Chero: SO it begins . . .

[cu4whln]

EDIT : 35 + pages now
"Heavy build" begins on page 13
"Finished" pics start on page 28
New : Magazine cover shot: page 40

Hi Everyone !

I have been "lurking" here for awhile.. reading up on all the great info you guys have written up.Amazing what you can learn by reading - But why ??

After many years of lusting after an SJ . . I finally got one! I have built up a few Jeeps, but this is my first "Full Size". My last build was my beloved CJ about 9 years ago. It's still going strong.

79 Chief arrived yesterday.... I drove it around the block one time.. and started to take it apart. First project is to pull the carpet.. and do some floorpan work. So, out come the seats, sill covers, console, etc.

Yep, there is water under there ! Big surprise, huh ?? So rip out the pass compartment jute and throw away the carpet. Scrub the floor rust with a wire brush... wow.. talk about powered metal ! And in some areas it's like liquid metal.. metal mud. Get it pretty cleaned up, and vacuum the floor.

Now I can start to watch for water leak paths, and get a driver floorpan.

Next: Remove all the door trim panels, rear trim, clean it up... make sure all the drains are clear... and pull the rear cargo area carpet(s).The floor in the back is perfect....just the front floors needs attention.

I have printed all the leak articles / postings... going to follow your leads on fixing the leaks.

So - Hello - and goodbye for now. I will post my slow progress [ job thingy interferes with my hobby ]



Oh, it must be mine now.. cut my hand on the floorpan. [ read my sig ]

[Ugly Truck Nut]

Welcome aboard, and may I be the first to say:

.

[woodironman]

i added two drains in the corner by the kick panels drivers side and passenger side, water use to lay there before. also got rid of the carpet that seems to be the reason the floors rot. mark

[chrisnsarah]

Attack those fresh air vents first for the water leaks. The air vent door housing is not watertight. I improved mine by running gutter sealant along the seams, putting a dab on top of the pivot, and building a small "dam" on the underside of the factory drain. I then reinstalled them using butyl tape that you can get at an RV store. No more leaks. Clean all the leaves out while they are out too. Also check the radio antenna grommet and the body plugs above the vents. My Cherokee also had a rusted body seam way up on the firewall. I did my best to seal it with gutter sealant and so far, so good.

[cu4whln]

Welcome aboard, and may I be the first to say:

.

Yea , yea... I'm busted !

I will get a few pics of the project as I go along.

I promise.. really !

Thanks for the tips guys !

[AlsChopShop]

welcome to the madness!

i like your sig, seems i can't get even the smallest project done on any rig until i'm bleeding.

Al

[jeepdad56]

........or burned your hands..... good luck with the project

[ob1jeeper]

Lookin' forward to watching this come together...

PS: Pics please...

[cu4whln]

OK - no pictures .. yet. The camera battery was dead....

Made some progress - got all the interior out.. headliner too!. What a dusty mess. I vacuumed it out. I am thinking I will wash out the interior tomorrow with soap and water.

Basically, I am getting prepared for a full body inspection - looking for problem areas that need work before the serious paint work begins. Oh, did I mention a paint job is in the near future??

So - where can I get a good replacement headliner ? Can I make a replacement out of some other material ? I plan to do some interior work as well. I am looking to make it nice, not perfectly original.

Same questions for the rear panels - mine are a little water damaged...This is a 2 door btw.

Is the rubber for the windshield and side glass still available? I see most of the weatherstripping is available.. thats cool !

OK - tomorrow pictures.... must order floorpans soon.

[threepiece]

Hello neighbor, I'm happy to see a real FSJ enthusiast in this neck of the woods. I would like to offer myself as a resource for you. I have been playing with these things for nearly thirty years. I visit Canton often (perhaps you have seen a bright blue Wagoneer around) and will be there this weekend. Feel free to let me know if you would like me to stop by. I'm starting my fourth buildup myself.
Dan

[cu4whln]

Hi Dan -

Absoulutely ! I am in need of advice and opinions. I know so much about "other" Jeeps.. but hardly anything on the FSJ.

How are your leak tracing skills ??

I live at Ford and Beck... send me your phone number.. would love to have someone knowledgeble look it over

[cu4whln]

testing file size...
and notice, I cut myself - again !

All the interior stuff is out and stacked in the cargo area.

1979 Cherokee Chief - coming apart

[cu4whln]

Looks like the welder is coming out.... definately need a driver side patch.. and might just do the passenger too.. it's kinda getting thin.

Rear areas have some surface rust... some grinding and prep - good to go.

[cu4whln]

Chero got it's first bath - on the inside !

Yep - took the hose and cleaned off 30 years of dirt.. I did this to basically do a very complete sheet metal inspection. As I plan to remove the body - I want to know what to expect.

I could not believe how much dirt/sand was trapped in the flares and rear quarters..... that is a formula for rust ! Luckily, there seems to be none. A fair amount of crap in the bottom of the doors too.

So far - no big surprised - I knew about the driver floor before purchasing. The pass floor ? Well, not really !

Overall - thats it for rust repair. Some body work too . .

Funny, I ran the hose into the cowl.. and guess what ? ! Water ran into the inside of the vehicle ! Who would have thought !!

[ob1jeeper]

Lookin' good... From the pics, I don't see much of an issue with the pass floor, but then again, even the pics of hte driver floor didn't show extent of rust...

Keep up the momentum buddy...