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JJs Postal Rebuild Thread - USPS CJ-8 Postal Scrambler #94

jerseyjeeps

Crazy about AMC Jeeps
Lifetime Member
City
Landing
State
NJ
From this thread (linky below) I have aquired a postal Scrambler from a great forum member, "40 below" all the way from Anchorage, AK, and its now sitting in NJ. By common truck route, that is a little over 5000 miles that it traveled during most of the month of September 2014. It took 3 different companies to get it here, a few close calls of it being left behind, a bunch of $$$$, and I have not one single pic of it along its away. But its here and its time to get started on it, it runs as it came off the truck, but has almost zero brakes, no power steering, a broken seat, frozen hinges on the back door (that is secured with sheetmetal screws) but overall these are minor things as there is zero rust on the frame, original exhaust, great history, and only 44K original miles :thumbsup: first here are a bunch of pics and everything that was stuffed inside.
 

jerseyjeeps

Crazy about AMC Jeeps
Lifetime Member
City
Landing
State
NJ
First eyes on it waiting at the lowes parking lot

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1414781630.946807.jpg

First time On NJ pavement

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1414781696.078373.jpg

Went home to get a battery and an air tank and drove it carefully about 3/4
mile home

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1414781770.055739.jpg
 

jerseyjeeps

Crazy about AMC Jeeps
Lifetime Member
City
Landing
State
NJ
Next step was to remove the barn door to get inside and unload it. The hinges were frozen so it became apparent that the only way this thing had been off recently was to remove the door hinge on the body side completely, and first there was this metal strip which was needed because there is no latch post inside either.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1414782513.106693.jpg

And then the door came off

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1414782693.567988.jpg

It's severely rusted on the bottom side which ill address later. This eve I garaged it and wouldn't get it unloaded for another week or so. Stay tuned for more :cheers:
 

LetchcoreCJ7

Legacy Registered User
City
Nashville
State
TN
Saw JJ's Postal in person. First time I have seen a postal top in person. I'm hooked now too!
 

SKT

Legacy Registered User
City
APO
State
AE
This one was converted to LHD sometime in the 1990s from what I hear.

.
.

Any plans to convert it back to RHD?

Speaking of plans, what direction are you taking this one?

looking forward to following the updates in this thread!

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.
 

jerseyjeeps

Crazy about AMC Jeeps
Lifetime Member
City
Landing
State
NJ
Direction is to get it kinda presentable and maybe Sandblast 8 or bust ? :)
 

jerseyjeeps

Crazy about AMC Jeeps
Lifetime Member
City
Landing
State
NJ
Next I worked on getting the door mounted back on and working properly. The hinges were frozen to the door, the torx bolts didn't stand a chance so I used the torch to heat up the metal plates.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1415118521.170355.jpg

I removed the door seal to not cook it and also used a piece of wood to hold the interior panel out of the way. The handle was preventing this from coming off but I got it off later

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1415118602.289597.jpg

This was then after i put the hinges in the vise and used the torch to get them unfrozen. It took alot of heat , i wonder when the last time they moved was. The plates inside are just thick steel and don't have any type of retaining box inside the door. It takes an assistant to put it all back together or some careful duct taping or similar. Now all the parts are ready to hang the door.
 
Last edited:

jerseyjeeps

Crazy about AMC Jeeps
Lifetime Member
City
Landing
State
NJ
First tho I took the time to clean it out. "40 below" went through great lengths to pack everything securely. He used twine and heavy foam blocks and nothing rubbed over 5000 miles. Boxes of misc parts and a spare top with roof cut in three :

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1415118903.577461.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1415118927.730085.jpg

And RHD dash panel from another one:

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1415118971.960296.jpg
 

jerseyjeeps

Crazy about AMC Jeeps
Lifetime Member
City
Landing
State
NJ
Then I put the door on. It still doesn't latch because the latch post is missing in fact the whole support is missing the structure so for now it has a bungie holding it shut.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1415119057.387287.jpg

Next ill be tackling the doors as both are really rough and cracked and don't close right. The passenger side is missing many latch parts also.
 
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