rang-a-stang's summer project/build

[bkilby]

BBBBWAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!!!!
How much beer do I have to leave in the fridge to make this happen?!!??! Except the relays part?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

+1

Don't worry about the beer. I'll bring it and some lawn chairs so a few can sit and watch.

[Wagoneer Taylor]

Wow wow wow! I have been away from this site waaaaaaay too long!
You have been killing it Marc! Incrediable work as always, I commend you for pulling the engine, seems like the right way to do that work. I probably would have puttered around trying to squeeze my hands in places for a week only to pull the engine later to do it right .
Seriously awesome, I will be coming back to this for pics of relays and fuse boxes.

Also you guys crack me up, loved all the comments!

[rang-a-stang]

One week down; 3 to go. I just spent 12 hours on Easter Sunday going through all my posts and fixing the picture links. I would say about 1/3 of my pictures stopped working. Annoying. I hope I never have to do that again.

[Wagoneer Taylor]

One week down; 3 to go. I just spent 12 hours on Easter Sunday going through all my posts and fixing the picture links. I would say about 1/3 of my pictures stopped working. Annoying. I hope I never have to do that again.

Youre a stronger man than I, I have said to myself I would also do this. But dont have the will!

Hope you had a good Easter even in quarantine!

[78 WIDETRAC]

Marc


Thanks for posting so many detailed descriptions and pics. Now that I have a twin Cherokee, I'm really going back through and looking close and comparing what is missing or placed different than yours. My solenoid is in a totally different spot than yours is.
Just one example. Mine also came with dealer installed A/C I assume.


I'm currently looking for the Saxon yellow paint. My tailgate was missing so I installed the brown one but would love to get it the same color as the jeep.



Where did you buy your firewall paint? and how much did that take?

[rang-a-stang]

Marc

Thanks for posting so many detailed descriptions and pics. Now that I have a twin Cherokee, I'm really going back through and looking close and comparing what is missing or placed different than yours. My solenoid is in a totally different spot than yours is.
Just one example. Mine also came with dealer installed A/C I assume.

I'm currently looking for the Saxon yellow paint. My tailgate was missing so I installed the brown one but would love to get it the same color as the jeep.

Where did you buy your firewall paint? and how much did that take?

Yeppo!

I took the access panel off my tailgate, since it had always been covered by carpet so not faded, and went to my local Finish Master. Looks like there is one in Beaverton, Beaverton finishmaster weblink
The paint code is 9L. I told them I needed one spray can of two stage 1979 AMC Saxon Yellow 9L and they mixed it up for me overnight. I left the access panel for them to match, just in case they could not find the formula. I think I paid about $20 for the can? I used about 2/3's of a can on the first attempt. When I repainted the firewall (after it peeled), I finished the can off (so about the other 1/3) but I did not do the entire firewall. I would think you could do a tailgate with one can but it might be close (assuming you would do the sides and insides as well).

My passenger side inner fenderwell was replaced after a wreck from the previous owner. He used a front clip from a Honcho and I think it was a 78 since the side marker light did not match. Maybe in 78 they were in a different spot?
************************************
I ordered new 79-80 Cherokee Chief stickers this week. The son and I are hoping to wet sand/buff the tailgate and sides and get those on as soon as I get home.

Last week I got a call and he said the Jeep "just stopped running" in a parking lot. We talked on the phone together and troubleshot it down to the fuel pump again. Good thing I put a spare in my tool kit! I told him we have road side assistance and he can tow it home for free. His answer, "NO! That's embarrassing! I am going to fix this." A small tear rolled down my face.

My wife called me about 2 hours later:
Wife: I haven't heard from Jamie in 2 hours!!!
Me: I know, let him be.
W: Should I call a tow truck?
M: No! Let him do this. Text him and ask if he needs a flashlight but let him do this.
W: It's 7:30! You think we should just leave him?!
M: Yep. He's got this.

About 30 mins later he called and he was happier than when he got his first Varsity QB sack!
Jamie: DAD!!! DID YOU HEAR THAT?!?!?
Me: No, what was it?
J: IT RUNS!!! I FIXED IT!!!
Me:

J: DO YOU KNOW HOW GOOOD THAT FEELS?!?!?!
M: Yes. Yes I do.

Funny though, I felt better that he planted his flag in that and stuck with it than anything else. I gave him the option to bail and he didn't. That night, that truck became his. Our hobby became his, too.

[78 WIDETRAC]

Yeppo!

I took the access panel off my tailgate, since it had always been covered by carpet so not faded, and went to my local Finish Master. Looks like there is one in Beaverton, Beaverton finishmaster weblink
The paint code is 9L. I told them I needed one spray can of two stage 1979 AMC Saxon Yellow 9L and they mixed it up for me overnight. I left the access panel for them to match, just in case they could not find the formula. I think I paid about $20 for the can? I used about 2/3's of a can on the first attempt. When I repainted the firewall (after it peeled), I finished the can off (so about the other 1/3) but I did not do the entire firewall. I would think you could do a tailgate with one can but it might be close (assuming you would do the sides and insides as well). Great!!!! Thank you.

My passenger side inner fenderwell was replaced after a wreck from the previous owner. He used a front clip from a Honcho and I think it was a 78 since the side marker light did not match. Maybe in 78 they were in a different spot?
************************************


Ok. Cool. Mine actually looks out of place where it's at. More pic research....





