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'74 CJ6 a.k.a. Swamp Thing

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by uboatcmdr, Feb 8, 2010.

  1. Feb 8, 2010
    uboatcmdr

    uboatcmdr Member

    Huntsville, AL
    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2009
    Messages:
    55
    Picked this CJ6 up a couple of weeks ago at a really good price. Had just sold my '66 CJ5 & was going to look at an engine for the wife's Cherokee when I spied this & it was at such a good price I just couldn't pass it up.


    Here it is as I found it:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Here it is as of today, removed the ugly safari lookin' roll bar, removed the angle iron framing the rear door that was cut into the side, pulled out the seats & the glued in indoor/outdoor carpet:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

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    Oh yeah, that's tread plate. Someone added it over the original floor. Not sure why, from under the jeep the original floor seems pretty much entact & not rusted through:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Plans are to get it running & stopping good (needs new fuel & brake lines), clean it up, prime the floor, cover it with bed liner, repair the body (where the extra door was added & a few minor dents here & there) throw some decent paint on the body & drive the krap out of it. Got most of the parts to convert to disc brakes up front so I might do that while I am adding new brake lines. And that hidious brush guard has got to be dealt with as well, not sure if I am going to remove it or cut it up & make use of some of it.
     
  2. Feb 8, 2010
    JohnnyCommando

    JohnnyCommando Blue Tarp Station, proprietor

    Eureka, CA
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2009
    Messages:
    65
    Even with the Billy Bob body botch that's a 75% improvement! [​IMG]
     
  3. Feb 8, 2010
    uboatcmdr

    uboatcmdr Member

    Huntsville, AL
    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2009
    Messages:
    55
    Thanks. The roll bar was made from welded 2½" schedule 40 pipe. Whoever did the welding is a good welder, but his design skills are wack.
     
  4. Feb 9, 2010
    bkd

    bkd Moderator Supreme Staff Member 2022 Sponsor

    K-Town Tenn.
    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2007
    Messages:
    3,294
    love that sixth pic sans rollbar........cj6's really look great just like that
    Jim
     
  5. Feb 9, 2010
    uboatcmdr

    uboatcmdr Member

    Huntsville, AL
    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2009
    Messages:
    55
    I know what you're talking about. The more I look at the jeep without a roll bar the more I like it. But I have plans to put a roll bar back in it because I am going to run it with a bikini top (mainly a spring, summer, fall vehicle as it, like the CJ5 I had, has no heater, never did).
    Did you notice the added tubing on the top of the windshield frame? Adds about 1½" to the frame's height. I think the guy who did all the welding on the jeep must have been pretty tall, judging from the seating position, the added windshield height & the height of the roll bar. I'll probably leave the windshield frame as is because it shouldn't hamper my using a bikini top at all.
     
  6. Feb 9, 2010
    bkd

    bkd Moderator Supreme Staff Member 2022 Sponsor

    K-Town Tenn.
    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2007
    Messages:
    3,294
    inspiration
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Jim
     
  7. Feb 9, 2010
    groomer_guy

    groomer_guy Member

    Western...
    Joined:
    May 12, 2007
    Messages:
    233
    Looks like a great start. Good luck and keep the pics coming.
     
  8. Feb 9, 2010
    uboatcmdr

    uboatcmdr Member

    Huntsville, AL
    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2009
    Messages:
    55
    Sweet! I only hope that some day Swamp Thing looks as good. But if it ends up looking too good I won't be able to call it Swamp Thing anymore.
     
  9. Feb 10, 2010
    Lieutenant Mike

    Lieutenant Mike Firefighter Mike

    Boaz AL
    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2005
    Messages:
    313
    Nice start. Mine was not any better when I started.

    I may have a few parts you could use. Toolbox and front floor pan. Lots of other small parts.
     
  10. Feb 10, 2010
    Lieutenant Mike

    Lieutenant Mike Firefighter Mike

    Boaz AL
    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2005
    Messages:
    313
    <a href="http://s208.photobucket.com/albums/bb80/sixer67/?action=view&current=100_0046.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb80/sixer67/100_0046.jpg" border="0" alt="Day1"></a>


    <a href="http://s208.photobucket.com/albums/bb80/sixer67/?action=view&current=100_1167.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb80/sixer67/100_1167.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
     
  11. Feb 10, 2010
    uboatcmdr

    uboatcmdr Member

    Huntsville, AL
    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2009
    Messages:
    55
    Thanks Mike,
    The toolbox is there (box that is, not sure if the door is there also) under the tread plate. I crawled under the jeep & took a good look at what I might have to contend with down the road (haven't had a chance yet to pull it into the shop & get her up on the lift where I can do a full set of undercarriage pics). I'm not sure of the exact reason the tread plate was added because from the underside it doesn't look too bad at all (other than surface rust). Pulling the tub & sandblasting might revell a ton of cheese (of the Swiss variety). Not sure if I want to uncover more than I can handle $$ & skill wise, so I might just clean up what I have, coat it so the surface stuff doesn't get worse, line the inside & run with it (of course after I repair that ugly hole some genious cut in the side).
    Your jeep is really nice & you have put a lot of work into it. Not sure I have that kind of patience, $$ or skills to do carry the restoration of mine to the extent you have your's.
     
