what will you be using it for? if you are going to use it for off roading i'd forget getting a new body. you might be scared to hit the hard stuff. you would be up set if you spend alot on new body/paint and the first time you take it out you run a rock or a tree down the side of it. if you are going to build it for off road pump the money into the drive train and spend just enough to make the exterior look decent. this is just my opinion not that it should bey yours. have fun though. 1/2 the fun is the build up!

brian wilson
80 cj5 "high 5"
stretched to 100" wb
351w/np435/d300/d44/d60/detroits/4.56/35ss/bdlocks

 

I agree with High5 just fix the body you have now and concentrate on the drive train that way you'll have more fun and thats what a jeep is all about.

 

I agree with Brian if you are building a trail machine. If you are building a daily driver you should take care of the sheet metal first. In my 80 CJ-7 my wife did not like watching the road go by through the sides of the tub. I decided to swap in a YJ tub & 92 roll bar. When I took my old bar off the tub, I found that there was almost no solid metal under it. I also found that most of the body mount points on the frame had rusted out under the rubber. The tub and roll bar was held on only by rust. I am glad I did the sheet metal parts first, I now have heat in the winter, when I drop something on the floor it doesn't usually hit the road (got to put those drain plugs back in one of these days)and when it rains/snows with the top on most things stay dry.

Even with a more or less stock drivetrain I have fun trail riding but I limit myself to 4 level trails, I don't play in thick deep mud but I do play in any snow I can find. I have seen the "big boys" get real squirrly with their locked axels in snow & ice.

Now that I am done with sheet metal (everything above the frame has been replaced by me or a previous owner) I have started on the drive train. I already have the Weber installed, the power steering and RS 9000's are sitting in the garage waiting for my spare time. Next will come the AMC 20 axel shafts and new gears for the dana 300.

Karl
80 CJ/YJ-7 FrankenJeep

 

It'll be a trail machine on the weekends and when i get spare time. But it will also be a daily driver. I don't want to drop a whole lot into the body but it would be nice to have a solid look. Not that I don't like to look at the road. And it would also be kinda nice to have heat in the winter.
I really need new tires, but I need them to work without a lift kit. How big can I go? And do you guys have any suggestion on brand? tread? thanks. Kyle


If you can't break it, Try Harder

 

My imput..... make the mechanicals foolproof. There is nothing better than cruising by a nice shiny BROKEN car in a rusty crusty beater that runs like a top!! Plus, when the thing breaks it feels even worse when you look at it and see a pile of rusty metal.

Patch the body enough to keep your feet from dragging, and work on the functionality. The body can be replaced afterwards....... and you won't feel like you are patching holes in the Titanic.

Drew

IN2DEEP 78 CJ5 302 FORD /wwwthreads_images/icons/shocked.gif T176/D300 35" BFGS

 

i agree with drew. a new body won't get you to work on a daily basis.

brian wilson
80 cj5 "high 5"
stretched to 100" wb
351w/np435/d300/d44/d60/detroits/4.56/35ss/bdlocks

 

Just get the body looking half way decent, roll on some paint and get the drivetrain in order. Down the road once the drivetrain is where you want it, you can swap on a fiberglass or wrangler tub. If you look around you can usually find some good used 30's or 31's for cheap.

 

Kyle buddy , we are all here at your disposal . I have been doing the same thing to my 79 . It`s a 5 but what the hey .
IF your floor is good then your ahead of the game already . Dont be to shocked if you find more once you poke around a bit . What I thought were good spots , eeeekkkkkk when you hit them with the grinder or wire wheel . I pulled the tub , I just couldn`t imagine doing what I am doing with it on the frame . I bought some 18 GA body metal and with a little time and patience I built my own panels , even the outside panels .Tomorrow I will be building my own rear lower tailgate support for the Jeep . Look closely at that and you can appreciate that task , this is where the rear cross member bolts to the tub . I have never done any body work before ,anybody can , just take your time .Look at everything 10 times or more and then precede. Borrowing your buddy`s flanging tool is handy too . Do you have a small mig welder ? If not , beg borrow or buy one , you will always have a use for it . Get the pics up , I`d like to see it . Attatched is a pic of mine when I brought her home LAST September. Note RUST on sides /wwwthreads_images/icons/shocked.gif. Good luck .

