FrankenJeep frame off reassembly
- Thread starter shum8
- Start date Start date:
- Last post Last post:
Belizean
Always Off-Roading Jeeper
- Posts
- 6,521
- Featured
- 1
- Media
- 20
- Solutions
- 2
- Thanks
- 565
- Location
- New Orleans area
- Vehicle(s)
- 84 CJ7 4 banger-owned since new in 1984 bought off truck at dealership - rebuilding 258, T176 with Sniper EFI D300 4:1 Lomax gears Twin Sticked 1 piece axels with locker
Nope
Belizean
Always Off-Roading Jeeper
- Posts
- 6,521
- Featured
- 1
- Media
- 20
- Solutions
- 2
- Thanks
- 565
- Location
- New Orleans area
- Vehicle(s)
- 84 CJ7 4 banger-owned since new in 1984 bought off truck at dealership - rebuilding 258, T176 with Sniper EFI D300 4:1 Lomax gears Twin Sticked 1 piece axels with locker
You don't need no stinking windows !
- Posts
- 12,366
- Featured
- 3
- Media
- 71
- Resources
- 2
- Thanks
- 274
- Location
- Rockwall,TX
- Vehicle(s)
- 1983 cj7, 1971 Dart, 1942 Willys slat grill
Oh poop so much for me even trying to stitch up some top fabric
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Posts
- 7,316
- Media
- 5
- Solutions
- 1
- Thanks
- 157
- Location
- Roanoke, Va
- Vehicle(s)
- '80 CJ-7, AMC 304, T177, Dana 300, Widetrack axles (D30 & AMC20) w/ 3.73 gearing, MSD ignition,
Well, hell - I’ll just buy a cab cover LMAO.
Nah, these windows are (welded / fused / melted) in place.
Sent from my TV remote using Tapatalk.....
Belizean
Always Off-Roading Jeeper
- Posts
- 6,521
- Featured
- 1
- Media
- 20
- Solutions
- 2
- Thanks
- 565
- Location
- New Orleans area
- Vehicle(s)
- 84 CJ7 4 banger-owned since new in 1984 bought off truck at dealership - rebuilding 258, T176 with Sniper EFI D300 4:1 Lomax gears Twin Sticked 1 piece axels with locker
Never thought of that. Don't need doors then.
- Posts
- 7,316
- Media
- 5
- Solutions
- 1
- Thanks
- 157
- Location
- Roanoke, Va
- Vehicle(s)
- '80 CJ-7, AMC 304, T177, Dana 300, Widetrack axles (D30 & AMC20) w/ 3.73 gearing, MSD ignition,
But I WILL need a periscope..... or sonar. RADAR. Maybe echolocation..... how bout a forward looking backup camera??
Sent from my TV remote using Tapatalk.....
Sent from my TV remote using Tapatalk.....
Belizean
Always Off-Roading Jeeper
- Posts
- 6,521
- Featured
- 1
- Media
- 20
- Solutions
- 2
- Thanks
- 565
- Location
- New Orleans area
- Vehicle(s)
- 84 CJ7 4 banger-owned since new in 1984 bought off truck at dealership - rebuilding 258, T176 with Sniper EFI D300 4:1 Lomax gears Twin Sticked 1 piece axels with locker
LMAO. Just shout out Ramming Speed and smash down on the skinny pedal
- Posts
- 7,316
- Media
- 5
- Solutions
- 1
- Thanks
- 157
- Location
- Roanoke, Va
- Vehicle(s)
- '80 CJ-7, AMC 304, T177, Dana 300, Widetrack axles (D30 & AMC20) w/ 3.73 gearing, MSD ignition,
Guess I should have saved the rear window sewing till last - appears it’s the least complicated. This top only has three lower edges - the two sides and the rear window. Each side is all one piece as there are no removeable side windows. And each side includes the rear corners. The plastic strips harvested from the old top had a small piece of plastic sewn between the strip and the top vinyl - I assume to provide anti abrasion support. Wasn’t looking forward to seeing that piece in during the conversion, but since I’m not precisely sure why it’s there, I figured what the heck. How bad could it be, right? First thing was to cut new ones..... cause I lost one. LOL. After cutting new “patches”, i realized the way I was seeing these in they needed to be predrilled. Oh, boy - here we go. Here’s the old piece with the plastic strip.
