Wheel well notch

I finally got to the point that I could'nt take it anymore and so I notched the drivers side wheel well and lowered the seat. I have not been able to find any good pictures that clearly show how this is done, so I just started measuring and cutting till I had it where I wanted it. I made the "cover plate" out of 12ga sheet steel. I actually incorporated a new seat belt mount into the task as when I started cutting, I discovered that the original plate that was holding the mount was pretty rusty and not holding much. I think I ended up moving the seat about 2.5" back and about 1.5" lower. Not exactly spacious, but at least my knees don't hit the turn signal and I can brake and clutch without a struggle.

 

nicely done

 

On the 70 CJ-5 I had, cut out section of the wheel well and then cut out 4 inches of the tub. Then re-welded the piece removed. Then added two flat pieces to fill in hole. Made new seat brackets, add Pinto seats, some paint, done.
Only problem is the passenger felt left out as they where so far forward.)

Ed

 

Hey that looks real good ! Couple questions.. how tall are you ? Why didnt you weld in the new peice ?

Just an idea.. you could bush some seam seal on the backside to prevent any dirt/water/air/ from coming though the cracks..

 

Nicely done, Good looking job!

 

Dan....I'm 6' and nobody ever calls me "slim".

There's a few reasons I didnt weld it in. My 75 is too rusty to restore and too nice to mess with the paint. I know thats sounds weird, but my CJ has 35,000 original miles and all original paint. It is structurally sound with a good frame and body mounts, just a little astetically troubled with the usual rust in the floor pans and below the doors. I know there are alot of folks out there who have restored worse, but I have a history with "over-restoring" vehicles to the point where they end up sitting in the garage because they are too nice to get out and enjoy.

I'm not exactly a purest to the point I wont modify something, but I do respect a "survivor" that is a piece of history. So....if I had welded in the "notch", where do I stop painting? Also, I have a shop with nearly unlimited access to 12ga and heavier steel and mostly any kind of machine to bend or shear or punch it. Anything lighter is more difficult for me to work with.

As for the dirt/water/air subject, the bolted in panel is caulked and sealed up tite.

Between moving the seat back and lowering the seat mount, the CJ is WAY more comfortable to drive. I cant imagine anyone my size spending any appreciable time piloting a CJ5 without this mod.

Jeff