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mvigo's '85 CJ7 resto/build saga

57K views 420 replies 34 participants last post by  mvigo 
#1 ·
Very slowly, and I mean S-L-O-W-L-Y, am I starting to document upgrades/repairs and, eventually, maybe 1 day, a full frame off. All of the upgrades/repairs will be done with the idea that if/when I get to the frame off, the upgrades/repairs make the frame off restoration more efficient.

My hope is that you the reader might help ME correct any mistakes I might make as I discuss any upgrades/repairs and/or my thought process helps YOU with a decision or thought process that you are having a tough time with.

JeepForum has been a fantastic resource for me since I joined and I have many of you to thank; whether you know it or not (Jim1611, Ken4444, 243, Coiz, JeepHammer, Exposed, MoC, ASteve, Skerr, SonicR1, Keith460, boomvader, Mike Romain, John Strenk, cshutchinson, FatMan to name a few). A couple of you I have met, a handful of you I converse with via phone/email, a few I have bought/sold/traded parts from/to/with and a whole bunch of you I admire from afar for the skills you have. As creepy as this sounds I may not have met or talked to you but I feel like I know you. The internet will be big one day, trust me!

A quick history. In 1997, I bought a 1985 CJ7 from the 2nd owner...bone stock, a hardtop that had never been off, a few goodies (winch, CB radio, tow bar) and only 32k original miles. She was originally sold off the lot in Billings, MT and I bought her from my Uncle's hunting pal in Truckee, CA. I searched for 3 years before I found her and it was worth the wait. She came with the I-6, T-5, Dana 300, AMC 20, Dana 30, 3.08 gears with 31" Bridgestone Mud Duellers. I drove it that way for 6 years until I had finally made up my mind what exactly I wanted out of her. Here is a picture after I first brought her home:
 

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#193 ·
sometimes you get lucky! I replaced the fuel filter and the CJ started right up. It turns out I had a cracked line from the tank going INTO the filter and I would bet that I was sucking dust, dirt and who knows what into filter? I cut into the filter just to see and, as the picture shows, there was caked on gunk at the end of the filter, unless that black "gunk" is supposed to be the latest and greatest filtering media from WIX (they manufacture Napa Gold filters)! Please chime away if you think different.

Also, the cracked line was 5/16" and the filter calls for 3/8" line going into it from tank and 5/16" coming out going towards fuel pump. I swapped in some high pressure 3/8" line I had in my pile of parts. I couldn't find a reason not to so if you know better, please holler...

EDIT: I am now thinking the "gunk" in the picture is some kind of adhesive (RTV type) to hold the filter cartridge to the cannister. No?
 

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#194 ·
I'm going to guess that is sediment over the years settling into the bottom of the filter. From the tank??

TR and DL look great, Mike. BTW, I was an Ag major too!
 
#195 ·
mvigo said:
sometimes you get lucky! I replaced the fuel filter and the CJ started right up. It turns out I had a cracked line from the tank going INTO the filter and I would bet that I was sucking dust, dirt and who knows what into filter? I cut into the filter just to see and, as the picture shows, there was caked on gunk at the end of the filter, unless that black "gunk" is supposed to be the latest and greatest filtering media from WIX (they manufacture Napa Gold filters)! Please chime away if you think different.

Also, the cracked line was 5/16" and the filter calls for 3/8" line going into it from tank and 5/16" coming out going towards fuel pump. I swapped in some high pressure 3/8" line I had in my pile of parts. I couldn't find a reason not to so if you know better, please holler...

EDIT: I am now thinking the "gunk" in the picture is some kind of adhesive (RTV type) to hold the filter cartridge to the cannister. No?
That's where they glue it to the outside canister.

Tire Wheel Vehicle Automotive tire Motor vehicle


Looks good, nice driveway surface too.

Bill
 
#196 ·
Mike, does that meen you have a tie rod reamer???

Oh, and where is the fuel pump now??? You have electric one with the FI, right?
 
#197 ·
yup, and yours for the taking whenever you need it...fuel filter was old...fuel pump OK, yes, electric, mounted outside tank up above rear axle...
 
#198 ·
Cool, I've been looking into steering mods, so that might come in handy... Although I don't have a lot of time to wheel my jeep let alone modify it...
 
#200 ·
#201 ·
Sorry, don't have a clue. The one our club member has is a 1972, looks like it just came from Vietnam. I'll post the picture over on Flynes thread.

Bill
 
#203 ·
Thanks Fred, via Bill...next time I am up there I will ask more about it...
 
