'Da Chief . . . So it Begins again

[rang-a-stang]

...
Is it only 2300 miles? Gonna swing by when we drive to Burbank . . .
...

When you gonna be in Burbank? I might be down here and would love to shake your hand and say hello, too!

[jeepman42]

Wow! Audio /dash is amazing .Have done dash metal repaint, &'85 wheel repaint but this is over the top. I must be getting old! Correction , I am, just keep acting like I'm not.
'85, '90 GW's, '06 Commander-+ everything else at the house- how did I ever have time for work. LOL

[jeepman42]

Best of all this is that persistance pays off (think junk yard dog,I do)
Many of us SJers & other Jeepers have gone through this in years x1000s of hours to have our rigs be what we want. IT'S a Jeep Thing, You Wouldn't Understand! (Unless you do) Thanks to you guys & girls for keeping me inspired!

[SJTD]

When you gonna be in Burbank? I might be down here and would love to shake your hand and say hello, too!

Me too.

[cu4whln]

When you gonna be in Burbank? I might be down here and would love to shake your hand and say hello, too!

SJTD " Me too.

__________________________________________________ ___________

Well, not entirely sure.. but maybe next summer.

Assuming all is complete and worked out.

I would love to meet and catch up with everybody..

Brad _ you will be hosting !! lol

[bkilby]

Bring it on!

[cu4whln]

Next Up . . .

Thanks Brad !!

You are so cool !!



Been a slow week. Haven't felt well..

STESSFUL WEEK : My family was heavily affected by IAN. Sigh.

Heading down next week to asses the situation.

BUT -
My dad is safe, and our houses made it through, mostly.
We are between Napels and Ft Myers, so you know it's SHOW down there.

[cu4whln]

In Today's News . . .

So, the seat project . . .

Finally got together with my buddy who has a welder, and knows how to use it.

Tackled the Pass seat first.

How did I decide where/how high to mount the new seat?

Installed the original seat and measured the full travel front and rear.

Then measured the height of the seat at the front and rear of the cushion at the mid track position.

Then, mocked up the new seat after removing it's original mounting brackets.

Figured out how to use 3 of the 4 original holes with some fabricated brackets.

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Took some square tubing, and cut the required angle to set the new seat at the proper angle for comfort and position.

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Clamp into position:

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Note - the new seats have twice the front/rear travel adjustment compared to the original seats.
Pass seat is a manual track btw.

Then tack weld the new mounts to the seat track.

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Front mounts:

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Each mount is different due to the holes and floors being so random in the original design.
However, I want to use the original bolt mounts since they are reinforced strong mounting points.

Rear mounts:

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Then make and weld some mounting tabs to the angled stand off mounts.

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Since the front mounts are in the same plane, just made a strap across to capture both sides.
This keeps the track sides connected and in the same position.

All ready for a trail fitting . . .

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Step one.. Just lay seat into the Jeep

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Noted the seat doesn't sit "flat"
Got the calibrated hammers out and "fixed" the floor to make it fit the seat mounts.
( Yea, I beat the hell out of a couple of spots...)

You don't realize the floor is not originally flat til you try and mount the nice straight seat you just fabricated on the bench.

Is this only my Jeep, or do all SJs have so many contours in the floor?
I made it work.

Then took the paint pen and marked roughly where the seat goes.
Also verified that the new mounting straps lined up with the holes.

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Now, finally, I can drill the holes and trial bolt the seat in.

BUT - that will have to wait til another day... Family time now!

[cu4whln]

No projects updates...

Jeep is on "hold" for a bit.

Life is happening.

I will be off line for a couple of weeks.

Have to head down to the Florida home to repair our house. ( Ft Myer area)

Also - help other family with their houses.

Loading fuel, food, supplies and tools in prep to go.

It's a mess down there, but our property can be repaired.

All family is safe, many can't say that.

[78 WIDETRAC]

Be safe down there. I'm glad your family is safe, and your property is repairable.

[rang-a-stang]

Good luck down there, Jim. Glad the family is safe.

[cu4whln]

Good luck down there, Jim. Glad the family is safe.

Thanks guys... Half way there.
__________________________________________________ _

One last post... As the Jeep rests in the garage while I am gone.

In TOTAL DISGUST, I ripped the NEW driver door seal off.

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Rant Warning:

After THREE MONTHs of being told it will soften up, NOPE !


F%ck this seal ... wtf.

My door is literally cracking now that it has been SLAMMED closed for 3 months. What BS !
I hardly ever used the door since it is so hard to close.
It's been hot and reinstalled a couple of times.. no help.

Been climbing in and out the pass side, which did soften up after 3 weeks or so.

Can't return, they say it will relax. The door closes with a fingertip push with out this piece of Cr#p installed.

Door has remained basically closed for 3 months.

F'*k this piece of Sh*%t

Who has a real part available??

Thoughts?

[bkilby]

LOL! I don't think I've ever seen Jim this worked up over something. Ever! He must really be pissed off at that door seal. Let me know if you find anything better Jim. Mine sucks too after all these years.



I hope yours and your family's properties are salvageable. I'm only a text away buddy.

[letank]

Indeed it is a pain... when I did mine many, many years ago... I had the same very annoying issues, but being a short tempered guy, I slackened the catch and slightly bent the metal edge to recessed the rubber trim , on the driver's side.


Otherwise I have pulled the good one at the junkyard.

[Heep-J4000]

Did the door never close at all?
Did you try when you had a window open?

I had the same issue years ago with the 73' j4000
Could not get the driver side door closed to the second setting when the windows were totally closed!
With one open window or the small fresh air windows cracked open it did close when closing it with some force.
After more than ten years it still was easy to close the driver side door ,but it did get a little better.

Maybe the air can't escape fast enough out of the rubber tubing piece!?
You could press some more small holes in it with a revolver pliers and try if that works!