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Don's '69 CJ5 rebuild

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by djbutler, Mar 2, 2008.

  1. Aug 14, 2008
    drexotic

    drexotic Happy now?!?!?

    San Diego
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    Lookin' good!
     
  2. Aug 14, 2008
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    My hat is off to you, that is really coming together nicely.
     
  3. Nov 12, 2008
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    Any updates?
     
  4. Nov 13, 2008
    djbutler

    djbutler Sponsor

    Rio Linda CA
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    Hi Clint,
    Yes, I'm still working on it, but slowly. There's that 4 letter word 'work' that pays for our hobby as well as expensive habits like eating and sleeping indoors. Some of these other guys on the forum seem to work so much faster than I do it makes me jealous!

    I am in the final stages of smoothing with plastic fill on the tub sides, cowl panels and taillight panels. I hope to get a final coat of the epoxy primer on the tub this weekend. I found this stuff sands quite nicely if you give it long enough to cure and harden, otherwise it will just clog up the sandpaper.

    I recently scored a hood from a '71 in much better shape than my original, I haven't started on it yet. I'm afraid of warping it with the sandblaster so I plan to use chemical stripper to get the old paint off the hood, then use acid etch to get the rust off it. The front fenders and grill are still in the blue paint from the PO, so I have a pile of work to do before shooting the color coat (spruce tip green).

    I also discovered the windshield frame is warped from some impact to the upper right, that explained why the soft top was slack on that side. I haven't figured out yet whether I can straighten it sufficiently or if I need to search out another one.

    I'll try and get some more pics of the current progress this weekend. thanks everybody for the interest in my project.

    Don
     
  5. Dec 14, 2008
    djbutler

    djbutler Sponsor

    Rio Linda CA
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    Got some pictures downloaded showing some of what I've worked on since the last update.


    [​IMG]
    Before I started doing the plastic fill work on the tub sides I noticed the left side of the tub was bowed in pretty badly.


    [​IMG]
    The right side was bowed just a little bit.


    [​IMG]
    I thought about how to straighten this out using the porta-power and came up with this anchor fixture made out of some scrap steel.


    [​IMG]
    I built it in place, fitting pieces of scrap and welding them together to spread the load on the right side tub rail and wheel house.


    [​IMG]
    A look from an angle


    [​IMG]
    Got the porta-power set in place.


    [​IMG]
    I used some pieces of wood to spread the pressure on the badly bowed side, it's ready to start putting the pressure on.


    [​IMG]
    Some pressure on it, looks straight.


    [​IMG]
    Put a little more pressure on to get it just a little past straight.


    [​IMG]
    After the pressure is released, the tub side relaxed back to just about right.


    [​IMG]
    The right side tub rail also moved just a bit, looks closer to straight than when I started.


    [​IMG]
    The tube socket for the stock top bow now stands up straight, it moved quite a bit.



    Fast forward a few weeks after finishing the plastic fill work on the tub rear quarters, sides and cowl panel. I took these pictures yesterday, the weather cooperated to allow me to shoot a final thick prime coat.


    [​IMG]
    A look at the left quarter panel.


    [​IMG]
    The right quarter panel.


    [​IMG]
    The rights side door and rocker panel area.


    [​IMG]
    And the cowl panel


    Now I am working on planning a dash layout. The more I have worked on this project, the closer I am getting to a 'Resto-Mod'. I am thinking about getting a DJ-5 steering column and wheel for the original looks. I hate to chop up the dash panel I found off a '71. It is pretty close to original, only has three gauge holes the PO cutout to refill with metal. I would like to find some original dash switches for the wipers, lights and e-flasher but these are hard to come by 40 years later.
     
  6. Dec 14, 2008
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    Don, thanks so much for posting. Been waiting patiently for the updates - this is a great build and I think you've given me the motivation I needed to try and save my junkyard salvaged '63 tub. Going to start on it over the holidays. Might have some questions for you that your pictorial could answer. Awesome work. :beer:
     
  7. Jan 12, 2009
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    It's easy to sit back in the easy chair with a frosty beverage and enjoy the pictures in a thread like this one.
    It's not so easy to try and duplicate the work; Don sets the bar extremely high. Can't wait to see the Spruce Tip Green. :beer:
     
  8. Jan 12, 2009
    windyhill

    windyhill Sponsor

    PA
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    I've had really great success with using my stock steering column and cutting it off for a saggy conversion. I like the stock "bus" steering wheel. By the way excelent work on the body! Makes me want to go start on mine!
     
