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75 CJ6 Not Really A "Build"

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by fesser, Dec 12, 2015.

  1. Dec 12, 2015
    fesser

    fesser Napa, CA 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Napa, CA
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    So, I have finally decided to focus on the CJ6, and to share my progress or lack of progress with other members on this site. The thing is, I don't have the skills or the finances that would let me call this a "build". I would rather think of this as more of a diary. I have decided to fix what needs to be fixed, clean what needs to be cleaned, and paint what needs to be painted on a very decent 75 CJ6 that I obtained from Daryl, a member of this forum.

    My first Jeep was (and is) a 45 Ford GPW. Over the last 23 years it has gone from a wreck, to almost all stock , to a very capable wheeler/hunting rig. It is also the vehicle that all three of my daughters learned to drive in and has become a part of the family (that now needs to be restored, again).

    One thing I learned from the GPW is that there is not a lot of space in a flat fender Jeep. I have owned other Jeeps but never a CJ6. I started a half-hearted search for one awhile back but found them to be fairly pricey or hunks of junk. I found nothing interesting or affordable until I saw an ad on Craigslist for a 75 cj6 in the state of Washington. I ended up trading a fairly plain Corvette for the Cj6. Trailered the vette up to Washington from Napa , CA, put the Jeep on the trailer, visited some schools that my youngest daughter was interested in, and drove back home. After I got it home, it sat for awhile. We did rig a lawnmower gas tank to it and drove it around the field twice before my daughter almost parked it in the house. Brakes are a good thing but they weren't really present on the new Jeep.

    I will try to be less wordy in the future, and I will try to show lots of pictures, if I remember to take them. My goal is to have the CJ6 running, driving, and pretty by the fourth of July (2016).

    Here it is on the day I got it home.
    [​IMG]
     
    jeepermc likes this.
  2. Dec 12, 2015
    Focker

    Focker That's a terrible idea...What time? Staff Member

    WA
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    Same here, my "build" isn't much of one either. Your approach sounds practical and I'm looking forward to watching. That's of course if you post pix and lots of them...It's basically a requirement. :D

    Great looking Jeep!

    My "build" - Focker's '71 CJ5 Drivable Build
     
  3. Dec 12, 2015
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    Gotta love those 6s. Diary is good - pretty much what my 'build' thread is as well. Keep the pics coming and we love it no matter what you build or don't build.
     
  4. Dec 13, 2015
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    USA
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    Keep the words and pics coming. Its kind of like a diary, but we talk back. My diary thread has all kinds of people saying all kinds of things in it. Maybe my diary has schizophrenia?
     
  5. Dec 13, 2015
    fesser

    fesser Napa, CA 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Napa, CA
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    According to my camera we hauled the Jeep home on 7-25-14. Daryl got it to fire off by pouring fuel in the carb. At home we tried to run it from a small tank through the fuel pump but it leaked gas everywhere. We did two laps around the field with a gravity feed setup and no brakes . Gave it a thorough inspection and found it to be remarkably sound considering it had been sitting for a long while in the Pacific Northwest (which I heard is currently in danger of washing away into the ocean). This Jeep had these super cool add ons:
    [​IMG]
    Extended spare tire carrier which helps to do a better job of mangling the corner of the tub,
    [​IMG]
    Hoopty license plate holder with exposed wiring for the lamp, bumperettes which are probably from an M38A1 as I see some o.d. shining through and they are different than the ones on my GPW,
    [​IMG]
    tow hooks that were mounted up on some flat stock to provide more leverage for tweaking the frame rails.
    [​IMG]
    It also came with ventilated floorboards. This area of the floors is actually the worst of the rust on the whole rig. The only other rust was on the drivers side by the door opening where they all seem to rust where the sheet metal meets the brace. When I removed the fender flares I found that the lip inside the front fenders had rotted away thanks to the flares trapping crud.
     
  6. Dec 13, 2015
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    Ventilated floor boards are all the rage now. Its extreme patina they say!
     
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  7. Dec 13, 2015
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Ventilated floors are a very common feature ... but less common with a hard top. Possibly the PO had the top off for a while, and water pooled in the floors.

