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Expedition Scrambler..?

A jeep thanksgiving...

So it is Thanksgiving day and I am sitting in a Starbucks (until they kick me out) using the Internet and wondering what will become of the rest of the day. Nothing is open and its to windy to work outside in the sandstorms that never end in El Paso. I may try and be brave and see if the Chow hall turkey won't kill me.?. Maybe.
Yesterday turned into a fiasco with the government contracter not showing up to deliver my HHgoods. I ended up driving over to them and packing it all in the Dodge and on the trailer! So no real progress to report as of right now. My tiny little room is wall to wall (and almost floor to celing!) PACKED with stuff. Its a complete disaster. I need to sort through it all quickly and decide what goes where. Once that is done I may be able to look at jeep progress. The leather seats for the 8 are in there somehere and they are pretty nice! The Ebay place I bought them from were NOT messing around when it came to wrapping them up for shipping! It took me almost 45 minutes to unwrap them!!! haha. But they look good and seem kinda comfy...even if I was just sitting on the floor.
I may try and at least trace out the openings for the corner guards. Need to cut out the gas filler, the taillight wiring slots and the over all shapes/contours I will need to cut. Any suggestions on how best to affix them to the body? I still have the leftover parts of the rivits from the aluminum ones so I may use those holes so I don't have to drill more in the body...maybe.
I should also pull the sending unit out of the "new" tank to see if I can source a local replacement. I hope so.
 
Slow progress but progress none the less..

Well,
Getting a TJ ARB bumper to fit the CJ frame has been quite a head scratcher. Its "on" but not near done. Need to make some tie-in brackets, drill some more holes/bolts, and mount the winch. I am waiting on a set of extended flares before I get to crazy with it but for now it at least leeoks like progress.
I also swapped out the rusty old back woods front shackles and the decomposing bushings for some I had laying around. Of course I didn't have enough of the correct length bushings so I had to cut some down....Not easy doing that with fresh poly and a naked razor blade! haha!
Tomorrow I may try fitting the corners if it doesn't look like to big a pain. Also need to get ther wipe-boy kit installed in the weather brings rain. Hate to scrape the bare arm accross my still uncracked windshield.
Let me see if the pic will load. I just snapped it as I left the shop for some coffe and internet time.
 
A little more...

