1955 Cj5 Moneypit Build

I found a 55 CJ for $400 back in late November 2018 and decided to buy it. After thoroughly inspecting everything, I basically decided to save the D 44, D 25, T90, and Dana 18, scrapping everything else. The body was swiss cheese and I felt I could poke holes through the frame with a screwdriver. So my journey began.

UP TO DATE POSTINGS WILL START AFTER 8/1/18

More posts and pictures to come once I download all pictures to the site.

 

$400!!!! Wow, Looking forward to this one. Christmas lights look great

 

This set of pictures is the car while being disassembled and seeing exactly what I have.

 

For the next set, I start disassembling everything. This came with a Ford V8 that was seized. I really didn't take many pictures of the body because it was in such bad shape.

 

After everything I wanted to keep was labeled and boxed up, I started taking things to the sand blaster. They also powder coat, so I got everything powder coated in Black. I ended up taking both axles, transmission, transfer case, and a few other things but the only pics of sandblasted materials I have are the axles. Finished pictures of the tranny and t-case will be seen later.

 

This is what they looked like when I picked them up.

A little lull in time here; not much getting done because I decided a few things:

• Axles will be professionally rebuilt.
• The frame is too F'd up for me and no one wanted it when I posted it on the classifieds here.
• The body is too far gone for my metalworking skills
• Let's see how much money I can spend from magazines and online! I think I kept Quadratec, Kaiser Willys, Walcks, Novak Adapt, and Summit Racing in business for the past 6 months. Also Throttle Down Kustoms who make awesome full tube frames. Pics of those will be posted later.

During the lull, I rebuilt my transmission, transfer case, and made dents in my living room coffee table during the process. If I can find pictures during the rebuild, I'll post them tomorrow bit I think I was too busy swearing to take any.


That's it for tonight, much more to come soon.

 

Transmission and transfer case rebuilds were MUCH easier than I expected them to be. Novak has pretty good instructions but I ended up following along with a YouTube video for the rebuilds. If I can remember the video name, I'll post it here.

 

Here's some pictures of the new heart of the beast; a SBC V8 that a friend practically gifted me. Still in the Jegs crate.

 

Throttle Down Kustoms came through with an awesome frame. This thing should survive a bomb.

 

Frame after primer to keep rust out...

 

I've been lookin at those TDK frames, but i can't pull the trigger on one yet.

 

They're very well built. I bought mine with the add on skid plate and transmission crossmember but decided to go with the stock look. Pics of this soon enough. It definitely would be easy to switch out the new style at any time. A bit of advice, if you're open to the style of front bumper, they will weld one on. I couldn't decide and pictures below show what I decided on.

I also customized the frame with YJ spring placement and integrated saginaw steering bracket. This extended the frame by about 2 inches.

 

Does the new frame have reversed shackles?

 

Technically yes, I guess. I'm not 100% sure what entails a shackle reversal on a stock frame. The frame guys swayed me into upgrading to yj suspension.

 

Well, I see the welded in tube for it. Try it out. Might be awesome. Spring over YJ stock springs with shackle reversal might make it interesting.

 

Fwiw primer is porous and will let moisture in.

 

Primer was on for about 2 months. When I was ready to paint, I sanded everything and re primed using 2k epoxy primer. Paint went on a week later, actually used upol raptor bedliner for frame

 

Looking good. I like the frame choice.

 

After I primered the frame, it was time for dry fitting everything. I got my WillysOverland repro tub in while this is all happening too. Sorry the pictures aren't in that great of order.