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My $120 CJ7 build

Discussion in 'Jeep CJ Builds' started by daddyusmaximus, Aug 25, 2017.

  1. Apr 30, 2022 at 12:42 PM
    #221
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2016
    Member:
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    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    Nice day. Warm, but not hot. Got a lot of crap cleaned out in the garage. Always leaves blowing in when I'm out there with the door up... and I had about a year or more worth of clutter to clear out of the tub that has been serving as a catch all.

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    Next was coating the inside of the frame to prevent it from rusting out once I get it all done. Took about a can, and a half.

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  2. Apr 30, 2022 at 12:54 PM
    #222
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2016
    Member:
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    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    Gave the frame a final coat, and shot the transmission, and transfer case with high temp engine paint as close to the same color as I could find. Once I get the nasty engine out, cleaned, painted, and back in... I can put the tub on, and start on thing like wiring, and pluming. Plan is to have the tub on within the next couple weeks. (God willing)

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  3. Apr 30, 2022 at 6:04 PM
    #223
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2016
    Member:
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    Messages:
    303
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    Male
    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    Took a nap, went out, and set the tub. Gonna make doing the engine harder, but I got impatient. I didn't bolt it down, do I can always lift an end up to make things easier if need be. Besides, I'm real sick of it being on those rickety old saw horses, plus now I have more room in the garage.


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  4. May 6, 2022 at 6:09 AM
    #224
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2016
    Member:
    #446
    Messages:
    303
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    How to deal with the whole full size axles sticking out thing.

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    Sure they're stronger, and they even kinda look cool if your into that sort of thing. However, first trip through the mud, and you get covered. Can't see out your mirrors, got it all over the vehicle, the windshield. If it's nice weather, and you have the doors off... Sweet Lord, what a mess! Same for snow & slush. Well, except you most likely won't have the doors off.

    Sorry boys & girls, I'm too old for that crap.

    Enter, the trailer fender.

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    Not 100% on the fronts yet, but I'm thinking just have two sets (yes, I have them) put together for one wider version. This, however will have to be done by somebody at a body shop, or with much better welding skills than mine. Funny how I keep putting off practicing to get better when I need it to be right... lol.
     
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  5. May 14, 2022 at 4:34 PM
    #225
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2016
    Member:
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    Messages:
    303
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    Not too hip on working outside when it's ninety-eleven degrees, but had to get something done this week on her. decided to fab up the exhaust stack shrouds. Yes, you read that right... Stacks. That's the red-neck in me coming through a bit sure, but more important, any veteran who's ever driven a Deuce-and-a-half, at some point in the last 50 years can surely identify these things... Difference is this thing has a bit of a hot rod Mopar 360, so it's getting one on each side. They bolt right through the tub at the bottom, then I made a little bracket to hold them at the top.

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  6. May 15, 2022 at 5:15 PM
    #226
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2016
    Member:
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    Messages:
    303
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    Again with the doing what I can with what I have on hand without any new parts... Today I worked a bit on fitting the military radio / sub enclosure to the tub. Mock up looks to be just about right. Probably be putting the finishing touches on that before too long. At least I'm pretty sure I have the stuff I need to do so already on hand, so that's one thing I could get knocked out.

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  7. May 20, 2022 at 5:44 PM
    #227
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2016
    Member:
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    Messages:
    303
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    Male
    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    Been spending some time out in the garage last few days. I did get SOME of one order in. My front shocks. No rear shocks, or limit straps yet. I did run into a problem however... I have been using an old Fox Racing 2.0 shock I got used as a mock up. Seems they have changed their design in the last few years. The mock up shock is exactly like the ones I had on my 1999 F-250, and I was expecting this style. My order was shocks that had to fit according to the collapsed, and extended length I need, but the ends are not the same.

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    Old style fits fine...

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    New style... yup... ever so slightly... too wide.

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    As if that's not enough, they upped the bolt size to 9/16. Soooo, I have to drill the holes bigger. If you go back to that first photo you can see the holes are not the same.

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    Long story short, drilling out these mounts wasn't easy for my little 20v DeWalt, and I had to take a grinder to my bran-new $173 apiece shocks to narrow the bushing sleeve that little bit on each end. In the end, I got them on like e true red-neck.

