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Rebuilding "Cream Puff"

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by jayhawkclint, Aug 12, 2007.

  1. Nov 7, 2007
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    Scored a new-to-me F-head (Thanks, KansasJeeper!). Stuck it between the frame rails for easier storage. The engine is supposedly a recent Jasper reman (~2yrs). Cleaned up the drivetrain a little, then had to put it to bed. Will try to pick up this project again in about a year.
    [​IMG]
     
  2. Nov 26, 2008
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    Well, it's been about a year. Starting to get the parts altogether in one place again. Moving chassis to her new home in OKC:
    [​IMG]
     
  3. Nov 26, 2008
    JeepDriver

    JeepDriver Member

    Paradise, NL, Canada
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    Glad to see you back at this project. Kinda like a twin to my own.

    Mike
     
  4. Dec 4, 2008
    duke54

    duke54 Member

    JACKMAN MAINE
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    Apr 15, 2003
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    Nice job cant wait to see more done on her,i like that trailer too..:)
     
  5. Dec 4, 2008
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    Duke! Did you get wifi?
     
  6. Dec 15, 2008
    ShowMeGuy

    ShowMeGuy ShowMeGuy (MO) 1966 CJ5

    St. Louis Metro
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    Mar 10, 2008
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    78
    What size tires are these on the 63? I like the looks.... :v6:
     
  7. Dec 15, 2008
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
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    Can I have that trailer Clint? I'll even come get it...:D
     
  8. Dec 29, 2008
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    Those are 7.50x16 Safemark; found a set of 5 in a barn sale a while back with a documented 1000 miles on them.
     
  9. Dec 29, 2008
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    I've had to come to terms with this project over the Christmas break. I've decided restoration at this point is out of the question. This JEEP has pretty much given me road blocks every step of the way. I tried my best to stay on a path toward 99% OE finished product, but I think that order seems to be beyond my patience level given the current condition of the tub. So, I've made peace with it being a resto-mod; how far off target I get, I dunno. I still think I'm going to try to give it a stockish outward appearance, with the exception of about a 1" spring lift. The floor pans are going to be the most noticeable, just going to fab up something strong and clean with some square tube for hat channels, and I'm thinking no better than a wavy acrylic enamel exterior. I'm probably going to go ahead and do hanging pedals with vac power brakes, maybe discs, electronic distributor of some type, alternator, that Toyota starter I've been reading about, possibly a lunch box in the D44. I might move the spare tire to the rear and a roll bar with front hoop. Anyway, gonna be another little bit while I regear...
     
  10. Jan 2, 2009
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    Well, the first 2 pieces are in. This is going to be a long and slow process. I'm thinking I might switch from 18ga to 16ga on account of I seem to keep burning holes in everything. Anyway, I think I've got a general plan now, spent $61 on a 4x8 sheet and just going to fab everything up from scratch. I think it will go a little faster after I conquer the learning curve. Need to find a bunch of paperboard to make templates:
    [​IMG]
     
  11. Jan 2, 2009
    Desert Runner

    Desert Runner Member 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hickory, Pa
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    Sep 11, 2005
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    R)

    I totally understand, we did the same thing. Looks like you've got a long way to go.:rofl:
    All I got done today was clean the work bench, but I found the 3/8 x 24 tap I needed to complete the tunnel monkeys

    Jay
     
  12. Jan 3, 2009
    djbutler

    djbutler Sponsor

    Rio Linda CA
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    Nov 5, 2007
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    727
    Clint,
    Your picture looks like good work so far, the patch on the side panel under the door.
    A couple of things I learned from doing my '69:

    1) I think the side panels are originally 16 Ga. I don't remember where I found this information, I recall measuring the thickness of the metal and matching as close as I could to that and 16 Ga was closest. It makes sense that the sides would be thicker, they have to withstand all the flexing to maintain the integrity of the whole tub.

    2) To help avoid burning holes during weldiing I got a piece of copper 1/2 in thick, about 2 X 6 inches and used that as a backer wherever possible. If you have holes to weld up you can clamp the copper bar in place behind the panel to repair and weld around the edges of the hole until it is filled up, the weld metal won't stick to the copper. Try to avoid striking the arc directly on the copper because you can burn a little crater out of it, but you won't melt it easlily because it conducts heat away from the site of the arc so quickly.

