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BUILD THREAD: Project "Ghetto Fabulous"

158K views 811 replies 92 participants last post by  Jim1611 
#1 · (Edited)
Well, here I go again. This is CJ7 #3 for me and here's the story behind it and the title of the build.

For the past 7 years I have worked in the "Ghetto" and have driven past this one house that had this CJ7 parked along side the house for probably longer than 7 years. I would pass this thing numerous times a day and always check to see if this fellow Jeeper has made any progress on it. It never changed, it sat in the same spot the entire time never to be worked on again....until last week when I drove by again and there was a 4 sale sign on the grill. I called that day and went to take a look at it.

It "is" a 76 frame with an 83 tub, a chevy 350/ muncie 4 speed/ dana 20, stock axles, P/S. P/B with a custom cage and lots of extra parts.The tub has two minor areas with surface rust, solid floors and windshield frame. The chassis/frame looks new and all of the body mounts are solid. The guy asked $700.00 so I jumped on it (I wanted to build a $crambler, but what the hell) :thumbsup:.

So not only did I get a great deal but the guy trailered it to my house and helped me unload it into my garage!! :

The Jeep sat in the desert heat for years, so after vacuuming the desert off of the floorbaords (and the black widows) I was pleasantly surprised to see their like new condition. Nothing more than surface rust that will easily come off with a wire wheel or media blast.

So this turned out to be a "fabulous" find in the "ghetto", hence the build title.

Here's some pics:









The plan is to build a wheeler that will see street use:

#1. dump the stock axles for Currie 9 inch housings front and rear with detroit lockers and discs all around.
#2. dump the stock suspension and lift shackles for a quality 4.5 inch lift.
#3. install tube fenders up front and TJ flares out back to clear 35's.
#4. install Vanco hydraboost brakes and a high pressure P/S system.
#5. strip the body and line the interior and underside. the body will be painted either orange or camo. I already have a token red jeep :laugh:
#6. install rock sliders and bumpers with a tire carrier
#7. install new wiring harness
#8. tear down the motor, trans and xfer case and freshen them up because they sat open in the desert for years, probably got scorpions living in them, or completely replace everything.
#9. custom exhaust

Now here comes the big decision, do I keep the 350/muncie/dana 20 or install my worked 304/th400/dana 20 that I also have from another Jeep and put Fuel Injection on it? I'm an AMC kinda guy and I like to keep my CJ's mostly AMC/Jeep when I can (everyone and their mother can run a chevy, but an AMC takes a little TLC).

This project will take me quite a while cause I'm in no rush, so please bare with me and I'll post updates and lots of photos.

If anyone has any suggestions feel free to let me know.

I may put blacked out rims with some bling bling chrome center caps to keep with the "Ghetto Fabulous" theme. Cause in the Ghetto camoflauge and chrome match.
 
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#433 ·
H1 steering box is installed. I had to drop the sway bar and remove the steering box mount to get it installed. Here's a pic of the h1 box and CJ7 stock box side by side. Also installed the drop pitman arm and had to run to pick up two new castle nuts for the tie rods.

I picked up a gas filler housing off CL and installed it. I'm not happy with the stainless shine and may remove, blast and paint it to match all the brackets. The guy I bought it from has about 7 jeeps that he's parting out and will definitely be a good resource for me.

My youngest is my official seat tester, everyone love the jeep!
 

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#434 ·
It's all looking great! Hummer box should be a good upgrade. I like the seats, seat tester looks pleased too. Back when I built my cage I made the brakets so they mount to the cage. I had to make them lower than the factory brackets because the aftermarket seats sat too high and my legs hit the steering wheel. You might need to lower yours too.
 
#435 ·
Jim1611 said:
It's all looking great! Hummer box should be a good upgrade. I like the seats, seat tester looks pleased too. Back when I built my cage I made the brakets so they mount to the cage. I had to make them lower than the factory brackets because the aftermarket seats sat too high and my legs hit the steering wheel. You might need to lower yours too.
Thanks Jim! I'm hoping to avoid the seat bracket issue all together. I'm only 5'8" so we'll see how I fit once I get the dash and steering column in there. I know someone who has a tilt wheel column just incase.

