1980 CJ7 first Jeep build

[locrwln]

Are you keeping the YJ frame or using the CJ frame? The reason I ask is that the YJ frame while wider, is a much stronger frame, from the steering box mount all the way to the rear shackles. I guess it depends on which front axle you are planning on using, but I would use the YJ frame if at all possible. Chevy front 44's have the same spring perch mount as a YJ frame and if you are thinking of going spring over, you would be set. Is the rear 9" still full width? If so, I would find an '80's era dodge 1/2ton, take everything from the balljoints out and you will have 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern, flat top knuckles for crossover/high steer and parts are easy as dirt to find. If the rear axle isn't full width, then it would involve some cutting, but nothing you can't handle.

Jack

 

[MrBeast]

Are you keeping the YJ frame or using the CJ frame? The reason I ask is that the YJ frame while wider, is a much stronger frame, from the steering box mount all the way to the rear shackles. I guess it depends on which front axle you are planning on using, but I would use the YJ frame if at all possible. Chevy front 44's have the same spring perch mount as a YJ frame and if you are thinking of going spring over, you would be set. Is the rear 9" still full width? If so, I would find an '80's era dodge 1/2ton, take everything from the balljoints out and you will have 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern, flat top knuckles for crossover/high steer and parts are easy as dirt to find. If the rear axle isn't full width, then it would involve some cutting, but nothing you can't handle.

Jack

The thing that is stopping me from using the YJ frame is I already have a lot of expensive CJ frame specific parts. My greater plan is to run this frame for the next year or two, then I am going to swap in a TDK frame and with it probably a Vortec LQ9. Possibly even a Cummins 4BT but im not sure about that yet. I am also debating going with a hybrid frame at that point so I can run a full on coil over suspension, but we will see on that. This rig is going to be a daily driver, so I am going to keep it fairly reasonable.

The current axle I have is a 9" that is 61" face to face, I am going to cut it down to 57" I already have a waggy D44 for the front that I will shorten one tube on which will make it 57" as well.

I am going to keep the tires tucked in and narrow, I also will not be running anything larger than the current 33x12.50's

 

[locrwln]

The thing that is stopping me from using the YJ frame is I already have a lot of expensive CJ frame specific parts. My greater plan is to run this frame for the next year or two, then I am going to swap in a TDK frame and with it probably a Vortec LQ9. Possibly even a Cummins 4BT but im not sure about that yet. I am also debating going with a hybrid frame at that point so I can run a full on coil over suspension, but we will see on that. This rig is going to be a daily driver, so I am going to keep it fairly reasonable.

The current axle I have is a 9" that is 61" face to face, I am going to cut it down to 57" I already have a waggy D44 for the front that I will shorten one tube on which will make it 57" as well.

I am going to keep the tires tucked in and narrow, I also will not be running anything larger than the current 33x12.50's

Gotcha.

Jack

 

[MrBeast]

Got more done today, yanked the front fenders on the jeep, Motorhead came over and scraped on the bed liner that was sprayed on the grill and fender for me. Got the top unbolted, yanked the doors, Thursday the top will be coming off, everything will come out of the tub, and the tub will come off. Hopefully tomorrow or Thursday my body mount kit will be here.

The lighting really sucks in the shop so the pictures are not so great.

The painter flaked on me today, so we will see what happens, I may even wait until I get to Montana to get it painted, we will see.

I am hoping by the end of the weekend to have the tub mounted up on the frame.

The other little bit of fun I am going to get to have will be removing 3 of the roll bar mounting bolts that the PO cut off when pulling the roll bar. I am a bit pissed about that because it is going to be a PITA, but that is the way it goes.

Also going to find the unnecessary holes in the fire wall welded and plugged.

I will have some more updates Thursday evening. :2thumbsup:

 

[MrBeast]

I got more done today, yanked the front clip, top, seats and roll bar.

Got class tomorrow, will get more done this weekend.

Also I decided to change colors, I am going to go with black with the orange renegade stripes, for now the engine will stay tan.

This is going to save me some work, and it will look nice.

The painter flaked on me again so I am going to paint the bottom of the tub and fire wall/inner fenders with Durabak smooth black bed liner, then this summer in MT, I am going to have my buddy who owns a paint shop there paint it black and set the decals.

 

[MrBeast]

I stopped and took some pictures of an 80 CJ7 that was sitting on a car lot here, it just so happened that it had the black with orange strips I am wanting to paint mine.

Also I found a couple more online:

I think that paint scheme is going to look pretty awesome, on the side I am going to put the stripe on the rocker knocker where it is centered vertically over the BTF emblem, then I will cut it out so the black shows through. I think it is going to look pretty sharp, also going to hang orange shackles on the bumpers, and going to get a set of polished stainless steel YJ/TJ mirrors for it.

I have a lot going on the next couple of weeks so I probably won't be seeing a whole lot of progress, although I am going to try to get some cleaning done on the shop this coming weekend.

 

[MrBeast]

Today I was pretty busy, spent most of the day stripping Line-X off of my new fender and grill.

I also threw the cage kit in the tub to see how it would look with the speaker holes and what not, and just to get an idea what it will look like installed.

Also now that I have the cage kit in I am talking to Double D fab about building my new dash. I have a few ideas I am playing with, and think I have something coming together that is going to look pretty outstanding.

This coming weekend I am going to get the new tub tore off the frame, and get my tub yanked off the jeep, then I can start making measurements and figuring what it will take to get it. mounted up and make that happen.

I am also debating getting some POR-15 and paint the under side of the tub, or if I just want to jump in and spray it with Line-X and be done with it. We will see on that. If I spray the underside and inside with Line-X I suspect it will give me a good level of sound deadening.

