I love my wife and my Jeep!

Needed to make room in the garage this winter, so, the ol 74 got pushed out in the snowbank in the backyard. Old whiney duck next door calls city hall and complains. I get the standard "junk warning" letter.

I have been kicking the idea around of getting rid of it. Needs too much work and Ive been short on time. My wife decides "Screw this! We're keeping it!" and manages to go get plates on the thing. No serial no. plate, no title, nothing but sort of a bill of sale! Fully registered and insured for $125.00/year!

I do some calculating and come up with $4000 to fix it. She says "How about if we put $10,000 into it and make it look nice!" Now who am I to argue with flawless logic like that!

So, I have the rest of the winter to gather up parts.
Who has the best bodies?
Should I go steel or fibreglass?

 

You've got a serious keeper there!

I'm not familiar with what Canada does with the roads much but if they salt the roads then I'd suggest either fiberglass or aluminum. Aqualu (made in Canada last I checked) makes some darn nice aluminum bodies. Can't comment on quality of fiberglass but one of the magazines just did an article on the differences. Maybe JP, but can't remember for sure.

 

Does your wife have a sister?

 

That is awesome!

 

Keep an eye out used fiberglass bodies show up from time to time... I picked mine up for 400 Bucks.

 

Thats good to know. I've decided to go fiberglass. Its a funny thing, I've never seen a rusted out frame in this country, but the bodies on most things we drive up here rot out fast. Maybe its because, while they use a ton of salt in the winter, but, we have LOTS of gravel roads and that keeps the frames sandblasted. Paint doesnt last long on frames, even on new vehicles.
The last 3 years, they threw a new curve at us. Calcium chloride mixed with the salt! now it never dries out. Maybe this is going to be the start of frame trouble here too.

 

I would do steel, and get the underside, inner fender wells and such professionally bed lined. With that type of budget why settle for kit car quality.

Now that be offensive to some folks, and I'm not meaning to stir the pot.

 

i just checked that JP artical. it said fiberglass has a higher chance of breaking when its cold. i like those aqualu bodies but not enough to spend $3664 for just body.
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Fiberglass breaks in the cold???? Give me a break-mine has been out numerous times at temp below minus 30 (at which point you can take your pick, F or C). The only downside of glass is the star cracks in the fender paint from gravel/rocks thrown off the tires. This would likely be cured by a shot of hard (Turboliner) bed liner on the undersides.

Aluminum + calcium chloride (or magnesium chloride like they are now using here) is not a good combination and will likely corrode it almost as quickly as steel. After 35 years with a glass body, I wouldn't even think twice about doing it again-my first choice hands down.

 

Article doesn't say fiberglass breaks in the cold, but that it has a higher chance of breaking in the cold. This is true. Brush against a tree with fiberglass in subzero cold and it will break easier than at 50*.

 

True Fiberglass does lose some of its flexibility when cold, like most other plastics.

But it doesn't crack as easily as you would think. Its a very tough material it can take a large impact in most cases and return to its original shape with only superficial star cracks in the gel coat.

With a strength to weight ratio much higher than steel, superior corrosion resistance and a tendency to deflect and return to its original shape it makes an ideal jeep tub material.

 

smash a tree with steel or aluminum and it smushes,glass cracks easier to glue the glass parts back then straighten the metal I'm gonna rhino line(well spi liner ) the whole tub.have run mine at 30 below and it didnt break

 

put $9k into jeep, and take wifey out to a nice steak dinner and whatever the hell else she wants...

good stuff....

 

I would only put an aluminum tub on a show jeep, or a mall crawler. There are many downsides to them. For one, unless you like the look of them from the factory (they're not perfectly smooth...there are welding bumps etc., on the outside)they will require some sanding. Then, you'll probably want to paint over your sanding efforts.

If you don't paint it, it can corrode, if exposed to salt, etc., as previously mentioned.

Worse thing is, if you crumple it, how do you fix it? Unless you're a good welder with aluminum tig or mig, you'll have to rely on a hammer, dolly, and Bondo.

I've been welding professionally since 1974, and I wouldn't want to have to weld in a panel, and try not to have it buckle.

I prefer fiberglass.

Just my 2 cents.

Rich

 

does she have a sister?

c'mon
dont be selfish.

 

I agree! Although, I made sure to buy/rebuild the CJ BEFORE we got married. Not sure if it would pass accounting these days.