Jeep cj7 83 right hand drive 4x4 5 sp british export - part II

[certifiablejeep]

One last thing... I got a funny email to my website about how it is easier to do "this work", with "fancy tools".

So, not sure exactly what that meant (and it was no one here, it was some random email to the certifiablejeep.com website)

So, here are my "fancy tools" and how I cut metal.

So, there you have it. An 80 dollar Lowe's grinder, a 35 year old rusty square, a 1 dollar sharpie and a 99 cent cutting disc.
The C-clamp rounds out the deal and that I got at a yard sale in a box of scrap


cb

 

[BRKLYNZ28]

Well that guys right it is fancy im using a harbor freight grinder.. waiting for that to explode soon lol..

 

[certifiablejeep]

Well that guys right it is fancy im using a harbor freight grinder.. waiting for that to explode soon lol..

This is my 2nd DeWalt in 13 years.... first one lasted like 9, but then started like it had marbles in there coming loose and then sparks and very hot... it was retired and given a good burial.

cb

 

[MrBeep]

That is all it takes. A tape measure does come in handy (with LARGE print).

 

[certifiablejeep]

Firewall work continues... put in a few hours before vacation and a few yesterday when we got back.

This was repairing the plate that I will use on the firewall and getting ready to get it in place to do the steering column hole reinforcement.

cb

 

[certifiablejeep]

Once the plate was fixed and welded and fit in place, I moved onto addressing the hole.

Figuring out what has to go and what has to stay and what needs to be drilled

That brings me up to where I am at.

Next up is to do the other side and get the heater stuff mapped out and in place along with the battery tray and cutting holes for the wiring.
I hope to get a bit done today but then it is back to work tomorrow so things will slow.

cb

 

[MrBeep]

Nice work.

Coming along nicely.

 

[certifiablejeep]

I started on the other side of the firewall last night... it is a mess, so that should take a while to sort out.
I also have to get more hole saws as I don't quite have the right sizes... so there's that.

It has come a LONG way though... original:

Now

cb

 

[certifiablejeep]

As of this morning... should have let the lights warm up in the garage as the picture quality suffered... that and the cell phone camera is junk.
Firewall is continuing to smooth out... only one more major piece to do then it is a lot of finish welding and grinding, ran out of steel last night.

cb

 

[John N]

A little late, but leave the extra hole for a steering column on the left. Stick in another column on that side and confuse the heck out of people. Think of the fun you could have, they could use a steering wheel instead of a grab bar.

 

[certifiablejeep]

Yeah, that would be cool, except then I would have to send the heater back across the pond that I had to have help getting!!

cb

 

[walkerhoundvm]

Relevant to the above comments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShOaFfBfaK4

 

[opelgtboy]

The steering shaft hole looks larger in the old firewall compared to the hole in the new one.

Karl

 

[certifiablejeep]

The old firewall consisted of what you see in the picture (a.k.a rusty/crappy paperthin mess) and the plate that covered it.

plate freshly removed:

Firewall with freshly removed plate

I used the plate to put on the new firewall and made the hole according to it along with the spacer that is in the RHD for some reason, and steering column clamp hold down.

New firewall templating:

The new firewall section is slightly larger than the plate and then when it is all sandwiched together, no one will see anything.

cb

cb

 

[Dave The Sparky]

I am enjoying watching this coming together, how you find the time and have the patience is beyond me!!

 

[certifiablejeep]

Thanks Dave... I chip away at it and get a little done when I can.
I have not had time really over the last 6 years with the little ones, but they are getting older now and I don't have to keep both eyes on them.
Wife also doesn't need as much help with them and I get my time in with them and she does as well and that has freed up some time at night.

So, work, kids, family, then Jeep... and trust me, when you go without for years, any hour you get, you spend it wisely... crack open a beer, setup, work, another beer, clean up... go in

So, here is this weeks pull...

And then finished up last night getting the stubborn battery support brackets off so I can clean them up and use them... simple job took forever, they were on there good.

cb

 

[certifiablejeep]

Continuing on the firewall, I cleaned up the battery brackets as I hope to attach them today.

I then moved onto filling the last major hole

Now that everything is structural, I don't want to finish weld anything until I cut all the new holes in place... no sense in wasting more metal and time.

I hope to get out today and get the heater and battery situation situated and hopefully cut holes and weld up supports.
I am missing one hole saw I think, so it might have to wait another day for the blower motor, but all the major stuff should go in/out without issue I am hoping.

cb

 

[certifiablejeep]

I got some time yesterday to put my high school geometry to work to try to identify all the holes and where they were.
Templates were made, measurements were taken and in the end, I couldn't get 100% accuracy as the slight differences in size between the CJ and the YU tubs.
They are close, but when it came down to it, I am trying to put large holes in the firewall in the right place.

So, I took apart the heater box so I only had the steel plate and then tried to template it (after I got the batter squared away).

This is what I had come up with at the end of the day.
I still need more holes for the heater core and the wiring and speedo and a drain hole, but it is getting there.

cb

 

[certifiablejeep]

Work has chewed up a lot of my time lately, but I got a few hours here and there... figured I would put up what I had.

Finished the Battery install w/ original inside supports.

Heater work

You put it all together and do the hokey pokey...

cb

 

[certifiablejeep]

Everything is very solid and works.
It was a ton of measuring 15x and cutting 1x.
I hooked up the battery to the blower to make sure it spun and I tested all the levers after a liberal coating of lithium spray.

cb