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Fino's 1970 Mini Build Thread

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by FinoCJ, Oct 3, 2014.

  1. Jul 31, 2020
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2013
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    5,593
    Thought I was going to get everything back together last night - the BDS replacement spring arrived. I also asked they include the u-bolts for it - thought that would be easy as they come painted/powdercoated or whatever. Just bolt it all back together, no delay....well, the two ubolts they sent are 1/2" when they need to be 7/16". I didn't really want to drill out the spring plate - especially for just one side of the axle - so first thing this morning made a quick trip to the local shop that will make them for you while you wait. I've used them before - no issues - but the ubolts etc come raw exposed steel, and I like to paint them. So the spring is in place with with Mike's caster shim added in the pack, and the ubolts are drying....Guess I will try to give them about 12 hrs to dry, then install tonight and let it finish drying overnight on the jeep.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Tackled the wobbly alternator....found the hinge (long) bolt sleeve that was installed (probably as part of the re-manufactured process) was worn through and disintegrating....Drilled out the alternator housing a bit larger and installed a new, thicker sleeve (couldn't get the thin sleeve at the local hardware). Everything is much tighter and no alternator wiggle-wobble.
    [​IMG]

    If all goes well tonight - get the ubolts and spring plates back on, and ready to hook up the tow bar tomorrow morning for the San Juan trip. We are hoping to be on the road 11am or so.
     
  2. Jul 31, 2020
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Woohoo! :bananatool:

    I'm glad. I really want to see your Jeep.
     
    FinoCJ likes this.
  3. Jul 31, 2020
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2013
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    haven't even washed it since the rubicon....
     
    Fireball likes this.
  4. Jul 31, 2020
    homersdog

    homersdog Tulsa, Ok 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Tulsa, OK
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    all the better. See you Monday!
     
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  5. Aug 28, 2020
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2013
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    Back to getting the front end of the cj finalized...have some other things to address as well...first thing was to redo the sleeves for the bumper and tow bracket mounts I installed in the new front cross-member. Originally, I installed the sleeve a bit long, welded around it, and then cut and ground...didn't really work all that well. The weld had no penetration and when I ground them flat, the was minimal no weld holding it in place. It was fine for what they are being used for, but thought it would be good practice and learning to try doing it better....so I removed the sleeves, ground out a bevel around the rim of the hole, and used sleeves that were the right length to provide better access and visibility when welding.
    [​IMG]

    Much easier to get a good weld around the end of the sleeve. End result is much better -- these were the first two, and I think I got better with the other 6 six....just have to clean up/round out the end of the sleeve hole a bit.
    [​IMG]

    Going to use this technique for the winch mount that will go through the boxed frame rails....
     
    Rich M., 47v6, ITLKSEZ and 2 others like this.
  6. Aug 28, 2020
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2013
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    Next thing is to finish boxing the front frame rails...In the name of time, Chuck and I chose not to remove the grill etc to get access to box in the frame horns all the way back to the factory cross-member.
    [​IMG]

    So I am making some cardboard templates and will finish the boxing....I intend to weld all the way around the perimeter, including the perimeter along the cross-member:
    [​IMG]
     
  7. Aug 29, 2020
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2003
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    Looks good. I bevel the edges when I fit the sleeves too. Another thing to remember, they are there to help strengthen the crush element and go from two single shear points to a full cross section shear IF they were pulled laterally across the facing. You need to make sure to use good facing (ie washers or plate) to make sure they don't pull through and help spread the load in addition to the weld for your tow bolts on the face of the cross member.

    I showed you how I use them on the frame rails to bolt the bumper too on the Red '51 in the Garage. That is how they are at the strongest.
     
  8. Sep 1, 2020
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2013
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    Cut our the boxing plates - the right side came out perfect on the first cut. The driver side needed some grinding etc to give a good fit and gap all the way around - but I think I was getting to the point of any more grinding and I would have to start over. When this one is rotated just a bit CCW, its should work....
    [​IMG]

    Here is the passenger side....I spent some time the last few days 'playing' with the new welder on 3/16" stuff trying to figure out a good setting and trying both .025 and .030 wire. The Hobart guide for starting setting is as hot as it goes and only with .030 (or .035) wire...I went with the .030 wire even though I felt like I was stuggling to get enough penetration inspecting my practice welds (even cutting through some), so I slowed the wire feed just a bit so I could move a bit slower - not sure it helps much, but at least allows me to feel unrushed when welding and can focus on what I see and where i am going. I don't have a lot of light in my garage and I find it difficult to stay on the joint, and of course, it a bit awkward trying to find a comfortable, easy position to weld in....but anyway....here was my first effort - I think I can live it....
    [​IMG]
     
    47v6, bigbendhiker, Muzikp and 2 others like this.
  9. Sep 1, 2020
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
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    Looks pretty good - as tall as those welds appear to me in the pic, you might be able to slow the feed a bit more.
     
  10. Sep 2, 2020
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    It wouldn't hurt to bevel the edges of the plate too.
     
  11. Sep 3, 2020
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2013
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    Finished getting the winch plate mounted...drilled and sleeved new holes in the frame horns, and did my best ITLKSEZ impersonation and offset the winch a 1/4" to the passenger side......this was mostly because of the 1/8" fishplate added to the outside of the frame horns would not allow straight re-using the old mount brackets. I didn't have enough of the right scrap to make two new brackets, and didn't want to go searching around the drop yards, so I did kind of cheat a bit, and modified and used one of the old brackets, and made one new bracket on the driver side where the 1/4" is accommodated....oh well, between the bent bumper, non-square body and enough mud from wheeling, and all my other hack job work, it won't be noticeable....
    [​IMG]

    Time to paint everything back nice and pretty....and I think while the front grill is off, I may investigate the stripped oil pump hole in the timing cover that I think is the biggest source of oil drip/seepage on the cj. I may try to drill and helicoil it, or I may try just replacing the entire timing cover with a spare I pick up from a member here. I am ready to get the repair work on the cj done so i can get back to the 58 wagon...I drove it 40 miles to the other side of town yesterday, and when i got back it left a puddle of coolant....I think the heater core is leaking....just ignoring that for now....
     