Thanks BW. I'm waiting on the 6" flares before settleing on the exact spacing and location to finish it up. Kinda switched gears today and pulled all three seats and started removing the carpet. This was a step I was kinda dreading since we all know that it reveals the ugly truth of the tubs condition. Lucky for me the PO (or one of them) didn't go nuts when gluing in the household carpet so it came out fairly easy and only left a few areas I will need to shoe attention to in an effort to remove adheasive.
I got to admit that I am consistantly dumb struck when ever I do this on a new-to-me jeep. The biggest thing that always strikes me is how "virgin" some parts always seem. Factory original paint that has not seen the light of day since who knows when...And thankfully this one has a LOT of that! Yippie! The drivers and passengers floor boards will need some love but nothing really all that horrible, all things considered. The drivers is the worse of the two and still, even after scraping and poking I only turned up a few little pinholes of rust through. Someone applied some form of rust bullet type stuff at some point but didn't do an outstanding job of it so the rust kept going and growing. Still, not that bad at all so I may look into either sand blasting it or just sucking it up and riding the grinder with a wire wheel on it. It will then get some form of treatment until I can order and apply the Raptor down the road. The passenger side looked fantastic except for the typical heater core leak issue starting. I would guess it has not been doing it very long since there is little real rust other than the surface. So I suppose a new heater core is in the future as well...yuk, I hate doing those. haha.
The back footwell is near perfect! Seriously...the little nooks and crannies that normally hide all the gunk, leaves, and debris looks like it rolled out of the factory. I did manage to blow out a bunch of rat/mouse droppings and nest stuff...Big Yuk! But at least now I know where the odd smell came from. And while the majority of the bed area is very, very good there was one large dissapointment. The drivers side rear corner. At some point during its life this thing got hit....Hard! And while I didn't originally think it was too bad, just the outer corner that would get covered by my new 1/8 plate corners....I'm not so sure now. The inner part (no idea what to call it?) that is sort of triangular shaped and goes from the floor to the top/back edge of the tub corner...well, its bent pretty bad. That explains the tailgate issue of not latching so well on the dvr side at least. The floor in that area is also pretty jacked up and actually pushed Down!?! Odd direction but what ever. There is also a small crease in the dvr side wheelwell but its not that big a deal. Not sure how far is needed to go with this. Time is my vengful enemy right now but I hate doing stuff half-booty when it comes to repairs. I may just order a replacement corner to bring to Germany with me and try and tackle it there. Does anyone make a replacement for the inside triangle-shaped thingy?
I also had hoped to get the Wipe-boy wiper kit installed today. No joy there since I didn't realize it required lifting the hard top off and folding down the windshield. So that will maybe get done next weekend? I hope. Getting to chilly here at night to run without the top. Though I have been thinking of making the Jeep into a trailer queen for a while. That would let me pull the gas tank and see whats up under there. Which reminds me...I found some wiring running down the drivers side that had somewow worked into the wheelwell area and been rubbed raw by the tire!?!? Huh? Where did that come from? Not sure what it goes to yet...trailer wiring is my first guess but I'm honestly not sure. need to pull the tire so I can actually get to it to see. More reason for the trailer idea...
Last thing I really did was use the air hose to blow all the living leftovers that were deposited by some squirell or rat in the engine compartment. Lots of yuk on the intake manifold and here and there. I really, REALLY want to just start yanking off the emmisions junk so I can actually see the engine and know what needs looking at. Way to many vaccum lines and tubes and junk for my happiness. Not sure what can be pulled and what can't though. DOn't need a canOworms though...
Thats it for today. A couple weeks and I wil be headed home for Christmas/vacation/road trip so stay tuned between now and then for the fun!:cheers:
 
Looking good, that ARB bumper looks great on the 8. If your build is like mine, the more parts that you take off, the more it seems to reveal additional parts to remove to work on. When I started, I just figured to take off the grill and front fenders in order to remove a blown engine. That was months ago, and now I am down to the bare frame! Eventually I will start a build thread to show what I have been doing. Keep up the great work.
 
Trading flares...

I had the good fortune to meet one of my military jeepers and picked up the Bushwacker 6" flares. They are for a YJ but I thought I could ''make them work". What I didn't realize was they are still brand new in the box! So now I am wondering if the smarter/wiser thing would be to see if I can get someone like 4wheel parts to swap me YJ for CJ on this. Doubt they will as they were not purchased through them but it may be an easier deal...maybe? Anyone have any input here about fitting flares? I held one up to the front and it is close...ish. Not horriblly off so I may just go for it with these if nobody has any better ideas...They sure look nice all shiny and new...LOL!
 
Ups and downs...

Well its been a day of ups and downs for the jeep and I. Got to play with holding up the Bushwacker flares to see if they will work. I think they may. I had driven by 4 wheel parts on the off chance that maybe they would have mercy on me and let me swap the YJ ones for some CJ ones...no dice. But on the good side they WILL swap my RS9000s I nabbed that are stock Wagoneer length for some that will fit with the SOA once I get it done and can pull a tap on it. So that is a YEA! I did some driving aroud hell paso pricing steel tubing for the roof rack and boy was that not plesant. Sometime places here see a guy walk in and they assume he is either not "local" or military (or both) and figure they must have money so they inflate the prices. Sux but it happens to a lot of folks I know...nature of the beast I suppose. But needless to say most places I went to wanted far more for the tubing than I was willing to think about. One place was actually 2xs as expensive for tubing that was thinner! HUH? But I have the guy that bent my corners and rockers looking into prices for me since he doesn't stock anything near that light weight. So who knows. I did have a semi-intellegent idea though. I pulled some rough measurements on the one I built for my Full Size Jeep and while it would be bigger than I would build now, and is in great need of a diet, it may be usable? Maybe. Need to look closer at it and see if there are ways to rebuild it and shave a good deal of weight off it if possible. If possible it would be a time and small money savings perhaps.
The other downer was the gas tank I bought off CL. The sellers claimed it was "tanked" and cleaned though it would likely need a sending unit. Well...suffice it to say I can find ZERO sign of it being cleaned inside. NONE. And the sending unit is bad but I have no idea what it is from/for? I hope I can locate a part number or something off it so I can order a new one. I'm tired of my gas gauge reading wrong. But I am hoping a good radiator shop can do something about the inside of it and pressure test it. Hate to find out it leaks too. That would suck.
So much to do and nothing seems to be playing nice lately...oh well. Just keep swinging and something will go down eventually.
 