    The factory hard top uses plates instead of catches for the windshield. Nice factory taillight - they are scarce undamaged. Probably had the license plate under the taillight when delivered. The taillight on the left should have a clear window in the bottom to illuminate the plate. There is a bracket that goes between the light and the body, for the plate.

    The bumperettes were available aftermarket from Crown. Apparently not available now. http://www.amazon.com/Crown-Automotive-488638-Bumperette/dp/B00B4D5LCE If you don't like them, I expect you could sell them.

    Which engine? Which gear ratio?
     
    rholmes69 likes this.
  8. Dec 13, 2015
    sterlclan

    sterlclan Member 2022 Sponsor

    exploring the...
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    just bought taillights almost like the originals on ebay for thirty bucks.[​IMG]
     
  9. Dec 13, 2015
    fesser

    fesser Napa, CA 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Napa, CA
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    Extreme patina. I like it. You would be surprised at how many people have told me not to paint this Jeep because it has patina. All this time I thought it was rust. As for the tail lights they were both Grotes but the left one doesn't have the clear portion. The right one doesn't even have the red portion since I smacked it with the Kubota bucket. I have a friend's 72 on the property with a good left light. I am going to see if I can seduce him with a pair of new LED lights and then I will have the correct ones for mine.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 14, 2015
  10. Dec 15, 2015
    fesser

    fesser Napa, CA 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Napa, CA
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    Sort of playing catch up here by posting stuff I did since I got her home.
    I installed a new fuel tank, rubber lines, fuel pump, and rebuilt the carb. That got her to run for a bit but then she quit. When she quit I installed a new ignition module which didn't change things. I cleaned up a bunch of electrical connections as Timgr suggested and she started right up. For good measure I put in new plugs, wires, and a coil. Sorry no pictures worth looking at for that stuff. Next I decided to address the brakes. I found that the master cylinder looked pretty good...
    [​IMG]
    but I replaced it anyway.
    Got the Jeep in the brake fixing position...
    [​IMG]
    Brakes at all four corners were nasty. The linings fell off of some of the shoes. All wheel cylinders were full of dusty rust which wasn't much of a surprise based on the condition of the master cylinder. Here is a single picture but they all looked about the same...
    [​IMG]
    This ended up turning out to be one of the most complete brake jobs I have ever done. By the time I got through I had a new master cylinder, new drums, new wheel cylinders, new shoes, new spring and hardware kits, new self adjuster kits and new front hoses. I must admit it was nice working with all new stuff.
    [​IMG]
    I also took the opportunity to replace the front driving hub with a set of Warns that I got from a member of this site.
    [​IMG]
    Was happy to find all the bearings in the hubs were Timkens and all were in great shape. even the little internal spindle bearings were fine. New seals and new grease and she was good to go.
    [​IMG]
     
  11. Dec 15, 2015
    jeepermc

    jeepermc Active Member

    Western WA
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    Awesome!
     
  12. Dec 15, 2015
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    Nice! Nice barn and jeeps. Old brakes have asbestos in them. Be careful of the dust.

    That master is perfect!:D
     
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  13. Dec 15, 2015
    fesser

    fesser Napa, CA 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    I have to confess. I am a bit of a hoarder and the barn was a disgusting mess as recently as early November. Then we found out that Thanksgiving was going to be at our place this year. My house is less than 1000 square feet and we were looking at 30 people, so that motivated me to get the barn cleaned up. Got a dumpster delivered. Drank many beers (found out that I can actually part with junk I don't need after a few cold ones) and fought the urge to hang onto stuff just because I might need it someday. This is how it looked before the guests arrived.
    [​IMG]
    Now I clean up every day when I finish working on the Jeeps. If I ever clean out my tool room I might actually really get things done.
     
