Build Thread The '80 FrankenJeep frame off reassembly
mdeluca
Full Time Jeeper
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Build Thread The '80 FrankenJeep frame off reassembly
- Thread starter shum8
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- Roanoke, Va
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- '80 CJ-7, AMC 304, T177, Dana 300, Widetrack axles (D30 & AMC20) w/ 3.73 gearing, MSD ignition,
Now THAT would be the shiznet....... I could wrap with a wire....
Worked a little on the steering wheel today. I had planned on running the walnut onto the spokes, but having added a little extra thickness, it would run past the bend in the spoke. Now I'm thinkin just trim the inside smooth and that will put it right at the bend. I'll do that at work Monday. Also gonna run em across the table saw and thin em down just a bit. Then they'll be ready to glue up. Then the fun starts...... it's actually beginning to look like a steering wheel again. I'm starting to think I may just pull this off.
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And soon you end up with this.
Belizean
Always Off-Roading Jeeper
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It's starting to look like something now. I can actually visualize it now and I think you just might end up with something special
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- '80 CJ-7, AMC 304, T177, Dana 300, Widetrack axles (D30 & AMC20) w/ 3.73 gearing, MSD ignition,
gr8dain
Full Time Jeeper
Your wheel is really looking great. I can’t wait to see it done. At this pace that should be in a day or two. Wow.
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- '80 CJ-7, AMC 304, T177, Dana 300, Widetrack axles (D30 & AMC20) w/ 3.73 gearing, MSD ignition,
Actually it'll slow a bit from here - it's been all roughing in and that part goes fast. I may use a round over bit on the edges just before I glue em together, but from there it's all hand work. The round over will get the bulk off, but I think I'll still need to tweak the profile a tad. Shaping around the spokes will take the longest. And then there's the finishing..... first couple coats will be boiled linseed oil, several days drying each. Then the final top coats. Haven't settled on that yet. Still have time for that decision......
In retrospect, I should have used a larger radius both inner and outer and "moved" the wood further out to leave room for the "overhangings" at the spokes. As it is, they would extend past the bend which would look bad, so I now plan on removing them and just shape the transition form wood the spokes just enough that it's not just the round grip profile. At least that's what I'm seeing in my head..... probably should have made sure I could do his before I threw it out there......
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In retrospect, I should have used a larger radius both inner and outer and "moved" the wood further out to leave room for the "overhangings" at the spokes. As it is, they would extend past the bend which would look bad, so I now plan on removing them and just shape the transition form wood the spokes just enough that it's not just the round grip profile. At least that's what I'm seeing in my head..... probably should have made sure I could do his before I threw it out there......
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You got it don’t worry about it
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WillyM
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The inserts might be a bit of overkill, but some walnut shift knobs would go well with that steering wheel.
Ok, I'll get my hat.....
PS: Seriously though, a lot of the old wood steering wheels had finger "notches" all the way around on the underside of the wheel for a better grip. Just a thought on my way out the door...
Ok, I'll get my hat.....
PS: Seriously though, a lot of the old wood steering wheels had finger "notches" all the way around on the underside of the wheel for a better grip. Just a thought on my way out the door...
Lotus75
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- '84 CJ7, 258,T4,D300,D20/30
'84 CJ7,258, T176,D300,D20/30
'77 CJ7, 350, TH350,D300,D44/30
'82 CJ7, 258 under development
I've actually been trying to figure out all this time how he is going to suprise us with how he is going to do the finger notches. I can only come up with indexing the wheel and cutting them in by hand, with a rasp.
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I’m thinking an indexing jig with a plunge router and finishing it off with sand paper
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Lotus75
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- '84 CJ7, 258,T4,D300,D20/30
'84 CJ7,258, T176,D300,D20/30
'77 CJ7, 350, TH350,D300,D44/30
'82 CJ7, 258 under development
I figured something like that would work, just don't have that much experience with the routers. Ine thing for sure, it's going to look great!
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- Roanoke, Va
- Vehicle(s)
- '80 CJ-7, AMC 304, T177, Dana 300, Widetrack axles (D30 & AMC20) w/ 3.73 gearing, MSD ignition,
No need to get yer hat - a little prodding keeps me motivated.... shift knobs might be a nice subtle touch........ bet I could pop the centers out of the new knobs and stick em in the walnut knobs...... Hmmmmmmmm
By the time I set all that up for the router, a rasp would just about there. I had already planned on finger notches, but shallow rather than deep. That would be a pretty large diameter router bit, so I'll draw up it up in CAD to get the spacing right , mark off the center lines, and just rasp em. I don't have a lot of time on routers either, but boy can I drive a rasp.......
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Belizean
Always Off-Roading Jeeper
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That's me, rasp speed
WillyM
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My router experiences pretty much amount to making sawdust out of perfectly good pieces of wood.
And that's why I keep a large coffee can of rasps and files on my work bench. Sometimes, it's much better to not press my luck.
And that's why I keep a large coffee can of rasps and files on my work bench. Sometimes, it's much better to not press my luck.
- Posts
- 7,316
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- 5
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- 1
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- 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 find hand tools force me to screw up slower. Allows me to stop a little quicker
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- Posts
- 7,316
- Media
- 5
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- 1
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- 157
- Location
- Roanoke, Va
- Vehicle(s)
- '80 CJ-7, AMC 304, T177, Dana 300, Widetrack axles (D30 & AMC20) w/ 3.73 gearing, MSD ignition,
Ok - Back to the steering column..... All wiring is in the Jeep, just need to mount the fuse block and hook up the smaller harnesses. Need the steering column in place to hook up the ignition switch..... so I need to reassemble. Gonna start with a NOS lock cylinder...
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Belizean
Always Off-Roading Jeeper
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- 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
Nice. Wish I had one of those. Mine is starting to be well used and worn out from to much fun. 
- Posts
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- Roanoke, Va
- Vehicle(s)
- '80 CJ-7, AMC 304, T177, Dana 300, Widetrack axles (D30 & AMC20) w/ 3.73 gearing, MSD ignition,
Found this one on Ebay probly year and a half ago. I would have used the one in the column, but didn’t get a key with it when I bought it
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Belizean
Always Off-Roading Jeeper
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- 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
A good locksmith can fix that. I didn't get keys when I bought my steel 1/2 doors and $ 15 later I had 2 keys and locking doors