Pre-work coffee and update...

I had a massive need for coffee so I figured it would be a good time to update last nights work/progress/discoveries...etc. And add some pics ;)
Got it up on the lift and pulled the tires to get easier access to the factory flares. For the most part they came out easy-peasy once I had a 1/4" socket instead of the multi-screwdriver trying to get the screws out. haha. And strangly the majority of the rust to be found on my heep is all on the drivers side?? odd. The left rear corner bares the lion's share in a couple holes and some close and threatening areas and the "repair" to the lf rear corners keeps looking worse. I will need to pull it out at least a little just so the corner armor will work but I'm no body work guy so this should be a learning exasperation...
I couldn't find some extra hands to hold the bushwackers up for a photo op so you'll all just have to be patient until they get on...sorry. They do look like they will work without to great an effot making them fit. I need to find some bigger spacers than what comes in the kit but other than that its a patience and trial and error deal. The rears are pretty big and different so I need to decide if cutting the tub is in order. At least that would let me delete some rust repair around the wheel well.
I also held the rocker blankes up to just kinda see what I am in for. I'd say a hernia first off...LOL! But I think simply sliding them between the body and the body bushing will work once holes are located. Then I will just add 3/16th spacers to the uneffected mounts for a massive body lift. HA!
Not sure what will get done tonight (Beer-30 is calling, LOUD!) so it may be just look and think tonight and hit it in the am...and Sunday. We will see.
Heres some pics sans flares and the last is the rocker and corner blanks to be fitted and worked....
 
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Marching multi-tasking...

Got some more done today but nothing earth shattering really. Had to change the oil in the Dodge so that cut a little into real work time but it was way over due. I managed to wrassle the full hard top off using an engine hoist and some ratchet straps (my "help" bailed on me due to hangover issues..) and more effort than should be ever involved to remove a top IMHO. I'd really like to know where the auto repair school is that teaches that silicon is THE go to repair it all item and should be used everywhere possible in huge quantities! I bet I removed two tubes worth of "caulk" between the windshield area and the top! And I'm not even done! Wow! How one gets silicon off easily I would really love to know!!! I'm trying the scraper and rubbing and anything else around that looks like it may work but it is slow going and usually ends in me pulling off as much paint as silicon. But at least the top is off. It makes fitting the armor and repairing the damage a little easier. Bare in mind that I know butt-kiss about doing body work. And this is somewhere between learn as you go and hope I don't screw it up to badly!
I decided to remove the inner corner support thingy to allow me to tweak the outside corner and try and straighten all the bent parts out as best as I can. The floor is buckled in a couple spots and as I mentioned the inner corner was really pretty hammered. Today I got some of the floor and the tiny spot on the wheel well a bit more right. Its not perfect but I don't think I can DO perfect with my current skills.
Since the drivers side needs the most attention and has the most damage (both rust and physically) it seemed a good place to start. I'm trying to juggle both the armor application and sheetmetal repair in addition to keeping an eye on how/where the flares will cover and attach. I don't want to over think this but I am trying to make it look correct and fit as good as possible. I have a few questions I need to post in the body section so maybe someone can offer some tips?
I did get the drivers side corner protection cut...twice. And while it is fairly close I am gonna guess that the tracing the metal guy used off my aluminum one was off a little. I'm working on it and trying to get it pulled up in all areas but its really slow. I bought some fancy button head stainless screws to attach the things through the body but have it mounted temp with just regular old 1/4x20 screws since it will be on and off multiple times before its done. Tweaking it, cleaning it, painting and whatever else will all be done before final install. I am also going to try and weld on the roof rack support brackets before it gets painted as well. Lots of stuff to do and I really want to go for a spin sans-top...just because. But that will have to wait.
Here are a couple pics just to give some visual to this likely uninteresting thread...
 
