• Notice for iPhone users: DO NOT use the image size reduction option when uploading photos to the forum. This causes portrait images to post as landscape. We have added a warning to the image insert pop-up as well.

O.T. Jeep CJ-10a conversion project

Pretty welds, wish I could weld like that. Have you figured out what you're doing for a bed yet?
 
John N said:
Pretty welds, wish I could weld like that. Have you figured out what you're doing for a bed yet?
Click to expand...

Yeah, the shop does a beautiful job with their welds. For a bed, I'm leaning toward a Bantam/M-416 trailer-style bed, or a stepside bed like the one in the attached photo (only shorter). The photo is a guy (scumby) on ifsja.org who I have been exchanging build ideas with. He said it's a Chevy stepside bed that has been modified to work.

Craig
 
More pics... :cool:

DSC00113.jpg


DSC00115.jpg


DSC00117.jpg
 
Issues.....

Craig, I've got a real issue with what I'm seeing in those pictures.....After seeing your previous work (take those pictures of a Dana 300 that I remember), I am absolutely shocked that you'd let us see spotty paint and, dare I say it.....it looked like RUST on that frame. Surface rust, but it was THERE!!! Come on, you have set a standard that we expect to see maintained :D :D ....

Get it cleaned up, we're waiting.....:rolleyes:
 
I really like the "stepside" look that you're going for.

FWIW, here are some Australian CJ-10s with a "smoothside" bed. I remember seeing these my last four trips to OZ... also quite impressive.
 
John N said:
Craig, I've got a real issue with what I'm seeing in those pictures.....After seeing your previous work (take those pictures of a Dana 300 that I remember), I am absolutely shocked that you'd let us see spotty paint and, dare I say it.....it looked like RUST on that frame. Surface rust, but it was THERE!!! Come on, you have set a standard that we expect to see maintained :D :D ....

Get it cleaned up, we're waiting.....:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

:) That's actually not surface rust. It's red clayish mud. I'm not sure where this spent most of its life, but a military buddy seemed to think it would be somewhere in the Southwest based on this dried dirt/mud build-up. The frame will be cleaned up & painted, but it might just get a "quickie" job before the Nat'l Event. We'll see. I don't want to lose too much time test-driving it before then because of my anal-retentive characteristics.

CJ-8_Jim said:
I really like the "stepside" look that you're going for.

FWIW, here are some Australian CJ-10s with a "smoothside" bed. I remember seeing these my last four trips to OZ... also quite impressive.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the CJ-10 trucks are cool. There's probably a better chance of winning the lottery than finding one of those beds, though. I think the military trailer/stepside look will be better for mine given the short bed length (48").

Thanks guys,
Craig

P.S. - BTW, for you newer guys, here's the Dana 300 John referred to, along with an underside shot from the same Scrambler I built (now owned by Scott_P). Yes, I'm anal-retentive. ;)

forum


wide-track_dana_44.jpg
 
*breaking into song* Meeeeemories...... :D

Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery. ;)
 
BTW, when they "Lincoln Locked" the Dana 44, they added a couple pieces of plate and welded all-around (vs. just the corners of the carrier...see sample photo below). It should be a fairly bullet-proof setup.

Craig

welddiff.jpg
 
I took a "mental health" (vacation) day yesterday, and made good progress on the tug.

  • Front axle is now pulled.
  • I built a makeshift (temporary) redneck-style wooden platform for the new fuel cell. This will just be used for the initial test-drive.
  • I picked up the fittings needed to hook up the input/outputs on the fuel cell to the 5/16" and 1/4" soft fuel lines.
  • A couple of the brackets on the rear that I cut off to remove the bohemoth weight above the rear axle have been ground down

I also got a call from Jeff at The Jeep Outfitters, and my rebuilt/regeared Dana 44 front axle will be ready for pick-up Saturday. Road trip! Since the front axle has been sandblasted and painted nicely by TJO, I'll spend some time repainting the front springs & spring plates before reinstalling.

Craig
 
1x1_Speed_Craig said:
Since the front axle has been sandblasted and painted nicely by TJO, I'll spend some time repainting the front springs & spring plates before reinstalling.
Click to expand...

Now THAT'S the Craig we know!!! Nice to have you back





:D ;)
 
Well, my front axle was delayed a couple more days. No big deal, as I still have to paint the leaf springs before reinstalling anyway.

The big news is that I picked up a modified, somewhat beat-up M-416 trailer today. It's not in great shape, but it's not horrible, either. A previous owner had cut out the rear and made a home-brew tailgate. I got the tub removed from the trailer frame, and got it up on the back end of the tug. You'll have to use a little "creative vision", as I'll be cutting it down to ~46" long, adding some new squared-off fenders (the original ones are pretty beat-up), and will install some sort of tailgate again in the rear. I'll clean up the rust adequately for this season, and hit it with a quickie olive drab paint job along with the rest of the vehicle; next year, I'll probably replace the floor (there are a few small holes in it). I'll probably build a wooden deck & sides on the trailer frame, and use it for yard work.

Craig
 
I want to give a HUGE thanks to some guys from my local Jeep board - fr3db3ar, squeak, Trail Junkie, and FORD FLARESIDE - for coming by last night and helping out with several things. The M-416 bed has now been cut down (~2' trimmed off...thanks fr3db3ar), and the (damn pretty) rebuilt front axle is now bolted in. I still have to torque down the U-bolt nuts and hook up brake lines/ahocks, but that'll go quickly. I would not have wanted to wrestle that Grand Waggy D44 in by myself.

We also got the fuel cell hooked up, and got the motor fired back up running on the new cell. :woot:

Pics to come this weekend.

Craig
 
Cool!

I empathize on the axle. Had to put mine in twice and removed it twice on my own during the rebuild on the front suspension... :rolleyes:

Can't wait for the photos!
 
bigwalton said:
Cool!

I empathize on the axle. Had to put mine in twice and removed it twice on my own during the rebuild on the front suspension... :rolleyes:

Can't wait for the photos!
Click to expand...

BTW, three guys handling the install (two were running an errand at the time) allowed us to do it without even scratching the paint. :D

Craig
 
1x1_Speed_Craig said:
BTW, three guys handling the install (two were running an errand at the time) allowed us to do it without even scratching the paint. :D
Click to expand...

Yeah yeah, but I did it like a man! :beatschest: :eek: ;)
 
1x1_Speed_Craig said:
BTW, three guys handling the install (two were running an errand at the time) allowed us to do it without even scratching the paint. :D

Craig
Click to expand...
VERY important NOT to scratch the paint on that axle!!
 
Here are the pics of the recent work - front axle installed, M-416 bed cut down, and redneck fuel cell mounting (just to test-fire the motor). ;) My wife gave me the thumbs-up for a work weekend this coming weekend (3/2-3/4). I plan to make some really good progress with a whole weekend to work.

Craig
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top