This weekend I am also yanking the gas tank, that will be interesting I am sure. I do have all new fuel lines to install when I get the new tank.

 

[MrBeast]

Got a new sticker for my jeep today:

 

[MrBeast]

Tonight I went out and did a whole bunch of cleaning on the shop. Tomorrow morning after I pick up my hood I will be tearing into it getting the tub pulled. Hopefully by tomorrow night the YJ tub will be firmly mounted on the CJ frame.

The lighting in my shop sucks and I am using my cell phone, but figured id share this anyways.

We threw the top on the YJ tub and threw in the drivers seat, I just wanted to see how it was going to look, and I think it is going to work out great.

I am going to position the center tubes so as that they are the right width to mount my CB radio between them. Also going to install an external speaker for the CB and a dome light in an overhead console I am building to fit between the bars, it should come out pretty slick.

 

[MrBeast]

the word of the day is progress, we done made some!

Also threw the windshield on the YJ tub, looks great! As well I was a bit worried the cage was going to obstruct my vision, but in reality I am only losing about an inch on the drivers side, nothing on the passenger. I am very happy with it. I am working on a few ideas for switch panels now, as soon as I get that figured out I am going to order the Double D fab Dash. Then we can get really rocking and rolling.

The plan is Thursday my buddy is going to come back over and we are going to dive in on getting the tank pulled, also I have to separate the engine and transmission to move the clutch fork pivot to the upper hole to work with my Hydraulic slave cylinder I picked up from AA, should be much better than messing with the stock Mech clutch.

Once all that is back together this weekend we are going to power wash the tub and frame, then get them put together and do a test assembly of the body.

I also picked up another piece of the puzzle this morning, I got this hood:

It is almost perfect, I am really stoked about getting my paws on it, and I think it is cool that it is already the black and orange Renegade theme I am painting the jeep.

It feels good because I am making major progress now.

 

[MrBeast]

It has been a really long couple of weeks for me, I finally got my truck back from the body shop.

I went to put the new dash in it last night, it slipped and shattered.

I am pretty torqued off about it, in fact I am about as mad as a boy can be, I have dumped a lot of money into this truck, and it is still not right, so I have decided to sell it.

I have a long term project I have been working on for a while:

It is a 1972 Chevy that started life as a C/30, I converted it to a 4x4.

Before:

A lot of guys ask why I would tear that truck down like I did, and why I junked the bed, well the bed was junk, and the rest of the truck needed a lot of things you can not see here, as well there is this other little reason:

That is a Cummins 12 valve sitting between the fenders!

I have decided to get my 2000 thrown back together, going to run down and get my 72 where I have it stored and dive into it again.

The thing is someone stole my transmission/trasnfer case/ bell housing I had for the truck, so I am going to have to start over there.

What I am considering is since I have a Chevy NV4500, I am thinking about building that for the Jeep and taking the NV4500 that is in it now and using it in my 72.

It will mean getting another Bell housing, but I think it will be a worth while swap, as well the Chevy NV4500 I have has the ultra low 1st gear.

Kind of going to throw my plans for a loop, but in the end I think it will be worth it.

As well Sunday my buddy Charles is coming over again, we are going to get the tub set on the CJ frame and get the YJ frame out and cut up so it can go to scrap.

Going to have to make room for the 72 to sit in the shop!

Doing this I may not get the jeep as completed as I was planning on because I will be using the 72 to tow it back to Montana in June, it is actually a more complete truck because there is less I have to do to make it road ready where I can drive it every day. I figure once I am in Montana I can build the new axles for the CJ and get it all finished out and painted.

 

[MrBeast]

More progress tonight.

three of the body mounts on each side are pretty screwed up, so I am getting them fixed up, two of em were free spinning, I fixed both of those tonight.

I still have a lot to do, going to get the welding to the underside done and get it sprayed with under coating so I can get it mounted up on the frame.

 

[MrBeast]

Been getting more done, got the new tub's body mounts about all welded up, I need to test fit it on the frame to ensure the last two are in the right place, then I will be able to finish welding it up and get everything locked down in place.

This morning I towed the frame over to the car wash, hosed it down good and came back and sprayed it down with a bunch of rust converter, it will have to soak for a few more hours until the rust on the frame is neutralized, then I am going to attack it with some under body coating.

The next big evolution is going to be dragging the tub up on my trailer, running it to the car wash and blasting it clean underneath as well.

Sometime this week I am hoping to have it all finished up and mounted on the frame. I need to cut the slot in the floor for the shifter and I need to test fit the tub before welding up the last two body mounts that I had to completely rebuild.

Getting so close to having the tub back on the frame I can taste it!

 

[MrBeast]

Also worth mentioning I got a new trailer:

It has made it so nice moving this thing around, when I took it to the car wash loading it was so easy.

this is because I built a winch mount on the trailer for my 12K winch:

Works like a charm and I love it because it is making my life so much easier.

The trailer is a 2013 Kearney 20' all steel car hauler, great trailer and with the steel deck no wood to ever rot out!

 

[MrBeast]

I got the rust hole in the floor under the B pillar closed up and fixed.

It seems to me at one point what happened is that enough dirt accumulated in there it keep moisture from draining out, I suspect this jeep spent a lot of time with the top off and over time that area stayed wet long enough to eat through right there, The rest of the tub is thankfully very rust free.

I am looking at it now realizing soon all that will be left is some body work and paint and the whole thing can go back together for good. That is a pretty amazing feeling remembering where this thing started out at.