Sunday update and pics...

Got some progress done today though I swear it sure seems slow in coming and hard fought! Managed to get the dvr side rear corner armor trimmed, drilled, and mounted to a satisfactory level. Involved a lot of on and off to make it right and it seems pretty good at this point. I also got the drivers side flares fitted and trimmed and installed enough for a few pics. I like the way they look so far...and fitting them is kinda give and take They are certainly much larger than the factory ones in all directions. Thats good and bad. Good since it offeres lotsa coverage but maybe too much? There is so much room to trim and cut that it is very tempting but I see other issues arising if I get to excited. There are body seams, pinch welds, and many other things to look at and I don't have any desire to start having to expand my body repair ability (or lack there of!). The rear of the rear flare sits about 2"s above the bottom of the tub. I think there may be some slider or something that can go there and this is ok with me. It doesn't look too funny and was the only way to get the flare looking correct IMHO. I will likely trim some of the rust out and maybe spend a little effort in back but over all its not bad. The front would be more of a challange. While there was very little trimming to do to the flare to make it sit right it has me wondering how different the YJ fender (inner and outer) is from the CJ? I honestly don't remember anymore but when the YJ flare is on the CJ it leave a LOT of sheet metal to be potentually cut out but the inner fender wouldn't allow it...odd. I'll look at it more in the future and see if any can be cut away even if it means rebuilding the inner and maybe moving some stuff on the engine side.?.
I snapped these pics as I was being pushed out so the lighting and visiability is pretty bad, sorry. I'll be back at it Wed and hopefully can get the pass side done a little faster since I used the drivers side as a pattern and it should be cut and fit with the easier drilling for the sheet metal only...I hope. Then it will be time to maybe start on the rockers. Not sure if it would be easier to do it on the lift of laying on the floor but I have a sneaking suspition that the floor will be the answer... So until Wed....Happy Jeeping!
 
JD,

following your thread.. the auto craft shops tend to look familiar everywhere you go.. I'm fortunate to have a pretty good one here, and the staff is not tight-arsed like the one back at Ft Carson. That FSJ in the background looks neat too..

for silicone, did you try a wire wheel drill bit? Might be aggressive enough to pull the dried goop but still leave your paint pretty safe? Otherwise, might be worth investigating a chemical cleaning solution.. though if it's aggressive enough to clean silicone, probably would damage paint. Quick google search revealed a product called "lift off" at Lowes.. no idea if it actually works...
 
Thanks "6"

Nice to know someone is following along here, thanks "6''. Funny that you mentioned the FSJ in the background as it too is mine. LOL! It was my DD before I depoloyed and have since gotten the 8 and my Dodge. Don't know if you can see the roof rack on it very well in the pic but that may go on a diet and be fitted to the Expo8. It was my first attempt at building a roof rack and while it works, its not perfect and WAY overkill/over weight. But that is a project for after Christmas. There is a guy here on post with a similar FSJ Cherokee that showed some interest in the rack but I haven't heard from him and if I can reuse it it will save me some fab time. I hope. Only thing is it may make the Jeep to tall to fit in the container.?. Maybe. Worse case I can fit and trim it and have the rack shipped solo with my household goods to Germany and install it there later. I will likely do that with my RTT anyway so why not? My HHgoods are going to be 80% Jeep related stuff...Haha!
Nothing in the way of real progress today. Went by Fastnel for some replacement nuts,bolts etc and got raped. Holy cow, didn't realize Stainless steel was so pricy just for 1/4" fastners! Yeesh! And they are not even what I really wanted. But since the Bushwackers only come with chrome screws I wanted to change that. I don't trust all that flare hanging out and only being held on by some screws so I am going for SS steel cap head bolts, wahshers, and nyloc nuts to keep 'em on.
I also made a pretty good fool of myself tonight. I went into Lowes to trade out my broken, lifetime warranty 3/8s and 1/2" ratchets for ones that work. Well, after getting the run around waiting for a manager, a tool guy, etc....I was starting to become a little annoyed until they told me they were having a hard time finding the ratchets in their system. I then turned beat red and realized the ratchets were a Home Depot brand...not Lowes. Ooops! So I made a hart felt appology as I made for the door...sheepishly. LOL!
 