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  8. May 20, 2022 at 5:58 PM
    #228
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2016
    Member:
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    Messages:
    303
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    I also did some work with some of the Army parts I have already.

    Toolbox will mount over the left rear fender like a sponson box on a tank, and the taillights went on.
    Next, fenders came off to be undercoated, and got the first coat of paint.

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  9. May 20, 2022 at 6:01 PM
    #229
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2016
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    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    Of course then as I was looking at it from the front end admiring my new shocks... I noticed something. Thinking back to how I got the engine out of a sand toy Jeep, that had been stripped down, I didn't have a heater. I'll have to unplug the holes where the heater hoses go once I get to that point.

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  10. May 21, 2022 at 9:53 AM
    #230
    aggrex

    aggrex Well-Known Member

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    DE
    Vehicle:
    Backcountry '16
    Tuffy>AEV>TTO>JW>STech>EVOcage>MagnaFlow>SpiderTrax>RockHard>TF>SpringTail>67design>Bolt>GPCA>Curt>
    Grinding down the shock mounts to fit is a great way to solve the problem. I'm considering some bed liner products and Herculiner in a rattle can makes it simple to apply and touch up.
     
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  11. May 26, 2022 at 7:40 PM
    #231
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2016
    Member:
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    Messages:
    303
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    I still have a lot of work to do on the jeep, and here I go getting sidetracked with yet another new project...

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    Yes, that's a new Predator 420. It all started when I saw a video on youtube. (Yeah, 'cause that always ends well.) I subscribe to Jay Leno's Garage, and he recently did a video on a 1916 Autocar coal truck.

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    I absolutely love the vehicles from that era. They're so simple, yet so rugged. Kinda like the Jeep... This one looks sorta like a big Kawasaki Mule, something I've always wanted to tool around in, and to carry stuff in. Well, I do have a old riding lawnmower sitting around with a blown motor. Good wheels, tires, steering gear, battery... I have some scrap steel... Just need a few things like a new engine... I can build the bed with lumber I have... I got on Powerpoint, and did some cutting, and pasting. (no photoshop)


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    So far, just one evening in, this is what I got. My ancient yard sale Milwaukee hand held ban saw needs a blade real bad, and it is really starting to wander. Also you can feel the weld bump it's way through the material with every rotation. That, in combination with my horrible welding skills have me thinking I'll probably be dropping the frame off at the machine shop to be finished. Everything that goes on it will be bolted, so I can handle the easy stuff.


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  12. Jun 4, 2022 at 5:09 AM
    #232
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2016
    Member:
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    Messages:
    303
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    Remember way back when I showed a photo of a NOS deuce-and-a-half windshield, and said I wanted those safari-style windows? Well, I still do. And, a while back, I dropped it off, with the windshield frame from this tub at a local machine shop so they could make it easy for me to relive those memories of driving behind them. I had to stop in with a big sheet of steel for them to sheer for me for the go cart-truck, and they showed me the progress so far. (working in between their big contracts) I wish I had that level of fabrication skills. Man, I'm so stoked...! I probably won't be once I get the bill, but I'll have a one-of-a kind CJ7 for sure.

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  13. Jul 6, 2022 at 5:35 PM
    #233
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2016
    Member:
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    Messages:
    303
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    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    First off, hot weather, and I are old enemies, so I limit my exposure.


    Secondly, the wife is out of work during the summer (teacher's aid) and I'm on VA disability,

    so limited funds to start, plus now down a check... no new Jeep parts.


    To top it all off, I've been sick. No solid poop in last 2 months. (what a pretty picture that was huh?) They're still trying to figure it out, but long story short... been very tired, and weak as of late. If you're the praying type, I could use a mention to the good Lord.


    Speaking of being thankful... Got the windshield frame back today! Not sure when I'll be able to go have glass put in it, but I just had to slap it on for a test fit. They messed up one screw on one of the hinges, so looks like I'm hitting scrap yards looking for another M35A1 to scrounge off, but it's otherwise done. Already had the cash to pay the bill, thank God. (had sold a gun) 28 hrs of machine shop work... but it will be the signature piece of the vehicle.

