Converting the 6 to a "Brute"?

Yeah if the rust wasn't so severe on the body mounts and braces I would never have contemplated cutting it. I've seen some awesome body work done to worse rust buckets than mine, however I don't have the time or patience to do it. The only thing worth saving on the rear portion of the tube is the tail gate and wheel humps everything else is rusted away and slathered with a 1/4" of body filler.

Amazingly the front portion of the tub is in good shape. One body mount partially rusted away but other than that its solid. Minor rust on the rockers but nothing major.

I may still try and make new body mounts, braces, flooring and side panels but right now its not realistic, cash wise or time wise for me.

 

Finishing off the sheet metal work, body work is next. I plan to run the diamond plate corners after she's painted. (there is over 3/8" body filler on the sides of the tub gonna be replacing all the rockers with new panels)


Used an old tail gate skin as part of the rear cab wall.

Overall length of the cab, pretty roomy with lots of room behind the seat area.
I plan to move the rear axle back a few inches to get a more proportioned look. Making the bed is next.

 

cool.

 

Welding galvanized? Hope you're using a respirator. Nasty stuff. Be careful.

Looks like a cool project. The only downside I can see is having a nice roomy cab but still having the awkward CJ5/6 shaped door opening. If you swapped windshields to the 76+ style you could open up the door area to fit a CJ7/YJ door. But that might not be the look you're going for.

 

Thanks guys, bkd your jeep has been the biggest influence on my build. Jim's outstanding 6 inspired me to keep working on mine instead of selling or trading it. I contemplated getting rid of it several times but reading your build kept me plugging away.

Yep I have a quality respirator and I weld in an open garage with good ventilation.

Yeah this is why I kept the door opening, it's a classic design and everybody who sees it knows its an old jeep. Realistically the wider opening would have been nice to get in and out of but it loses something I think in the newer designs. I wish I could have saved the original sheetmetal but it was mostly body filler. One day I hope to rebuild the rear section when I have more time. Right now I just want the jeep to be done so I can hit the trails again.

I'm shooting for early 2010, maybe Feb. to be done with everything. Bird season opens up in Nov. so work on the jeep will be slow for the next couple of months.

 

I ended up redoing the suspension. Undid the shackle reversal, removed the 4" lift springs. I went with Gr. Wagoneer front 7 leaf packs in the front and rear. Using those I stretched my wheel base 4" over all, 2" front and back. It also lowered my ride height by 2"+/-, looks better and flexes nice. I need to get some stock YJ shackles to use in the rear, for now it has 1-2" lift shackles in the rear.

 

My very good friend Paul from Airship_DC Graphics provided me with a rendering of my finished jeep. This is what I'm working to achieve. The only things that will be added will be tube fenders and a roll cage for the cab.

 

Better gusset those spring mounts and you'd be better served welding them rather than bolting.

 

Yeah gussets and final welding once everything is set. The front outboard hangers will be gusseted and incorporated into the front bumper mount. The shackle hangers were bolted on so I could mock up and get the final shackle angle set, same for the rear. Everything is tacked in place, but I should be done with the suspension mounts/welding by next week.

 

Thanks Adam!

 

Looking very cool!!

Damn,,,,, now Im wondering what a cool project it would be to stretch out my '5 and do somthing similar,,,,, wife would go nuts!!

 

best use of a six i've seen so far.... errrr what?! R) I like it, keep it coming!

 

Gusset and don't weld, or only weld lengthwise to the frame.

 

Slowly plugging away at my project. Quick question on the motor and tranny. Will the tf999 from an 87 YJ with the inline 6 fit behind my inline 6? Is it a direct bolt in?



Well after a little more research seems its a bolt in , I have a donor 87 YJ and should be able to source everything I need for the swap. With the possible exception of a kickdown cable.

Anybody's thoughts or ideas on this?

 

Here's a picture of Ol Front HeavyR)

 

Thats sweet! I saw it in an issue of JP, do you have a build thread on it?

 

Ah yes, the infamous 'redneck from Alabama letters to the editor' picture. (wasn't really writing Cappa with that in mind but I guess I got my 15 minutes of fame)

No, no build thread as such.....I get sorta bored with those "here's the rear axle after I painted it black" and "here's the old bearings I took out of the transfer case" threads so I never posted up much on it. I posted some progress pictures from time to time but that's about it.

Working on a folding soft top for it at the moment and there is some gauge wiring yet to be done.

Hated to see you cut up a 6 but it did appear to be pretty rusty.....your project seems to be coming along nicely....hang in there, my took between 6 and 8 years all total.