Looks like my steering linkage clears the springs with plenty of room and the bars are almost on the same plain. Handling should be a hell of a lot nicer than my 79' due to the geometry.

I will have to figure out a way correct a clearance issue between my front brake lines and the sway bars. There's only two inches of clearance between the sway bar links and the brake lines, one bump and the lines are toast! So I'll either shorten the links or reroute the lines.

The blaster wanted $300 to finish my hood, cage and windshield frame, apparently he forgot about the $175 quote he previously texted me for those same parts plus a tailgate. Needless to say I'll be stripping them by hand.

I have some stuff I need to put up on CL to make some more room here in my garage. I'd like to put both CJ's in here so my 79' doesn't get destroyed in the sun.
 

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#436 ·
I was pleasantly surprised when I found this master cylinder hiding on my shelf, I was planning on running out today to buy one. I forgot it came with the booster kit, cross that one off the to-do list.
 

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#437 ·
I finished the steering swap today. I used a pump and brackets from an 89' waggy (with 360), the H1 steering box, a stock replacement pressure line (for an 83' cj7 w 6 cyl), 4 feet of 3/8 transmission rubber line and a serviceable 3/8 aluminum filter. I have a small fluid cooler that I can also plumb in if need be but I think it'll be fine.

I need to start on my dash so I can install the steering column and check for any clearance issues with the steering lines.

The only thing I plan on adding to the dash is two small gauge holes above the existing stock fuel and volts holes. So I will have the main center cluster, plus a tach, a clock, volts, vacuum, coolant and oil pressure.
 

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#439 ·
I degreased the steering column and wheel and it came out pretty nice. I couldn't tell that the wheel was all black because it was so dirty. I also figured out how to pull the steering wheel off and tore it down the rest of the way. The column and joints are nice and tight and the ignition cylinder works so it will all get painted and reinstalled.
 

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#440 ·
I got the steering column all back together today. During disassembly I lost a spring that shot out from it's retaining cup and couldn't find it so I cut the end off an old angle grinder brush and repurposed the small spring from it. Perfect fit. I originally painted the inside of the steering wheel with black textured paint but I repainted it to match the body. I left the center button black. Now all I need is 8 new black allen head bolts and another can of black hammered paint to touch it up. Off to Lowe's to get a 2 1/8th hole saw.
 

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#441 ·
I drilled the two extra gauge holes in the dash today. I measured several times before I cut and one still came out a little lower than the other. It's not perfect but it'll work for me. Now I can paint it and install the dash, then the steering column.

I went with a buddy to check out a 99' TJ that he wants and he brought his dogs along. It's already 95* here and his Pitbull found the shop floor to be a great way to cool off.
 

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#442 ·
Installed the dash and steering column today, it's really starting to take shape. The two extra gauge holes interfere with the upper defroster duct so I removed it. I'll figure out a way to cut a hole in it and plastic weld a sleeve through it to slip around the gauge that's going there....or I just won't reinstall it like I did on my 79'. The steering column seems to sit a little high in the dash cutout, I may need to adjust it down a bit. Here's a few shots....
 

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#443 ·
I picked up some gauges today. I got Equus white face 2" Volts, Oil pressure, Air/Fuel mixture and Vacuum for the center of the dash. Instead of using the factory tach and clock, I bought a 2 5/8th's Water temp gauge and will use the matching Tach if I can find it locally.

I made a small plate to hold three grommets through an original hole in the firewall that the water temp sensor, vacuum line and oil pressure line will pass through.

I also sold a pair of fenders and headlight buckets to offset some if the cost.
 

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#445 ·
Coiz said:
I'll be out there the first week in June. I know it is a month before you said but you have to push those goals, right? :D

Everything is looking great as usual. :thumbsup:
Thanks Coiz, I'm just pushing forward to get as much done as possible before the summer heat sets in. Let me know when you get in town. The project won't be running but my 79' will be.

