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The beginning of my '53 CJ3B build/resto

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by BrenGun, Mar 11, 2008.

  1. Mar 11, 2008
    BrenGun

    BrenGun Just Some Guy

    Maine
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2008
    Messages:
    186
    She was just delivered this Sunday. Now for the beginning of a multi-year project. Everything needs a good tear down and rebuild. Not sure how much is going to be modified, but I'm planning on keeping her pretty stock.

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    This is probably the worst part about the body. Its pretty solid all over except for the rear passenger quarter panel which is rusted away.

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    Spare F-head included to make way for the original. The cylinder head was removed and left apparently outside. It was on the driver's floor and is now a neat looking hunk of rust.

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    56,000 original miles?

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    Harrison heater, spare oil bath air cleaner and pile of rust.

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    Suspect patch panel on driver's side.

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    The wonderfully rusty paper weight.

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    The tool box that is in pretty good shape, but for the patch panel.

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    The mess that is the engine compartment.

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    Here you can see the towel that did so much to protect the cylinders from rust and debris.

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    Yes, that is a block of wood supporting the hood latch.

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    The windshield and seat frames are in good shape.

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    But, I doubt that the glass can be saved.

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    The little helper who can't wait for it to run.
     
  2. Mar 11, 2008
    sammy

    sammy Coca-Cola?

    Albuquerque, NM
    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2007
    Messages:
    1,577
    I like! (really likes 3B's look)
    Nothing that some elbow grease can't fix.
    Spend time in there with your son, it's a wonderful project to share with him.
     
  3. Mar 11, 2008
    sammy

    sammy Coca-Cola?

    Albuquerque, NM
    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2007
    Messages:
    1,577
    Oh and whats that stirrup looking thing on the bumper?
    Early hand powered winch? R)
     
  4. Mar 11, 2008
    BrenGun

    BrenGun Just Some Guy

    Maine
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2008
    Messages:
    186
    You know, I have no idea about the thing on the bumper... I've tried to figure it out myself. It rotates 180 degrees on the bolt that attaches it to the bumper and has a cotter pin holding the bar in the "stirrup." I'm curious if anyone else has a theory. :?
    And yeah, my son loves the "beep" already. We're going to spend ALOT of quality time in there.
     
  5. Mar 11, 2008
    Brian P

    Brian P Member

    Clarkdale Arizona
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2007
    Messages:
    650
    I like it, It will be a great project the little jeeper will allways remember :)
    Interesting shroud on the radiator.
     
  6. Mar 12, 2008
    97XJ_95YJ

    97XJ_95YJ I hate torx bolts

    Woolrich, PA
    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2006
    Messages:
    250
    Looks like a good project. It's always good to have a little helper there beside you when doing a project like that.
     
  7. Mar 12, 2008
    lynn

    lynn Time machine / Early CJ5 HR Rep Staff Member

    Huntingdon PA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    3,437
    Looks like you're off to a great start Bren!! :)
     
  8. Mar 12, 2008
    jeeper50

    jeeper50 jeeps 'till I die

    Spanish Fort. AL
    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2007
    Messages:
    844
    Alright, another 3B to help spur me into starting my restow!!!!! Maybe the stirrup was used for the PO mobile OBGYN doctor office!!!!! Maybe that explains the broken windshield.
     
  9. Mar 12, 2008
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2003
    Messages:
    5,466
    I have seen those shrouds on the 'desert' radiatiors in the old 2's and 3's. Measure how thick the core is - you might have one of the real good rads.

    The tyke looks old enough to swing a rubber hammer and use plastic wrenches - teach him his fractions so he can fetch tools while your under it :) That is where I started - and my boys too.
     
  10. Mar 12, 2008
    Glenn

    Glenn Kinda grumpy old man Staff Member

    Apopka, Fl
    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2002
    Messages:
    12,367
    Looks like a good solid base to work on. Enjoy! :):hurrican:
     
  11. Mar 12, 2008
    BrenGun

    BrenGun Just Some Guy

    Maine
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2008
    Messages:
    186
    I'm not sure what I'm missing about the radiator shroud? Can someone fill me in? I had no idea that the radiator was different than stock. Whats the diff? More cores?
     
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2008
  12. Mar 12, 2008
    Warloch

    Warloch Did you say Flattie??? Staff Member

    Falcon, CO
    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2003
    Messages:
    5,466
    If it's a desert Rad it has more cores (about 1.5 times thicker than civi stock). It is usually easier to spot by the heavy deeper shroud. MUCH more efficient at cooling.
     
  13. Mar 13, 2008
    BrenGun

    BrenGun Just Some Guy

    Maine
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2008
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    186
    Well, the tear down officially began today. There's nothing like getting your hands dirty to blow off steam and stress. Pretty much everything needs a cleaning, priming, painting, etc... so I started off up front. I removed the seats and they became the base for the pile of parts that came next. The frames look to be in good shape, but I haven't removed the 50 year old stuffing and covers yet. Part of those were already removed and stuffed into the tool box along with old acorns and years worth of mouse nests. Next came the windshield frame and the hood. Then the fenders, which are also in pretty good shape, but need some work. They have some rust and pitting, especially alongside the seams and the passenger's side needs a new hat channel welded in. Then came the front clip and the luckily, completely dry radiator, which is 3 inches in width, if that does anything to solve whether its a 'desert' radiator or stock. Then I began cleaning out the engine bay of old cloth covered 50 year old wiring. Someone had already began randomly, it seems, removing stuff and clipping wires at some point in the past. I say random, because while the oil bath air filter was removed, so were the gas, clutch and brake pedals... At least this stuff was in two large boxes of parts that I got with the jeep. Some of it is salvagable and some isn't. The 6v generator and voltage regulator came out and are going to be replaced with a 12v conversion anyways. Luckily, the spare f head has a 12v alternator already. And last, but not least, the coil and oil filter are in the box now. Next up the gas tank and the misc. engine bay stuff before I get a cherry picker to get the engine out.
    Pics? Yep, but the digital camera's card decided that it would rather demand a reformatting rather than download the 40 odd pictures that I took. At least I shot film too, so maybe I'll scan some when I get the film back.
     
