Building my 1960 CJ6

I have officially started my 1960 CJ6 build. I will be lifting the body off of its frame and setting it on a 1992 YJ frame. It will get a Buick 231 V6 with a TH 400 transmission. I will run the NP 231 transfer case. For now, I will keep the YJ's axles. I have to stretch the YJ frame to make it fit the CJ6. I'm looking for the old jeep look with the road manners of a new jeep.
Here's a few photos from last night as I was winding up the first day's progress. I removed the front fenders as part of getting the body ready to lift off the frame. The YJ frame sits in front of the CJ.







More pictures to come.

 

By the way, when I lift the body off the original frame, I intend to list it in the classifieds.

 

In the last few days, I've had time to work on my CJ6. I lifted the body off of its frame and began the process of fitting it to a 1992 YJ frame. I toyed with the idea of cutting the frame and extending it to fit the long stretch of a CJ6 body, but at the last moment I decided to cut the CJ6 to fit the YJ frame. It will only need to lose 6" of its length. Here are some photos of today's work.



Lifting the tub off the CJ6 frame.



I set the tub of the YJ frame and place the firewall where I want it and then measured how much distance the wheel wells are out of position. The 6 tub is made for a 100" wheel base and the YJ wheel base is 94". So, I am cutting out 6" of the 6's tub.



This photo gives you a view from the rear and shows how much of the wheels stick out past the sides of the tub.




This is the fixture I built to allow me to cut out the six inch section of the tub and then slide it back together to be welded.



More of the fixture.







Here I am showing the cut lines on the tub.

 

Tomorrow I will start the cutting. After all the cutting is completed, I will tack it together and then set it on the frame for a final test fit.

 

The other day I scored a front bumper for the YJ frame. It bolts directly to the frame using the same bolt holes that held the stock bumper. I stopped at a house where an 86 Wangler has been sitting for a year or so to see if the owner was interested in selling it. He wasn't but he had the bumper and gave it to me for free. I took it home and bolted it to the new frame.

 

Yup, but to each their own I guess.

 

As, my brother always says, "it's only metal".

 

I know cutting the 6 is not the most desireable thing to do, but I'm only cutting out 6 inches and it will still look much like a cj6.

 

It's your jeep cut as you wish! My only question is what are you going to do for a top? Half cab? I think it will be a neat ride best of both worlds classic look and modern feel.

 

I've thought about the top and I think I'll order a soft top for a CJ6 and take it to someone to cut it down to size. I'm hoping they can take the same six inches out of the top as I did the tub.

 

I made some more progress yesterday. I made my cuts to the tub. Here are some photos of the work.

 

From what i see you ruined a perfectally good cj6 tub. You could have found a 5 tub and lengthened it. I would have spent some time stretching a YJ frame.

Heck, I've got a CJ8 frame I'm setting a 'gass 6 tub on. Same wheelbase but the 8 frame is a bit longer. It makes a great rear winch mounting point......

But to each their own.....

 

I'm all for being creative and all, and this should turn out to be a unique rig. But I think I would have gone with the frame stretch. There's countless good YJ frames and a limited number of good CJ6 tubs. I'll be watching and can't wait to see how it turns out. Good Luck!

 

Just what i was thinking but it isn't my JEEP so do your thing! looking forward to see how it turns out.

 

I know I am too late on this project, but wanted to put it out there for future CJ-6 builders. Another option is to use a Commando frame. They are the same frame as the CJ-6, but with an extra 9" or so. Also, they are boxed more than the CJ-6 frame.

I have a Commando frame that I will be using for my -6 build since my original frame was bent up. I have not tried putting the tub on the frame yet, but my rough estimates seem to start up perfectly (just extra length at the rear).

I'll be watching this thread. I'd like to see your build. Good luck!!

 

It wasn't an easy choice to cut the 6 tub, but I had my reason. Cutting the frame required more expertice than I had available. Cutting the body was much easier for me. I was concerned about the strength of the frame after cutting and extending it. I also was concerned about the alignment of the frame and that I probably did not have the skills to build a fixture to keep it straight. If I am a little off on the body, the jeep will still go straight down the road. I understand those who prefer keeping these things stock, especially a 6. I hope that my slight modification to the body will not hurt the appearance of the unique stretched body of cj6, yet deliver the ride and performance of a newer chassis. I thought about putting a cj5 on the YJ frame by cutting down the YJ frame, but then I would be religated to an 80" wheelbase, when I prefer the longer 94" YJ wheelbase. I also look forward to the additional room the cj6 will provide. It will be 16" longer than a cj5 tub.
Thanks for looking in on my project and I do and will continue to appreciate your advice.

 

Today I tacked the tub together and then set it on the YJ frame for a test fit. I lined up the rear wheelwell with the rear axle and checked things out.



I was surprised to see the rear of the tub line up flush with the rear of the frame. When I tried this idea with a cj3b I had, the tub set up about 1 1/2 inches short of the back frame crossmember.



As the tub sits on the frame in the photo, it is sitting with it bottom side flush with the top of the frame. However, it is also sitting on top of the rear shock towers. It will need some spacing off the frame, which should be provided by the typical body mount spacers. The front fenders and grill are going to require some trimming along the bottom to match up with the body. I may lift the body to keep from cutting too much off the bottom of the front grill panel.



In this photo you can see that the inner fender wells fit in between the frame rails with about 3/4's of an inch space on each side.



In this photo you can see how the hat channels going forward line up the the YJ frame. I probably will cut off the body mount on the outside of the frame and fabricate a new one to pick up the front mounting point. I will be fabricating mounts for several other location and removing several. The crossmember just above the rear axle perfectly lines up with a hat channel across the cargo bed towards near the middle of the inner fenders.



The wider axles of the YJ frame will push the tires out much further that the original axles. I probably will be looking for some body flares to cover up some of the tires.



Here's one side welded. There is a little bowing of the side panel from the heat of the welding. I tried to spot weld in small sections, gradually filling it the seam, but it pulled the seam in anyway. I'll talk to someone about the proper way to deal with this. Maybe some heat shrinking.
Tomorrow I will weld the other side and then I have the floor to weld. I am thinking about welding a piece of strap under the floor seam after I weld up the seam.
I am going to try to recreate the vertical seam at the panel extension that Jeep created when they installed the body extention. It will help keep some of the original look.