So, everyone always wants to know why I never wash my jeep.... Because every time I do, something goes wrong on it. For example, I washed my 79' yesterday for the first time in a very very long time. Today I wake up to 6 loose hub flange bolts on my drivers front tire AND I get stuck up at the parts store because of a bad alternator and dead battery as a result. The dirt on my Jeep is a protective coating!

I took this opportunity to upgrade my alternator to a rebuilt 95 amp unit for an 89' Grand Wagoneer. All I needed to do was drill out the upper mounting hole to 7/16ths and it bolted right up. I need to pick up a new battery tonight for it.

I spent the rest of the day working on my buddies 99' TJ. I installed spacers and cut/rewelded a plate into the after market rear bumper so his new 33's can fit on the stock carrier. For a rookie welder it came out nice.

It sucked to be stuck but it made for a full day of working on jeeps so it wasn't too bad!!!
 
#446 ·
I had the Optima red top battery tested and it had a dead cell = core. In the past few years between my CJ's and an XJ, I have replaced two red tops and a yellow top optima with regular batteries and have not had the repeat problems. In my opinion, Optimas aren't worth the money and they don't last out in this heat, at least for me anyways.

Dropped my new battery in the 79' and replaced the old alternator electrical connector and wiring with new stuff I made up. Man, this works well! Turned on the electric fuel pump and fired up the engine and it immediately charges up to 14v, both contour fans kick on together on high and it dips to 13v then bumps right back up to 14v. I like when stuff works like it's supposed to. It definitely wasn't functioning like this before, the fans would kick on and it would drop to 12v or below if I had the headlights on.

I also installed some fuel lines on the 83' so it didn't feel left out. I found the Equus Tach online for $50 at walmart, everywhere else lists it for $75 or more. I may use their speedo also to avoid using the stock CJ cluster.
 
#447 ·
I got the mechanical oil pressure gauge installed today and spun the pump to check my pressure readings. High 50's and the gauge doesn't leak. I was hesitant to use the plastic tube that came with the gauge due to them drying out, kinking or breaking easily. It took me several tries with different ID vacuum lines but eventually I sleeved the plastic tube with the rubber line and passed it through the firewall with a grommet to protect it. I ran it down the right grill support rod and then down to the fitting on the side of the block. It came out nice and clean. It keeps the line a good distance away from the hot engine parts too.
 

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#448 ·
My tach came in today and it is about 3 5/8ths in diameter so I have to open up the hole in the dash quite a bit. One of those woulda, shoulda coulda things that I should've done while the dash was out and unpainted. I tried to use the hole saw and drill today but it's gonna get ugly doing it that way. I don't want to pull the dash back out so I'll have to get creative on this one. Any ideas? Dremel? Small cut off wheel? Die grinder?
 
#449 ·
motiv8ya said:
My tach came in today and it is about 3 5/8ths in diameter so I have to open up the hole in the dash quite a bit. One of those woulda, shoulda coulda things that I should've done while the dash was out and unpainted. I tried to use the hole saw and drill today but it's gonna get ugly doing it that way. I don't want to pull the dash back out so I'll have to get creative on this one. Any ideas? Dremel? Small cut off wheel? Die grinder?
This,

Hand Bicycle part Rim Automotive lighting Bumper


With a Tungsten carbide rotary file.

Bill
 
#451 ·
Thanks guys, I couldn't find the tungsten carbide bits locally so I bought a variety of rasps, stones etc and brought them home to try. I tried a rasp first and chucked it right in the garbage. I went right to my little cut off wheel and followed it up with a stone on my die grinder, done in 20 minutes! I'll return all the unused stuff tomorrow. Here's some pictures....
 

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#453 ·
motiv8ya said:
Installed the dash and steering column today, it's really starting to take shape. The two extra gauge holes interfere with the upper defroster duct so I removed it. I'll figure out a way to cut a hole in it and plastic weld a sleeve through it to slip around the gauge that's going there....or I just won't reinstall it like I did on my 79'. The steering column seems to sit a little high in the dash cutout, I may need to adjust it down a bit. Here's a few shots....
What kind of paint is that?
 
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