  12. Mar 28, 2010
    uboatcmdr

    uboatcmdr Member

    Huntsville, AL
    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2009
    Messages:
    55
    Well got to do a few little chores on the "Swamp Thing" yesterday. I would have liked to have had time to do more, but at least I got to do something.
    I unbolted the little Ramsey 4K winch, removed the ugly brush guard, ground off the welded on original full time 4x4 hub on the driver's side, installed the set of Superwinch hubs I got from Jim (bkd) & installed the used set of hood latch hooks (which also came from Jim). Next weekend I hope to get to start focusing on filling in the rear door a PO cut into the driver's side.

    The brush guard is gone!
    [​IMG]

    Someone welding this hub on. I finally got it off after some heavy grinding.
    [​IMG]

    Used Superwinch manual locking hubs, THANKS JIM!
    [​IMG]

    Hood latch hooks were missing & Jim sent me a set when I got the hubs from him, again, thanks Jim.
    [​IMG]
     
  13. Mar 29, 2010
    JohnnyCommando

    JohnnyCommando Blue Tarp Station, proprietor

    Eureka, CA
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2009
    Messages:
    65
    Progress!

    So how much did that jungle gym that was attached to the front of your CJ weigh?
     
  14. Mar 29, 2010
    uboatcmdr

    uboatcmdr Member

    Huntsville, AL
    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2009
    Messages:
    55
    The roll bar was made of 2 1/2 inch pipe & was pretty heavy (much heavier than the 2 inch 21 foot sticks of pipe I sometime have to tote at work). When I removed it I had to have help lifting it off the jeep. Not sure yet what I am going to do with it, either throw it in the boss' scrap pile or maybe chop it up use it for other projects.
     
  15. Jun 7, 2010
    uboatcmdr

    uboatcmdr Member

    Huntsville, AL
    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2009
    Messages:
    55
    Well after hosting several of the wife's family for the past couple of months (seems like they came in waves, one after the other), I am finally finding some time to get some stuff done on the SwampThing. This past weekend I pulled the front fenders off (they were banged up in the front & had a couple of tears in them). Memorial Day weekend I had aquired a set of replacement fenders & today I found time after work to strip the decals off them & prep them for some primer. I'm going to try & get them primed tomorrow & mounted up this weekend. Ordering a CJ5 rear quarter from Quadratec so I can chop it up & use it to fill in the PO's homemade rear door.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Here is a shot of my voltage regulator, think it's woofed? My system was not charging & I thought the alternator was bad. Figured I'd swap to a one wire type until I unbolted the regulator from the fender this past weekend & saw the backside. Looks like it is toast to me. So, I'll proably replace the regulator & see what that gets me.
    [​IMG]
     
  16. Jun 8, 2010
    TexasBlues

    TexasBlues JEEP-Hockey-Holic

    Marietta, GA
    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2007
    Messages:
    529
    i like it!

    it looks like a fantasy island guest hauler....

    VERY COOL
     
  17. Jun 8, 2010
    warrpath4x4

    warrpath4x4 Member

    Elko, NV
    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2008
    Messages:
    79
    i love watching CJ6 builds, gives me ideas for my own once i start it. i would have rather had your roll bar than the threaded pipe and elbows that mine was made out of lol.
     
  18. Jun 8, 2010
    uboatcmdr

    uboatcmdr Member

    Huntsville, AL
    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2009
    Messages:
    55
    OOOWWW! Don't say that! My boss, a 78 year old lifetime member of the smarta$$ club, say's that. He thinks I should have left the ugly rollbar on it, painted the jeep pink, installed a pink & white fringed surry top, change my name to "Tattoo" & drive it around yelling, "Boss, Boss, the plane, the plane!" "HA! HA!, real funny", I say's to him.

    Personally, I thought it looked like some kind of backwoods "pay to hunt" guest hauler. Like something the Nooge would have driven in the early days. Hopefully it will end up looking a bit more civilized but yet still retain a somewhat ballzy personality.:twisted:
     
  19. Jun 12, 2010
    Lieutenant Mike

    Lieutenant Mike Firefighter Mike

    Boaz AL
    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2005
    Messages:
    313
    Keep up the progress, just remember time, and Money,,,
     
  20. Jul 4, 2010
    uboatcmdr

    uboatcmdr Member

    Huntsville, AL
    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2009
    Messages:
    55
    Well it's the 4th of July & was I grilling burgers & stuffing my face? Nope, I was finally welding in the patch panel to fill in the extra door a previous owner add to my CJ6. Keep in mind folks I AM NOT A WELDER! And I will be dressing up the area with some body filler before final painting. Heres the pics.

    For those who don't remember this is what I started with:
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    Here is the extra door as I started with today:
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    After prep:
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    A crack at the bottom running to the wheel opening:
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    Filled the crack first, as a test, like I said, "I am not a welder":
    [​IMG]
    Welded in the top rail (fill panels & top rail were cut from a new CJ5 quarter panel I purchased from Quadratec):
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    Top rail after grinding the tacks:
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    The filler panel tacked in:
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    Filler panel after grinding tacks:
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    5 beers & three hours from start to finish (my welds look better with beer & remember I still gotta add body filler before final painting):
    [​IMG]
    The extra door is filled in:
    [​IMG]
    Inside of the patch panel:
    [​IMG]
    Hoping to get back on it tomorrow & install the wiper motor, new voltage reg & mount the new front fenders. In a couple of weeks the wife is taking a week & a half "girls only" trip with her sisters to San Andres (an island that is part of Colombia located off the coast of Nicaragua, my wife is from Colombia) which will give me some free time to devote to the SwampThing. If things go as planned (which they rarely do) I may have it on the road by the time she gets back from her trip. I'd still like to later (maybe next year) do a full body off restore, but for now I just want to get it out on the roads & trails.
     
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