We're following along...

You're not the only one that has tried to return/exchange something at the wrong place...
 
You bet we are following along. One of the first threads that I head for. And for what it's worth, Randy's is the next one. Both of you are doing builds along the lines of what I am shooting for. Keep the info coming.
 
A poke in the eye...

Thanks a bunch guys for the kind words! Self motivation is one thing but having others prod you along kindly is a nice thing!
Sadly I must put the build on semi-hold for the holidays. At least until after maybe Sat if I can squeeze in some more time at the shop. The Army in their infinate wisdumb has decided that I can not take the leave I put in for. My original plan was to try and accomplish all my moving,shuffling, and parts gathering while on leave for the holidays and there by accomplish two things. One is have all the needed stuff within reach of the 8 so the build can progress. The other was my foolish attempt to allow me time here to ensure my replacement could benefit from my experience instead of me just packing up and running off to Germany. Well, in a nut shell I have 12 less days to make my whirlwind trek around the US so I will be forced to "Ironbutt" the event. While that is niether here or there it does chap my hide that I will be back on the road the day after Christmas (and who knows where on New Years?) and limited to only a few days with my family in Atlanta. Sometimes this job sux.
But in an effort to not whine I will at least, hopefully, have the much needed front axle here after the holidays so the "lift" can begin. And maybe tires will be ordered and such...? Provided I don't go completely broke putting all the miles on the Dodge and hoping the trailer doesn't have any issues.?.
The hard part righ now is re-working the logistics and sorting through the jeep parts to save (store), throw away (NOT easy for me!), or that may be needed for the build...Far harder than I would have thought at least. Much is in boxes that have to be dug through to identify and some are just heavy, nasty, or both. haha. Some days it seems an unsurmountable mess and others are...worse. LOL! But it will all come together, Lord willing and the water don't rise.
I'll add an update Sunday prob if I can manage to get some more done....Cheers!
 
I definitely have to give you props for even starting a project given your current logistical issues:cheers: All my stuff is in one place in my garage (vs all over the country) and I am still plodding along LOL:cheers:
 
nicly put...

In other words I'm an IDIOT! LOL! haha.... Sometimes some things can't be helped so we do the best with what we got. Its kinda funny how the addiction that is Jeep is SO powerful. I don't even remember a time before the addiction....though I'm sure life was normal and sane...haha!
 
pocs and a stuff..

Managed some more progress yesterday and today. Got both rear corners cut,drilled, etc and ready for paint...or something.
Also spent a good deal of time head scratching the rocker protection. Funny how many different ways we can all acomplish the same result. For mine I chose not to try and tie the rockers into the body mounts. it seemed like a great deal more effort and would mean anytime they needed to come off that I would have to loosen the body mounts and raise the body. So while I am still working out the details on how mine will mount I have a pretty good idea so far. I did manage to get one side "fitted" and drilled so tomorrow the other side may go quicker as I use the first as a template. Still a long way to go but progress is being made. I feel a little guilty as I am SUPPOSED to be backing and preparing to leave for the holidays on Monday. But building a jeep, at least when things are going as they should, is far mor fun than dragging a project on a trailer all over the country.
So here are my pics so far and I will add more tomorrow I hope. Cheers!
 
Dumb set backs...

Well I was supposed to be on the road today....Somehow I am the "lucky" SOB that had his leave paper work lost! So I have spent all day working that issue and it looks like tomorrow is the eariest I will be able to leave. Grrrr.
Obviously all work has stopped and it will resume after the holidays and I get back here...Cheers all!
 
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