1963 J-200 SLOOOOOW Build

[63J200atLSU]

Power Steering

I decided to clean up the remaining power steering parts I had yet to install and see what was what for my latest mini-project. I swear I'm going to get more body work done soon, I just wanted to get as much wrenching and fitting out of the way before there was shiny paint everywhere, just waiting to get scratched up...

So apparently there is an extra pulley "extension" that attaches to the harmonic balancer of the Tornado 230. I had previously (and mistakenly) assumed that the first groove was for the water pump and alternator and the second groove was to run any accessories (P/S and A/C really)... Someone on Facebook hypothesized that the pulley on the HB was a single grope pulley, and that I just had the belt in the space between HB and pulley groove, but the TSM clearly shows the water pump/alternator belt mated with this groove. I'm sticking with that, as it lines up perfectly, and it is, indeed a V. So now the question is this: What is the accessory that can be added to the FOURTH groove?

At any rate, the pump, hydraulic ram, steering linkage (with the integrated bendix valve) and 3 of the 4 lines are hooked up. I need to find an acceptable line for the hydraulic lines from the medic valve to the ram. Is there any reason stainless brake hoses wouldn't worry? Could I use brake lines to custom fit the fixed ends? If I can't, I'll have to just take measurements off of the one I have and find something specifically made for a PS setup in the proper length with the proper ends...

So this will probably have to tide me over for the next week. Finals are from Monday to Saturday and promise to make me miserable. Very excited to get the body stuff done and get this truck all out back together. Elizabeth has informed me that we ARE having a real Christmas tree this year, so I have a pretty hard deadline... Really I just want to enjoy driving this old thing around! I think it'll be pretty spectacular despite not being a show truck by any stretch of the imagination. Talk to you soon, ladies and gents!

[63J200atLSU]

I fully intended to procrastinate studying yesterday by starting to piece together a plan for the doors. I'm still stumped. The task just seems bigger and bigger every time I look at them.





Frank, I'm getting really close to taking your offer. The trade off of keeping the original doors just isn't great.

I did start to strip down the front fascia. I found one from a guy local who was trying to get rid of it. It's off of a 78 Wagoneer from New Orleans, and what in the world happened to the body stampings in the 70's? The area around the sides of the grille looks like a metal waterfall... were they just not as concerned since it was being covered up with the larger post-rhino grilles? That's going to take a little work for sure. Also, a lot of plug welding to do after getting all of the grille mounting tabs drilled out. It'll be way better than what I had before once it's done, but shizah.



Cannot wait to see this face again.



Tomorrow, the hard finals start. More after Saturday!

[Frank Ziebert]

Good luck on the finals!

I will have the doors and all other parts around until about the first part of August. Then I will begin a purge to get rid of all the stuff not yet sold.

[Full Size Jeeper]

Hey LSU, what are you using to get down to bare metal? I need to do the same on my valance. The more I sand the more surface rust I find.

[Frank Ziebert]

I fully intended to procrastinate studying yesterday by starting to piece together a plan for the doors. I'm still stumped. The task just seems bigger and bigger every time I look at them.





Frank, I'm getting really close to taking your offer. The trade off of keeping the original doors just isn't great.

I did start to strip down the front fascia. I found one from a guy local who was trying to get rid of it. It's off of a 78 Wagoneer from New Orleans, and what in the world happened to the body stampings in the 70's? The area around the sides of the grille looks like a metal waterfall... were they just not as concerned since it was being covered up with the larger post-rhino grilles? That's going to take a little work for sure. Also, a lot of plug welding to do after getting all of the grille mounting tabs drilled out. It'll be way better than what I had before once it's done, but shizah.



Cannot wait to see this face again.



Tomorrow, the hard finals start. More after Saturday!

Those are NASTY doors!

[63J200atLSU]

Hey LSU, what are you using to get down to bare metal? I need to do the same on my valance. The more I sand the more surface rust I find.

I'm using a rapid strip disk on the flat surfaces. I found a 5 pack for $35 and the discs seem to be holding up pretty well. Sure better than the Harbor Freight specials I was going with that were $7.50/ea and would last for about half a panel. For the more intricate corners, and indentions, I'm using crushed glass blasting media. Seems to use each as efficiently as possible and the crushed glass is good for me since I'm sealing and painting everything after. Basically trying to make a 10-foot special here... Lol

[63J200atLSU]

Those are NASTY doors!

