73' cj5 tub swap

I have a 73 cj5 with a 304 and well I was going to weld in new floor boards and found out I have nothing to weld to. So im buying a new metal replitub where is a good place to get a good one that will fit well? And how hard is the swap? What tools are needed and how much time do you think it will take for me to do this and I hope the replitubs come with body mounts already welded on. how much welding and cutting will there be? I dont have a garage and this will all have to be done outside I dont have a lift to lift off the old body and out in the new one.

Thanks in advance for all the help.

 

A warm weekend, a few 12 packs of beer, and a couple of buddies are all you will need.

I'm not sure if you are buying a brand new steel or glass body, but they will have the body mount locations built on the tub.
There is not a lot of stuff to pull off the old Jeep to get the tub off. Wiring, brake/clutch and gas pedal assembly (or linkages), steering column, heater core hoses, fender bolts, hood latches, tranny/t-case shifter panels, body mount bolts (which will be rusted so brake them or cut them) and that is about it.
Take out your seats, roll bar, windsheild and tire carrier off to save some lifting weight.
Two guys is all it takes to lift the tub off. You just have to lift it up high enough to clear your shifters.
Taking it all apart is the easy fast part. Reassembeling takes some time to run the new wires and make everything look clean.
If you have it so far as the body off, you should spend a little time replacing/repairing everything else you can find. Nothing is easier then pulling your t-case and tranny from the top with the body off.

 

Your best bet will be www.willysoverland.com Check them out, give them a call and they will help you out.

 

most all the tubs are made in the Philipines. One of the the suppliers has on his website that the tubs are notorious for being "almost" right. He claims to spend so much time "fixing" the tubs to spec -- putting the right holes in the right places, etc. I forget who it is, but you would do good to search a bit and read up on all their websites.

I have heard good about DL Bessinger, but have not seen one of their tubs direct. There are a couple of nice aluminum tubs on the market now, too. With steel prices up, the pricing on the aluminum doesn't seem that bad anymore.