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Pictures Of Lilly, My 59 CJ5

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by baldjosh, Nov 9, 2017.

  1. Nov 9, 2017
    baldjosh

    baldjosh Member

    pacific north west
    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2017
    Messages:
    451
    Pictures of Lilly

    Hi everyone, my name is Josh

    The big challenge for me with this whole thing is going to be taking the time…

    Time to take photos and time to post updates.

    That being said, this first part is pretty long winded and i wouldnt be offended (or even know) if it was skipped. Its more an exercise for me to take the time (lucky you)

    Here goes nothin,

    Back around the first part of January i was having a conversation with a buddy of mine, he has a beautifully restored CJ3b, i was telling him i was ready for a new project, I don't remember if i mentioned the word Jeep, but he says to me, “you know i have a 59 CJ5 sitting in a barn on lopez island. It's a shame for it to just sit there and rot away, but i dont have the time or desire to do anything more to it”

    The back story on it he has is the CJ lived on canoe island a long time ago,Canoe is one of the gazillion of tiny islands not serviced by our ferry system, lots of these islands have really cool old utility vehicles that were barged out on them many moons ago and are really fun to see. Its dirt roads and low speeds so they are mostly in awesome shape. This Jeep is not one of those “in awesome shape” models

    Google Maps

    I am trying to figure out pictures, forgive me my ignorance:D
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 9, 2017
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  2. Nov 9, 2017
    baldjosh

    baldjosh Member

    pacific north west
    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2017
    Messages:
    451
    The CJ was purchased by a gentleman and moved to Orcas island, when we do not know, but my buddy knew the guy and down the road bought the jeep for $400 and took it to lopez island where he started going through wheels and brakes etc, the tub was rotting off the frame and he bought a replacement along with glove box, steering tube and other random bits. The plan was to get a pretty solid wheeler but no beauty queen. He replaced a lot of brake parts, wheel bearings, and disassembled body work and some mechanicals along the way.

    Maybe 11 or 12 years ago he moved off island but couldnt take the jeep, the jeep needed to be stored somewhere for later so new wheels and tires were put on to roll it onto a trailer and into a friends barn, it was covered with a tarp and that's the end of story till i came along.

    DSC06559.JPG
     
  3. Nov 9, 2017
    Dave B

    Dave B Frankenjeep '67

    Northern Minnesota
    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2009
    Messages:
    650
    Good luck with your project! Being a Midwest inlander with no knowledge of the islands--How big is the island Lilly is on? In acres or miles?
     
  4. Nov 9, 2017
    baldjosh

    baldjosh Member

    pacific north west
    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2017
    Messages:
    451
    awesome, I figured it out, such skills should be envied

    I was pretty excited about the whole thing, ive owned 2 willys wagons, but never a Cj and its been a dream of mine. The jeep is on another island and its a commitment to get to it so for a while we just talk about it, planning and scheming what it might take to get it here. At one point the conversation turns to money, and to my total surprise he tells me his desire for the jeep to be rehomed to someone who will do it justice is greater than any dollar amount he could put on it! Holy Crap! I just scored a free jeep that ive never seen and for that matter he hasnt seen in 10 years its on another island and may not be in the barn or even exist anymore! FUN!
    OK, so im super jazzed, looks like an adventure in my future, so i asked about the title. Well when he bought the jeep there were no plans for any road use so the title was never picked up. He would run into the PO once in a while and told it was still waiting for him to drop by and pick up but time moves on and eventually the PO died and the jeeps in a barn on another island, so who knows.That was a major bummer! But we got to talking and it turns out through my work ive got contact info for the widow,( if she's still alive she's in her 90s ) and figure what the heck, lets try. I cold called her on a thursday, she sounds as spry as they get, I explained my situation, and she said she would look into it, took my info .and we signed off. The following monday, 4 days later, is a letter in my mailbox, inside was the title signed over and ready to go with a sticky note saying “guess you got lucky” . Wooohooo, super excited! Her name is Lillian and i wish she was my third grandma, so in her honor my jeeps name is Lilly.

