Nick's CJ build part 1

[RAT]

[COLOR="#800000"]Spent the weekend pulling the old CJ apart to bring parts over for the new-er CJ. Progress may be slow, but it's moving along.[/COLOR]

So I have to go pick up the drive line and stuff and bring it up here. I'm rearranging the Ahole fab shop this week to make room. Damn what have I gotten myself into here...

[USMC 0369]

So I have to go pick up the drive line and stuff and bring it up here. I'm rearranging the Ahole fab shop this week to make room. Damn what have I gotten myself into here...

[COLOR="#800000"]Its best if we just don't ask ourselves these questions. Just take your meds and keep pushing forward. [/COLOR]

[RAT]

Just go home from temecula. The trailer is full of jeep parts. This weekend will busy busy...

[RAT]

Got some stuff accomplished today. I went to Chris and Tam's to get the driveline and some other parts for Nicks CJ on Thursday. Today Nick came up and we started fitting the driveline to the frame. First order of business was getting the engine/trans/Tcase off the trailer and into the frame:


20131005_112352 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

An empty frame looking for an engine


20131005_112709 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

It tooks some effort to move it into place in the tight spot called my garage, but we got it hanging in the general area in about 30 minutes.


20131005_123445 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


20131005_123454 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Nick making the transmission/tcase mounting bracket for the crossmember


20131005_134303 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

I didn't get a real good picture of the cross member today. I'll do that tomorrow.


20131005_145419 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


20131005_145423 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

It is far from done. There will be gussets in strategic places and a few other things need to be added on before it's done but we have to fit the tub on to take clearance measurements first.

The engine is going to be WAY up in the frame so Nick can have his flat belly. It actually won't be as bad as I originally thought though...


20131005_200854 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

I started to make a mount out of square tube but it looked so damn trailer park. Instead, I'm making custom engine mounts for the frame that will incorporate the stock rubber mounts Nick wants to use.


20131005_200943 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Layout


20131005_201015 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Bending


20131005_203857 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Semi finished


20131005_204742 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


20131005_203702 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

Ready to tack in tomorrow


20131005_204728 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

More tomorrow...

[aw12345]

Nice work Kurt

[RAT]

Nice work Kurt

Thanks. Sometimes the easy way sucks and ya just gotta let the fabination go. Now its time for cccold coronas...

[inVERt'D]

Nice and clean! It's killing me. Imma gonna hafta make me a press soon! How big of a ram do you think I'd need to put some 45s in 1/2"x3" mild steel?

Sometimes the easy way sucks

I'm gonna use that the next time you and Art pick on me

[Ol Man]

Looking real nice. Like the motor mounts.

[RAT]

Nice and clean! It's killing me. Imma gonna hafta make me a press soon! How big of a ram do you think I'd need to put some 45s in 1/2"x3" mild steel?

30 ton probably.

I'm gonna use that the next time you and Art pick on me

Please do

[curtis]

Outstanding fab work:thumbs_up

[dirtman13]

Looking good. Hope the Coronas were cold enough.

[RAT]

Sunday was more thrashing on the tub. Got the tub in the garage and fit it to the frame to see how much cutting is required. More than I wanted, but manageable. Got the motor mounts finished; still have some work to do on the cross member for the tcase.


20131006_144821 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


20131006_095945 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


20131006_095954 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


20131006_101449 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


20131006_101512 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

We cut all of the old transmission hump out. This will obviously get re-skinned in sheet metal after the tub is fit.


20131006_104125 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


20131006_110102 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


20131006_144748 by MJR RAT, on Flickr


20131006_144759 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

In order to get a fully flat belly skid, the engine had to go up way high due to the tcase. It can't be clocked to rotate it up out of the way without some MAJOR rework of the shifter and Tcase adapter plate. But when all is said and done, a 2.5-3 inch body lift will get er done, and everything will fit. The suspension ride height is going to be about 19-20 inches at the frame.


20131006_144813 by MJR RAT, on Flickr

I'll be fabbing up body mounts after work this week. Once that is done it will be time for a cool ass suspension build. Should be fun.

[daniel_buck]

Nice, I can't wait to see this take shape!

[USMC 0369]

Looking good. Hope the Coronas were cold enough.

[COLOR="#800000"]Chuck we didn't start drinking nearly early enough. Hell we might-a had this finished if we did!

We are trying hard not to make this look like a "Michigan backwoods" vehicle.


I have to say I'm very happy with the direction it's going and Kurt's overwhelming patience with me as well.[/COLOR]

[dirtman13]

I think you got a good color scheme for the Jeep when your done.