rang-a-stang's summer project/build

[Full Size Jeeper]

Wow, you are pushing right along with your build! Looking good. Hey, I didn't forget about the roof patch. I'am going to get it in the mail for you next week some time. Talk with you later.

[letank]

Finished short block tear down tonight. Mostly good discoveries:

The only thing that sucks is there is serious rust and scale in the cooling passages. I am surprised I didn't overheat looking at some of these passages.

Congratulations, this is quite a surprise knowing that your temperature never went to the right side.

Years ago I decided to do a full flush, even as I have been "lucky" to need a new water pump every 4 years so the coolant was never neglected... the amount of rust that came out of that first flush was phenomenal... I have a pict somewhere, but it took about 40 gallons to get a clear liquid out of the reverse flush hose.


In fact my intake manifold has some signs of pitting by the rear most water jacket passage, that buffed up well

[rang-a-stang]

Got my receiver done and the front portion of the chassis cleaned/painted. I bought one of these from Harbor Freight:
Harbor Freight 3500# step bumper receiver
then welded it to my front crossmember, threw a gusset on the front, then welded the the front Rocklaurence shackle brackets to that with some about 1.5" 3/16" wall tube steel I got a good deal on . It all feels pretty solid. I'll tell you what; my little 85amp flux core welder WAS NOT the correct tool to use for welding this thick metal. I had to do some serious beveling to get this metal thin enough for my welds to penetrate, and even then, the welds are not very pretty. They are good enough for me to use a hitch mounted winch (why I added this). I cleaned my chassis with one of these dudes on my 4.5" grinder and finished it off with some good ol' generic rattle can semi gloss black paint.
Harbor Freight knotted wire wheel

[TheWeekendWagon]

It's amazing what a little fresh paint can do!

[rang-a-stang]

Last night I was working on the front spring rear perches (mine are bent). I was trying to bend the passenger leaf spring bracket into place and no matter how hard I hit it with a 10 pound sledge hammer, I couldn't get it into place. Then I sat back and just looked at it, frustrated. I noticed the whole side of the frame is twisted about 4 degrees. I leveled the chassis at the firewall, then measured each frame horn to the ground. There is a good 3/4" difference between the 2 frame horns. I was really upset so I went in and tried to think of what to do. I found a Chassis for it for $75 about 90 miles away. So I called the guy, we talked, and I will pick it up this weekend.

[Heavy_Metal_Thunder_81]

These rigs surely hide flaws well. I found my red one was hit just by laying under it one afternoon and day dreaming/planning out exhaust routing. The whole frame is shifted to the passenger side 3/4" in the rear and the front is twisted just like yours. Couldn't really tell until I had the front clip off. Explains why the roof is buckled

[bkilby]

The bent frame is a bummer but you'll have a freshly painted frame when it's all done. It's nice working on clean stuff. Oh, and that's how my project started too. Lol.

[rang-a-stang]

These rigs surely hide flaws well. I found my red one was hit just by laying under it one afternoon and day dreaming/planning out exhaust routing. The whole frame is shifted to the passenger side 3/4" in the rear and the front is twisted just like yours. Couldn't really tell until I had the front clip off. Explains why the roof is buckled

sucks. could you swap your GE frame with the red one or is the red one officially a pile-o-parts?

The bent frame is a bummer but you'll have a freshly painted frame when it's all done. It's nice working on clean stuff. Oh, and that's how my project started too. Lol.

Are you saying I am going to end up with a Hemi!?!? haha!
************************************************** **
Got my chassis swapped out.

I pressure washed the new chassis and got about 15 pounds of dirt out of it. There was a rat nest in the front drivers frame horn that was not there when I swung by 3 weeks ago. After it dried I rattle canned the whole thing with generic paint made for painting over rust. There is only very slight surface rust on this chassis. Super stoked on it! I did not paint the frame horns yet because I still need to weld my bumper brackets on and shackle flip kit. Also need to re-do the front receiver. In the picture of my body, check out how close it came to the garage door! Haha! I was completely oblivious to it until I had the body on the stands and stood back to make sure they were safe and then looked up. I missed the door by less than an inch.


This picture represents about 2 hours of work. The differences I found in the frames:
a) holes for the evap can line were not tapped,
b) the rear brake line was routed slightly different,
c) the rear cross member has 2 extra rivets compared to my 79.
Both frames had date stamps for the prior year (78 frame was date stamped Sept 77, 79 frame was date stamped October 78).


While I was down there I found another bend (directly under the doors) in the chassis. I could see a very slight ripple in the frame. I also found the body bolt that's on the front passenger mount is bent. This body seam was also rolled inward (drivers side was straight). Oh, and check out my sway bar end link!



