Build Thread The new guys Introduction/ CJ5 Build / Log Thread

[kbarwall]

I thought I would start this thread as a way to introduce myself on this forum as well as to keep track of my progress from the start ( or close to the start).

Introduction/Background:

I am a 29 year old married man with my first child on the way. I am a mechanical engineer by trade. I got my first jeep when I was 16, 79' CJ7 . It was a great jeep and a lot of fun but not a very good jeep for a high school/college student so I sold it when i was 19 for a Honda civic for my long commute to and from school. After about two years I couldn't handle it anymore and got back into jeep with a TJ which I eventually sold for an LJ Rubicon (big Mistake). I sold the TJ for a Rubicon and Wheel base desire which was more of a desire than a need. All the TJ really needed was a solid suspension and some lockers and gears to tackle what I wanted to do...Pictures Below:

TJ:



LJ:



Migration back to my roots:
Once I "grew up" aka graduated and it was expected for me to get a real job I went back to an acceptable daily driver. Don't get me wrong, the jeeps I had were great and quite honestly I wish I never sold my TJ but its hard to balance the daily driver need with something you wheel somewhat hard especially when you didnt have the money to do both, or niether very well. It happened more than once, that I broke something that took longer than a day or two to fix, throwing a wrinkle in my travel plans to and from work.

Present Day:
That brings me to present day. About 2 months ago I decided that with a child on the way I better get my toy while I can. I decided I wanted something I hadnt had before and I settled on the Grand Father of the jeep, a CJ5 . Not to be confused with the great grandfather willys vehicled (CJ2 , 3,5,6, etc). A CJ5/project toy seemed to be the perfect solution,so I started looking around, as luck would have it, turned out I had a friend of a friend selling an 80' CJ5 in pretty good condition with 112k miles on the odometer with a fresh lift (super-lift 4") wheels and Tires and a SOLID frame. SO i jumped on it.

I don't have any pics from the day I bought it, but it basically looks like it does here with the exception of the winch/bumper it now has. When I purchased it, the jeep had a RUnk front Bumper and homemade Angle Iron Rear bumper...

Pictures:

Roughly 1.5 Months from purchase 4/1/13















Long Term Goals:

As you can see from the Limited pictures of my previous rides I am pretty meticulous and I like my rides clean and I also like things done right. This CJ5 will take me a while to get up to my standards but I see it being a fun adventure/learning process. While I consider myself a decent fabricator and skilled designer/engineer I haven't ever really taken on a project like this that needs some restoration done so this will be my first project with body work (insert scared face). I would like to get rid of the rust (dont we all), finish all the body work, paint and set up for trail riding while give the 5 a modern touch on finish and technology while keep the jeep true to its roots. SO in other words I dont have a set work plan. I am kinda of doing the mods/resto in a somewhat staged build. At the end of the day I will be building for an overland type of build if you will. I would not consider myself a hardcore wheeler but I certainly enjoy using the jeep for what it was intended, I really enjoy just riding trails of various terrains, not a huge mud fun, but that's just part of it here in the mid-west. My main goal, if possible by next year is to get the jeep out to MOAB for EJS. I just had a bunch of friends from my JK crew go out there and it looks amazing!

Stage 1 - Mechanical: Fix all PO flubs, mechanically work through the jeep to get everything working soundly. At this point the list looks like this:

1. Change all Fluids (Engine Oil, Transmission , Transfer-case, Diff, Coolant)
2. Engine Tune up - (plugs, wires, coil, cap, rotor, wiring)
3. Fix exhaust leak and build full custom stainless exhaust
4. Remove Transfer Case lowering Kit - New Double Cardon Drive Shaft
5. Remove Transfer Case and Transmission, clean and repaint,
6. ^ replace clutch and rear main
7. ^Wire brush frame to bare metal, prime and paint

Stage 2 - Metal Work - Body/Frame

1. Add Windshield, Harness, Various Strengthening bars to cage then remove for finish welding and paint
2. Patch Rust hols (cage mount location, Wheel wells, Front fenders)
3. Replace Rear Cross-member
4. Replace Body Mount Bushings and Hard ware, Fix Body Mount on Body where necessary
5. Finish Body work ( filler, sand, prime paint) - Commando Green from new JK's - Black trim
6. Refresh Dash/Guages