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  14. Aug 21, 2022 at 2:08 AM
    #234
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2016
    Member:
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    Messages:
    303
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    Male
    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    Still been feeling weak, and the heat doesn't make things better, but I did finally get back out to the garage. Did some tinkering on a new dash today. The one I ordered online just wasn't gonna work. None of the holes lined up. I mean, they were way off. Wobbling them out wouldn't even have worked. Had to start over. These weren't right either, but they were close enough that wobbling them out will work... Decided to add a glovebox, (from a deuce and a half) so the data plates are gonna have to be adjusted, but as I've stated before, this isn't a reproduction of a military vehicle, it's a tribute to the military, and has touches of more than one vehicle from my service added, as well as off road mods, and a bit of hot-rod flair.

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  15. Sep 8, 2022 at 9:00 PM
    #235
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    Member:
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    Messages:
    303
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    Male
    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    Work continues, slowly as usual. I've been working on several parts of the Jeep at once, but that's just because I think I have some form of AFHD, and I always seem to (Oh look, a squirrel) jump on a different thing each time I go out to the garage...

    A week or so back, I started in on Brandy's seat.

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  16. Sep 8, 2022 at 9:14 PM
    #236
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    A few days later I decided it was time to build me a new battery box. I'm no expert, but I think the metal I'm using is like 14 gage...? Anyhow, whatever it is, looks strong enough. It was strong enough to be an absolute bear to bend with my little Harbor Freight brake. In fact, I started bending the little handles, and even thought I was going to rip a bite out of the front of my workbench. Once I got the big bend done, I went back to the old method of hammer and vice.

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  17. Sep 8, 2022 at 9:49 PM
    #237
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    Messages:
    303
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    Male
    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    Yesterday, and today I was working on the antenna mounts. These will go on the rear corners of the Jeep. Even though the CJ7 more closely resembles an M38A1, I'm going for the kind of mounts with the matching units we had on our M151s. The trick is to make them look like the military ones. (even though it's just for a CB radio) I found surplus ones on eBay out in Pennsylvania, but the seller was charging like $90 (each) just for shipping...! WT actual F?


    OK, make by scratch it is. Bend, cut, drill, oh, and make a circle (top plate for the matching unit) by cutting straight lines with a grinder (cut off wheel) then rounding it off with another grinder and regular disc. They're not done yet, they're cut out wrong (I need to trim) and I have some cut-outs to make yet... but I got a good start on them. One will have an antenna, and the other will have a whoppie light like they had us put on our vehicles to help prevent crashes when road marching on the autobahn.

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  18. Sep 25, 2022 at 3:11 PM
    #238
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    Messages:
    303
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    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    Cooler temp prevail, and with it not being ninety eleven degrees out, comes progress on the Jeep. However, one project has fallen by the wayside... I will not be doing the little yard cart build. At least not in the near future. Had a yard sale, and sold a bunch of old army stuff a couple weeks back, so now I have this to run around on...

    No need to build something. Run to the post office, go get pizza, go to the hardware store for a bolt for the Jeep...

    OMG this is the best thing I've bought in years.
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  19. Sep 25, 2022 at 3:19 PM
    #239
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
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    Messages:
    303
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    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    As far as the Jeep itself... I took the windshield back off. It got painted, and the pop out frames are set to go to the glass shop to have glass put in them. I went ahead, and did the roll bar, and hood while I had the spray cans out seeing as it was nice weather.

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  20. Sep 25, 2022 at 3:31 PM
    #240
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2016
    Member:
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    Messages:
    303
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    '79 CJ5
    360, D44 front, Chrysler 8.25 rear, 4 wheel discs, rear Detroit locker
    Also, I got my new Redhead steering box in, so that got mounted up.
    Then I started in on the front fenders. Same as rear, I'm using trailer fenders. Of course the fronts aren't as simple as just plain old round arches... I got flat top ones then made pie cuts in the edges so they could be bent out. Looks like they'll work out pretty well. Went by the local print shop in the next town the other day, and picked up the stickers that will be the flags for the front bumper. They will be rigid, on steel poles at each corner. I've had front mounted flags before on my car and decided against it again, as they sometimes blow sideways at stoplights blocking my view. These will be rigid, (stickers on steel) and always "blowing" towards the rear.

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