By the end of the day I had the new chassis in, all my body bolts are finger tight (78 chassis fits like a glove!), the rear axle is back in and the truck is sitting on it's rear axle, though I have to re-assemble the back brakes. This was one of the most physically exhausting jobs I have ever done on a car that I can recall. The sun beating down on me on my driveway was killer. It took about 9 hours start to finish, including cutting my old frame down into chunks for disposal. Only casualties were my rear axle U-bolts (all were original and need to be replaced) and the rear soft brake line was seized on (and also probably original). I am off on a business trip tonight so I won't get to touch it for a couple weeks. That's OK though because BOY AM I SORE! I also need to replace the bent body bolt. Plan of action when I thinker again is to re-assemble the rear brakes, replace the Ubolts and brake line, and probably start on my fuel system so I can put the tank back in. Then I'll do the front end work and get my suspension back together. Things are getting exciting! I love this stuff!

[bkilby]

Are you saying I am going to end up with a Hemi!?!? haha!

Hey, you never know. Lol! I have 2 or 3 at the shop right now....Got a Cummins 6.7 with extremely low miles too.


Nice work on the frame! You're a hustler too, I bet you're sore.

[rang-a-stang]

I've said it before, the only engine that I would consider swapping a 401 for is a 392.

Not much to update. I have worked a few nights here and there but only to catch back up to where I was. I had to order some parts for the rear end and waited for those to come in. The Shackle brackets and front hitch are back on the new chassis, waiting to be welded (hopefully this week). Once it's welded, I will paint it and put the J20 springs on and let is sit on it's tires again. Excited to see progress!

[rang-a-stang]

Tonight I rented a good 140 amp Lincoln welder and welded up the bumper brackets, the shackle brackets, and front hitch. Wow, what a difference between a good 140 amp welder and my pathetic 85 amp Harbor Freight turd. I feel so motivated at how nice most of my welds are (not all, I have some that look like caterpillars crawling on my front end). It just felt nice to have a victory tonight.

I started to wire wheel the frame horns for paint and my grinder died after one frame horn. I painted it, cleaned up the mess, and am heading in. I go on travel for the next 2 weeks so I can't touch it or the wife will remove my manhood.

I am bringing my power seat bottoms with me on travel so I can clean/rebuild them in my hotel at night. I'll be home on the weekend but hangin with the fam so no FSJ work. Cross your fingers that I get a call from the machine shop soon. I am jones'ing to start putting my engine together (especially after seeing Full Size Jeeper's engine starting to come together)!

[asphaltrockdweller]

I really wish you and Brad would hurry up with your builds already!

Like I am one to talk smack?

[bkilby]

Ha! My build has slowed down. but not done. At this rate, rang will be done before me. Lol. Rang, you should sand blast the frame if it's not too late. I think it cost me $150.00 for mine.

[CameraFinn]

9 Hours

Wow, 9 hours! That's crazy. Mine probably took 9 weeks just to get the same chassis out and painted and back in.
Hope your machine shop calls you soon, the engine is the coolest part!
Keep up the great work, it looks great.

[rang-a-stang]

Ha! My build has slowed down. but not done. At this rate, rang will be done before me. Lol. Rang, you should sand blast the frame if it's not too late. I think it cost me $150.00 for mine.

It's too late. I would have LOVED to have it blasted/painted but I had to get it installed. The best I could do is pressure wash it and rattle can it. It looks better than it did but it's not nearly as pretty as yours. I'm OK with it, though because it is still light years better than it was.

Wow, 9 hours! That's crazy. Mine probably took 9 weeks just to get the same chassis out and painted and back in.
Hope your machine shop calls you soon, the engine is the coolest part!
Keep up the great work, it looks great.

Keep in mind:
1) My front end was already pretty much stripped so all I had to do was remove the brake line brackets, shocks, and leaf springs. Rear end all I did was cut the soft brake line, and unhook the e-Brake lines. Then 4 U-bolts and 2 shock bolts and the axle came out. Last step was unhook the rear wires, bumper, hitch, and body bolts and out came the chassis.
2) Putting it back in, all I did was bolt up the 6 body bolts, and install the rear springs and u-bolts.
In the grand scheme of things, I didn't do that much. I'm stoked I have a straight chassis but I still have lots of work to do to consider my chassis completely installed.

As I walked out the door to head out on travel, I saw my pile of parts (new rear soft brake line, wheel cylinders, flare nuts, and u-bolts) and it hurt. I felt like my young son just asked me to play catch and I said "No son, I have work to do" and he walked away with a tear in his eye.