OT: Retro Wrangler/Willys Pickup (long)
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
jscherb
CJ-8 Member
- City
- Elmira
- State
- NY
bigwalton said:Been out of town for a week...
That's the hotnessLove it.
I bet you could make a number of those rear bumpers and sell them on eBay to fund some of this...
Thanks. Funding isn't the problem on this project, the problem is waiting for the new house to be done so I have garage space... on the other hand, this delay has been great because I've gotten a lot of the fab work done ahead of time - fenders, tailgate cover, tailgate latch mechanism, step bumper, and now working on fishplates and taillight brackets... by the time I get to start the "actual build", I should have most of this project turned into a kit!
Hey maybe we should figure out a cool winch bumper to make out of your spare front bumper...
Jeff
jscherb
CJ-8 Member
- City
- Elmira
- State
- NY
Progress report
Its been a month so I thought I ought to do a progress report... to say, er, ummm, that there hasn't been much progress in the last month. Our new house still isn't done, it was supposed to be done in late February, and moving to that house will give me the whole 3-car garage in the current house to do the build. So still waiting and waiting...
I've done a few projects on the Scrambler while I'm waiting - new front brakes, and fixed an idle problem with the Howell EFI (bad idle air control solenoid), and a few minor bits of progress made on Retro Wrangler parts:
- taillight brackets fabricated
- frame fishplates done
- realized I would need to replace the ends of the tailgate to switch from chains to latches, so fabricated new ones from 16-ga. sheet. Photo below.
- decided it would be cool to have spares hanging off both sides of the bed and managed to find another one of the Lincoln 16x4.5 aluminum wheels for $10. Also picked up a second Wrangler spare tire carrier, will use the stock carriers on each side of the bed to hang the spares.
I know it isn't much to report, but the house is holding everything up :-(
Jeff
Its been a month so I thought I ought to do a progress report... to say, er, ummm, that there hasn't been much progress in the last month. Our new house still isn't done, it was supposed to be done in late February, and moving to that house will give me the whole 3-car garage in the current house to do the build. So still waiting and waiting...
I've done a few projects on the Scrambler while I'm waiting - new front brakes, and fixed an idle problem with the Howell EFI (bad idle air control solenoid), and a few minor bits of progress made on Retro Wrangler parts:
- taillight brackets fabricated
- frame fishplates done
- realized I would need to replace the ends of the tailgate to switch from chains to latches, so fabricated new ones from 16-ga. sheet. Photo below.
- decided it would be cool to have spares hanging off both sides of the bed and managed to find another one of the Lincoln 16x4.5 aluminum wheels for $10. Also picked up a second Wrangler spare tire carrier, will use the stock carriers on each side of the bed to hang the spares.
I know it isn't much to report, but the house is holding everything up :-(
Jeff
trust
PITA
- City
- White Rock
- State
- NM
Very nice work on the tailgate, on eword of caution though, hanging the spare on the pasenger side there could really mess up the visibility to teh rt rear, not such an issue on the left side as it's right behind the driver but on the right side it could create a blind spot which the outside mirrors may not cover well. just a thought
jscherb
CJ-8 Member
- City
- Elmira
- State
- NY
trust said:
Thanks, that's a good point - I'll check that as I'm mocking up the bed and if the view is obstructed too much I won't put the spare on the passenger side.
I think I'll probably be ok though, because these tires are T155/90D16 compact spares, which are about 27" in diameter and about 6" thick, so they shouldn't protrude into the field of vision too much. But we'll see when I get to that point in the build.
Thanks.
jscherb
CJ-8 Member
- City
- Elmira
- State
- NY
Bed Wood
I'm working with my builder on the finishing touches on the new house, today the contractor and I were finalizing the deck design. We're going to use TimberTech composite (read: plastic) decking material.
I'm going to use the same stuff in the bed of the Retro Wrangler. I've seen lots of show trucks with fantastic looking natural wood, but everyone who owns one tells me they never expose their beds to the weather. In the photo below, you can see a really nice bed on the upper left, and on the upper right is a photo of one that's been exposed to the elements for less than a year. The photo isn't the greatest but you can see the finish deteriorating and the wood turning gray already.