You're telling me! I've pretty much come to a stalemate with them. I could still go the fiberglass route, but I feel for the time, effort and money, I could get some good doors like yours and be done with it...

[Kaiserjeeps]

Holy Moly! What Frank said. Don't fix those. Or try to. They are shot. Making those patch panels with the tools you don't have will drive you mad. If you can, get the doors from Frank. I have an extra set, but wanted to use them for door panel fabrication. If need be I could get them to you if Frank's don't work out. Mine have a lot of trim holes as they were off an X model. Franks would be better. Start looking at Craigs List. There has to be a rig getting parted out closer to you. I scrapped one of sadies rear door for a LOT less rust than that. You will still have prep time in them. So start off with something better.

And good luck on those finals!!

[toddthewelder]

I bought a grill from a guy up in Kansas today and he works for Fastenal, so now I am awaiting an answer to the question of if they will ship stuff store to store so maybe you have some hope for getting those doors from Frank for a good shipping rate, I'm keeping my fingers crossed they do so I hurry up and get the dash from Mr. Frank too

[63J200atLSU]

GREAT NEWS!

So fantastic day today. Went to New Orleans with friends and family, listened to some great tunes and had a wonderful brunch, and then I got new doors! They are about an 8.5/10, no rust, and very few imperfections. They'll be a snap to prep. School is out for the summer, ladies and lads. This jeep is coming to life!

[Frank Ziebert]

So fantastic day today. Went to New Orleans with friends and family, listened to some great tunes and had a wonderful brunch, and then I got new doors! They are about an 8.5/10, no rust, and very few imperfections. They'll be a snap to prep. School is out for the summer, ladies and lads. This jeep is coming to life!

Very good news

[63J200atLSU]

Yesterday'a Progress

Holy crap, it felt great to work on the truck without school hanging over my head... This is going to be a productive summer, hydration will be crucial.

Got the first door all disassembled yesterday. I am truly shocked at how little the doors changed from 63 to 91. Good for me though right? Looks like the only modification I'll have to do is to drill one hole for the latch. I think I can handle that... I'm also going to switch over to the newer style weatherstrip on the cab since my windlace was wrecked when I got the truck anyhow and I have 2-piece sills already.

I did, despite my best efforts, put a couple small ripples in the stainless window trim. I've seen some how-to's on how to press that out, seems like a pretty safe bet. I'd hate to mess that up, even if I don't end up using it, since I'd imagine good stainless trim is hard to come by...

Plan for the day is to take apart the second door and hopefully get both of them blasted/sanded and get all the trim rivet holes plugged. If the door goes as smoothly as I think, there's a good chance I'll have these things in primer by dusk. That'll officially leave me with the hood and the cab to blast and prime. Things are going to get exciting pretty soon here!

Side by side of the two doors. I appreciate that Jeep didn't change a not broken thing.


These doors are both in similarly good shape. A spot of surface rust that I'll have to tend to and that's about it. What a find!

[Randyzzz]

Great find on the doors!

[63J200atLSU]

Great find on the doors!

I wholeheartedly concur! New Orleans actually has a small (very small) but super friendly and active FSJ group. One of the guys from there hooked me up big time.

[63J200atLSU]

Happenings since Sunday.

So first and foremost, grades came back in and I'm not trying to braaaaaaag, but I didn't do too shabby. My dad always says perfection is the enemy of good, so while not "perfect grades," I'll certainly take that any day.

Not bad for a 34 year old "retired" rocker...

Got the doors all taken apart and started stripping them down to metal. I'm no expert in debt repair, so this is actually a pretty tricky situation for me. It's like someone used this door as a backstop at a batting cage... my thought is to just work on each dent individually until they're all as good as I can get them, then block out the rest with some high build primer. Anyone have any experience with a situation like this?




That section of the door is a little valley, so when I originally tried to just put a light coat of filler down that whole strip, there was seemingly no way to feather the edges, and I wasn't happy with how it was looking
, so I decided to just take it all back down to metal and try again. Twice. My grinder did not like this, so I'll be making a trip to harbor freight to once again cash in on the warranty. I guess if they just keep giving me a new one every few months, I'll not bother getting a more expensive one...

The mayhem. That is smoke from the grinder. What a smell...


One last thing! Paint is on the way! Here's the color I finally settled on. You wouldn't believe how many shades of forest(ish) green there are...


I think I'm taking tomorrow off from the garage, as I have lunch with my bro-in-law and dinner plans with some great neighbors who are moving, but more soon! This is going to start getting good!