Willy's Resto Mod Wheeler

Got what seems like a lot of progress done over the last month, without working any weekends and now its starting to get cold. I started off going through the rats nest of wiring that was in the CJ and started installing a wiring kit from Northwest Auto Wire. It has great instructions and a nice grommet-ed plug at the fire wall.

I will have to upload some wires later.

I also started working on the rocker panel. I figured I would start with the known panel and adjust the rest to fit.




I then started mocking up 1x1 steel for floor supports in stead of the hat channel I plan to keep the general shape.





Lastly I had a side project going with a winch (bench work on a cold night), I picked it up of a local scrapyard for less than $50. It has a bent mounting plate for a TJ/YJ but that will probably be tossed in the scrap. I got it home and tested it out, thought I got hosed because it was barely working. Took it apart found out it needed a new brush kit. A off-road shop ordered it for me and it was pretty easy to install. Here are a few photos:

Broken brushes




New brushes:



Not sure if it will go on the XJ or the CJ just yet, but its a good place to store it:




Help me identify if this is a Dana 44 or a 41? I think it is a Dana 44.



As it is starting to get colder, working in the garage is becoming less ideal, I do plan on having the floor in shortly after the new year, and the rest of the this side patched by March, the driver side is much cleaner only needing the cowl panel and floor pan. I maybe pull the transmission transfer case propellers, and axle shafts to rebuild them in the basement over the cold of the winter.

 

Here are few more, figured I would make both floor supports at the same time.





Here is that wiring kit some what installed

 

really look like a dana 44
Look at the picture , it will tell you where to look to find the model number (#3 on the picture)

 

Definitely a 44, 41 covers are substantially different.
Sweet deal on the winch fb.

 

Hi Red00XJ

I love the 1x1 steel tube, I did the same with mine except I used 1x2. A little trick I did was I added another piece of 1x1 steel tube to the inside perimeter where the new patch panel is along the bottom lip on the tub. It gives you something to weld the new floor pan to also. The original Willys Jeep folks never had anything there they just folded the floor pan and tack welded it to the inside of the body. It will give you extra strength in case of side impact also.

MikeC

 

It was a long winter, not working on the Jeep, finally got some garage time this afternoon and got a lot of progress in putting this back together.

The first time I did this panel, I wasn't being patient and I warped it pretty good, additionally where the tool box was, the, I damaged the sheet using a regular drill bit, I thought I could live with it, then I realized I didn't get the wheel well angle right and I didn't have the measurements just right, I also knew it was going to bug me so I cut it out and reworked it.




I also started to cut out the floor pan on the driver side and preparing it for the new floor pan.


Additionally I put in a new water pump and alternator and finished up wiring the motor, next week I hope to wire up the dash.

 

Went to fire it up back in April, came across a rusty gas tank, decided poly was the right replacement, also this shot shows the new floor pans installed

I also came a cross a crack in the front passenger side frame horn. The crack could be from when it was originally flat towed or just due to age and stress, after I found this, I intend to find comb the rest of the fame to see how bad it is.



Knowing I have future plans building my own frame, and using a wider spring like in a YJ or XJ. I contemplated upgrading at this point, but decided I would just repair the horn using a 2x4 steel (mainly because the wife would like to see it move out of the garage under its own power this year and I have a lot of other kinks I am working out before I want to tackle that much work). I sill need to fish plate the frame horn and gusset the it to the tube cross member, but it should work for the time being