Now - let’s take stock of what we have here. One strip of virtually indestructible plastic that will bend, but doesn’t stretch or compress. We also have a layer of vinyl that will easily stretch and compress. No problems. But, when you add the “patch” in there, you suddenly have an issue. For the woodworkers in the room - think laminated wood beams. If you sew the “patch” onto the plastic strip, and then try to bend it into the correct radius, ain’t happening. Acts like plywood. The strip and patch must be sewn together while at the correct radius. This realization induces a beer moment, for pondering and such. After a couple minutes, it’s time to get back to work. Decided to hold the strip at the correct radius, predrill the patch and strip at this radius, then sew it.
So first thing to do is hold radius.
This will hold till the stitching is done, then I’ll remove it. Here’s the new patch
Drilled the center of the stick line, sewed it with white thread so I could see where I was, and as I come around with the heavy black line, I’ll remove the white thread. I had to sew this part so that there was an offset between the strip and patch to give room for the channel piece.
Now to do the other corner..........
Sent from my TV remote using Tapatalk.....f
Now - let’s take stock of what we have here. One strip of virtually indestructible plastic that will bend, but doesn’t stretch or compress. We also have a layer of vinyl that will easily stretch and compress. No problems. But, when you add the “patch” in there, you suddenly have an issue. For the woodworkers in the room - think laminated wood beams. If you sew the “patch” onto the plastic strip, and then try to bend it into the correct radius, ain’t happening. Acts like plywood. The strip and patch must be sewn together while at the correct radius. This realization induces a beer moment, for pondering and such. After a couple minutes, it’s time to get back to work. Decided to hold the strip at the correct radius, predrill the patch and strip at this radius, then sew it.
So first thing to do is hold radius.
This will hold till the stitching is done, then I’ll remove it. Here’s the new patch
Drilled the center of the stick line, sewed it with white thread so I could see where I was, and as I come around with the heavy black line, I’ll remove the white thread. I had to sew this part so that there was an offset between the strip and patch to give room for the channel piece.
Now to do the other corner..........
Sent from my TV remote using Tapatalk.....f
Last edited:
- Posts
- 12,366
- Featured
- 3
- Media
- 71
- Resources
- 2
- Thanks
- 274
- Location
- Rockwall,TX
- Vehicle(s)
- 1983 cj7, 1971 Dart, 1942 Willys slat grill
I think those are there so the corners aren’t the first thing to get a hole in them and so they don’t sag
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Posts
- 7,316
- Media
- 5
- Solutions
- 1
- Thanks
- 157
- Location
- Roanoke, Va
- Vehicle(s)
- '80 CJ-7, AMC 304, T177, Dana 300, Widetrack axles (D30 & AMC20) w/ 3.73 gearing, MSD ignition,
That’s kinda what I was thinkin, but the vinyl doesn’t rub anything there..... but no worries - I’m puttin em back [emoji106]
Sent from my TV remote using Tapatalk.....
Sent from my TV remote using Tapatalk.....
Belizean
Always Off-Roading Jeeper
- Posts
- 6,521
- Featured
- 1
- Media
- 20
- Solutions
- 2
- Thanks
- 565
- Location
- New Orleans area
- Vehicle(s)
- 84 CJ7 4 banger-owned since new in 1984 bought off truck at dealership - rebuilding 258, T176 with Sniper EFI D300 4:1 Lomax gears Twin Sticked 1 piece axels with locker
- Posts
- 7,316
- Media
- 5
- Solutions
- 1
- Thanks
- 157
- Location
- Roanoke, Va
- Vehicle(s)
- '80 CJ-7, AMC 304, T177, Dana 300, Widetrack axles (D30 & AMC20) w/ 3.73 gearing, MSD ignition,
This stuff came from an old YJ top. The “tub guards” were already on the strips so I moved em over.
Sent from my TV remote using Tapatalk.....
Sent from my TV remote using Tapatalk.....
