Spankrjs 1986 "Ploy-Boy" CJ-7
- Thread starter spankrjs
- Start date
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
Took a break from the red Scrambler hard top work, decided to pay a visit to Shovel University.
I had the concrete guys wreck the forms last week, but I wanted to do all the finish grading and backfill work. Just now getting around to finish grading and back filling the front ramp area. The other three sides were a piece of cake.
At first, I set some grade boards following the same downward angle as the concrete ramp.
One side down, already seeing an issue.
Both sides complete.
And the problem.
I would have to bring in way more dirt to continue this grade out until it hit the natural dirt grade. I don't want to do that, so let's reset the grade rails and get back on the good old shovel!!
Half way done, much better!
Complete.
The dirt that was already in place had been compacted using a plate packer, to make a dirt ramp for the concrete truck to back up on, so that the chute would reach the back form of the flat slab. To say this dirt was as hard as concrete would be an understatement!! Since it was packed so hard already I would rather dig down/shave it down. Worked great, but that damn red clay packs super hard.
Finished up just in time for the first rain here in over a month!!!
The packed clay seemed to be holding up well, I'll check it out better tomorrow. I have a little more dirt to spread on the shed side of the flat slab, then I will go borrow a plate packer from my old job and pack all my backfill.
I'm not going to leave the clay ramp as the finished product, it will not hold up indefinitely. The red clay is 3.5" below the top of the ramp concrete, so kinda of an annoying bump to get up on to the concrete ramp. I don't want to pour concrete over the whole ramp, although I could. I don't want to drive any more stakes in the ground in this area because the electrical line to the well house and the main water line are running somewhere underneath this area. I already played Russian Roulette doing what I already did!!!
Maybe something like a "TruGrid" or "Agrec" grid paver, then fill it with gravel.
Anyway, that's it for now.
I had the concrete guys wreck the forms last week, but I wanted to do all the finish grading and backfill work. Just now getting around to finish grading and back filling the front ramp area. The other three sides were a piece of cake.
At first, I set some grade boards following the same downward angle as the concrete ramp.
One side down, already seeing an issue.
Both sides complete.
And the problem.
I would have to bring in way more dirt to continue this grade out until it hit the natural dirt grade. I don't want to do that, so let's reset the grade rails and get back on the good old shovel!!
Half way done, much better!
Complete.
The dirt that was already in place had been compacted using a plate packer, to make a dirt ramp for the concrete truck to back up on, so that the chute would reach the back form of the flat slab. To say this dirt was as hard as concrete would be an understatement!! Since it was packed so hard already I would rather dig down/shave it down. Worked great, but that damn red clay packs super hard.
Finished up just in time for the first rain here in over a month!!!
The packed clay seemed to be holding up well, I'll check it out better tomorrow. I have a little more dirt to spread on the shed side of the flat slab, then I will go borrow a plate packer from my old job and pack all my backfill.
I'm not going to leave the clay ramp as the finished product, it will not hold up indefinitely. The red clay is 3.5" below the top of the ramp concrete, so kinda of an annoying bump to get up on to the concrete ramp. I don't want to pour concrete over the whole ramp, although I could. I don't want to drive any more stakes in the ground in this area because the electrical line to the well house and the main water line are running somewhere underneath this area. I already played Russian Roulette doing what I already did!!!
Maybe something like a "TruGrid" or "Agrec" grid paver, then fill it with gravel.
Anyway, that's it for now.
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
Actually, since I'm feeling cheap AND I won't be repeatedly driving up and down this ramp area until the Jeep is fully rebuilt, I might just buy four 4'x6'x3/4" thick rubber stall mats from Tractor Supply to place over the packed dirt. This should keep it from washing away.
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
The rain did not hurt the rock hard clay ramp.
We hadn't had rain for awhile, well we caught up last night!!
Will grab a plate packer and go over all the disturbed dirt before the next rain on Sunday.
Car port people MIGHT be here the week of December 16
We hadn't had rain for awhile, well we caught up last night!!
Will grab a plate packer and go over all the disturbed dirt before the next rain on Sunday.
Car port people MIGHT be here the week of December 16
- City
- W-S
- State
- NC
That's a nice flat slab right there! Good job with the laser. Pack that clay and put some ABC on it and call it done. Looking good down there on the Bayou.