  9. Feb 1, 2009
    djbutler

    djbutler Sponsor

    Rio Linda CA
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    Nov 5, 2007
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    Got an update with some picture of how my steering intermediate shaft turned out.
    I went to J&W wrecing yard and got a DJ steering column along with the DJ intermediate shaft. It had a rag joint at the steering box end, I trimmed this off. The PO of my '69 had installed a Saginaw steering box out of a '73 along with the from crossmenber from the '73 frame. This box had a section of double D shaft attached to it, I kept this. Next. I got a Borgeson universal joint (3/4 smooth X 3/4 double D), and a 3/4 heim joint for a support bearing.


    [​IMG]
    I picked a spot on the left side motor mount frame extension for a mounting location for the heim joint, heated and hammered until the motor mount looked like this.

    [​IMG]
    Here is the view from the side, you see the DJ intermediate shaft and universal, and the heim joint holding the trimmed DJ shaft. There is about 1/4 in of clearance between the intermediate shaft and the cast iron exhaust manifold from a '76 buick.

    [​IMG]
    A look from above shows the angles of the two peices of intermediate shaft, the heim joint used for the support bearing and the Borgeson universal joint.

    [​IMG]
    This is looking at the Borgeson universal joint from the insde. I had to do some heating and hammering to get clearance for the universal joint next to the frame, also on the motor mount frame extension to clear the intermediate shaft.

    [​IMG]
    Last is a look from the front, shows the angularity of the two piece intermediate shaft.

    I still need to fix the smooth end of the DJ shaft to the Borgeson universal joint. I had planned to do a weld 360° around on the universal. Does this sound safe to you guys?
     
  10. Feb 2, 2009
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    That's an interesting solution, Don, don't think I've seen anyone do that before. I like it! :beer: Did you come up with it yourself, or read about it somewhere?

    With only 1/4" of clearance on the manifold, you'll probably get some rubbing, especially as the mounts wear. I guess I wouldn't like it hitting the universal, chance of a flat spot causing binding against the manifold wheras the shaft itself would probably just slip freely. Hard to tell in that one pic, where's the danger close point?

    McRuff is the guru to ask about the universal, but I think I read a while back that a bolt through and a 360deg bead around was the safe method.
     
  11. Feb 3, 2009
    djbutler

    djbutler Sponsor

    Rio Linda CA
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    Clint,
    No, it wouldn't be touching either universal just the smooth 3/4 shaft if it rubs the manifold at all.
    I kind of came up with the plan myself, did some reading on the Borgeson site for ideas. The only way I could see to get more clearance on the manifold would be a double universal, but they are pricey and I would have to mount another support bearing up next to it. I even thought about doing some grinding and brazing on the cast iron manifold itself to increase the clearance. I'll have to try wheeling it for a while and go from there.

    I found the heim joint at Tognotti's, that is a hot rod supply store in Sacramento. Paid $18 for it, the exact same part that Borgeson sells as a support bearing for $32. I just had to find two jam nuts in 3/4 X 16 at a hardware store to complete the same package Borgeson would sell.

    OK, drill for a bolt and then weld the smooth side of the universal. Thanks.

    I'll post some more pics soon of the solution I found for the knuckle stud conversion. It involves using button head cap screws instead of press in studs, a counterbore cutter to get a clean clamping surface for the cap screw heads, and the drill press.

    Don
     
  12. Feb 3, 2009
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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  13. Feb 3, 2009
    neptco19

    neptco19 That guy....

    Athens, GA
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    Don thats all I did on my steering column was weld the 360 around the u joint. Its been holding up really well. You gotta think of the amount of force you would have to put on the steering wheel in order to break that weld, I'd guess something in the steering box or tie rod would give out first
     
  14. Feb 3, 2009
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    Don, out of curiosity because I'm also using the postal column and intermediate shaft in my upcoming conversion on the '70, where did the rag joint end up prior to trimming? Just a ball park, say relative to the shock mount? TIA.
     
