Build Thread The '80 FrankenJeep frame off reassembly

[gert]

Sure is looking good


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[Posi]

Coming along nicely.
Those look like 10" wide sausage slots?

 

[shum8]

Coming along nicely.
Those look like 10" wide sausage slots?

Actually 8.5" sausages........ That just didn't sound right.... LOL


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[ksouthw80]

Coming together! Keep it up!

 

[shum8]

Well, in true fashion, I got slightly sidetracked today. Planned on sticking the fenders and grill on the chassis so as to aligne the tub correctly and bolt it down..... But got distracted with the fenders. Bought a used pair of fiberglass fenders a while back to replace my rotten steel ones, and the previous user had opened the mounting holes up rather large. I bought fiberglass mat and resin to fill in the holes and reinforce the whole flange ( had to trim about a half inch off, and that got into the holes on one of the fenders - prompting a reinforcement of the flange.) And because I suck at proper documentation, I didn't take pics till I was already into rebuild mode. I also removed the undercoating from the inside of the fenders prepping them for the same bedliner as the firewall.





Also hit the entire inner surface with a sanding disk to get rid of the loose glass fibers...









Once I got the flange trimmed, I taped off the back side, laid a full length strip of the mat along the inner surface of the flange, mashing the mat down into the hole, added resin, then alternated strips and small hole sized pieces until it was level.







Now I just have to drill the holes in the correct spot and mount.

 

[Scooter402]

Wow! Nice work!

 

[shum8]

Got the new fiberglass cleaned up, measured the holes on the firewall, marked and drilled new holes in the fenders, and stuck em on temporarily.







While I was at it, I glasses over a few holes that had been drilled in it's previous life. I plan on glassing them all in and redrilling the ones I need.





Also opened the bottom up to clear the WT shock mounts.





Once I got em both stuck to the tub, and set the grille in place on new rubber mounts, the grille appeared to be about a quarter in too high - Go figure. Guess I'll get the tub where I want it, torque the mounts bolts, and see where it's sittin. I'll stick the hood on as well, and hopefully it will line up without having to do major surgery on the fender mounting flanges.... Don't wanna go there.

 

[shum8]

Didn't get much done tonight - had to chase the stupid mower around the yard...... Anyway, after I caught the mower and put it up, I threw the hood on and bolted the hinges to both the hood and cowl, lowered it to the grille, and it was less than a quarter inch from being aligned...... Went ahead and measured tub to frame distances front and rear, and it only needed to move 1/8" toward the passenger side. after that, hood to grille and hood to fender gaps looked great. The hood to cowl gap needs some work, but I can just hit the rear edge of the hood with a sander and fix that easy. Also need to glass up and recut the safety catch slot in the hood - Again, won't be a problem. Here's what she looks like right now:

 

[Posi]

Nice!

 

[shum8]

Yeah, if it had been possible, I would have driven it around the block. I'm getting just a little impatient at this point. I do need to glass up and redrill the fender to grill mounting holes in the fenders..... Not sure where they were used before I got em, but they fit awful nicely even with the few holes that need attention. And I'm getting ready to do two things that probably won't please a few here, but that's really not what I'm doing this for... This Jeep came with a nice, super clean dash, and the radio cutout is still original. I will be installing a newer audio unit and the dash will need to be cut - I can already feel the stares LOL. The other no no..... I think I'm gonna wrap it in vinyl. My neighbor did his older 2 door convertible, and I helped him some just to get the feel of it - It's really interesting stuff. I've ordered samples, and if one of them comes in and looks like I hope it does, then it's gonna be a done deal...... Ok - time for a milkshake and bed LOL

 

[gert]

Didn't get much done tonight - had to chase the stupid mower around the yard...... Anyway, after I caught the mower and put it up,]

I never have looked at it that way

 

[shum8]

It's a self propelled- tie the go bar down and it's a lot more exciting [emoji6]


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[Petescj]

I think people only get bent out of shape about cutting the dash when it's a full restoration or an unmolested survivor. I'm sure the wrap will look fine but I'd still want paint under it. Getting closer. Mmmmmmm Milkshake. :drool:

 

[Peanut Butter]

Looking like a Jeep again! :grinjeep: How about the inside scoop on what the wrap is going to look like?

 

[shum8]

Well, I ordered 9 color samples Sat. There's one that is listed as "Black Rose", and the pics online of cars in that color are all over the color wheel. I'll post up a pic of what I hope it will look like. Then I also ordered a couple reds and dark grays

Alright - Here's the pic of what I hope the color sample turns out to be:

 

[shum8]

Well, I ordered 9 color samples Sat. There's one that is listed as "Black Rose", and the pics online of cars in that color are all over the color wheel. I'll post up a pic of what I hope it will look like. Then I also ordered a couple reds and dark grays


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[gert]

That's a good looking color


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[Peanut Butter]

WOW! That's like a Luxury Jeep Color.

 

[shum8]

The color sample came in more purple than I had hoped..... the sample of Dragon Fire" red is very nice - has a lot of depth to it - I liked that one too....... maybe more than the "Black Rose". Either way, I've been piddling in the garage with the he door shut since we are getting a little rain from Matthew. Not heavy rain, just non stop). It finally quit about an hour ago, so I opened the gargage door to let the funk out - been welding up snap holes and flare mounting holes, then grinding them flush. The flare holes didn't line up with the new flares since it was wearing Wrangler rear flares and I picked up a set of factory style flares off C'list today. Also took the defrost diffuser off this afternoon - the flexible, paper looking hose is toast - looks like it dry rotted years ago and was just waiting for someone to move it so it could go ahead and fall apart. Didn't take any welding pics -too boring, but I did get a couple of the vent hose / tube, or whatever it's called. Best part was the upper end was glued to the diffuser with blue silicone........ Whatever.........

Time to feed the dogs and take em for a walk

 

[shum8]

Here's a pic of the rotted heater hose:



And the blue silicone hose / diffuser connection:



Oh - and here are the dogs..... (Dad photoshopped them into the same pic)



Now - When I picked the Jeep up, the fuel filler opening had been moved from the drivers side to the passenger side - the CJ side LOL.... Anyway, while lying underneath the tub I noticed a patch panel covering the original fuel filler hole. Upon further inspection, I realized there was a layer of body filler covering the hole, so I started digging.



And kept digging..... and digging...... And look what I found:



A piece of aluminum that had been stuck to the back side of the rear panel with what looked like contact cement, and the body filler smeared over that. Even better, the area around the hole had been beat in with a hammer to make room for the filler, I guess. So now I'm in the process of getting it free of body filler, try to work the sheet metal close to where it's supposed to be, and weld in a new oiece, then smooth with body filler (a LOT less this time)







Even found a ground block hiding back there........

Tomorrow will be attempting to get the rest of the snap holes and fender flare holes welded up