First Jeep/first project =)

Hello all! I am new to the site, and have a project. Its an 73 cj5 with the 304ci and a 3speed. It currently is a rust bucket, and i have started sanding down the body to the metal to see just how bad everything is. I dont have enough money for a new body, or i would just do that, but a friend of mine works at a welding shop and we got the ok to work on it for a side project =) All the floors are SHOT. I went ahead and ripped out the rear floor all together. I think im planning on just buying some 16 gauge metal and using that for the floors, and fab everything up myself. Ill take pictures of the resto as it comes along. Just a reminder though, I dont want this to be a "perfect" jeep. I dont want to make it so pretty that i kick myself everytime i get a scratch on the side, so whenever i get all the floors/body welded and repaired, im probably just going to flat black it OR down the road, rhino line it =) Lemme know your guys thought about everything, and/or any problems you think i might run into. =)
Heres some pics =)
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What USE to be the rear floor haha

And yes everybody.... the person who had this Jeep before me put camo ductape all over it... =O






Have to cover that metal with some primer untill im ready for the welding =\

Heres the other side before i started sanding/grinding


Crappy weld job =(

The person who did the patch welding before got the metal to hot... this panal has more curves than a playboy model =O


Ill keep some images coming as they come along.
-Chris

 

I can't see the pictures on this computer, but if it's that bad, keep your eye on craigslist or ebay. I see them from time to time for reasonable prices.

Good Luck

High5

 

Looking good!! Keep us posted.

 

ohh, optional veltilated, no-tools removable floor boards!


making some good progress! have fun.

 

Thanks guys. And i acually just found out the it seems like i can pick my body up on the drivers side rear.. probably more than it should =O any ideas on that? =\

 

I rhino lined the inside and outside my wifes jeep for about $400. If you want to go that route it will hide alot. You can buy just the floors from 4wd.com. Good luck and keep the pis coming.

 

Yeah, if you just want it to be functional, cut out the rusty metal and weld-in new. Jeep bodies are pretty easy to repair this way, since they mostly have flat surfaces and simple curves.

Rusted out floors are very common - these vehicles often sit outside, with no top, and the water pools on the floors. There are replacement floors available for these Jeeps http://www.classicent.com/jeep.php - looks like you've lost most of the hat channels that go underneath the body, along with the floors. The hat channels reinforce the floors and provide the mounting points for the body. Missing hat channels is why you can lift the body. See pictures on the CE site.

I'd suggest you take the body off completely and attack your floor repairs from underneath the body. If you rip the floors out from above, you'll ruin the pattern you'll need to replace the hat channels and frame mounts.

 

Since this is my first project, im not to familier with taking the "body off." I have thought about it... I just dont know how. Everytime i try to search that i cant find anything =O

 

You got more ambition than I do R) Good luck with the work, it'll be interesting to see how it turns out:lurk:

 

You probably won't find any links, since it's very straightforward. The body consists of two front fenders, hood, grille and the tub. The tub bolts to the frame. You remove the fenders and grille, remove or disconnect the steering column, and remove the bolts holding the tub to the frame, the tub will lift off off.

I've left out some details like disconnecting the wiring, removing the windsheild and such, but it's quite a simple process.

 

Sounds like a great project.

I must say, that is the best camo paint job i've seen. I'd love to do the 'real-tree' camo on mine, that is some talent. nice work on what you have done. my body will eventually need some attention.

 

lol if it was a paint job, it would be nice... but its just camo ductape!!! hahaha. =P i dunno if ill do body off or not, unless i have too.. my plan was just to fab up some floors with 16 gauge sheetmetal and do a lil work on some panals.. that was it. I really just wanna make it where i can put a cooler in the back without worrying about it falling through!!! haha

 

ya i hear ya on that.... i use to have an SS camaro i did alotta motor work to... and i spent ALOT more than i wanted/intended too! haha

 

NO WAY!! My Jeep is RED and I still have the darndest time finding it when the sun goes down. If I had that camo tape/paint job, I'd never see my jeep again! R)

 

DUCT TAPE! laughing my ars off! I should have known that was too clean to be a paint job.

good luck with all that work. If you're anything like me, you'd need some solid reinforcement where you're putting that cooler-MINE ARE DAMN HEAVY! seems i'm always carrying the beer for the whole gang...not complaining- i'm not the one that's got to chase the cooler guy down to get a cold one!

 

I hear ya... i acually got a lil more work done on it today. I took some more pics in the day light of the floors and what not. I DEF think im missing some kind of mount on the right side... ill have to point it out in my pics i post up later. Plus, the rear is a lil worse than i thought as well... Whoever did some patch jobs on this jeep sucks at welding... He DEF got the metal to hot and its the wavy all over!!!! >=\