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  12. Sep 8, 2020
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
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    Put the cj back together today - I did not pull the timing cover. After spending quite a bit of time under there trying to follow the source of the leak, I don't think its coming from the timing cover area - mostly from around the oil pump and front of the oil pan gasket. Hopefully I got that taken care of. Of course, after getting it back together, it ran fine, but no headlights! Argghhh....I cleaned up the connections and used some dielectric grease....time to get out the meter and start chasing wires and connectivity etc.....Took a bit, but found it....
    [​IMG]

    The little section of small gauge wire was spliced into the headlight wire at the switch (I don't have a relay set-up yet - coming soon)....Got lucky it didn't start a big fire....I've gone through a lot of the wiring under the dash undoing some PO stuff (lots of auxiliary add-ons with radio, cb, aux heater, lights etc) and then adding in various projects of my own and adding in the fuse boxes etc, but some stuff just worked and I never touched it. I knew the switch wasn't OEM - its the universal GM style with the glass tube fuse. Anyway, I need to go through and clean that all up a bit more - and thanks to Julius (Renegade II), I have an NOS standard ignition switch I want to put in - its as good a time as any to be upside down under the dash....
     
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  13. Nov 13, 2020
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    Been working on a hi-lift mount (again!)...seems every so often I try working on this project and get stuck and leave it alone as I don't necessarily feel a hi-lift is absolutely critical gear. But, I do think they can be useful, and it wouldn't do me any good sitting in the garage if I needed it. So, I think I have decent bracket system worked out to mount on my rear bumper given my limited fab skills and various clearances needed....so this would be its location, far enough to the passenger side to clear the tire, near the hinge on the rear bumper to minimize weight/torque on the hinge, and hopefully, not blocking the tail light too much....so that is my question: how do you all feel about taillight visibility? I might be able to squeeze the lift over to the driver side another 1/2" or so, but trying to leave just a bit of 'wiggle' room for differences that might occur with a different spare etc....
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    melvinm likes this.
  14. Nov 13, 2020
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
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    Click the jack up a notch or two, and the visibility will be even less of an issue. Unless the arm will hit the tire? I can’t tell if it’s next to, or behind the tire.
     
  15. Nov 13, 2020
    shaun

    shaun Member

    Lebanon, Ohio
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    I have one that I am thinking about installing on the rear bumper as well. But I may mount it on top (horizontal) of my bumpettes. Just a thought. Reasons: no obstruction of visibility, easy access, no fabrication/can buy mounts. Annnnnd you won’t have that weird look of something sticking way up in air.
     
  16. Nov 13, 2020
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
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    I’ve been struggling with the idea of mounting one too. I have both the 4’ and 5’ versions. I’ve found that almost every time I’ve used the 4’ one for everything other than changing a tire, it just wasn’t quite long enough. This has almost gotten me to the point of thinking that if I can’t find a way to mount the 5’ one, it’s almost not worth it. But the 5’ version on a Jeep is a really tough fit. It likes to get snagged on trail trash if sideways, and it’s too tall to mount vertically.
    JMO.
     
  17. Nov 13, 2020
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    I don't have any bumperettes....and the swing away carrier already increases rear overhang by 3+ inches so don't want anything that sticks out back even more down low. I've looked into horizontal mount between the tire and tailgate, but with my low rear tail lights and reverse lights above that - the horizontal mount gets very high - would have to be just below the top of the tub - and then it starts to run into interference with the tire (which is tilted in at the top). Plus, the brackets for such a mount would have to be pretty tall and rigidity and weight became an issue....another downside is when the tire carrier is swung open, the end near the hinge wants to punch into the body corner. If you don't have a winch, the best place I ever mounted it was on top of the front bumper - but when the winch came along, it had to move. I liked the idea of it being mounted across the roll bar in the back, but then I put the tool box with a lid that opens upward and cargo rack there, and its difficult to access when the top is on....honestly, I probably should just mount a shovel, its probably more useful than a hi-lift anyway....
     
  18. Nov 13, 2020
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    Why not both? I've been though the same issues figuring out where to mount a high lift. I'll probably end up doing it vertically on the back like your pictures.
     
  19. Nov 13, 2020
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    I carry a small military folding shovel in the jeep....after the hi-lift, I plan to work on a shovel mount....was more a comment that a shovel might be more useful than a hi-lift if you had to pick one, and its hopefully easier to mount....I think the M38A1 had a shovel mount under the hood which is nice, and I know Scott did this with his A1 with the 4.3v6 swap. And others like Duffer have nice underhood mounting set-ups....Sometimes I think about mounting the high-lift across the top of the hood hinges - its sort of out of the way, but seems like it could be difficult to access given how heavy they are. I could see accidentally banging/dropping it on the hood trying to get it on or off the mounts....I don't lay my windshield down, so not an issue for me, but would be an issue for those that do. I do open and close my hood a lot - not sure how much of an issue that would be.....
     
  20. Nov 13, 2020
    melvinm

    melvinm Member

    Arvada Co. 80003
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    I'd leave it where it's at.
     
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