  15. Feb 4, 2009
    djbutler

    djbutler Sponsor

    Rio Linda CA
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    Clint,
    The rag joint end of the DJ intermediate shaft extended well forward of the shock mount. I never could install that shaft before cutting it down because of the exhaust maniford interference. The rag end looked long enough to reach the steering box as it is mounted but it couldn't make the angle around the manifold.

    PO had taken the front crossmember from a '73 or newer CJ and welded it to the frame horns, complete with the power steering box and the steering box mount. He removed completely the original crossmember that has the grille mount and the bell crank mount, then boxed that area clear forward to the new crossmember. He left the brake crossover tube just hanging there with no support, I have removed that and will bend up a new 3/16 tube and use the new crossmember to support it.

    To make a new grille mount he used a piece of 1/4 plate extending back a few inches from the grille mount of the '73 crossmember, with a hole for the mounting bolt. Looks pretty ugly, but it is functional.
    [​IMG]

    I looked at the link you posted about the knuckle stud conversion. That is just about exactly what I did, I think I read this before. There is also a similar writeup in the Moses Ludel book. The only thing I did different was to grind down the diameter of the button head cap screws just a bit (about .025) so the spot face cut diameter didn't need to be as large, less material cut out of the knuckle.

    Don
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2009
  16. Feb 4, 2009
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    Thanks, Don. I've got headers, I'm wondering if I could make it work as-is. Eh, just one more trick to add to the tool box. Good idea you posted! :beer:
     
  17. Feb 4, 2009
    djbutler

    djbutler Sponsor

    Rio Linda CA
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    Clint,
    You probably would have no fit problem with the headers, they extend out so far the intermediate would probably fit between the block and headers. My original intermediate shaft from a Chevy Camaro (according to the PO) fit inside the headers.

    My problems started when I wanted to go back to the cast manifolds because I didn't care for the noise, fumes and heat from the headers and shorty mufflers right under the seats. It also made the gas tank get hot, don't need that.

    I had a set of 231 manifolds from a '76 buick 231 engine that I got years back when I was building a 231 to swap into my '66 CJ5. I had to get 2 junkyard core motors to make 1 good rebuilt one, so I had the extra set of manifolds. I found that the GM column and shaft interferred with the left side manifold, so then started thinking about using the DJ column and shaft. I like the way it is turning out.
     
  18. Mar 8, 2009
    djbutler

    djbutler Sponsor

    Rio Linda CA
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    Got an update with some pictures of the work I did on a dash panel.

    [​IMG]
    This dash panel I got from a fellow on the ECJ5 list, he has parts of a couple of Jeeps stored at his Uncle's place in Herald. This is a picture of work in progress, I already patched 3 holes where the PO installed gauges to the right of the speedometer cluster, and I cut 4 new holes for gauges.

    [​IMG]
    This is after I finished cutting another hole to mount a tach, filled up various other holes the PO cut, smoothed things up and got it in prime.

    Don
     
  19. Mar 26, 2009
    jayhawkclint

    jayhawkclint ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

    Oklahoma City, USA
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    Very, very nice work as usual, Don.

    I was wondering if you could post some part numbers for you Saginaw project pictured above. I've got the DJ column, a couple different Saginaw boxes, and a pump off a Buick Skylark. I'd really like to ditch the headers. TIA.
     
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2009
  20. Sep 8, 2009
    djbutler

    djbutler Sponsor

    Rio Linda CA
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    After long hiatus away from the project, I am getting back to it, and I have the new drivetrain in place (mostly).
    This is the same 225 the PO rebuilt, ran good, just cleaned up and repainted.
    New Luk clutch kit from Herm, also a rebuilt SM465 with the short Advance adapter, a Dana 20 case with Terra-low gearset fitted with twinstick shifters and Dana 18 outputs, and a rebuilt Warn OD, all from Herm.
    The whole package is only about 1 3/4 inches longer than a stock T86/D18 combination, so the rear driveline length is not too short.
    Has anyone else used the SM465 mount kit that Herm sells? I got that as well and still haven't figured out just how these puzzle pieces fit together onto a stock crossmember. Any pictures of an SM465 transmission mount conversion?
    [​IMG]
     
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