Stage 3 - The Upgrades

1. Rear Bumper Tire Carrier (Custom Design and Build By your truly - Gerry Can Hold and High-lift)
2. Flat Fenders (Front and Rear)
3. On-Board Air
4. Re-gear - 4.56
5. Lockers - ARB Air
6. Rocker Guards
7. Lights
8. Storage

Work completed to Date:

Over the past month I have been pretty busy with work (lots of Travel) and life, so, I haven't had tons of time to devote to the jeep but I have gotten a pretty decent start. SO far I have been able to change all fluids except the coolant (waiting until i replace the hoses), replaced spark plugs, wires, cap and rotor, replaced the wiring for the battery (PO hack job), replaced the horrible shift knob (1/2" bolt welded to shifter by PO) for stock shift knobs, re-worked my TJ bumper and winch plate to work with the CJ5. I did have to cut and re-weld a 3/8 bolt for the shift knob in order to accommodate the factory shift knobs.

Sorry for the long winded post, just attempting to get my thoughts down to keep myself on track. I am sure I will have plenty of questions along the way.

Hope you all enjoy the pics and the following adventure. I am excited to be back in a CJ!

 

[jeepn4evr]

Looks good. Question is this going to be the "family" 4 wheeling rig or will that be regulated to the 4 door I see in the pics? If its the family rig are when will you be adding the rear seat & extending the cage for that? Also are your seats tied into the cage currently?

 

[thiswontbetooexpensive]

Looks good! Also, it is nice to have a plan with adjustments available. Stuff comes up and plans change!

Glad to have you here.


This won't be too expensive Dear! That's what I keep saying. Over and over again.

 

[kbarwall]

Looks good. Question is this going to be the "family" 4 wheeling rig or will that be regulated to the 4 door I see in the pics? If its the family rig are when will you be adding the rear seat & extending the cage for that? Also are your seats tied into the cage currently?

Thanks - The CJ will be my project for fun, the JK will be devoted to family wheeling. Eventually I may trade up to something with more room like a 7-6 or 8 but thats a ways off. THe JK should get 35's and lift in the future but for the next year or so it will remain as it looks with the exception that I will be adding steps to the rock rails for the wife.

Looks good! Also, it is nice to have a plan with adjustments available. Stuff comes up and plans change!

Glad to have you here.


This won't be too expensive Dear! That's what I keep saying. Over and over again.

One thing I really have going for me is that my wife LOVES jeeping and is very understanding of me purchasing jeep parts. Luckily for me I try to fabricate anything I think will be worthwhile...some things take to much time and effort and are more cost/time effective when bought but some things are just to fun not to fab up.

I'm really excited about the project. Ill post pictures when I get home but I was able to pull the carberator, Intake/Exhaust manifold and get it out for refinishing, my buddy is meadia blasting it, I will then paint it, put it back together and get the intake and exhaust faces machined together. I CANT WAIT to no longer have an exhaust leak!!!

 

[mtnwhlr]

:ww: from Colorado looks like you have a good plan I will be watching

 

[Old Dog]

Welcome neighbor, nice looking jeeps you have there.

 

[kbarwall]

From Yesterday:

Task: FIX the ANNOYING exhaust leak!Well I finally was able to set aside some time to take apart the exhaust manifold. I am sick of hearing the Hissing Ticking noise when accelerating or under a load, I'm also sick of the exhaust smell in the cabin. That exhaust in cabin is due two things, 1: The exhaust is short and end at the end of the transfer-case skid just short of the rear axle, 2: I believe the exhaust leak isn't helping.

Before Starting:




Its pretty obvious where the leak was coming from....

After:



On a side note, I noticed Cylinder #1's Intake valve looked nasty compared to the others.... Any recomendations here? SHort of removing the head, what can I do to clean this? Sea Foam?

Cylinder #1 Intake valve:


Here is a shot of the intake/exhaust gasket:



Intake/exhaust Manifold:


Also, has anyone "rebuilt" the manifolds? In other words have you taken them apart and replaced the heat riser components?

Thats it for now.

Kevin

 

[kbarwall]

Welcome neighbor, nice looking jeeps you have there.

Thanks Old Dog - Is Stone Lick out near Goshen?