Jeff

Happy Owner of a 1979 CJ5
Almost finished /wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif ( Ya Right ! )

There`s No Such Thing As Surface Rust

 

Jeff, And everyone else,
Thanks, I'm really looking forward to makeing my CJ into a worthy rig. It's my first Jeep and actually my first vehical. So I'd like to do things right. From what i can see in your pic Jeff your body is a little better than mine. I'll have some pics of it tomorrow. Just got a digital camera tonight. As far as I can tell the drivetrain is solid. but i can't drive it cause there are no tires on it. Well there are but they don't have air, you'll see. But it atleast starts and idels. Thanks to all...Kyle


If you can't break it, Try Harder
79 CJ-7/304/T-18/Dana20/No tires(yet)/rust

 

Kyle

When you get the dig camera , post lots of close ups of the body and I will more than likely tell you what to expect . Like I was saying I have entirely dissected my tub . You will learn to hate spot welds /wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif . More on that later.
Later......

Jeff

Happy Owner of a 1979 CJ5
Almost finished /wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif ( Ya Right ! )

There`s No Such Thing As Surface Rust

 

Well here you guys go. Close ups of the rust and all

If you can't break it, Try Harder
79 CJ-7/304/T-18/Dana20/No tires(yet)/rust

 

some more

If you can't break it, Try Harder
79 CJ-7/304/T-18/Dana20/No tires(yet)/rust

 

another

If you can't break it, Try Harder
79 CJ-7/304/T-18/Dana20/No tires(yet)/rust

 

more pics

If you can't break it, Try Harder
79 CJ-7/304/T-18/Dana20/No tires(yet)/rust

 

pics

If you can't break it, Try Harder
79 CJ-7/304/T-18/Dana20/No tires(yet)/rust

 

more rust

If you can't break it, Try Harder
79 CJ-7/304/T-18/Dana20/No tires(yet)/rust

 

rust

If you can't break it, Try Harder
79 CJ-7/304/T-18/Dana20/No tires(yet)/rust

 

more yet

If you can't break it, Try Harder
79 CJ-7/304/T-18/Dana20/No tires(yet)/rust

 

how's the floor look inside? anything to re-weld the side panels to?
might be time to look for a YJ body.....

tj
/wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif "it was a '76, '77, '78, '79...'83 automobile!" (johnny cash)

 

floor is really good, just a few little spots that are crusty

If you can't break it, Try Harder
79 CJ-7/304/T-18/Dana20/No tires(yet)/rust

 

my custome seat... like it?

If you can't break it, Try Harder
79 CJ-7/304/T-18/Dana20/No tires(yet)/rust

 

just start in 1 spot and do 1 thing at atime other wise your complete cj will be a parted out cj with all the parts lying around your garage..ONE THING AT A TIME!! good luck

big,mean,loud,fast,and oh so pretty. /wwwthreads_images/icons/blush.gif

 

Now for the important questions, how are the structural supports under the jeep (body mounts)? Mine were shot, and replacing them has been a time consuming job, but I'm really the cause of that, building it to be bulletproof. The outside of the jeep is nothing, pales by comparison, which is one of the GREAT things about jeeps and what sucks so badly about Scouts. If the body mounts are fine, it's a decent jeep, if not, there's some work ahead of you.

In my estimation, I'd get some 20 gauge metal, a can of spray paint, and a pop rivit gun. Spray the rust down to stop it as much as possible. Cut the panels by hand and rivit them into place to cover the holes, use some silicone to seal the gaps. Once this is done, work on the drivetrain and get it going well. When that's done you can go back, drill out the pop rivits and work on it a piece at a time. I'm doing my tub in sections, once a section is completed, I paint it and move to a new section. The cab area of the tub had 6 sections in it, the rear bed has another 4. This allows you to get a sense of accomplishment and it's easier to start and finish a section than to tackle the jeep as a whole.

JEEPN
'81 CJ-8 Scrambled!
GM151/SM465/NP205 twinstick/7" Lift/33" Swampers/REP 8000/RS9000's/Scout II D44's F&R w/4.10's & Lockrights

 

If it were mine I'd get the saw out and "Flattie" cut both front and rear fenders.
Check out some of the extreme rock crawler pics from recent contests posted on the Off-Road.com site.
See example attached. /wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif

JAF
http://www.monsterslayer.com/jeep

 

I started on my Project CJ about 1 year ago, and it is still in pieces. My tub was in similar shape to yours. Do yourself a favor and get a YJ tub, and swap it out. I paid $500 for my YJ tub. If that is too steep then go with the patch job for now assuming the mounts are good and the seat is anchored in well. You don't want to go through the windshield while you'll still seatbelted into you seat incase of an accident.

Fenders are pretty cheap and you can find them used too, don't bother repairing those fenders. You can probably pick up a used set for under $100, new sets are under $200. I paid $160 for a set of new fiberglass fenders.

Also check your lines fuel and brake, don't want to take chances with either.

Good luck
Mark F