Finally got my new Project CJ5 fired up..

[BESRK]

Not sure where to post this.. if I posted it wrong, slap me in the head and move it where it needs to be...

Had this engine/drivetrain in my old CJ5 (AMC 360/T176/D300). Swapped it in to a new chassis a couple months ago. I've been too busy to mess with it but I finally ordered Edelbrock headers and got them installed. That got me motivated again so I've been busy. Got a gas tank skid built and installed. Did a Teralow 4 to 1 in the D300. Built a new skid for the belly. Did a stainless twin stick (from eBay) install... and got it fired today!!

This is what I dragged home for $1500. It had a very clean body/frame and had been shot in LineX. Had a crappy 4 banger (Iron Duke) and SR4 Tranny.




Started messing with the cage since I had a bunch of DOM tubing laying around..








Old 4 banger.. about to get yanked and stuffed into my old CJ5 (which I then sold)


One thing led to the next.. before you know it, I had stripped it down to this...


Hung the frame from an engine hoist and cleaned it up for painting..



Tossed some axles under it so I could move it around..


Got the body set back on frame and started working from the rear undercarriage.. moving forward..

Built a gas tank skid first...

[BESRK]

Skid Mounted..



Built the Transfer Case Skid from 1.75" DOM and 3/16" plate..

I didn't quite clock the TC all the way up flat or else the aluminum shifter mount was going to hit the tranny.. hard. As it was, I had to plasma away most of the ear. Still way flatter than a standard D300..




For the actual tranny mount I used YJ spring bushings (had some laying around). The tranny actually sits down in a cradle so I could maximize space under the tranny's belly..



Here's the skid skinned and painted.. I've actually got it mounted but I'll shoot more pics later..






After getting the underbelly armored up a bit, I messed with plumbing the gas tank and did some wiring. That got me to this point today...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dblPSFacAr4

[vajeeper]

Looking good. I wish I had the time and know-how to do stuff like that.

[02tj]

cool, see ya in a couple weeks bro!

[BESRK]

Looking good. I wish I had the time and know-how to do stuff like that.

Thanks! You can make the time and learn. Desire goes a long way in this hobby.

I'm self-taught.. started Hot Rodding when I was 15-16 (almost 30 years ago). A teacher gave me a book called "How Your Car Works". It was awn after that.

Same with welding.. I took a tax return in 1984 and bought a Montgomery Ward AC/DC stick welder. Read the Owner's Manual and started playing with it. Picked up my first mig at an auction in 1989 and never looked back.

As for the time to do it. I don't have any time. I work 7 days a week in my shop. I try to stop "working" at 5pm and shift over to the Jeep until 7/8pm most nights. I also try to dedicate Saturdays to the Jeep if I can.

Thing is.. I'm a dummy. If I can do it, anyone can!!

[HillBillE]

Thanks! You can make the time and learn. Desire goes a long way in this hobby................................................................Thing is.. I'm a dummy. If I can do it, anyone can!!

Me 2! (the dummy part, that is!) I was lucky, my dad is a serious jack of all trades, and a master of 2, Plumbing and Pipefitting. I learned alot from my dad, and a lot by just ''doing it''! Sure you make mistakes, but thats how you learn. I learned a lot more about welding working as a pipefitter, and with the glut of inexpensive tools (Harbor Frieght, Northern), it's not to expensive to try some of these things. The best part is having Jeep, it's your very own guinea pig!

Looking and sounding great BESRK!

[BESRK]

The key to making mistakes is to do them when nobody is around to see you do it!! Then, you fix the mistake, take pics and all is good!

[korisu56]

That is one of the most truthful things I've heard in a while...

[healerdoc1]

Very nice, well done. Wish I had the money, skills, and time to take something like that on. Man, it turned our really good. Thanks for sharing....

[Truck]

The key to making mistakes is to do them when nobody is around to see you do it!! Then, you fix the mistake, take pics and all is good!

Growing up in the construction business, my dad told me that the mark of a professional is not doing perfect without mistakes it is how well you can fix your mistakes without any body knowing.

Truck