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Finally got her on her wheels!

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by Stout, Mar 21, 2011.

  1. Jul 25, 2011
    Rondog

    Rondog just hangin' out

    Parker, CO
    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2005
    Messages:
    2,918
  2. Jul 26, 2011
    4XFool

    4XFool 60 Willys CJ5

    Washington, PA
    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2007
    Messages:
    56
    Congrats on the progress. i can certainly remember the "this is fun but I want to drive it" feeling. Looking at these pictures and reading your other post about the firewall and air cleaner (I replied to that BTW) I just wanted to remind you to check the holes and, more improtantly, the position of your windshield hinges. The pre-drilled holes on mine were too high and I did not catch it until after it got painted and welding the old holes shut was out of the question.
     
  3. Jul 27, 2011
    Stout

    Stout Member

    Quakertown, PA
    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2010
    Messages:
    958
    Yeah I'm analyzing the windshield holes now. I'm good with a wrench but my welding skills leave something to be desired so I'm nervous about welding them closed, afraid I might warp the sheet metal. But that is one of my next steps.
     
  4. Jul 30, 2011
    napaguy

    napaguy Banned

    goldendale wa
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2009
    Messages:
    441
    Dont sweat it...weld them shut and have compressed air to blow on your welds. IMHO you really have to get crzy to warp metal when filling holes
     
  5. Aug 14, 2011
    Stout

    Stout Member

    Quakertown, PA
    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2010
    Messages:
    958
    Started the base coat on the inside of the tub. I wetsanded the factory primer with 220 then primed over it with a good epoxy primer, wetsanded that with 220 and then again with 320. The first coat of base coat red will now be wet sanded with 400 (or maybe 500 or both) and then base coated again before the clear.
    Man I hate painting Jeep tubs, too many nooks and crannies where the spray gun doesn’t quite fit. When I try to get into the right position for some of the awkward places, I end up spraying too much on the surrounding areas, which results in runs. I have my wetsanding job cut out for me!
    Next step will be one coat of clear, wet sanded down to 1,000 and then a second coat of clear. Then I can start assembling the inside — fuel tank, heater, steering column, and then dashboard (after I paint it.) The center hump pieces get painted gloss black and then assembled with the shifter boots, etc.
    If I ever get my seats back from the upholsterer, I can begin measuring for location and drilling holes for them.
    I get exhausted just thinking about all the work ahead of me.

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  6. Aug 14, 2011
    4XFool

    4XFool 60 Willys CJ5

    Washington, PA
    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2007
    Messages:
    56
    Looking good!. Can't wait to roll up beside you with mine and compare notes.
     
  7. Oct 10, 2011
    Stout

    Stout Member

    Quakertown, PA
    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2010
    Messages:
    958
    It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything. Actually, it’s been a while since I’ve done any work on the Jeep due to business travel. I finally got back to it and finished the inside of the tub — clear coat, center pan, fuel tank, pedals, etc. I also restored the heater and reinstalled it.
    The center pan assembly was painted base coat/clear coat black and assembled with weather stripping prior to installation. I used basic door weatherstripping from the hardware store. I’m not sure if Willys used any type of caulking around this originally but I figured it needed something.
    Now I am starting on the dashboard. Some idiot decided to drill extra holes in the dashboard so I had to weld them up. I stripped it down to metal, painted a coat of etching primer, and a heavy coat of urethane primer. It has now been wetsanded up to 600 and ready for another coat of primer.
    The upholsterer said my seats will be done in two weeks! Gee, it was April when I dropped them off.


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    Last edited: Oct 10, 2011
  8. Oct 26, 2011
    Stout

    Stout Member

    Quakertown, PA
    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2010
    Messages:
    958
    Progress being made, slowly but surely. Dash is now done and seats are ready to install.

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  9. Oct 28, 2011
    Stout

    Stout Member

    Quakertown, PA
    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2010
    Messages:
    958
    Finally got the seats back from the upholsterer! They came out great. We matched the original upholstery as closely as we could and the guy did a great job matching the original stitching. Grey and dark red.

