Started My ECJ5 Build

Fooled again! My "roller bearing" weighs in about 20lbs and makes a great pounding block. it came from an ammo train that caught fire and blew up near my hometown of Roseville back during the Vietnam War.

 

$&it happens. My rattle can top came from Walmart, it didn' catch fire or blow up, and it's only been around since the first gulf war. I got no cool stories.....

Oh, ordered my tires today, maybe available for pick up tomorrow or Thursday.

 

looks great but wow that's one colorful drive train

 

Well got a few things done, mostly spending funds and not turning many wrenches. Got my new tires mounted, 31x10.5R15 BFG AT's. I think the size is right. I expected the lift to be bigger, but apparently, not big enough for 33's. But that's OK.

Went to Summit, ordered a set of fender flares, those will be drop-shipped. With as much as the tires stick our, I probably "need" them, although I like the look without.

I also picked up a Wilwood combination proportioning and distribution block for the brake lines, and residual valves for the lines.

Picked up a Summit Heater plus the duct and vents for the dash. I think I have my in-head design for the dash. It'll have to hide the bottom of the windshield and provide a defrost duct work / dispusrser for the defrost. I want to try and squeeze in two glove boxes side by-side. I'll have to move stuff to the left side of the steering wheel to accomplish that. The Summit Heater will go in the place of the factory unit. As for fresh air, I'll roll down the windows.

Picked up an exhaust kit and electronic distributor from Kaiser-Willys.

Mounted the air cleaner and have the alternator ready to be mounted up, McRuff is making up a bracket for me.

And yes, I forgot the 1/4" wheel spacers for the front wheels, and also forgot the ballast resistor for the disributor.... I made a list too, I always forget something.

And the piano hinges you ask? Well I'm gonna try and have swing out front fenders to access to engine bay.

 

Well got finally picked up the front braqkes, got the front end sheet metal on, mounted the Summit Heater, and put on the fender flares. On the rear not having the body already drilled for the flares was a little bit of a pain. so now it's officially a roller.

I'm not happy with the fitment of the front fiberglass fenders, they are a bit dumbo eared / warped. The gap along the hood line is not pleasing. And i decided against the swing out / piano hinged fenders. When I go to longer shock towers that will interfere with the swong out idea.

 

Looking good! The gap between the top of the fender and the hood doesn't look that great with stock fenders/hood either. My gap is at least that big. Well, it would be if I were that far along. ha ha

 

Thanks.

My next big items are a new wiring harness, and I'm looking at the EZ2Wire kit. And then brake and fuel lines. with those I should be able to actually crank it over.

I still need to set a day aside to paint the doors. But I'll need to check the weather for a warmer day.

Plus I gotta dig through my spare parts and start figuring out what I have spares of and what I can sell. I got bits and pieces of things i want to try my hand at powder coating... and got an old electric stove in the barn to give that a shot at.

 

That is looking great. Keep up the good work.

 

Well, started my wiring harness install. Not much to really see with that, although the EZWire kit seems overwhelming when you open the package, once you lay it out, and start it, it really seems pretty easy.

Also started mocking up my dash. I am adding a second glove box. Also added the Summit heater vents and the on/off switch, the EZWire wiper knob, their headlight switch, and their ignition unit. I need to get a choke cable and throttle cable.

I also figured out my prisoner's dilemna with the defrost since I'm using a YJ windshiled and am lacking defrost vents.... It'll look butch, but it'll work, and when I get it pieced together with the dash I'll update the pics.







I also mocked up the front bumper and draw bar attachment points with an old Ramsey electric winch I had laying around. I reamed out my pitman arm and got my steering linkage all in place.

 

Looking good, Long&Low. You're way ahead of me.

 

I must say you have come a long way in about a year. That thing is looking good, alot better then when you picked it up from me. I like it, want to sell it back to me? Ha-ha.

 

I made that mistake selling my JTruck (the one in my avatar). I'm gonna keep this around for quite some time.

It is like a big jigsaw puzzle, but without the picture on the front of the box.

 

Well, got my brake lines all plumbed, the proportioning valve in, and the fuel line.

The only issue with the fuel line, is folks have stated the line should be 1/4", well the fittings at the pump and carb were 3/16". So I got adapters and ran the 1/4" line, we'll see how she runs, sometime.

Ended up making a bracket to re-mount the AA Chain for the cluth pedal. Originally the cable was rubbing against the bellhousing, so to alleviate that I made a bracket to better align the cable.

 

Well along with the above, I started work on the beginning of the front bumper. I'm gonna make the Runck style side pieces/round tube for fender protection, the ones in the pic are just sitting there for reference.

Also shown is a pic of the dash with the dual glove boxes. And the heater and other instrument vents all cut in. Plus showing the plumbing (brakes and fuel), the Toyota starter, alternator and the upgrade electronic distributor. Time for a Solex...

Most of the wiring is in place, but needs loomed up.

The brake lines and distributing valve will get a skid plate that will go from the rocker guarded to the frame rail to protect those components. Also got my rockers cut and sized. I need to pick up some mounting hardware before i get that stuff finished up.

Took the fenders off to have better access to finish up things. (I am half tempted to make some armor styled flat top fenders with a metal flair to get me some additional tire clearance up front).






Pics of the finished up Manual Steering Box upgrade.

 

Looking good. I like the color scheme.

 

I've got a Runck front bumper sitting in my shed, wish I'd known you were going that route. But hey, why take all the joy of fabricating away, right? Looking real good!

 

Well, I pulled out the S10 master cylinder, I didn't like how close the plastic resevoir was to teh exhaust pipe, so I cleaned up an old two bowl later CJ5 master cylinder and mounted that. I also ended up mounting the Mico Lock also, no pics yet, need to re-bleed the system. Seems like Posi pulled way ahead of me.....

Picked up some other trinkets like a oil pressure sender, a temp sender, a battery, and a few other odds and ends. Seems like I'll need to have driveshafts made. Without any lift do you think I'll need to run a double cardan joint on the rear driveshaft using a Dana20 instead of the D18? I'm thinking i shoudl be able to get away without it, BUT, I like to avoid driveline angles and want to rotate up the rear pumpkin, seems like too steep an angle (haven't measure the angle of the dangle yet).

 

Well, got to work on the dash and wiring. I thought it woudl be pretty easy, but hooking up the light switch was pretty confusing. But I think I have it figured out. Although hooking up the volt meter and the oil pressure guage is somewhat a mystery.

Got my new plugs and wires installed. Found my gas pedal and a horn, along with a previous un-located floor plate for the steering column.

And yes, there will be a skid plate for the brake lines and the Wilwood proportioning valve under the floor plan (not in pic).

Where are the wires for hooking up the horn to the horn button on the steering wheel, haven't taken my steering wheel or column apart?

Gotta make a hard mount for the Mico Lock and a protector plate / bar to keep my feets away from the brake lines. Looks kinda crappy, but it works.

I need to shorten the glove box liner, as the Summit heater is in the way, plus, I need to do the same on the second glove box, as the firewall is not as far back for the second glove box on the left. But the two should prove useful.

I also found a second throttle cable and a choke cable. Any idea or pics with a a throttle and choke cables installed would be helpful. Thanks.

And yes, the dash needs final paint, and I have to fab up the defrost ducting for the windshield.