Project Panel Replacement

[Belizeit]

Made the other side last night... overall this is too long side to side... need to get it in front(or behind) the Jeep to see side to side where the end caps fall and then cut/weld, etc. and then side to side will be correct. Then just figuring out how to attach it to the cross member so it all looks good and solid... some final welding and then powdercoat is my thought.

View attachment 106710

cb

When do you start limited production ?

 

[certifiablejeep]

At the price point this will end up at, it might be better to get an original and restore it

cb

 

[certifiablejeep]

Picked up an 86 that has a Dana 44 setup in the rear, 20 gallon tank, T5, D300, and other goodies.
Former Laredo with some bits left.

What I was impressed with was the 4.0L swap... pretty clean.





Will get it torn down over the next couple weeks and then back on projects... I finally have some extra funds now


I got a jump on it last night... cut off a honking massive rear bumper structure.



This thing would take a foot off... it was quite heavy.

Similar bumper structuring in the front protecting the winch.



cb

 

[jpnmaine]

Almost had a 97 Wrangler for the power train on the TJ/YJ build I am finishing up on. Went with a 04 Rubicon platform for the YJ body to sit on. I have 95 YJ engine harness/ECU so the 4.0 distributorless ignition has been converted over to a distributor type and the 95 engine harness connectors converted over to the Rubicon's. Researching the type of connectors and pins required for the Rubicon has been difficult. Google has become a platform of commodity vs information.
That set up does look clean!

 

[certifiablejeep]

I can't stand the posts of IYKYK and other ones that scream "the longer you look, the worse it gets"... however I wasn't sure whether to post this picture here or in the "fails" thread.

So, I bought the Jeep and never really paid much attention as it had a rollbar and what looked like a decent roll bar pad.

As you look though once the seats came out.... well, there is a lot going on with the picture.
NOTE: I had to lighten it up as it was very dark outside and rainy and you couldn't see the bottom as I had hoped.



Anyway... look at the bottom of the rollbar area... and keep in mind this is an 1986 CJ7.
I promise I will give all thoughts tomorrow, just wanted to show it first and see reactions.

cb

 

[AJ2393]

You sure that isn't PVC pipe under that roll bar pad? Surely looks like someone went through a lot of effort to shorten that roll bar to fit on the wheel housing. Should be going down to the floor in the front on an 86.

 

[Belizeit]

It’s not even connected. Just for show. Not for go.

 

[certifiablejeep]

So, it was connected... and yes, someone did shorten it...and fabbed some new wheel houses.
Put GM seat belts onto the fabricated wheel houses.
Shortened the rollbar pad (nicely I might add)... and stitched it back up.
Unfortunately that means that it will be short on a regular rollbar setup.

Also, the rear seat flip forward mounts... they are welded to the floor

All in all, this is a very interesting Jeep.
It is starting to look more "Jeep-ish", but does have what I think are trailer fenders for the front flat fenders... it is all molded to the tub, which then flows into the rockers which are solidly welded as well.

The whole Jeep is crooked side to side pretty badly and the rears flared out quite a bit once I cut the rollbar out.



With a lot of diamond plate covering up a lot of rust.



cb

 

[mhinchliffe]

Is the battery mounted externally behind the winch?........WOW! There's a lot going on out in front of that thing.

 

[certifiablejeep]

Is the battery mounted externally behind the winch?........WOW! There's a lot going on out in front of that thing.

Yes... and it is dead, just like the one in the engine bay... and the winch battery is not hooked up to the alternator, so it would never charge.
It is also being held in with 2 bolts, so the whole apparatus pivots when doing a pull.

There really is a LOT to unpack on this thing.

cb

 

[Chamba]

Clever flat fender idea..... they look better than most I've seen. If you're going for that look, then getting them from Harbour Freight or Tractor Supply seems like a perfect source.

 

[mhinchliffe]

Not lacking for ideas just lacking on the execution of those "ideas"

 

[Dave The Sparky]

Not sure about parting that Jeep out, i reckon you could easily sell it on to the producers of the next Mad Max movie, would save them a ton of work....

 

[certifiablejeep]

Not sure about parting that Jeep out, i reckon you could easily sell it on to the producers of the next Mad Max movie, would save them a ton of work....

It is a mess... I ended up seeing a lot of rust on the backsides of the tubes and low and behold, no drain holes and a lot of water stored in there rusted it all out... heavy though!

Anyway, got the winch working/running.
I can't find any part number though... still searching. I think it is S9000 - 1917 model, but not sure.

The fairlead is literally welded tot he mount... and the winch controller only pulls in and when put in the out position, it doesn't work... handle is shattered (thus the liberal amount of duct tape).

I plan on getting a new fair lead and and controller if I can find them.

Sounds healthy.

NOTE: I had to start up the wood stove last night... winter is officially on the horizon... 21 this morning and very icy everywhere...snow tomorrow.

Also, sold 2 sway bars that needed packaging up... 54 lbs. of fury heading to new owners... lol.







cb

 

[certifiablejeep]

This bumper thing is pretty interesting... the saga continues.

I got 2 of the rollers out in order to feed the winch hook through the welded fairlead, but I can't get the 2 of the winch mounting bolts out as they are angled up under the large part.



I got one loosened up, but can't remove the bolt.

I would normally just undo the other bolt and let it hang and let gravity do its trick upside down, but I can't get the other one loosed up.
Stainless bolts and metal nuts combined with rust and the galling are making this quite the fun trick.



I finally gave up after a lot of huffing and puffing and will try again tonight.




It is hard to se the angle relative to the bolt head, but it is where the bumper itself was tilted down for the design of it... the assembly must not have been the way it needed to be disassembled in the future.

I think there are 2 type of people in the world when it comes to this type of stuff.
They who "think of others in the future" and those that just want to get it done and go play... lol.

cb

 

[AdamH]

I think there are 2 type of people in the world when it comes to this type of stuff.
They who "think of others in the future" and those that just want to get it done and go play... lol.

cb

I think you missed the 3rd type …… the guy who finishes a project, stands back to admire, then says “well sh!t look what I did”. Kind of like engineers who have modern day oil drain pan plugs facing sway bars etc…. LOL

 

[certifiablejeep]

Looks like a Jeep finally with all that crap off the front end... that winch was not a ton of fun.
I won't post much more of this, I hope to have it mostly torn down over the weekend if I can snag some time.

I did find out that it has an AX-15 though, not a T5, so that was a nice surprise... something different.

cb

 

[certifiablejeep]

 

[certifiablejeep]

This wasn't what I expected.
I don't do much with electric fans since CJs didn't come with them, but I would think attaching them would be different than this.



This is essentially zip ties through the radiator.... I don't get it.
Bent a lot of fins to get it in there... surprised there is no leaking.

cb

 

[mhinchliffe]

First the roll bar then the winch, now the fans/radiator......>This is looking like the how not to build something portion of this thread. Carry on and stay safe around that thing and nice score on the AX!