CJ3b....That is what the vin tag says.

[Mike]

Thanks for the awesome pics Mike!!

<---- I like the new avatar!!

I really like the new avatar too! I'm glad to finally get to meet you. It's great that the pics turned out well.

Hopefully next time, I will have a Jeep to drive on the trails with you.

[dirtman13]

Congrats jonah. The Jeep looks great.

[jonah]

Hey Mike, maybe all the jeeps will be working next time...yeah, next time! Did you get that YJ going?

Dirtman, Thanks! It was so much fun taking it out, even if it was 2WD only.

[Mike]

Did you get that YJ going?

I got it into 4WD, but it seems to have a vacuum actuator problem. I will probably post a thread for some help if I can't find a solution.

[inVERt'D]

Jonah, great to see that thing rollin' and posin'! It looks great, and really has character. Must have felt great. Great to see that you still don't mind hanging out with TJ guys too.

[inVERt'D]

Great that I could use the word great 4 times in 3 sentences, huh?

[jonah]

that was a post full of great!

[RAT]

I really like this pic:

Yeah, fog pictures are cool. They're great because you can tell people you're in Africa or somewhere exotic and no one can tell if your lying or not!

[jonah]

Alright, back at it.

So after the test run there were two big problems. Wrong gears in the front end and manual brakes.

First the gears. I have never done gears before, but I found it very easy - since Kurt swapped them for me and hooked me up with a carrier. Thanks!! Got the gears from Robert at rwkhaussupply.com, really good service and price.

So once Kurt was done working on my axle, I decided I might as well do the high steer I had been getting parts for. Then I found out the Dana 44 knuckles I bought off another site were toast (one was drilled wrong and the other had the top ball joint bore wallowed out - ugly). So I got lucky and found some more knuckles, getting the passenger side machined. Switched to GM brakes (since the jeep brakes didn't work with the 44 knuckles).The high steer arms I got were drilled for heims. So I found some TRE that were large taper, reamed out the arms to fit. Got some DOM for new drag link and tie rod. Waiting on taps for the linkage. At least I got the drivers side together:



Also decided to go with an Astro Hydroboost. So I yanked all the pedals and master cylinders to try and figure out how to fit it, it will be tight.



If I can get all my parts before Thursday and don't slip into a tryptophan coma, I can probably be back on the trails by the end of the weekend...fingers crossed.

[RAT]

Your screwed if you let that Kurt a hole do your gears man... I hear he makes the front wheels fall off!
I PMd ya about the hydroboost. check it out.

[LEADFOOTjosh]

lookin good... that thing is sweet

[bails85]

damn jonah thing has come a long way. looks awesome dude.

[jonah]

Thanks guys!

I knew I should have read the warranty fine print on my AHOLE FAB invoice....damn!

[jonah]

Man this thing is fighting me all of the way.

Finally got the front axle put together and was feeling good until I tried to put my wheel on. This is the wheel jammed tight against the caliper. I don't think I can grind this into working...damn I really liked these wheels.



Here are my new tie rods. Don't worry there is a good inch and a half of thread in the tube.



Here is me getting it done on my tie rod and drag link after breaking my cheapo tap handle and a close up of the flats I filed in. It is 1.125 tube with .25 wall. The rod ends are 11/16-18 threads (same as the stock CJ ends) but they have the large taper for the high steer arms. I wanted to keep the tube OD small because I don't have much room between the springs and frame. But I am still going to be forced to notch the frame So they don't hit at full bump. But on the upside I have full lock to lock now.




Went to the pick your part during the 50% sale last weekend. Happened to find the rare odd fire HEI on a 77 skylark 231, price was right so I slapped it on. Still need to run a wire to it to see if it works.



Still working on brake pedals and the hydroboost system...

[jonah]

Finally started on installing the Astro Hydroboost. Drilled some holes to mount it to the fire wall. It is rotated 90 degrees to fit, so I started making an adapter, don't worry I will pretty it up before I finish. It is 4"x4"x1/2" cold rolled steel. I am going to try running the Astro master and proportioning valve and see how it works.





spark plug changes will no longer be super easy...

Still have to work out the pedals, get some plumbing and be done with it!