- Posts
- 7,316
- Media
- 5
- Solutions
- 1
- Thanks
- 157
- Location
- Roanoke, Va
- Vehicle(s)
- '80 CJ-7, AMC 304, T177, Dana 300, Widetrack axles (D30 & AMC20) w/ 3.73 gearing, MSD ignition,
Finally got all the sewing done. Got it wrapped up Sunday night, and finally had time this afternoon to attempt a fitting. Drug the Jeep outside - and on a side note - the wiper relay that was acting all screwy was my battery drain source. Coupla pats on the accelerator and she fired right up. Anyway, had to get the top hardware installed. First time I put en on upside down. [emoji849] Got that straight ended out, then realized I hadn't drilled for the screws to attach the piece to the back of the windshield frame. Nothing vice grips can't fix....
Once the bows were in place, I flung the top up top - the security box keeps it from falling thru.....kinda handy. As usual, I didn't take many pics till I ears done.
[https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180606/20640b8b8c102ab08de0646b7786a4a4
.jpg
It's a little baggy in places, but it doesn't fit any worse than before. Hopefully tomorrow I'll drag it out and let the sun warm it up and raise the rear bow a smidge and see if that helps. But I REALLY like the clean look of no snaps!!
When I pulled it back into the garage, I noticed a 4" dia spot of gasoline - Great, its marking its territory already.... After snooping around a minute, I found the leak.
I have become my own previous owner..... check out the location on the hose clamp
It was puttin a good bit of squeeze on the hose, just not where the
Leak was. Loosened the hose clamp, scooted it to where it should hear been, tightened it back up, and VIOLA.... no more leak!
Sent from my mower using Tapatalk.
Once the bows were in place, I flung the top up top - the security box keeps it from falling thru.....kinda handy. As usual, I didn't take many pics till I ears done.
[https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180606/20640b8b8c102ab08de0646b7786a4a4
.jpg
It's a little baggy in places, but it doesn't fit any worse than before. Hopefully tomorrow I'll drag it out and let the sun warm it up and raise the rear bow a smidge and see if that helps. But I REALLY like the clean look of no snaps!!
When I pulled it back into the garage, I noticed a 4" dia spot of gasoline - Great, its marking its territory already.... After snooping around a minute, I found the leak.
I have become my own previous owner..... check out the location on the hose clamp
It was puttin a good bit of squeeze on the hose, just not where the
Leak was. Loosened the hose clamp, scooted it to where it should hear been, tightened it back up, and VIOLA.... no more leak!
Sent from my mower using Tapatalk.
mdeluca
Full Time Jeeper
so nice when a project comes to completion... looks good. Take a day shot so we can see better.
- Posts
- 12,366
- Featured
- 3
- Media
- 71
- Resources
- 2
- Thanks
- 274
- Location
- Rockwall,TX
- Vehicle(s)
- 1983 cj7, 1971 Dart, 1942 Willys slat grill
Looks pretty good to me I like it
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
mdeluca
Full Time Jeeper
I like those half doors too...
- Posts
- 7,316
- Media
- 5
- Solutions
- 1
- Thanks
- 157
- Location
- Roanoke, Va
- Vehicle(s)
- '80 CJ-7, AMC 304, T177, Dana 300, Widetrack axles (D30 & AMC20) w/ 3.73 gearing, MSD ignition,
I tried to get it done before the sun went down but I failed. I’ll drag it out today - need to stretch it out some with a little solar persuasion. I’ll get a couple pics then
I typed this with my feet using Tapatalk.....
- Posts
- 7,316
- Media
- 5
- Solutions
- 1
- Thanks
- 157
- Location
- Roanoke, Va
- Vehicle(s)
- '80 CJ-7, AMC 304, T177, Dana 300, Widetrack axles (D30 & AMC20) w/ 3.73 gearing, MSD ignition,
How bout these?
I had to take the flag print “Jeep” stickers off the sides - they were a REALLY thick tiny since they were printed...... the edges wouldn’t stick to the edges of the “Joop”, so I replaced em with black......
Now I gotta see if it’s possible to polish these soft windows.... they’ve had a hard life.
I typed this with my feet using Tapatalk.....