Here are some more pics -

Interior:








Random Vintage Air heating for the rear passengers - I took the rear seat out.

 

[kbarwall]

One last post for the day to catch me up.

Over the weekend I took an hour or so to Wire brushing the outside of the passenger side frame rail to see how the frame will clean up. To my surprise it turned out very well.

Driver Side Rail; but you get the idea:


Passenger Side after Wire Brush, Prime and Paint


All in all I think it looks pretty damn good, I'm hoping to do the rest of the frame as I work my way around the frame, I plan to remove the drive train to get the clutch and rear main done so at that time I will wire brush the entire inside and under-body, prime and paint. Hopefully it turns out as well.

 

[Old Dog]

Yea, I'm about 7 miles from Goshen. My daughter and her hubby live up your way in the Willow Pond (I think) neighborhood.

 

[kbarwall]

Yea, I'm about 7 miles from Goshen. My daughter and her hubby live up your way in the Willow Pond (I think) neighborhood.

Oh nice! that's literally across the street from my moms house and about a mile from me, or less.

 

[0822]

:ww:from Missouri, nice looking CJ

 

[kbarwall]

:ww:from Missouri, nice looking CJ

Thanks!

Quick update: prepped the valve cover and manifolds for the sandblaster tomorrow, hopefully I can pick up tomorrow night after work and paint them.

On a side note, where is the best place to buy exhaust components. I need the correct flange for the factory exhaust manifold and a flanged pipe to mate that with. I would like to weld up my own exhaust, all stainless...but i haven't found a good place to buy the components..

 

[kbarwall]

4/5/13 Update -

I was able to get some work done today after work. Had the manifolds and valve cover sandblasted. Taped the up for paint.



Painted:



Cleaned up and Painted the Driver side of the block. I hope to the passenger side tomorrow and the oil pan when I re-do the rear main.


Manifolds loosely bolted together ready for install in the morning!


Just need to clean up the bolts with the wire wheel and then I should be all set to reinstall everything.

That's all for today.

But ill be in the garage all day tomorrow.

Kevin

 

[Ohpleasecrank]

Gotta spend money to make your jeep run. Burnt valve possibly, no biggie, get your chilton or haynes manual at local parts store and get down and dirty. While your in there time for a new timing chain possibly, and check some threads on cam upgrades while your at it. Well, at least what I'd do in your situation.

 

[rr41mag]

I was told you never finish a jeep

 

[kbarwall]

Well I finished the jeep up yesterday and went out for a drive. Man is that better. Its so nice to accelerate and not get a massive hissing exhaust leak sound.

Next on the list is to order a new rear double cardon drive shaft and get rid of this transfer-case lowering kit so that I can get the final exhaust made. Ill post up some pics of the finished product.

I decided to hold off on refinishing the Head. My goal is to eventually either do a 4.0 head swap or rebuild the factory motor with a "performance" mind set if you will (Cam, High Compression Pistons, etc.) but this motor runs well, it obviously needs new valves/valve job it has a slight stumble at idle but it runs well other wise so ill see if I can get another year or two out of it before I go through it. Between now and then i need to decide if I want to improve on the old or keep original...oh the decisions.

 

[titanjeep]

Beautiful paint job. Keep up the good work.

 

[kbarwall]

Beautiful paint job. Keep up the good work.

Thanks Titan!

Here is a Finished pic. Please excuse the rusty parts and the missing grommet. I ordered the Grommet and I worked a deal on a snap-on sandblast cabinet from my Dad! Those rusty parts are really annoying me and I want something here that I can use on a regular basis to clean up parts.



My parts store hasn't called buy my new master cylinder should be in today. I will also be starting tear down of the drive-train. My throw out bearing is screaming at this point so I figure now is as good a time as any to replace the clutch and rear main. I am going to pressure wash and paint the Transmission and transfer-case while out as well as wire-brush the inside of the frame rails and the tunnel. Sounds like itll be a busy week.

In the meantime I decided everyone garage should look like this at a minimum, two jeeps.


Kevin

 

[kbarwall]

Pulled the driveshafts, Transmission skid and shifters, pulling the Transfer Case and transmission tomorrow night. I have softball tonight! I was going to hold off for a while on replacing the clutch but the throwout bearing is unbarably loud, I am pretty sure it could go at any moment. This is as good a time as any I guess.