73cj5's rebuild

Well a few months ago I finally started the much needed rebuild for the CJ. I have been putting this project off for a while, but now I'm out of school, have a good job and a house the fun can begin!!!!!

Current plans
-fix frame rust ( now building a new one)
- new seats
- new wiring
- go back to a carb ( I have a flooding problem with the tbi that I can't figure out. Plus I'm looking to simplify things a bit.)
Edit: it looks like I'm keeping the tbi I found a loose ground during the teardown......

Some pics of the teardown...



Front clip pulled off.



Getting ready to pull the tub!





Frame and running gear





Pulling the tub revealed that the frame rust is pretty bad...



Boxing by the motor mounts are paper thin!!!



Tweaked shock mounts... it appears that shocks are two short. Sounds like a call to pro comp is in order..



At this point I think I would have more time and money to fix this one than to fab a new one out of 4x2x.125 wall tubing.



I spent a few hours measuring the frame an came up this this layout which is very close the ones JP mag printed a few months back.

 

I ordered the steel yesterday. 48 ft of 4x2x.125 rectangular a36 tubing.

I'm still trying to decide of I want to cap the ends of the tubing, attempting to get them air tight or leave them open to have accesses to wash any debris out. What is the forums thoughts on this, keeping in mind I live in northern new Hampshire and road salt is a way of life here..

 

Nice shop it looks warm in there,

I think your doing great so far, look forward to seeing progress.

I don't know what to tell you about the frame they don't use salt were I would live but I can give you my opinion.

I see it as if you don't cap it are you really going to hose the inside, on the other hand if you do would water be able to get in threw a bolt hole or weld more Likely a bolt hole. This is what I always wondered if I were to box my frame

I'm sure some people with experience will say whether or not to cap it

 

thats a cool shop ya got! it DOES look warm in there...

funny thing i noticed on your frame... i have the EXACT same 'gusset' on the frame in the exact same spot on the DS rear corner... i thought it was something the PO had done...

weird...

my frame is a 75, and my body was the same color...

cant wait to see the progress!

 

I have the same gussett in the rear on my 73. Weird thing is there isnt one on the passenger side. It covers the slots for the license plate in the crossmember. I saw one for sale on ebay and they called it a place for an exhaust hanger ??? Maybe its to direct fumes downward on a stock exhaust setup

 

As far as I know that gusset was installed on CJs with the factory drawbar.

What are people's thoughts on sealing it up the best I can and drilling 1/4 in drain holes to allow any moisture that gets in out?

 

More progress!

I spent the weekend cutting and welding the pieces of my frame together.


The frame is upside down in this pic.


Front and rear bumper ends. it's a 45 with the last inch and a half taken off.


Welding...



Obligatory weld shot. Using a Lincoln 225 ac arc welder with 6013 rods.


How the overlap is done and ends caped.



Another pic of the crossmember.

 

Its been a while but i finally have more progress!

Got the engine and drive train pulled out of the old frame...


After welding on new shackel mounts and spring hangers I rolled the axles under.





Next is droping in the the engine, i was planing on using the old frame side mounts but i found that that wont work... Any ideas for new mounts?

 

looking good are you going to plate the sides where the two pcs meet?

 

I ran the numbers on the welded joint and what I have here is already stronger than the rectangular tubing alone. So at this point probably not.

 

keep an eye on the curved edge of the tubing just above and below the weld have seen cracking and tearing there in the past.

 

Use some of your extra 2x4 tubing along with some 1/4" plate and make some custom mounts.

Nice job on the frame :tea:

 

sweet job!

wish i had the ability to do that mehh

 

do you cut all of your own material or have it done at the plant?

i dont have a chop saw anymore, just a couple 10" mitres... maybe i could swap a blade out to make the cuts for my bumpres, i wanted to do something similar to the one you have on the rear...

looks great!

 

My 18in chop saw was JUST barely big enough to cut through it.