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  14. Dec 20, 2015
    fesser

    fesser Napa, CA 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    With new brakes and functioning fuel and ignition systems, I finally took her out for a spin. Went about 1 mile round trip, didn't try to exceed 45 mph. She moves and steers fine. Not a single light works. Heater fan works if you don't mind a howling noise. Great oil pressure. Gas gauge worked but then went to peg over at full. Water pump leaks and the radiator is kind of covered in grey sludge (on the inside). Lots of people advised me to leave it intact and work on the little problems. Seems like intelligent and sound advice, so I decided to tear it down. Starting with the top.
    Doors just pop off by lifiting...
    [​IMG]
    Then I removed these pillar pieces by breaking off half the bolts that go into the windshield frame.
    [​IMG]
    It looked like the 20" side panel extensions would be easy to remove. They were, sort of, but there is one bolt at the bottom that you can't get to unless the whole top comes up off the tub. I later stuck just the rear side panel back in it to see what it would look like. I might run it this way once in awhile during the summer (just top and rear sections).
    [​IMG]
    This is what the inside looks like for those who haven't been inside a Meyers top. There are a thousand 1/4-20 bolts that hold it together. They run around the upper seam, around the bottom where they bolt through to the tub, and down the vertical seam that is forward of the side window. After taking out a bunch of them I found it was sometimes easier to just tighten them with the little impact wrench. They snap off a lot quicker than removing them the conventional way.
    [​IMG]
    With the top off I backed it out to see how it looks. The roll bar is going to have to go.
    [​IMG]
    No top, no roll bar. Hours away from not being driveable for awhile.
    [​IMG]
     
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  15. Dec 20, 2015
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    The body is really in great shape
     
  16. Dec 20, 2015
    tarry99

    tarry99 Member

    Northern California
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    Looking Good , Frank..............I like your approach. And nice banquet room!
     
  17. Dec 20, 2015
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
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    Dude...........A Chevelle/ Malibu convertible? Nice!

    The Jeep looks pretty solid. I noticed the front bumper is almost straight, too. In my experience, that's a rare find in itself.:)
    Oh, great Barn, too.
     
  18. Dec 22, 2015
    fesser

    fesser Napa, CA 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    The bumper is actually tweaked pretty good from the passenger frame rail out. The Chevelle is now living under an overhang with its trunk sticking out in the rain. Not the best thing for it but I can't work on the Jeep with the car next to it.
     
  19. Dec 22, 2015
    Daryl

    Daryl Sponsor

    Bonney Lake, WA
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    Bet that is the first time that Jeep has ever had the top taken off. First time ever topless outside of the factory.
     
  20. Dec 22, 2015
    fesser

    fesser Napa, CA 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Napa, CA
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    Brought it back inside to start taking it apart. First thing I removed was the cool interior light that was mounted at the apparent expense of having a rearview mirror.
    [​IMG]
    When I went to remove the windshield, it would bind when tilting it forward. The brackets pivot as they should but its almost like the slot in the bracket might be catching the corner of the flat hinge pin. Decided to unbolt the hinge and figure out the issue later. Found this neat sticker on the cowl. I am pretty sure Daryl is right about that being the first time the top was off. The sealant from the top to the jeep was really tacky and thick, kind of like plumbers putty but stickier.
    [​IMG]
    This is going to have to be replaced.
    [​IMG]
    Loosing the front end...
    [​IMG]
    I decided to use the "get your friends to lift the tub and walk it back onto sawhorse" method to get the body off the frame. Some time ago I mounted the sawhorses onto casters which turned out to be pretty handy for this project.
    [​IMG]
    Body on sawhorses, took the opportunity to power wash the floors. Amazing how much junk fell off this thing. Had to cut three quarters of the mounting bolts. Seems that most of the fasteners on this rig are rusted badly. PB blaster, heat, impact wrenches all seem to have little effect.
    [​IMG]
    Took further advantage of a friend and had him get soaked giving the chassis a quick cleaning.
    [​IMG]
    Chassis back inside...
    [​IMG]
    Went to take the grill off and got a new twist on the frozen rusty fastener problem. This time the whole section that is supposed to be part of the grill broke off. I was able to get the bolt out afterward. At least its easier to fix than drilling out a bolt and retapping.
    [​IMG]
    Three speed getting ready to come out using a very high tech lifting harness.
    [​IMG]
    Three speed is out and sitting next to its replacement (T19 with Dana 300).
    [​IMG]
    So at this stage, this diary is pretty well caught up. Until now I have been documenting things that I did in the past months. The body removal was in the last week or two. There will probably be a little down time due to the Holidays making it difficult to justify buying Jeep parts and because I have to turn the barn back into a dining area to host my middle Daughter's graduation party right after Christmas. As time permits I will work on things that can use cleaning or detailing since that usually costs little to do.
     
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