I'm building a daily driver, not a show truck, so I'm not looking for the level of shine and finish that show trucks have. I want something practical that looks pretty good.
The bottom two photos are samples of TimberTech. There's a "wood grain" side, and a "plain" side. The plain side isn't actually smooth, you can just see in the photo the small grooves it has. I've cut the plain side on my table saw to the profile required for the bed strips.
I haven't decided which side to place up, the grain or the plain. Obviously I have some months before I'm at the stage in the build where I have to make this decision, but since I was just working on this part of the design I thought I'd share the general plan with you now. Comments always welcome...
Jeff
I'm working with my builder on the finishing touches on the new house, today the contractor and I were finalizing the deck design. We're going to use TimberTech composite (read: plastic) decking material.
I'm going to use the same stuff in the bed of the Retro Wrangler. I've seen lots of show trucks with fantastic looking natural wood, but everyone who owns one tells me they never expose their beds to the weather. In the photo below, you can see a really nice bed on the upper left, and on the upper right is a photo of one that's been exposed to the elements for less than a year. The photo isn't the greatest but you can see the finish deteriorating and the wood turning gray already.
I'm building a daily driver, not a show truck, so I'm not looking for the level of shine and finish that show trucks have. I want something practical that looks pretty good.
The bottom two photos are samples of TimberTech. There's a "wood grain" side, and a "plain" side. The plain side isn't actually smooth, you can just see in the photo the small grooves it has. I've cut the plain side on my table saw to the profile required for the bed strips.
I haven't decided which side to place up, the grain or the plain. Obviously I have some months before I'm at the stage in the build where I have to make this decision, but since I was just working on this part of the design I thought I'd share the general plan with you now. Comments always welcome...
Jeff
- City
- Dexter
- State
- MI
I vote plain
I think you've got a good plan there, sounds perfect for your use. I bet it holds up to actual use of the bed better than wood too, right? I've never played with that stuff, only seen it on the racks at the hardware store.
Can't wait to see it!
I think you've got a good plan there, sounds perfect for your use. I bet it holds up to actual use of the bed better than wood too, right? I've never played with that stuff, only seen it on the racks at the hardware store.
Can't wait to see it!
jscherb
CJ-8 Member
- City
- Elmira
- State
- NY
Retro Wrangler Kit (apologies to Eric)
Eric always chastises me when I use the "K" word, but I was cleaning all the winter road grit out of the garage today, piling stuff up in the driveway, and it seemed like a good photo-op.
Not shown are a bunch of boxes of smaller parts like the custom tailgate latch mechanism, frame fish plates, tailgate brackets, pickup bed support brackets, etc. etc. that I've either fabricated, eBayed or found at the Pick-n-Pull.
I think I've pretty much reached the end of the line on stuff I can fabricate before I cut the LJ in half, now just waiting on the new house to be finished so I can gather up my bravery and cut into the LJ...
Jeff
Eric always chastises me when I use the "K" word, but I was cleaning all the winter road grit out of the garage today, piling stuff up in the driveway, and it seemed like a good photo-op.
Not shown are a bunch of boxes of smaller parts like the custom tailgate latch mechanism, frame fish plates, tailgate brackets, pickup bed support brackets, etc. etc. that I've either fabricated, eBayed or found at the Pick-n-Pull.
I think I've pretty much reached the end of the line on stuff I can fabricate before I cut the LJ in half, now just waiting on the new house to be finished so I can gather up my bravery and cut into the LJ...
Jeff
- City
- Redmond
- State
- OR
Cool picture of the "Kit".
As far as the bed, for looks I like the woodgrained side, but for practicality the plain side might be better. Question- since the decking material was designed to be installed "pretty" side up, does that side have better or deeper pigmentation?
Maybe try laying the wood and metal out like they'd be in the bed, and see which one looks better. I'm guessing then plain side might look too "fake".
As far as the bed, for looks I like the woodgrained side, but for practicality the plain side might be better. Question- since the decking material was designed to be installed "pretty" side up, does that side have better or deeper pigmentation?
