My 79 J10's New Life

[azmtn04]

Nice. Lots of hours there. I am getting ready to start that on the Cherokee.

[Wagoneer-ing]

Very nice! Keep up the good work! I was never able to get my Dad into these. It is nice that you get to do this with a family vehicle.

[BigBlueYJ]

Thanks. I'm hoping to have it in primer by Thanksgiving and paint shortly afterwards. Then start reassembly. Hoping that part goes pretty quick.

[87briarwood]

i can appreciate what your saying with the body panels
on these trucks. from the factory there were bows and
uneveness to begin with. when u do a full on job like
you're doing its better than factory in the end.
keep up the great work. 👍

[BigBlueYJ]

Thanks. From the factory there are a lot of "straight" panels that aren't too straight. And then it's easier to repair most of them as it's getting harder and harder to find parts for them.

[vajeepj20]

Looking good, that thing should turn out pretty nice when it's done. Have you decided what color you're going to paint it?

[BigBlueYJ]

Yeah I have actually started the painting process. The body was in rattle can primer just to keep the flash rust at bay. I threw the fenders on it and some baby tires just to roll it out to clean the garage out before I started painting. Here's some shots of it in rattle can primer....




Cleaned the garage out and got some plastic sheeting hung up to protect the washer/dryer and the other stuff on the shelves. Then I backed the truck back in and dropped it back down to the concrete. Masked the dash off and the engine bay. Also under the cab to keep the paint off the frame. Scuffed the rattle can primer down with some 400 grit.


After it was scuffed up, I mixed up some sealer and shot it. Then I hit it with some high build primer to level out anything I missed.

Then I blocked that down to get it ready for color.
Desert Storm Tan from Hot Rod Flatz. Turned out pretty good. I love the color.


SO far it's just the cab, I finished it this morning. Now I'll move on to the doors, hood, fenders, tailgate, and the small parts. The process continues........

[Old Ironsides]

Nice Work

Great story and nice paint job! I think you are the closest member to me! I work out of Camarillo and drive down there all the time.

[BigBlueYJ]

Well if you'd like to take a look at it sometime, just let me know. I'm always up for talking Jeep. Thanks.

[BigBlueYJ]

A few more updates as the build continues.....

I pulled the dash seeing as I had the windshield out and that was the proper time to do it. It needed a good sanding a a little coat of paint to freshen it up a bit.

I scuffed it up and shot it with some nice semi-gloss black.


Got it put back in and the gauges installed along with a new plastic glovebox and a few silver details to help it out.


Then it was time for the front end pieces..... Had to make room in the garage.... and I finally got to see the color in the sunlight. Looks pretty good I think.....



From there I took all the front end stuff and started sanding them back down getting ready for sealer/primer/color. So much sanding......



Then ALOT of blocking everything back down.... and ready for color.




Let it dry and started adding them on piece by piece.....



Started lining up panels and setting gaps...... UGH. Thats almost as bad a block sanding..... haha. I'm waiting on parts for the door glass so I started installing the grill and lights to see what it's going to look like. I'm not a fan of shiny things and I don't want any chrome on this truck. SO I blacked out the grill and the lights and the pie plates. Goes pretty good with the color I think.....


And thats where it sits as of now..... Waiting on some parts to finish the doors and then have the windshield put in it, along with the back glass. Then I can move on to the bed and get it painted. Then its more tedious stuff.... shocks and mounts, build the steering, finish the exhaust, blah, blah, blah......

[Atla]

I dig that color with the black trim. Very nice.

[BigBlueYJ]

Thanks. I got the shocks mounted and set up. I had to buy another set of shock towers due to the threads on mine were nonexistent on the ends. Then I've since had the windshield and back glass put in it. STUPID WINDSHIELD TRIM!!! I'm having a very difficult time getting that back on so it'll have to wait. I also have the doors assembled and the weather strip put on. All sealed up so it can go outside and sit while I work on the bed. More pics to follow.

[BigBlueYJ]

Got the windshield and back glass installed. Blacked the aluminum around the back glass too.

I ordered up some Bilsteins to fit my lengths. Pulled them out of the box and voided the warranty by drilling out the eyes to fit my mounts.
Found some shock brackets that were long enough to clear everything and started welding them in place.
Once the shocks were installed, I pulled the truck out and rolled the bed back in to get some finish work done.
Hung the tailgate on the motor hoist and strung up some small parts across the back of the bed to get sealed, primed, and painted as well. Then started sanding the rattle can primer back down.
Ran a coat of sealer on everything, then two coats of high build primer, and after blocking for hours, a coat of paint.
I lifted the bed back up with the motor hoist and backed the truck back under it. Sat it down and lined up all the bolts and tightened it down. It's starting to resemble a truck now....

Still lots to do on it but it's getting closer.....

[Old Ironsides]

Good progress Jason! Looking more put together than earlier this week.

[BigBlueYJ]

Thanks Grant. Putting a bed on a truck makes a huge difference!