  14. Mar 16, 2008
    BrenGun

    BrenGun Just Some Guy

    Maine
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2008
    Messages:
    186
    Here's a few more pics that I took this morning to make up for the lost ones the other day that I took in progress.

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  15. Mar 16, 2008
    BrenGun

    BrenGun Just Some Guy

    Maine
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2008
    Messages:
    186
    The boy and I are getting over a cold so we didn't get too much done today, just some low key stuff. The boy spent most of his time outside shoveling the slush around the driveway. I got my hands dirty shoveling out probably a good couple of pounds of dirt, powdered rust, corroded washers, nuts and bolts, mouse nests and seat cushion stuffing from the tool box and under the gas tank. This was in addition to the couple of pounds or so that I already took out. Amazing what collects for 50 some odd years.

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    Tail gate is off now too. Luckily, aside from a small bend, its very intact and no major rust in the hinge area.

    I got into the toolbox today (no, not actually...:D) with a vengeance. I wanted to see if what I had hoped for was true- that it was intact. It appeared so from underneath, but that hope was crushed the moment my prybar poked through the floor underneath these ersatz aluminum floor panels. Three sections in the toolbox held down with some self-tapping screws concealed years and years of dirt that accumulated below and between these pans. I almost could have taken a shovel to scoop it out. Underneath the panels I found a layer of black body filler adhered to flaking rust that I pulled up. Then I poked my fingers through the rest of the paper-thin sheet metal.

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    Then it was onto the driver's side. I cut through the rusted on fuel line with a tubing cutter. For a moment I considered zipping through it with a small dremel before I came to my senses. The open drain plug didn't drain any old gas, but once I cut through the line, I got a small drenching of foul smelling old gas which is, I swear, the worst smelling thing in the automotive repair arena. Once I got the tank free (at least the PO had the decency to rip out the hold down straps already...), probably a half gallon of old gas and rust sloshes around the bottom of the tank.

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    More aluminum panels this time held down with pop rivets (whats the best method of getting those out, drilling?) I don't like the prospects of looking beneath these. Oh well, so I'll need a couple of replacement floor pans. Just add it to the parts list.

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    Underneath the gas tank, I found the plastic scraper that was probably used to mix and smooth the floor panel filler. And more dirt... lots more.

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    But hey, at least the price that I paid for the jeep became 30 cents cheaper. :)

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    And the gas tank looks pretty good. The wet part is the drain plug and supply line that smells oh so nice...
     
  16. Mar 16, 2008
    Brian P

    Brian P Member

    Clarkdale Arizona
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2007
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    650
    It looks to me as if someone had the occasional need to haul / carry some pipe, rebar or similar item, I bet when its in the up position and the bolt in the bumper is snugged up its slightly higher than the fender and would allow you lay something in it ( put the pin back to keep it from bouncing out ) then lay it on the tailgate or stuff the other end down between the spare and body, Or leave the spare off and use/modify the spare mount.

    Whoever did that mod probably had a hand in the running light turn signals up front :)
     
  17. Mar 16, 2008
    windyhill

    windyhill Sponsor

    PA
    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2006
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    1,502
    Another 3b'er! Mine was worse then that when I started, looks like fun!:beer:
     
  18. Mar 20, 2008
    BrenGun

    BrenGun Just Some Guy

    Maine
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2008
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    186
    Tore off the old aluminum patch panel from the driver's side and yes, its confirmed that I will need to replace the floor there. Oh well, what can you expect? I spent too much time drilling out the individual pop rivets. At least the original owner can't be faulted for not trying to make it sturdy. Eventually I got tired of drilling and just ripped it out with a crowbar. I still have to grind down the rest of the remaining rivet heads anyways. The hat channel right below the floor is solid, though, at least.

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    I'm trying to salvage what I can, but the tank may not be salvagable. I drained the gas, if that's what you can still call it, out of it today and listened to the rust/dirt whatever slosh around the baffles inside. I may not be able to even get it out. Next up, though is getting the body off the frame!
     
  19. Mar 20, 2008
    sammy

    sammy Coca-Cola?

    Albuquerque, NM
    Joined:
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    1,577
    Word of advice-
    Do NOT buy a MD Juan floorboard, or floorboards from 4wdhardware :mad: You won't like them
     
  20. Mar 23, 2008
    BrenGun

    BrenGun Just Some Guy

    Maine
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2008
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    186
    I soaked the steering wheel with PB Blaster nut for a week now and it practically fell off at the sight of the pipe wrench. However, the steering wheel can't be budged yet. I can't find what I did with my gear puller to save my life. I did get the oil filter cartridge off and the fuel pump. I also took a stab at the tub mount bolts. Not surprisingly, 8 of the 12 sheared off. Surprisingly, 3 came off intact and of course, 1 rounded off- the most difficult one to reach obviously... in the rear behind the crossmember.
    The miscellaneous offenders...

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    Next up, the muscling of the tub off the frame... solo, without a winch, hoist chain, cherry picker, etc... wish me luck. :D

    Sammy, thanks for the warning- any recommendations for replacement pans?
     
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