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Picked Up A 71 For A Buddy Of Mine......

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by Norcal69, Jul 25, 2016.

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  1. Aug 12, 2022
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    I wouldn't hang new sheet metal on it...but I would paint those sliders! If you ever wanted to go big build and and stretch it a bit and run 35s - now is the time. Make your own version of posi. All the other components are there.
     
    Norcal69 likes this.
  2. Aug 12, 2022
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Northern California
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    I'm leaning towards something like that.
    Steve always had the goal of getting his jeep to the state that mine was in... comfortable and reliable enough to drive cross country.
     
    txtoller likes this.
  3. Aug 12, 2022
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Northern California
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    The sliders on the jeep currently stick out 2" wider on each side than what I run on my jeep, kinda like Dumbo ears. They are going to get replaced with the "Gen 2" style that I am running now and selling through the forum. His cage is powder coated a metallic gun metal grey. I am thinking of matching the powder coat with a rattle can and painting the new sliders the same color as the cage. It might look really sharp if we stuck with that theme and threw some smooth warrior products corner guards on it in the same metallic gun metal grey color.
     
    Rich M., FinoCJ and txtoller like this.
  4. Aug 12, 2022
    Stakebed

    Stakebed Member

    Lake Co....
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    I'm a FNG but I think do not replace the tub just because of dents. Embrace the character plus it seems if you hard-core wheel it, the body will get customized by rocks anyway.
     
  5. Aug 12, 2022
    Muzikp

    Muzikp Active Member

    Sacramento Ca.
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    Tough call. If it were my friends Jeep I feel like in the long run I would enjoy looking at it and remembering the time he put that dent or scratch in it while you guys were wheeling together. On the flip side would be cool to see it turn in to what he wanted. Maybe time will help you decide.
     
  6. Aug 13, 2022
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    Kyle knows Steve's plans for it better than I, but I recall after a few beers Steve suggesting going big build - and a diesel of course! Or maybe that was a separate buggy project he had in mind - I might have had a few beers at that point as well!
    How old are Steve's boys now? IIRC, it'll be a while before they will be driving age - or if they would even be interested in the old cj - but it would be fitting for them to be involved in its future in some way (or maybe the girls would be interested, no gender bias, just the boys made some rubicon trips that i recall). As James says - time will help find the right path forward.
     
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  7. Aug 13, 2022
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Northern California
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    Steve had plans of building a late 70's crew cab ford with a Cummins diesel and flat bed. Wonder where he got that idea :confused::rofl:
    Last summer Steve picked up a toy hauler that would fit his jeep, similar to mine but way longer and more family friendly. His goal was to build the jeep to be as capable as possible but still fit in his TH. I am going to keep the jeep on 33's and similar in appearance, mostly just improve the suspension hangers, shock mounting, steering... ect. I plan to drive it through the Rubicon atleast once..... treating the jeep exactly how Steve treated it...... but it will be built enough to not break!
    Carl, Lilbuff's passenger from last year and 2 time Rubicon spotter MVP, was a good friend of Steve as well. Carl has expressed interest in buying the jeep to take his two boys on the annual Rubicon trip with us. We will just have to see what develops.
     
  8. Aug 18, 2022
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Northern California
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    Iv'e had a fair amount of windshield time lately and I think I have decided what I am going to do.
    This jeep has a Rocky Road YJ spring conversion on it with OME springs. The ride quality doesn't even come close to the custom YJ setup on my jeep with the same exact springs/shocks. I'll be trash canning the spring bushings that are provided by RR and installing the proper fitting OME YJ bushings.
    I have compiled a shopping list @ Ruff Stuff that includes spring/shackle hangers, U bolt flip components and shock mounts.
    Since I already need to remove both axles..... Rehanging the suspension and relocating the shocks is not all that big of a job from there.
    When the Ruff Stuff labor day sale hits I'll be placing the order!
     
    Ol Fogie, jeepstar, Danefraz and 5 others like this.
  9. Aug 19, 2022
    txtoller

    txtoller Member 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Weatherford, TX
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    Are these the bushings?
    https://www.quadratec.com/products/old-man-emu-greasable-leaf-spring-bushing-kit-wrangler-yj-omesb87
     
  10. Aug 19, 2022
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Northern California
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    Stakebed likes this.
  11. Aug 19, 2022
    txtoller

    txtoller Member 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Weatherford, TX
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    The bushings I got with the RR kit, seem a little wide/long to me. I will have to sit down and do some figuring. I am a bit curious as to why the width discrepancy.
     
    Stakebed likes this.
  12. Aug 19, 2022
    Buildflycrash

    Buildflycrash More or Less in Line. 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Gulf Breeze FL...
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    I agree. It’s a wheeler.
     
  13. Sep 1, 2022
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    Ruff Stuff's Labor Day sale just went live! I ordered everything necessary to rehang the springs and move the shock mounts!
     
    Jw60 likes this.
  14. Sep 8, 2022
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    Retail therapy wins again!
    The D30 cover is destined for my project. Suspension hangers are for Steve's jeep.

