Swapping '72 body onto '81 diesel-powered chassis

[budojeepr]

Almost ready for color, and hood vented

The Jeep is almost ready for final paint (no pics as yet). We've done two coats of primer with wet-sanding in between coats and after. So I guess this makes it three times I've sanded the entire vehicle.

The plan is to do all the painting and masking next Sunday (June 10 2012, for posterity's sake).

Per this thread, pics of the hood venting job...

Here's the expanded metal, with a scale for ... scale.


My "test hood", before mods:


Piece of expanded metal lying on the hood for marking the cutout. Note: the second time around I made a template out of cardboard (recommended!).


I started the cutout 8 inches forward of the rear of the hood to clear the inner portion of the hood. I put the bottom of the cutout 5/16" up from the fillet of the bend to center the cutout in the section. Of course this depends on how tall you make your cutout.

Welded and ground smooth:


Now, some things learned by doing a "test" job:
1. Make a template for the cutout. That way you'll get a smoother more symmetrical (between sides) cutout.
2. Tack the expanded metal onto the hood, then use JB Weld or some other industrial epoxy product to hold it on. It's not a structural member! JB Weld is good because you can use it to fill cracks, and it's grindable/sandable.
3. It's easier to grind the expanded metal smooth before you weld it onto the hood!

Here's the final product:








A view I hope to see soon:

[Resbum]

Cool mod.

[budojeepr]

Teaser alert



Crappy cell-phone pic...no clear coat in this photo (we finished the clear too late, too dark for pictures).
Picture removed...see next post.

[budojeepr]

Well, I thought we'd get the Jeep hauled back to my place, but as you might know, when working with and depending on someone else, schedules conflict. We'll git 'er done soon, but today I just spent cleaning up the shop and getting the small pieces back home. Last night instead of counting sheep to fall asleep (who does that anyway?) I thought step-by-step the process of rewiring Cracker. Didn't make it past the taillights, where I started.

Note: the green really is darker than it looks in the pictures. I love the color in person, but not so much the pictures. Anyway...

Pics:

















I still have to wet-sand, cut, and buff the glossy (green) areas. I'm not looking forward to sanding this thing a fourth and maybe even a fifth time!

[rwjohnstone]

I thought step-by-step the process of rewiring Cracker. Didn't make it past the taillights, where I started.

This inspired me to post the start of my electrical layout in my thread

Thats going to be one sharp looking fsj btw

[Thomas792]

Been peeking in every now and then. May have missed it if it was mentioned but what color is that. Looks close to the cumberland green that I want to paint mine.

[the original Honcho]

Awesome green!

I used to have a '79 Dodge truck that was close to the same color. I loved it on that truck but it is even better on a Jeep. Nice!

[budojeepr]

Thomas, I was looking for British Racing Green. My local Paint Mart had a book of color chips that I was obliged to choose from. I think I chose one that is lighter than I'd intended. I can get the specs from my receipt if you're interested.

I still like the color! I'll be sanding and cutting/buffing this weekend, weather permitting.

[Hutcho]

what are your plans interior wise? I ask cause I'm going to paint mine synergy green,(it's close) and I have been going back and forth on the green dash and doors with black or dark gray insides...I can't wait to see pics!!

[budojeepr]

The dash and sills are green. I have a Dakota Digital dash, please Lord let me have specified teal, and am going to buy panels from Men In Black. It'll need a headliner soon. I saw a Chevy Silverado 4-dr in the jy that tempted me sorely. Next time one shows up I'll try to grab all 4 seats and the console. I like the Lokar vintage-type shifter so we'll see how that fits.

I'm doing the wiring harness now...

[Hutcho]

sounds an awful lot like what I am going to do. I can't wait to see pics!

[budojeepr]

Wiring progress and almost ready to start

Well, I've been working steadily on the wiring, almost done. I ran everything that could potentially use a lot of current through relays - fan, fuel pump, starter, headlights, tailgate window, rear defrost.

Mounted dual batteries in the cargo area (photo below).

Mounted the Lokar Nostalgia shifter - man that thing is sweet!

I also had all the side windows and the tailgate window tinted. Front windows (including vent wing) are what they called "Aero Blue" - not much tint but blocks 80% of IR and 99% of UV. The rear door windows, panel windows, and tailgate window are the 80% tint (lets 20% through). I checked out my GF's Honda, which has the same tint scheme and it works ok - you can even see out the rear window at night.

What works:

• Tailgate window
• Fuel pump
• Auxiliary fan relay (no fan, haven't decided whether to use it or not)
• Tail turn signals and flasher
• Injection pump solenoid
• Injection pump fast idle solenoid
• Starter (and by extension, neutral safety switch)

What is wired and should work but haven't been tested:

• Dakota Digital gauges
• Wipers
• Headlights (with Serehill's headlight relay harness)
• Front signals and flashers
• Interior lights
• Fuel gauge

I decided to postpone the final hosing/wiring of the auxiliary fuel tank. That's a weekend project that can be done later, and I'm itching to get this rig on the road!


Pics:


Tailgate relays. The far two are for the window, the close one (disconnected) is for the defroster. I bent a bracket up around my vise jaws, cleaned up the tailgate metal, and JB Weld-ed it in.




Dual batteries. I put 'em in back for several reasons...first, there's not much room up front since the turbo's there, and I put in the wider radiator. Second, in a previous life I fabbed up a 1/0 welding cable battery cable and ran it back there for my second battery (the first stayed in the stock position). So I already had a very nice cable running the length of the Jeep. Third, it keeps about 60lbs away from the front of the Jeep, with is Big-Block heavy already.



Some wiring rat's nest pictures. The EZ-Wiring Harness has been alright to work with. Workmanship is great and it's 99.9% complete (I wish a few more connectors had been included but ...). Instructions are pretty good but there was one moment that I misunderstood that a label of "something Power" meant I should supply power to it (why wasn't that done in the fuse block?) instead of it supplies power. Anyway, a quick fix. One thing EZ says to do, which I support, is to leave the dressing up of the wiring until the troubleshooting is over.


Let me say, I'm ready to clean it up! I'm tired of looking at and working with the rat's nest!









Teaser shot:



Radiator mods to fascia, fan and shroud test-fit:






That may be all for a couple weeks. I'm outta town next weekend...but the itch to get it on the road is still there!

[Resbum]

nice. I hope to be doing this stuff in the next few weeks

[budojeepr]

I got a headlight switch at the junkyard today, and got the headlights and taillights tested. Unfortunately, the front signals/park lights don't work. But it's been a great weekend!

[budojeepr]

Fuel tank dropped and reinstalled

I dropped the stock fuel tank yesterday afternoon, so I could get to the fuel sender connections.

It was in this post that I took my hat off, figuratively, to those who have performed this job with the body on the frame. I've now joined that group. What a mess, even with a cleaned-up Jeep. I did find a bracket that was mis-attached, so I fixed that. I also replaced some of the old hardware with shiny new bolts 'n nuts.

None of this absolves me of the sin of not doing that wiring while the body was off the chassis...

That was the last bit of chassis wiring troubleshooting. Now I'm going to clean up the wiring and get on with it!