Nick's 74-CJ5 Project...PURISTS BEWARE...

Howdy everyone. I'm not sure if I ought to do this here, but I figure I'll take a chance. If you are a purist who believes in only restoration & preservation you may want to avert your eyes.

With the disclaimers out of the way...

I owned my 1974 CJ5 for about 11 years. It was in really rough shape when I got it, and after a few disappointing trips to the desert and up the mountain I retired her until I could get the time to work on it and make it more reliable and trail worthy. It was stored at a friends house in the desert for 6 years or so, home to many a black widow spider. My friends moved to Colorado last year and I needed to find a new home for her.

Another really good friend, Kurt, suggested this was perhaps the kick in the rear I needed to fix it once and for all. And so it began.

So we started to look at how we were going to change the CJ from what it was, into what I needed. My first hurdle...was the frame flex which was driving me insane. We had three options really. One was to box in the frame as I've heard many people have done, but that wasn't nearly complicated enough for us. The second was to stiffen the frame when I installed the roll cage with tie-ins all around, which was good but why not do that in addition to the most complicated option. The third and probably least desirable option was to build a whole frame. *Ding-ding-ding!*

So, that is what we did. Using the old frame as a guide, and making our own flares to the design we got under way.

I wanted to bring the center section out to help give some more space to work control arms, and to better position the body mounts.​

So over time we figured out where we wanted to put things and the frame came together.

The frame with fish plates in place. We would eventually widen the rear to the same width as the center for a couple of reasons.​

Next came the Power & Drive train assemblies. I'm sticking with the 258 that came with the CJ. It's not the original I regret to say, but it's the one I have.

I believe the engine came from an 87-CJ7 and was swapped in by the P.O.​

It's never just as easy as just putting it in. Figuring out placement and how to tie it down was fun.

Kurt fabricated some custom motor mounts and we were back in business.​

More to follow once I upload and sort out more of the pictures.

 

Wow looks great, keep up the good work, excited to see more progress.

 

Thanks...it's coming along pretty nicely.

 

Just an FYI, when I say she was in "rough shape" when I got her... I meant rough shape...

The old girl has seen better days...​

 

...as we rejoin our hero(s), they had just figured out where to place the engine and fab'd up some motor mounts to hold the horses in place.

So the front of the engine was set and now we needed to work on the transmission & transfer case mount. I'm using the T-18/Dana 20 set up (although much pressure to swap them out) and TRYING to go "flat belly". Wow that's difficult with those behemoths hanging so low.

Just tacking everything in place for now. Changes happen.​

As with any belly-up setup we knew we would have to lift the body somewhat to accomodate. So with the engine & drive train in place...we fetched the tub.

This was gonna take some serious massage to make it work.​

Now this next part is difficult for me to talk about. It hurts still to know I've done it...

In order to make the necessary room for the lift of the drive train, out came the plasma cutter. I wanted very much to keep the passenger tool box, but it had to go.

Kurt is pouting for me. I wasn't real happy I couldn't keep it.​

Next came the floor.

Gotta make a cover for this still, but not there yet.​

So with the body "in position" we took to making some body mounts. The idea with the funky frame design was to minimize the length of the body mounts and to inboard as much as possible. This will keep the mounts out of harms way while on the rocks, or trees, or wherever. Not fancy here, just knocked them out.

So that's the evolution of the body mounts.​

Once we had the body relatively secure in place. We could add the hood and figure out the placement of the grill & radiator support.

Again, it's only tacked into place because things change.
Probably going to remove and go to a different design due to
the steering box placement. We'll see.​

Looking pretty good I think...so now it's time to start the fun stuff. Suspension coming soon.

 

What's the plans for the suspension? Leaf, out boarded springs, possible coil?


Looks good, keep up the good work


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

PM sent on that tool box removable if your not going to use it anywhere..................Terry

 

Nice work, you pick the good idea about the new frame. Metal on oem frame get old, even if you box it, it's still a weak frame.

I'm just a little concern about engine mount, those rubber part i had lot a problem with them, when i swap out the new frame i did some custom mount using suspension bushing.


About suspension what is you're plan?
Just to say coil spring on a Cj it's like day and night compare to leaf. Jeep drove so much better on road, off-road is a charm, smooth and lot of flex.

 

Where was I? Oh yes...

Suspension. Well we started with the rear...

In another break away from the "restoration" mindset, I wanted to go wider on the CJ's stance than the original narrow track axles provided. So, I went with a Ford 8.8 in the rear. This is the same rear axle I have in the YJ, and also chose it to reduce the size of the part's bin I would need to carry around on trips.

In order to get the same WMS to WMS stance as the front YJ axle, I had purchased a "Super 88" kit from the now defunct Superior Axle & Gear. I sure will miss those guys, good products.

Now.....how to hang the axles? Well, in an effort to reduce the pounding on my kidneys in the CJ5, I had purchased Holbrook Specialties Longleaf springs...and they certainly do reduce the amount of jostling of internal organs. But I still wasn't satisfied with the tippy feeling I got from the narrow set-up. Using a "skinny" leaf spring set-up didn't seem like a viable option.

Kurt had a set of oddly rare Black Diamond coilovers. Black Diamond put this kit out using the stock shock-mount locations to convert CJ's to coilovers. Kurt didn't get the full kit from the seller, only the shocks/springs. I'm not sure what the rest of the set-up consisted of, but I'm sure some kind of control arms and panhard bar or something. So we began fitment with these and got to work making control arms and crossmembers.

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Cutting off the old mounts. Ahh the fun stuff...​

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Investigating position and pinion angle. It's gonna be pretty steep.​

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Lower control arm mounts for the 8.8​

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With lower control arms tacked into place.​

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So with the lower control arms in place on the axle, and a pretty good feeling about where the cross member would need to rest for the frame tie-in, Kurt thunk hard and long on what would be a good design for it. I have to admit I was somewhat skeptical at first about the cross member, but I'm really digging it now.

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Hmmm... a piece of 2" 1/4" wall DOM is a good start...​

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Ok I'm with ya.
*note*
I didn't realize how much $$ is in this picture. Wow.​

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Hmmm, I'm not seeing it...can I get a different angle?​

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Seems kinda whimpy. Can we beef it up?​

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Sorry, stupid question.​

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Ok, you've got my attention now.​

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What's it gonna look like finished?​

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Alright smartazz...better angle?​

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Ahhh... I like it!​

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Ok lets get it installed!!

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Lower control arms are about set. Not bad.
How about some more beef?​

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Beef is kinda the specialty at A-hole Fab.​

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Ok, so what ya gonna do about those upper control arms genius?​

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In our next installment... "Truss? You ain't just whistling Dixie!" & "The spring conundrum."