    [​IMG]
     
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  15. Apr 11, 2023
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    The tires on my 69 are 10 years old and ready to become off road only.... or mock up tires for someone's build.
    I remembered that Steve's 71 has literally brand new tires on it...... still have the nubbies on the fronts.....
    My thought was to just swap tires and wheels between my 69 and Steve's 71, but then it hit me..........
    Both jeeps have brand new spares!
    All I need to do is buy 2 new matching tires and swap the spares for two of my best old tires. :sneak:

    Looking over Steve's jeep in the container..... it just looks so sad in there. Other than the transmission and transfer case being removed, it is still in Rubicon trim....
    Almost like a time capsule from Rubicon 2021..... Lunch box with snacks on the front floorboard, GMRS radio still in the mount, tent, sleeping bag, the $400 fancy cooler is still in the back of the Jeep..... complete with some past date beer, the aluminum cans beginning to succumb to some kind of fuzzy growing electrolysis..... The trash in his trasharoo bag no longer smells...... its petrified now.
    Scattered in the container is a set of brand new axles with lockers, rebuilt transmission and rebuilt transfer case waiting to be installed.

    So this has me wondering if I could pull off getting it together in time to field 2 jeeps for this years Rubicon run...... :shrug:


    [​IMG]
     
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  16. Apr 11, 2023
    Buildflycrash

    Buildflycrash More or Less in Line. 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    That would make it LOTS easier for someone who lives on the other side of the country to come do the trip. It took me like 5 days to drive out there.
     
  17. Apr 11, 2023
    Rich M.

    Rich M. Shoe salesman 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Maryland
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    Scramble format!
     
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  18. Apr 11, 2023
    Rozcoking23

    Rozcoking23 RUN & GET BIT! 2024 Sponsor

    Stockton, CA
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    Kyle, you have a lot of walking in your future…. Drive 1st Jeep 100 yards, park… walk back get 2nd Jeep, drive 100yards past 1st Jeep, park and repeat, repeat, repeat!….lol
     
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  19. Apr 12, 2023
    bluesmokemonster

    bluesmokemonster blue-smokemonster or bluesmoke-monster?

    Gold Beach, OR
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  20. Apr 12, 2023
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    Now that I'm seriously thinking of putting Steve's jeep back together I am pondering the possibilities.
    Current specs:
    71 CJ5
    even fire 231 with MC2100 carb
    D27 and offset flanged D44 with 3.31 gears. Something is broken in the D27.......
    Transmission and transfer case are removed.

    Other Steve's71 notes:
    Disc brakes up front 11" drums on rear
    33x10.5 tires
    YJ spring conversion
    dual fuel tanks
    Hyd clutch
    ect......

    Parts on the floor........
    Howell TBI setup that I bought from a fed up customer for super cheap....
    Clutch kit
    Sm420 with D18/20 adapter

    D18 with AA roller intermediate
    D20 with 2.46 low range gear set

    D27 and offset full floater D44 with powerloc and 4.27 gears
    D30 and centered D44 with ARB lockers in both and 3.73 gears
    Roxor front D44 with 3.73 gears and open diff
    D27/D44 with powerloc axle set with 3.73 gears
    Random M38 D44 with FF conversion and blown up 5.38 gears
    Random disc brake D30 with 3:54 gears I think

    I plan to reinstall the SM420 transmission with new clutch and associated parts.
    I need to plan a direction for the rest of the drive train.
    I don't really want to spend a bunch of money putting this jeep back together.

    Sm420+D18+ current D27/44 tru trac with 3.31 gears= 57:1 crawl ratio
    Sm420+D18+ D27 lockrite /44 powerloc floater setup with 4.27 gears= 74:1 crawl ratio
    Sm420+D20+ D30 ARB /44 ARB setup with 3.73 gears= 64:1 crawl ratio
    Sm420+D20+ D44 lockrite /D44 with ARB with 3.73 gears= 64:1 crawl ratio

    This has me wondering what direction I should proceed.
    I have considered saving the 3.73 ratio ARB axle set for another project..... there's a big chunk of money invested in those axles......
    I don't envision Steve's jeep really being a "long distance" driving kinda rig, more of just a wheeler and around town rig. Not saying it would never see a little freeway jaunt.....
    I envision using this jeep in the event that mine is down for repairs or upgrades. I would consider taking it on rougher trails to beat it up rather than my nice jeep.
    Maybe I should make Steve's jeep into the "wheeler" and then make my jeep nice and pretty again for daily use.....
    I could also make Steve's jeep into a little more daily driver friendly: straighten out body, paint, remove RR spring brackets and lower suspension height ect.....
    There is also the possibility of removing the RR brackets, going spring over with 35" tires and making it more of a wheeler.
    Lastly there is the possibility that I'll not really use Steve's jeep much because it is basically the same as mine..... in that event I might sell it in a couple years....
    Too many decisions......
     
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