CJ8 Tub - little to no rust - Available?

[Davide]

I have a wanted ad posted in the classifieds for a Scrambler tub with little to no rust.

I am at the point in the restoration where I really need to figure out an overall plan for the tub. I am pretty sure (99%) that replacing the tub is the way to go. i do not want a repro. I have the next few weeks free to do tons of work on the beast, and I want to spend my time wisely.

I guess the questions are: Should I wait around for a clean tub to come available? I mean, how difficult are they to find in reality?

 

[notquitemusashi]

yeah hurry up with this!!!

 

[bigwalton]

If I were going through the pain and process of a tub replacement, it would be a brand new tub.

My question to people looking for rust-free original tubs is why would just the tub be for sale if it was in that condition??

1) The frame and running gear couldn't have been beat on too badly so as to cause you to part the Jeep out
2) the rest of the Jeep can't possibly have rust issues to cause you to part it if the tub's that good
3) a fire or something else catastrophic that would make you part it would almost certainly trash some part of the tub

I can't see why someone would be selling just a good (stock, original) tub unless they took a cherry Scrambler to cut up/lift or something and wanted to put on a beater body and were trying to make back some cash. Can't really see that happening because of the cost of the cherry rig, unless they inherited it or found an insane deal from some old dude.

I vote for new tub, what do you have against repros other than the embossed "Joop"?

 

[charliev]

I can't agree. If I had to replace my tub, I'd find a used one. Granted they are expensive, but they can still be found for less than a new Al. one. I think buying a new tub would be a ton of extra work considering they don't have any holes in the firewall.

How about I import a CJ-8 From Oz for the WC hard top and you can buy the right side drive tub from me?

 

[cjgoode]

I would agree with both above, I would look for a used tub, it is the way to go, but I would not expect to find a good used tub I can use right away, maybe hope to find one that needs less work then the one you have if you have one. People do not pull good rust free tubs off to sell them, like bigwalton said if the tub is real good, the rest also has to be good with maybe a blown motor. So I would not expect to find a good tub, but one that is repairable, and needs some work. I have seen some come up on ebay that already had the rust cutout and new metal welded in but not finished.

How bad is the tub you have if you have one. With a cheap mig welder from lowes you can learn to weld if needed and do a lot of repairs for relatively cheap. On mine I had gotten some panels real cheap off ebay (Guy had a set of cj7 floor meta), I used the floor pans for the front, but the rest I ended up just using the metal to cut and make my own patches for the body.

 

[gmotox]

I vote for new tub, what do you have against repros other than the embossed "Joop"?

Definately used if you can find one. for the price of $4000.00 plus paint and prep work for a new tub you can have abody shop do alot of work to an old tub.
The problem with the replacement tubs is alot of things. I have installed (2) replacement tubs (Willys Overland Repli tub being the worst) and I will try hard never to use one again.
Alot of the holes for accessories didn't come threaded or were in the wrong location, the door openings are a little off shape, and one thing they don't tell you before buying it is that you should remove the primer that comes on them and reprime and prep the metal (they reccommend acid dipping, another big cost).
Replacement tubs have there place, but at $4000.00 + $500.00(strip and prime)+$1500.00 (paint) I think you can do a whole lot more for the money!