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
I was going to go to my old job's shop and dig out the one plate packer that we kept. It ran 2 years ago when I drained the gas tank. Instead, went to Home Depot 10 minutes away and rented one for $80 for about 3 hours. Probably the wise choice, I'm sure I would have spent more time trying to get the old one running, and staying running!!
All they had was a 14", would have preferred a 20", but it worked great.
The hard clay ramp packed up even harder, the backfilled sides are not as tight but way better. The sides were backfilled with the original dirt.
The front ramp, rock hard.
The sides and back.
Driving to Tractor Supply, next town over, freezing my ass off in the red Scrambler. I was too dirty to pull the trailer with the 392, and the red Scrambler is the only other Jeep here with a working trailer light connection.
Nice little marsh fire in the distance!!!!
And installed. I purchased six of the 3/4" thick 4'x6' horse stall mats. These things are heavy and a PIA to load/unload by yourself. This should keep the packed dirt ramp stable for awhile. I might go back, in the future, and either pour concrete here or install some crushed concrete. For now, the mats will do, and can be repurposed later on.
I will probably pull the two mats that are on top of the other four down to the bottom. About the only other thing I'm going to do for now is throw an old 2x12 down against the concrete edge to cut the 3" climb in half.
That's all for this project until the structure is up.
All they had was a 14", would have preferred a 20", but it worked great.
The hard clay ramp packed up even harder, the backfilled sides are not as tight but way better. The sides were backfilled with the original dirt.
The front ramp, rock hard.
The sides and back.
Driving to Tractor Supply, next town over, freezing my ass off in the red Scrambler. I was too dirty to pull the trailer with the 392, and the red Scrambler is the only other Jeep here with a working trailer light connection.
Nice little marsh fire in the distance!!!!
And installed. I purchased six of the 3/4" thick 4'x6' horse stall mats. These things are heavy and a PIA to load/unload by yourself. This should keep the packed dirt ramp stable for awhile. I might go back, in the future, and either pour concrete here or install some crushed concrete. For now, the mats will do, and can be repurposed later on.
I will probably pull the two mats that are on top of the other four down to the bottom. About the only other thing I'm going to do for now is throw an old 2x12 down against the concrete edge to cut the 3" climb in half.
That's all for this project until the structure is up.
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
I start this one up and drive it around the neighborhood pretty regularly to keep it fresh. Last few runs both belts have been slipping non stop. Power steering was still working but the alternator was not charging.
Belts that came on this Jeep, definitely not original.
Bought two new cheap belts, not the usual more expensive NAPA belts, these will do for now. The cheap belt numbers match what I run on my red Scrambler.
Old belt numbers, definitely not correct for this application??
New belts on, no more squeaking!!
In the future I will probably go with a shorter PS belt to get the reservoir closer to vertical.
Picture of the guilty party.
Still waiting on the car port and a mental jolt to really get rolling with this project.
That's it for now.
Belts that came on this Jeep, definitely not original.
Bought two new cheap belts, not the usual more expensive NAPA belts, these will do for now. The cheap belt numbers match what I run on my red Scrambler.
Old belt numbers, definitely not correct for this application??
New belts on, no more squeaking!!
In the future I will probably go with a shorter PS belt to get the reservoir closer to vertical.
Picture of the guilty party.
Still waiting on the car port and a mental jolt to really get rolling with this project.
That's it for now.
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
The carport/install crew finally were scheduled. They showed up Friday, 3 hours later, complete.
I went with higher then normal for a car port sides. I mainly did this to have more clearance around the braces that run from each column back up to the trusses. I will probably eventually stud in the sides and sheet the whole thing up into a shed. For now, with the messy work I'm going to be doing I'd rather have it open. Also, it is so hot down here most of the year the open sides are better for ventilation.
Went by my old job/shop and borrowed a big rolling magnet. The stuff on the top of the picture is from the car port people, most of the rusty stuff was from the driveway, probably from original home construction. Lots of tire poppers!
This will be a much better work area vs the original dirt/tent.
That's it for now.