    So now that i have a title, its time to get serious about fetching it. He knows the barn where he last saw the jeep is on an old farm with lots of old implements and who knows what stored inside. The farmhouse has been rented out, and the property sitting in an unknown condition for some time. We met up in the morning, his dodge truck and a borrowed car hauler and my toyota truck filled with tools, a come-along and aircompressor, ropes straps, you name it. My truck goes on the trailer to save ferry fare, and off we go.

    P1020125.JPG P1020126.JPG
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 9, 2017
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  5. Nov 9, 2017
    baldjosh

    baldjosh Member

    pacific north west
    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2017
    Messages:
    451
    On the Island we unload my truck and head to the property, this is pretty exciting stuff and im about loosing my mind, whats behind door # 2 ?.... lots and lots and lots of chicken poop! It seems the farm has been a free range chicken farm for a while, i have never seen so many hens running amoc, and pooping everywhere, it was pretty wild. Inches of poop on just about everything, Feathers and eggs everywhere! Just crazy!

    P1020127.JPG P1020128.JPG

    So into the barn we go, and really theres not alot between us and the green tarp in the back corner. We figured we would have to tow out some flat tired seed spreader or something. But nope pretty clear, and there it is, my new to me project 59 CJ5.

    We drug out all the parts we could find (later found we missed a couple) the tires still had some air, shuffled a few items to make room to roll it out and the jeep sees the light of day for the first time in along time. What we thought would take many hours possibly 2 trips (in the end it did take 2) only took 45 minuites. We even had time to stop for food before the next ferry home. In the end Lilly and company were back for happy hour, awesome!
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2017
  6. Nov 9, 2017
    baldjosh

    baldjosh Member

    pacific north west
    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2017
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    451
    My dream of a CJ has always been more of a beach jeep, something pretty rough to cruise around in with the top off and not alot of worry if it gets banged up a little but now i find myself thinking this is a good spot to start for a little more. It's in pieces, the frame is in great shape, the tub is new, and ive never taken on a project this big….what to do? I wanted to go through all the mechanicals at the least so i started stripping it down more till it was just a frame sitting there, and so what the heck, lets get it powder coated, and it hasnt stopped. I think the end result will be a nicely redone stock CJ but with some tweaks to my liking.
     
  7. Nov 9, 2017
    Muzikp

    Muzikp Active Member

    Sacramento Ca.
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2016
    Messages:
    1,450
    Cool introduction and I like how you got the name. Got any pics of the Jeep uncovered?
     
  8. Nov 10, 2017
    rusty

    rusty Well-Known Member

    norfolk,va
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    Dec 16, 2006
    Messages:
    1,652
    Can't wait to see the Jeep. Sounds very interesting .
     
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  9. Nov 10, 2017
    baldjosh

    baldjosh Member

    pacific north west
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    Oct 24, 2017
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  10. Nov 10, 2017
    baldjosh

    baldjosh Member

    pacific north west
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    451
    Before getting all excited and tearing the jeep apart I wanted to get the engine running, check a few things and check compression. I oiled the cylinders and let them soak for awhile turning things over by hand a few times. a little makeshift set up with coolant and wiring. had to spend some time working out a no spark situation, its been a while since I fiddled with points. in the end she fired up and ran pretty OK.
    DSC06560.JPG
    generator was charging, I had oil pressure, radiator weeping under pressure, so all looks good enough.
    the compression test came out as follows, first cycle to max psi
    100 - 150
    100 - 150
    105 - 155
    100 - 140
    these numbers seem kinda high to me, whats normal? like 120 to 130? should I be concerned, I'm worried about long term damage to crankshaft/bearings/etc
     
  11. Nov 10, 2017
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
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    That's as awesome as it gets!
     