Maybe try laying the wood and metal out like they'd be in the bed, and see which one looks better. I'm guessing then plain side might look too "fake".
jscherb
CJ-8 Member
- City
- Elmira
- State
- NY
Randyzzz said:Cool picture of the "Kit".
As far as the bed, for looks I like the woodgrained side, but for practicality the plain side might be better. Question- since the decking material was designed to be installed "pretty" side up, does that side have better or deeper pigmentation?
Maybe try laying the wood and metal out like they'd be in the bed, and see which one looks better. I'm guessing then plain side might look too "fake".
All four sides seem to have the same depth of finish. I think we'll have to wait until its built and see how it looks with both sides; right now I'm leaning towards the plain side but maybe the grain side will look better when it is in the truck.
I just wish the house would get done so I can get on with it!
- City
- Rockville
- State
- VA
Maybe we can help get the house done sooner...Post up your builder's phone number. We'll all start calling him and telling him we're all waiting....jscherb said:I think I've pretty much reached the end of the line on stuff I can fabricate before I cut the LJ in half, now just waiting on the new house to be finished so I can gather up my bravery and cut into the LJ...
jscherb
CJ-8 Member
- City
- Elmira
- State
- NY
I've got the house builder down to a 3-page punchlist so we're getting closer on that front, and I'm still working on little things I can do before the main build.
In the next few days I'll install Air-Lift bags in the rear springs on the LJ, I'll need this for the extra load capacity of the pickup. It's a bit harder job now than when the LJ is taken apart for the build but I've got the time now and this way it can be all tested beforehand and it removes a small variable from the build.
Also fabricated spacers for the spare mounts, because of the lip on the bed they need to hold the spares 3" further out than the stock spare on the LJ tailgate.
Boring stuff but necessary and will save time during the build. My "pickup parts pile" continues to grow :-)
Jeff
In the next few days I'll install Air-Lift bags in the rear springs on the LJ, I'll need this for the extra load capacity of the pickup. It's a bit harder job now than when the LJ is taken apart for the build but I've got the time now and this way it can be all tested beforehand and it removes a small variable from the build.
Also fabricated spacers for the spare mounts, because of the lip on the bed they need to hold the spares 3" further out than the stock spare on the LJ tailgate.
Boring stuff but necessary and will save time during the build. My "pickup parts pile" continues to grow :-)
Jeff
jscherb
CJ-8 Member
- City
- Elmira
- State
- NY
Just finished making the brackets to mount the bed to the frame. I had a scrap piece of 10" x 3" steel channel I found tossed out on a big construction project, turned out to be the perfect size for these brackets.
The bracket on the left has been blasted clean to prep for painting. They are all blasted and primed now, this is an in-progress photo. They won't all stay this long, when they are positioned on the frame some will be cut shorter as necessary.
These will be bolted or welded to the side of the frame (will decide during the build) to support the bed. Between the bed rail and the bracket will be a CJ/TJ-style rubber body mount "puck". 4WD Hardware sells this rubber stock in 24" lengths so I can make exactly the right size I'll need.
More boring parts added to the parts box, but every part I make now will speed the build. Maybe too boring to share with you here, but want you to know progress is still being made.
Oh and by the way I love my metal-cutting band saw :-)
Pics of the Air-Lift install in a few days, doing that project on Tuesday.
Jeff
The bracket on the left has been blasted clean to prep for painting. They are all blasted and primed now, this is an in-progress photo. They won't all stay this long, when they are positioned on the frame some will be cut shorter as necessary.
These will be bolted or welded to the side of the frame (will decide during the build) to support the bed. Between the bed rail and the bracket will be a CJ/TJ-style rubber body mount "puck". 4WD Hardware sells this rubber stock in 24" lengths so I can make exactly the right size I'll need.
More boring parts added to the parts box, but every part I make now will speed the build. Maybe too boring to share with you here, but want you to know progress is still being made.
Oh and by the way I love my metal-cutting band saw :-)
Pics of the Air-Lift install in a few days, doing that project on Tuesday.
Jeff
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