I ordered new 79-80 Cherokee Chief stickers this week. The son and I are hoping to wet sand/buff the tailgate and sides and get those on as soon as I get home.



I noticed you were looking to get the stickers. I'm looking forward to the results.


Last week I got a call and he said the Jeep "just stopped running" in a parking lot. We talked on the phone together and troubleshot it down to the fuel pump again. Good thing I put a spare in my tool kit! I told him we have road side assistance and he can tow it home for free. His answer, "NO! That's embarrassing! I am going to fix this." A small tear rolled down my face.

My wife called me about 2 hours later:
Wife: I haven't heard from Jamie in 2 hours!!!
Me: I know, let him be.
W: Should I call a tow truck?
M: No! Let him do this. Text him and ask if he needs a flashlight but let him do this.
W: It's 7:30! You think we should just leave him?!
M: Yep. He's got this.

About 30 mins later he called and he was happier than when he got his first Varsity QB sack!
Jamie: DAD!!! DID YOU HEAR THAT?!?!?
Me: No, what was it?
J: IT RUNS!!! I FIXED IT!!!
Me:

J: DO YOU KNOW HOW GOOOD THAT FEELS?!?!?!
M: Yes. Yes I do.

Funny though, I felt better that he planted his flag in that and stuck with it than anything else. I gave him the option to bail and he didn't. That night, that truck became his. Our hobby became his, too.

Well, That's nothing but COOL!!! Congrats on planting the FSJ seed and seeing the benefits of your hard work.

[chubbinius]

That's an awesome report, Marc. Stoked for both Jamie for sorting it out and getting it back running...and stoked for you as the proud Dad too. Great post!

[GWNashville]

Build Tread

Moving along nicely!

[Wagoneer Taylor]

Fantastic story Marc, so happy for you!

[Heavy_Metal_Thunder_81]

Whoa your Jeep as made quite the transformation since I last peeked in on here. Great job, Marc!

[SOLSAKS]

great news
I would still be by the side of the road.

chalk one up for the chip off the old block

dave in NC

[J76137]

It

[rang-a-stang]

That's an awesome report, Marc. Stoked for both Jamie for sorting it out and getting it back running...and stoked for you as the proud Dad too. Great post!

Thanks! My first 3 midgets were all trainwrecks at this age so it is kind of nice not having to deal with that.

Moving along nicely!

Thank you, sir! Not quite the speed or details of yours but it's coming!

Fantastic story Marc, so happy for you!

Thanks, Taylor!

Whoa your Jeep as made quite the transformation since I last peeked in on here. Great job, Marc!

IOW, peek in here more often!

great news
I would still be by the side of the road.

chalk one up for the chip off the old block

dave in NC

No way, Dave! You would have made sure your truck didn't break down in the first place! Buy the best, cry once! I buy crap, then whine about it on here.

It

Looks like you got bit by the apostrophe bug on here. Stupid apostrophe bug.
**************************************************
Home for a few weeks spending some time with the fam. I snuck out to the garage for a little bit, though. First things first: Did a walk around inspection for damage. There was no new damage. WHHHhhhheeeewww!! He did drive it quite a bit. Other than the fuel pump, he said it has been running really well.

While I was gone, I ordered a set of the Phoenix Graphics 79-80 Cherokee Chief stickers. I decided to start with installing them on the tailgate since it is the smallest of them. The previous owner spray painted almost the entire tailgate. The paint is about a 97% match and a satin finish. When the truck is dirty, you do not notice the spray paint, when it is clean, the paint looks blotchy and bad. I have also mentioned you can see the ghost of the old stickers under the spray paint so I can't put the new stickers on with all that old garbage under them. Therefore, task 1 is to remove the spray paint and old adhesive. I would rather see old knicked original paint than blotchy spray paint.

Here is what I started with (old picture but you can see what I am talking about):

I started with 600 grit wet paper. Not aggressive enough. Then white scotchbrite pads. Still nada. Then green scothbrite pads. That worked OK. It seems to pull off the paint and red primer under it without digging into the original paint. Here is where I started:


I spent about an hour and a half with scothbrite pads and 400 grit wet. I found a good process was scothbrite to start, then 400 grit to finish. I think I need about 2 more hours of pads/wet sanding and the back will be done.

You may ask, "Why not just paint the whole tailgate? Wouldn't it be easier to hit the whole tailgate with 180 or 220 grit, strip to bare metal, and repaint?" Yes but I am doing it this way because I am not going to paint the whole truck and I do not want my tailgate to look new and shiney and the rest of the truck look like old kicked up/faded/oxidized crappy paint. I want the whole thing to look equally crappy. I am pretty happy with the condition of the paint under neath; it will come back pretty nice (like my roof did). What's odd to me is there is no sticker left on this, but you can see the old sticker outline because the paint inside the letters and the lower stripe have worn down to the primer. When I close my eyes and run my hand over this, it is as smooth as glass (except for the blob of adhesive over the Jeep emblem). I am going to get some color matched paint to paint under the stickers but am not going to do the whole tailgate.

I think, maybe the previous owner sanded off some of the stickers and that's why it is worn down there? I hope the rest of the truck is not like that... This is going to take a while...

[J76137]

Looks like you got bit by the apostrophe bug on here. Stupid apostrophe bug.

Looks that way. I think it is awesome when the kids can share a hobby and more so when they have success with it.