Swapping '72 body onto '81 diesel-powered chassis

[Resbum]

Cool beans! I'm glad I helped.

Resbum

Edit- I just went back through your thread and didn't see an answer. What did you end up using to strip your sheetmeatal? It looks like you were really thorough and I'm curious how you got it like that. I need to start seriously thinking about tackling my body work.

[budojeepr]

More parts

In addition to the new radiator, parts recently ordered:

• From IFSJA member Millerluck:
  - Door lock knobs
  - Tailgate glass lift pins
• From BJs Offroad:
  - Lots of weatherstrip, window wipes, etc.

Waiting for boxes to arrive...

[budojeepr]

What did you end up using to strip your sheetmeatal?

Lots of elbow grease, unfortunately.

I used three main tools: aircraft paint remover, a window film scraper, and the 4-1/2" angle grinder with a paint stripper disc.

The paint remover works well, but is expensive, can be a mess and only does one layer of paint at a time. I didn't use it much.

The window film scraper works great for large flat or gently curved surfaces once you get the hang of it. I used one like this, only 4" across.

http://www.harborfreight.com/razor-blade-scraper-98039.html

My method evolved over time to finding a body crease and running the scraper down it to expose the metal. Then carefully stick the corner of the scraper under the paint on the surface to be stripped, and in one smooth sure motion (keeping the angle of the scraper to the surface as constant as possible) scrape as long a piece as possible.

For detailed areas the paint stripper disc worked well. Its main problem is that it's consumable, and it scatters paint dust everywhere.

http://www.harborfreight.com/replacement-wheel-for-electric-paint-remover-66101.html

I'm telling you the truth: I'm DONE stripping paint for the foreseeable future.

[Resbum]

Huh, I thought I replied a couple days ago when you posted. Must of previewed and never submitted.

Sorry, I wasn't clear in what I asked. Which brand of aircraft paint stripper did you use? Thanks for including all the other info.

I know how you feel about stripping paint. That's how I felt about media blasting after I got done doing all my parts. I may pull out the equipment and use it on all the hard to sand areas of my sheetmetal. Instead of making a full booth out of plastic I could tape off an area with plastic (make a mini booth), media blast it, and then move the plastic to the next section.

Resbum

[budojeepr]

Sorry, I wasn't clear in what I asked. Which brand of aircraft paint stripper did you use? Thanks for including all the other info.

Ah. It was the house brand at the auto paint store - "Klean Strip".

I know how you feel about stripping paint. That's how I felt about media blasting after I got done doing all my parts. I may pull out the equipment and use it on all the hard to sand areas of my sheetmetal.

I saw an interesting YouTube video where they were stripping paint off a car using a blast of dry ice instead of some other media. Then about two weeks later I saw it again on Powerblock TV. They said it'd cost about $1500 to do a car but it's money well spent. Maybe so but that's a tradeoff I don't have the luxury of making.

This weekend I ordered a glow plug harness and tonight I'm ordering one of Serehill's headlight harnesses. I also painted the interior surface of the tailgate, inner fenders, and the rockers with bedliner. The body work is now 99% (ish) done. Just transport it to the shop, apply and sand the glazing putty, dust it off, and git 'er done!

Can you tell I'm ready??

[Resbum]

Thanks.

[budojeepr]

On the doorstep tonight

Happy me:



A couple blemishes. Five minutes with a small flat screwdriver and we're in business:




4.5 inches wider than the stock radiator opening:


Break a few welds, trim here and there, glue it all back together and just drop in the new radiator!

Rrrriiiiiight.

But I'm glad to be back fabricatin' instead of paint strippin' and body-workin'...

P.S. Yes, after looking at these pictures I couldn't stand it any longer so I set the date on the camera. Just my luck the batteries will go dead any minute.

[Resbum]

Very cool. You guys are making me crazy with all the work you're getting done. I need to get my truck back. At least I'm getting stuff done on the dashboard.

Resbum

[budojeepr]

More parts

More parts arrived this week.

First I got the new glow plug harness. I've always been unhappy with the one that came with the donor engine. Although all the glow plugs seemed to work, the connectors felt loose and the floppy wire the harness was made from seemed non-durable and was impossible to route neatly. The harness I bought came from ptwiringsolutions, an eBay seller. The directions that came with the harness seemed to be a simple Word document and had several misspellings and grammar issues, but the writer obviously knew the truck, engine, and wiring. The directions and pictures were clear and thorough. The harness itself is first-rate, with high-quality components and artisan-level workmanship. Light-years ahead of anything I could build. My hat's off to this guy, and I hope anybody who's working on diesel engines that reads this post gives ptwiringsolutions a look. [Edit]The glow plug harness seller is also know as "Pro Tech Racing Products".[/Edit]

Second, I got the weatherstrip order from BJs Offroad. A few words about this...

I have purchased quite a few items from BJs on this build, perhaps nearly $1000 worth of parts...wait, I also bought the Dakota Digital dash through them...so nearer $1700 to $2000. Anyway, significant for this indigent Jeep "bottom-feeder".

When I needed the personal touch on parts or availability questions, Ryan was there, all questions answered quickly and efficiently. When I needed to just conduct business, BJs Offroad conducted business professionally. I'll try to say it clearly: We FSJ enthusiasts are Great Googly-Moogly (I typed that in personally ) FORTUNATE to have a vendor like BJs Offroad in our world. Thanks, guys!

I also have some door knobs and tailgate window lift pins on order from IFSJA member Miller Luck on order...itching to get my hands on at least the pins so I can put the tailgate on prior to painting the rig.

I have pictures but I left my card reader at work and they unexpectedly gave us Good Friday (TM) off this week. It'll be a pic-post free weekend for me.

[lobie]

I like those radiators. If I didn't already have one, that's what I'd get. The way they mount and the adjustability of mounting is great.

[budojeepr]

Ha! My hotrod HP desktop computer has built-in card readers for just about every card out there.

Weatherstrip in box. A few things to note:

• I finally set the date on the camera
• I bought everything having to do with doors (excepting window wing seals), roof rack, and tailgate. There may be more to get. And not everything I want (light gaskets, fer instance) is available.
• Abby the Border Collie left her rope bone there, expecting me to be productive (in her scheme of things)

Here's Abby. Smartest dang dog...


Closer detail of parts in box:


Fabricating new support brackets. I thought you all might be envious of my fancy bending brake and organizational skillz:


The radiator support has been cut. The radiator brackets themselves are spotwelded in about 20 places all up the sheetmetal. Therefore I just cut the whole thing off. I may weld it back on as it is, or use a grinder to remove the layer of sheetmetal. We'll see...


More later today, it bein' only Saturday.

[budojeepr]

The engine was so excited about the new radiator that it peed a little bit.

[Resbum]

[babywag]

The engine was so excited about the new radiator that it peed a little bit.

[budojeepr]

Radiator mount done

Comparing the new radiator to the old one:




Measure twice, cut once. I measured, like, 6,000 times.




Tacked up, checking again:










Added a fender to make sure I hadn't moved things:




Two fenders and the front fascia:


Thanks to Resbum for showing me that it's possible, and hooking me up with a new radiator?!

Anybody want to buy a perfectly good (albeit dirty right now) aluminum crossflow radiator? Would probably do just fine for a normally-aspirated gas engine smaller than 397cu. in.! Say, 50 smackers plus the ride? Once I start cleaning out my storage locker I'll start placing real classified ads...