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Mission Impossible 1956 Cj5 Basket Case.

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by Rodney, Jan 9, 2021.

  1. Jan 16, 2021
    Rodney

    Rodney Member

    Sierra Foothills
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    When my wife saw it she said "You're retired, what else do you have to do with your time."
     
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  2. Jan 16, 2021
    givemethewillys

    givemethewillys Been here since sparky ran it. 2022 Sponsor

    New Kent, VA
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    Love that. Mine says, "can you stop doing that? The noise might wake the toddler!"

    Gosh I'm looking forward to a detached garage someday....
     
    ITLKSEZ and Rodney like this.
  3. Jan 16, 2021
    Rodney

    Rodney Member

    Sierra Foothills
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    My wife has the Botanical Gardens around the house and I have the Mechanical Garden up at the shop. "And Never the Twain shall meet"!
     
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  4. Jan 19, 2021
    Krowey

    Krowey New Member

    Oregon
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    You’re off to a good start. I think your 56 is in better shape than mine was when I started on mine.
     
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  5. Jan 20, 2021
    Rodney

    Rodney Member

    Sierra Foothills
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    I know some of you have started with some rusted out hulks, but this one isn't much better than that. The frame is in suprisingly good shap, but floors and floor supports are about rusted away. I Spent most of today taking measurements, pictures and doing drawings with the location of all the body mount etc. Next comes the Sawzall and cut off wheels.

     
  6. Jan 20, 2021
    Mr Vaughan

    Mr Vaughan

    that ain't bad rust for 60some years, it looks fresh!mine has had sheetmetal patches welded/brazed on, and under them is rusted through entirely. the channels underneath are practically gone on mine, again not awful on yours. it's better than it could be.
     
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  7. Jan 20, 2021
    Rodney

    Rodney Member

    Sierra Foothills
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    Thanks for the ecouragement. I guess it's just California Rust.
    Rodney
     
  8. Jan 21, 2021
    Mr Vaughan

    Mr Vaughan

    i actually like the look of it, with the rockers gone and the floor rotting out. the underseat tool box is unuseable, though, as anything reasonably small falls through
     
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  9. Jan 21, 2021
    Twin2

    Twin2 not him 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Virginia Beach, VA
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    Rodney and locrwln like this.
  10. Jan 21, 2021
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
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    If you're not worried about originality, 1x2" tubing is a good substitute:
    [​IMG]

    It is best to weld in tubes for the body mount bolts so the 1x2 tubing doesn't crush when you tighten them.
     
  11. Jan 21, 2021
    Rodney

    Rodney Member

    Sierra Foothills
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    Looks good, I'm thinking along those lines. Nothing else is going to be original, so why not.
     
  12. Jan 21, 2021
    Rodney

    Rodney Member

    Sierra Foothills
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    Well I got the first panel cut out. I started on the drivers side floor today. it came out fairly easy.
    I cut a cardboard pattern and then transfered it to a sheet of metal and cut it to fit, and then tack welded it in place.
    I used cut up crops from a Medal Fab shops scrap barrel to build the back panel that were basicly 1" x 3" angle at least 12 gauge..
    Tomorrow I will finish all the welds and flip the body back over to build the supports. Making progress on day at a time.
     
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  13. Jan 22, 2021
    Rodney

    Rodney Member

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    Whats holding the body on the frame?
     
  14. Jan 22, 2021
    Mr Vaughan

    Mr Vaughan

    not much.
     
  15. Jan 22, 2021
    Rodney

    Rodney Member

    Sierra Foothills
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    When I let Daisy out this morning she Said " What's this crap I want back in the house
    I forced her up to the shop where we found the CJ5 tub with an inch of snow in it under the car port,so I hun up some blue tarps and cut the roll bar off and fliped it over and cut out the passenger side floor.
    I cut out the original tunnel hat channel support and welded in a 3/16" steel plate support instead. Then added a 1"x2" 3/16" angle from side to side to stiffen and re-enforce the tube.
    Then I did some sneeky cutting and slid a military tool box into where the original one was rusted out'
    Next step is to finish the passenger floor, using the tool box bottom as a protion of the floor. The top of the box and hinged lid sits about an inch high, but clears the flip up seat frame.
     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2021
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  16. Jan 23, 2021
    masscj2a

    masscj2a Member 2023 Sponsor

    Ware, Mass
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    Rodney welcome aboard. You've got a pretty nice project there. Keep up the good work, your moving along pretty quick.
     
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  17. Jan 23, 2021
    Rodney

    Rodney Member

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    Thanks for the encouragement.
     
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  18. Jan 27, 2021
    Rodney

    Rodney Member

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    So, back to chasing rust. Years ago some PO built a roll bar out of 2"x1/4" wall pipe, then welded it to pieces of 1/4" diamond plate the same size as the fender tops. He bolted it down with 1/2 a dozen 5/8" carrige bolts with mud flap material between the plate and fenders. Both fender tops rusted away (imagine that).
    I've got several sheets of 3/16" diamond plate steel from dismantling a fleet of flatbed trucks and mounting Service beds. SOO.
    The bed was also rusted beyond repair, so I cut it out.
    I added angle steel at each end and T stock on the side for the 3'16 diamond plate to sit on.
    Then I cut a new diamond plate bed floor. I figure I added about 60-80 LBS about the weight of one kid in the back. This rust bucket has gained about 90% more regidity that it had before.
     
  19. Jan 28, 2021
    jeepstar

    jeepstar Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Sheboygan
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    worried about that motor and all the extra weight? or are you doing the LS swap right after the body work? :)
     
  20. Jan 28, 2021
    Rodney

    Rodney Member

    Sierra Foothills
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    No
    No LS. It's getting an 1987 HO Mustang 302 roller motor with a Top loader 4 speed.
     
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