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  12. Nov 10, 2017
    baldjosh

    baldjosh Member

    pacific north west
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    Kind of got my time line mixed up there...oh well. now that it runs and ive got some #s ill strip it down to the frame. I debated spending the money to have the frame powdercoated but in the end I'm really glad I did.
    DSC06663.JPG
    The sample chip was much smoother, done on a smooth piece of steel. the frame turned out to have much more texture, but I like it, its tough looking.
    after the frame I got interested in powder coating myself. After reading up on the process I decided that its something I can handle, except for the really big pieces, limited by the size of an oven I'm willing to have in my shop or pay for.
    The axle housings and leaf springs are about all that's left of the big stuff so those went to the professionals as well.
    DSC06762.JPG
    I purchased a HF powder gun, bought a counter top convection oven at a thrift store and now just needed to pick a color to order powder. I was inspired by the back of the Kaiser willys catalogue, I love the southwest and all the red clay
    DSC06677.JPG
    I bought some black as well, heres the first pieces I ever did they turned out pretty good I think, I havnt gone all crazy on them trying to damage the coating but did knock em around some and it seems to be pretty tough stuff
    DSC06656.JPG
    DSC06658.JPG
     

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  13. Nov 10, 2017
    browncoat

    browncoat Member

    Maitland Australia
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    Sep 1, 2016
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    410
    Nice powder coating work baldjosh.

    I reckon all old jeeps need a name, and it looks like she would have been beautiful even without a makeover.

    I think your compression numbers are excellent, not sure about the 4 cylinders models, but the 6 cylinders engines list 140 PSI as normal compression.
     
  14. Nov 10, 2017
    Uncle Vin

    Uncle Vin Member 2022 Sponsor

    Long Island, New...
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    Following
     
  15. Nov 10, 2017
    baldjosh

    baldjosh Member

    pacific north west
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    I've powder coated some smaller pieces with success but the little "easy bake" oven just cant get the larger cast pieces up to temp and keep an even heat so off to find a real oven. I found this full size double convection oven for pretty cheap at habitat for humanity thrift store. I learned that every price tag in there has a date on it and if its over a month old its 25% off, over 2 months is 50% off and 3 months is 75% off. Im guessing because its electric and white that it wasn't a hot item (badum dum...hot item...nevermind ) I can bake off grease and oil in the lower while cooking coated parts in the upper. Kinda pro! Kinda
    DSC06716.JPG
    built a bag for the blast cabinet, ovens and spraying parts, trying to keep the dust down, it sorta worked kind of okish
    DSC06671.JPG
    and now that I'm set up I kind of go nuts with the powder. the lighting makes the color look different in these pics, they are all the brighter color like the diff. covers
    DSC06719.JPG
    DSC06721.JPG
    DSC06732.JPG
    DSC06752.JPG
    powder coat the whole Jeep??? Hmmmm
     
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  16. Nov 10, 2017
    jeepermc

    jeepermc Active Member

    Western WA
    Joined:
    May 25, 2011
    Messages:
    1,188
    Welcome from another Pacific Northwester! Great Jeep!
     
  17. Nov 10, 2017
    rusty

    rusty Well-Known Member

    norfolk,va
    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2006
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    1,652
    That powder coating is sweet. I like it.
     
  18. Nov 10, 2017
    givemethewillys

    givemethewillys Been here since sparky ran it. 2022 Sponsor

    New Kent, VA
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    Jun 21, 2005
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    1,998
    Those powdercoated parts look great! Keep up the good work, I look forward to seeing more progress. Subscribed
     
  19. Nov 10, 2017
    Focker

    Focker That's a terrible idea...What time? Staff Member

    WA
    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
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    7,540
    I love powder coating. I used to have a commercial grade set up in my garage. It was my friend's and I babysat it while he was moving. I PC'd all sorts of things while I had it.
     
  20. Nov 12, 2017
    baldjosh

    baldjosh Member

    pacific north west
    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2017
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    451
    I really enjoy taking things apart down to the last nut and bolt, cleaning, and reassembling. the challenge of getting it all back together and working great and all that. i ordered transmission and transfer case gasket kits and tore into those,
    DSC06609.JPG
    Im pretty sure it all went back together and will work well but wont know for ? months or longer when the engine is done and its operable. Im having so much fun turning rough old parts into shiny new looking parts that i decide to try powder coating even bigger pieces.
    DSC06765.JPG DSC06768.JPG
    the bell housing was a real monster in the blast cabinet and getting it from the hooks with dry powder into the oven and not accidentally brushing powder off anywhere was a challenge!
    At this point i might as well not stop, so ive decided almost everything under sheet metal will get coated, leaving the nuts and bolts a nice cleaned up, patina
    DSC06788.JPG DSC06791.JPG
     
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