Any suggestions?

I have a 69 Commando, and I have to fix it up to be able to bring it to college! I go to a beach school and it KILLS me not to have it! I have about 2 things I have to do:
1.Fix the brakes (because we all know they suck) probably convert the front drums to disk
2. and I need to get a soft top or fix the hard top I have. The back window and frame are missing, and I'm guessing that will be hard to replace.
Also, if you look at my pictures, does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix the dent? Its in an awkward place to pound out, and I'm a poor college student spending all my money on my jeep.
Thanks
KG

 

I.....don't see any pic's???

 

Find a cheap dent puller. or redneck way, run in a couple long sheet metal screws and use vice grips to yank the dent out as much as possible.

If that don't work well... waffle it with a drill (1/8") and build it back up with Fiberglass bondo, the holes will allow the bondo a good adhesion.
Fiberglass bondo won't absorb moisture and will flex more without cracking. Cutting it out is an option but the dented metal is still attached better unless you can weld sheetmetal.

 

Where abouts in NC you located when you're in school and when not in school? A hatchback with a window is probably easier/cheaper to locate than you might think. I know quite a few owners all over NC that could help you out with that. Disc brake conversion on a D27 is a little harder to do but it can be done.
Ya, that dent is in a nasty spot since you can't get in behind it to pound it out. Dent puller or bondo/fiberglass is an option. Cutting it out is also another good option.
Nice to see another 4 banger Jeepster, not too many around.

 

Well, I am from Raleigh, NC (where my jeep is at the moment) however I go to UNCW.

 

Shoot me a PM with your e-mail, I'll see what I can find for you.

 

Don't drill holes. Just weld a couple nails where you need to pull the dent and use a slide hammer on those, or a pair of vise grips. Grind off the nail(s) and use bondo as needed. No need to drill holes and make it worse. Just my .02.

 

Could the dent be any easier to get to with the fender pulled off the Jeepster? It does look like a rough spot. You might find a boneyard fender somewhere for cheap. I don't see too many Jeepsters around here. I'll keep an eye out though.

 

I'm taking the Jeepster to the Zoo this weekend. Hopefully we can at least pull it, if not bondo it as well! Thanks so much for all yall's help!!

 

I do not know Commandos, but it looks to me like you could work the damage from both sides with a hammer and dolly. Is there anything in the way on the inside other than the pedals?

Also, there should be some threads already posted on the disc conversion that will get you an idea of what is involved. If you are driving it alot definately swap to front disc.

 

As I understand it, the theory of dent removal is to first apply force in the opposite direction to what caused the dent. This will remove most of the distortion, then you flatten it out with hammer and dolly, and finally filler.

A pro shop would probably weld a bracket to it and pull on the dent, I presume. Maybe they'd use a stud welder and slide hammer, but I think you need a better attachment than that to get the major part of the dent out. Putting something behind it and pushing on it would be harder, since you need to anchor the pusher somewhere - you don't want to transfer the dent to somewhere else in the body by pushing against the rest of the body.

There are some pro body guys on the board at www.ifsja.org that could give you some solid advice (goldhammer, carey, GEMOBX) ... I'd suggest that you post there and ask. The Jeepster isn't a FSJ, but certainly close enough to raise their interest (and a F134 Jeepster is cool, at least I think so). hth!

 

The biggest problem with dents there on Jeepsters is that you cannot get to it from the inside, there is an interior reinforcing panel from the floor that runs right up level with the bottom of the dash. The only way to repair is to pull it out one of the ways suggested or cut and replace. If it were me, I'd cut and replace. But that's just me .

 

Dunno, if it were me I'd just rebuild the drum brakes as long as they're not the puny 9-inchers. I ran 10-inch drums all around on my CJ-6 commuting in LA traffic with no drama. For the uninformed, imagine an entire highway of cars going along at 75-80mph three feet from each others' bumpers. Then jam on the brakes for no reason at all so everybody slows to 15mph. Repeat every 5 miles. That's LA freeway driving.

As for the top, keep the hard top and fix it. Check around the web. I'm sure there are used lift gates available. You'll be bummed when you come from the dorms and some jerk has slashed your soft top to get your can of Pringels you left between the seats.

On that note, I'd also rig up some hidden ignition coil cutoff, use a steering wheel lock, and any other tricks you can think of to keep joy riders and car theifs away. When I was in college a few of my buddies had their cars ripped off and recovered smashed through the woods. Nothing taken, just punks seeing if they could hotwire a car and take it for a cruise through the trees. In one memorable instance we were returning to campus. I was driving and my buddy Rick was in the back seat when a Firebird comes sideways out of the dorm parking lot, smoke billowing from the rear tires and almost hits us. "Hey Rick, I think that was your car." It was.

 

I FINALLY managed to get my Jeepster over to the Zoo. Paul was a big help. Even though we didn't actually do anything to the dent (as Paul said it couldn't have been hit anymore perfect... in other words its really bad) I got a lot of work done on my baby! I ordered some drums off Rock Auto and just replaced my old ones, and my brakes work AWESOME now!!! I finally got some money for the lift gate so I should be finding out about that soon. Thanks for all your help and stories!!! I'm sure I'll be asking for more help soon

KG

 

Thanks for up-dating us. My 70 Vert has 10" brakes and I've never had any problem stopping. As long as they're set up properly they're more than adequate. Yes, of all places to get hit that's about the worst.