    3) I'm sure you know of the 'stitch welding' technique. I learned quickly that I shouldn't attempt to run any continuous bead of weld for more than 1/2 inch or so. In fact most of my patches were welded in with many little spot welds made at opposite sides of the patch to spread the heat until they were within about 1/2 inch of each other, then doing short beads to fill the remaining distance. Use a lot of hammer-on-dolly on the hot welds to control the shrinkage of the welds as they cool, otherwise you find when you are finished you have big warps and bows in areas of sheet metal adjacent to the patch you just welded in. Heat control is the name of the game here, get an old towel wet and use it to keep the whole panel cool enough to touch after doing a couple or three weld spots.

    I used the same idea of the cardboard template for fitting new floor panel patches. I bought the large sheet metal bending brake from Harbor Freight, that was an item worth the money. I used it to form new hat channels and bend the flanges on the edge of new floor panels. It would handle a 24 inch length of 16 Ga if I used a couple or three large C clamps to add clamping force to the brake's clamping bar.

    Keep up the good work, like to see another Jeep rescued from the jaws of the crusher!

    Don
     
  13. Jan 4, 2009
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    Don,

    Thanks for the tips. I definitely need to try that copper trick. I keep a bucket of water and wash cloth handy. I am doing the stitch weld, but not using gas; I think I'm going to end up with a nicer machine in the garage before it's all said and done.

    I was at HF the other night and spied that same brake. I'm on the fence about it. Your endorsement might push me over though.

    What I really need is a third arm, but doc says they are clean out right now.
     
  14. Jan 12, 2009
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    Well, out screwing around in the garage tonight and all I did was make more work for myself. I was welding right in the middle of the passenger side cowl. Couldn't get my clamp in there to do the cooling block trick. So I'm just sorta zoning out, more or less just happy to be in my garage, working away and not really paying close enough attention. All of a sudden I hear the tub squeaking at me. I look just in time to see the door sill area just aft of the cowl moving inward almost an inch! Ugh. Pretty sure I can fix it with porta-power later, but still. I don't think this thing is gonna win any trophys later. Oh well, sometimes the jeeps with the most character are the ones I enjoy best. :)

    Made some inner supports for the area just forward of the door inside the tub. My "template" is on the left. I got both sides welded up and put in some more patch panel, but too ugly right now to take a pic. Maybe after I smooth it out a little.
    [​IMG]
     
  15. Jan 12, 2009
    Dbarker

    Dbarker KE5MOF

    Stillwater, Oklahoma
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    keep at it. Im just north of ya. I've never attempted to do anything like this. Your work is lightyears ahead of anything I'll be doing when i find a jeep.

    Just think, when you finally get it done, and take it on that first drive.... you will have conquered the beast.
     
  16. Jan 12, 2009
    BenFoley

    BenFoley Member

    Cedar Rapids, IA
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    May 22, 2008
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    If you find the Copper a little pricy let me know. I have been using 1/ 8 tin plated bus-bar out of a motor control center. It has worked excellent so far and I have a bucket full of pieces.
    :v6:
    BenF
     
  17. Jan 12, 2009
    djbutler

    djbutler Sponsor

    Rio Linda CA
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    Clint,
    The door sill area buckling sounds familiar. I'm guessing shrinkage from welding you were doing caused this, because I ran into almost the same thing. I put a big patch in the driver side floor under the gas tank area and as I was finishing the welding noticed a shrinkage buckle on the bottom of the side panel right under the door sill.
    I used the porta-power, along with reheating the weld area and using hammer-on-dolly to stretch the metal in the weld bead. I have some pictures of the setup I used to fix it on my build thread.

    I learned you can control this shrinkage by doing some hammer-on-dolly right on each short little segment of weld as it is cooling. How much hammer-on-dolly work to do is a matter of guesswork which builds to experience, but the idea is to eliminate localized stress points in the metal that can add up and cumulatively cause some big buckle somewhere else completely unexpected.

    Don
     
  18. Jan 12, 2009
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    Yep, that would be what happened to me. I'm not overly concerned; I think it's going to push right back with the porta power. I'm going wait until I get the floor pans bent up, then right before they get tacked in go ahead and push it out with a hammer and dolly at the ready while I'm doing the floors. Right now the sides are kinda flimsy with no floors being in, so pretty much any work I do has the potential to get easily undone with more welding.

    Ben, thanks for the tip. I might scratch around the scrap bin at work, see what shakes out of the trash.
     
  19. Jan 24, 2009
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    Put some new metal on the tool box:
    [​IMG]

    Cut out the rear driver's side:
    [​IMG]

    Bent up a new patch panel. Old piece (what's left of it) on the right:
    [​IMG]

    Installed:
    [​IMG]

    Bent up some pieces for the floor riser:
    [​IMG]

    Doing my part to recycle:
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2009
  20. Jan 24, 2009
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
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    Looking good Clint. There's a lot of personal satisfaction in doing work like that..:beer:
     
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