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  10. Oct 28, 2011
    Hawk5274

    Hawk5274 Member

    Ohio
    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2009
    Messages:
    163
    Great Job! That will last forever!
     
  11. Oct 28, 2011
    Long&Low

    Long&Low Active Member

    Geauga County, OH
    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2009
    Messages:
    1,212
    very nice.
     
  12. Oct 30, 2011
    Stout

    Stout Member

    Quakertown, PA
    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2010
    Messages:
    958
    Did the maiden voyage today! Well, sort of; I backed it down the driveway a few times. But it allowed me to check out the brakes, clutch, transmission, transfer case, etc. Put it in low range and it allowed me to run through all three gears. Here's what I learned:

    1. The clutch needs adjusted properly.
    2. The brakes work great!
    3. The engine isn't running right. It starts instantly (and I mean simply touch the switch and it is running) but it doesn't run out well. It cuts out under load, the exhaust stinks of fuel, and it smokes white. I guess I have some tuning to do still.
    4. The neighbors think I'm weird.
     
  13. Nov 2, 2011
    TexasBlues

    TexasBlues JEEP-Hockey-Holic

    Marietta, GA
    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2007
    Messages:
    529
    HAHAHA... the neighbors think youre weird

    THATS kind of the look i get from mine too.... all hours of the weekends... banging and clanging... radio up... beer in hand... scratching my head and cursing some too

    mine think i'm weird too if its any consolation...

    GOOD... no... GREAT NEWS on the progress... keep it up!
     
  14. Nov 13, 2011
    Stout

    Stout Member

    Quakertown, PA
    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2010
    Messages:
    958
    Driver’s side fender is coming along. It is original so, needless to say, it was fairly beat up and fatigued. I had to do some welding on the center of the wheel arch and the bottom outside corner where there was some metal fatigue and cracking. It had been damaged in the front and someone before me attempted to beat out the dents but didn’t do a very good job. I used some body hammers and dollies to beat the fender back into its normal shape and used body filler to smooth everything out.

    It is unclear to me whether it originally had any felting where the fender bolts up to the grill and body. It doesn’t appear it ever had any, which means the fender will rub through vibrations and cause issues. I used a garage door weather seal, cut it lengthwise to fit, cut out the bolt holes, and glued it to the fender and grill so it will provide a good mating surface.

    Underside of fender and inside have been painted but I left the outside. I will paint it along with the rest of the body.

    Lots of hours on one fender now I have to start the next one.
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  15. Nov 13, 2011
    garage gnome

    garage gnome ECJ5 welder

    Western MA
    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2009
    Messages:
    3,083
    Looks awesome!!! :beer:
     
  16. Nov 13, 2011
    Stout

    Stout Member

    Quakertown, PA
    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2010
    Messages:
    958
    Thanks. I'm getting tired, though.
     
  17. Nov 15, 2011
    SIDSCJ

    SIDSCJ Jeep addict

    14th State
    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2004
    Messages:
    1,189
    Looks like beautiful work!
    I do have a quick question though; Why are you putting it all together BEFORE you paint the outside?
    You gonna take it all apart, or spray and pray you don't get paint where it ain't spozed to go?
    With seats like that, they would be 100 yards away locked away before I even thought about pulling out the paint gun..................
     
  18. Nov 16, 2011
    Stout

    Stout Member

    Quakertown, PA
    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2010
    Messages:
    958
    I'm going to spray the outside panels all at once (except the grill which is already painted.) I'm going to remove the seats and mask everything off. Doing it this way will allow me to get an even coat on everything and buff it.
     
  19. Nov 16, 2011
    1966CJ5zeppy

    1966CJ5zeppy New Member

    Hawk Point Missouri
    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2011
    Messages:
    24
    I was thinking of the same thing. It really looks GREAT !! NICE JOB
     
  20. Nov 18, 2011
    Rondog

    Rondog just hangin' out

    Parker, CO
    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2005
    Messages:
    2,918
    Dude, that's coming along great and is gonna look soooo nice! I don't know if I'll ever get mine done, but at least I can look at photos of yours and say "yep, mine was gonna look just like that one". Except for black seats.
     
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