I went with higher then normal for a car port sides. I mainly did this to have more clearance around the braces that run from each column back up to the trusses. I will probably eventually stud in the sides and sheet the whole thing up into a shed. For now, with the messy work I'm going to be doing I'd rather have it open. Also, it is so hot down here most of the year the open sides are better for ventilation.
Went by my old job/shop and borrowed a big rolling magnet. The stuff on the top of the picture is from the car port people, most of the rusty stuff was from the driveway, probably from original home construction. Lots of tire poppers!
This will be a much better work area vs the original dirt/tent.
That's it for now.
- City
- Baton Rouge
- State
- La
Looks like we can fit 6 CJs under there
- City
- Galivants Ferry
- State
- SC
That looks great
- City
- Baton Rouge
- State
- La
That’s cool that you have a YouTube video of it
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
I do?
Belizeit
CJ-8 Member
- City
- River Ridge
- State
- La
LMAO
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
I'll add this here since this was the black '86's home.
The only Hurricane Isaias victim in my yard, at least this time I remembered to remove the Jeep from inside the tent BEFORE the hurricane hit!!
Looking back in pictures of my 1985 Spring Special thread, best I can tell I originally purchased and installed this tent in late 2019/early 2020 when I was working on the Spring Special in my garage and needed some where to park the red Scrambler out of the rain. So, I got 6 years out of a temporary tent that coat around $220. Not too shabby.
This thing originally collapsed in October 2020 during a Cat 2 hurricane. Had a bunch of snow on it a few years ago, and I moved it about a month ago. So, it has had some trauma!! All in all, it had been a good tent.
What finally killed it: the metal pipes are swaged down where they slide into each other, this makes a weak point. When I set this thing back up a month ago I did not stake it back to the ground, needed some new augers. A little wind storm blew it over, which was probably not good for it. It was staked and augered down for the Cat 2, but it died. In hind sight, if you want these things to live, take the tarp off BEFORE the hurricane hits. The poles will be fine.
Anyway, carnage pictures.
Ready for the big dumpster at work, RIP Harbor Freight tent garage.
Interesting note, the equally old Harbor Freight sun shade tent survived. Lack of sides helps. This thing is so old that the tarp would sag between the rafters with rain water, not good. So, awhile back I added a bunch of rafters between the metal rafters, works great. Some PVC "T's", wood dowels, and pipe insulation, done.
The Suncast plastic shed is fine. If/when another storm comes I will take the cover off this white tent to help it survive. This time around, storm was far enough east no worries.
So, need to go shopping for a new car tent garage!!!
The only Hurricane Isaias victim in my yard, at least this time I remembered to remove the Jeep from inside the tent BEFORE the hurricane hit!!
Looking back in pictures of my 1985 Spring Special thread, best I can tell I originally purchased and installed this tent in late 2019/early 2020 when I was working on the Spring Special in my garage and needed some where to park the red Scrambler out of the rain. So, I got 6 years out of a temporary tent that coat around $220. Not too shabby.
This thing originally collapsed in October 2020 during a Cat 2 hurricane. Had a bunch of snow on it a few years ago, and I moved it about a month ago. So, it has had some trauma!! All in all, it had been a good tent.
What finally killed it: the metal pipes are swaged down where they slide into each other, this makes a weak point. When I set this thing back up a month ago I did not stake it back to the ground, needed some new augers. A little wind storm blew it over, which was probably not good for it. It was staked and augered down for the Cat 2, but it died. In hind sight, if you want these things to live, take the tarp off BEFORE the hurricane hits. The poles will be fine.
Anyway, carnage pictures.
Ready for the big dumpster at work, RIP Harbor Freight tent garage.
Interesting note, the equally old Harbor Freight sun shade tent survived. Lack of sides helps. This thing is so old that the tarp would sag between the rafters with rain water, not good. So, awhile back I added a bunch of rafters between the metal rafters, works great. Some PVC "T's", wood dowels, and pipe insulation, done.
The Suncast plastic shed is fine. If/when another storm comes I will take the cover off this white tent to help it survive. This time around, storm was far enough east no worries.
So, need to go shopping for a new car tent garage!!!
- City
- Biloxi
- State
- MS
I’m surprised the tent material lasted that long. Maybe your shade trees helped.
Yep, that's the only thing I can figure. The fabric material was pretty dried out, but was still waterproof.