#204 ·
My Warn Rockcrawler tire carrier was beginning to wobble/rattle and I first thought that the female sleeve that slides over the spindle was wallowing out causing the rattle. I called up Warn to see what they said and they sent me some new nylon bushings thinking that my original one had worn down. It had, not sure if you can tell in this pic:



I greased up the spindle, greased up the new bushing and, lo & behold, a much tighter fit that eliminates the wobble...

Before:



and after all torqued down and greased up:



I never would have thought it would be that simple...
 
#205 ·
A few weeks back the door paddle lever inside the driver's door gave way to the point where I could no longer open the door without reaching in through the window and opening the door from the inside. I finally got tired of that today and tore apart my driver side door to fix it as well as a few other items using Jeff Scherb's fantastic write up:

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f8/gaucho-cj-stepside-pickup-build-709132/index67.html

The "lever" in the red oval is what is bent out of shape from 28 years of non-stop use:



So, using Jeff's instructions to take apart a door, I finally was able to remove the paddle assembly from the door and bend down the "lever":



While I have the door apart I am going to weld up the infamous crack just below my window vent, strengthen up that area per Jscherb's thread, weld up the window hoop as it comes down to the door panel, and replace all the worn out window trim with new. I will do the same thing on the passenger side once the driver's side is completed to my satisfaction.

One question I do have is what is all the gunk at the bottom of my window?



I was driving South on Main street when a gal decided to turn left right in front of me without yielding (I was traveling around 35mph and I had the green light). :thumbdown: :mad: Both air bags went off (1st for me) and the right front end of my pickup seems to be toast. Question for all of you gurus out there, will they total this Ford Ranger with 74k miles on it that was in great shape? or fix it? and, yes, I am OK as well as the other driver...



Lastly, Jeff Scherb, wherever you are? I owe you your favorite beverage, your write up(s) are priceless. so thank you!:thankyou:
 
#209 ·
At least you weren't driving th CJ!!! Glad you are alright!

Nice door fix!
 
#210 ·
Glad you're alright Mike. I had the same thing happen to me, except I was in my '66 F100 4X4, and I totaled HER car! Good steel back then!

Thanks for dropping Jeff Scherb's link for the door repair. I had forgotten all about it! I'm going to need it. Besides bending down the tab, what else did you do? Seems like that little piece of metal will be weakened and will distort rather quickly??
 
#211 ·
Glad you're alright Mike. I had the same thing happen to me, except I was in my '66 F100 4X4, and I totaled HER car! Good steel back then!

Thanks for dropping Jeff Scherb's link for the door repair. I had forgotten all about it! I'm going to need it. Besides bending down the tab, what else did you do? Seems like that little piece of metal will be weakened and will distort rather quickly??
My insurance company ended up totaling my pickup which is a bummer. And, yes, that little Ford Ranger inflicted heavy damage on the Infinity G35 to the point where it has to be totaled. Truthfully, I am amazed that I walked away nary a scratch on me with the damage that was done to both vehicles. The safety features worked as advertised.

Scott, I did not doing anything further to the metal lever/tab, just bent it back into shape and it didn't seem like it was weakening when I did it. Really won't know until I get the door put back together. I did finish welding the door crack and the window hoops that come down to the door panel. Can't seem to find any 1/2" angle iron in my neck of the woods so I am going to buy some flats and make my own and I am still waiting on the window trim, seal etc that I bought from Morris 4x4.
 
#213 ·
Hey, going to hollister Monday... Quads not jeeps, though... Unless you can give a good reason to take the jeep.........
 
#214 ·
I wish I could go, Quads or Jeeps! but too slammed with work, life etc...
 
#215 ·
Today I was able to finish up my driver side door restoration per Jeff Scherb's thread. It was very easy and the new window trim, dew guides, and seals installed easier then I anticipated. A week ago I stripped my door of all of its' working parts, welded up the infamous crack near the window vent, fixed my paddle "lever" and welded in 1/2" angle iron to strengthen the door and prevent cracks from occurring in the future. A few pics from the repair:

ground welds holding in the 1/2" angle iron:



installing the trim I had to cut some excess off:



part #'s for all of the window seals and trim I bought from Morris 4x4:



I am only pointing this out because in JScherb's thread he had 4 screws holding in his window vent, I had 3:



and, lastly, the finished product, don't judge my body work as this was just meant to repair and not beautify:



in the coming weeks or months I will tackle the passenger side door. If you have access to a welder this is a very easy and must do project that will increase the life of our hard doors on our old CJ's...:thumbsup:
 
#221 ·
I have been slammed at work... But that's the reason I'm taking a day off!!!

Nice work on the door/window!
Nice job on the door dude. You've learned to weld and doing a great job and expanded your skills elsewhere so i bet if you had the mind to you could do body work too.
Nice job Mike, now time to take that top off! Well...maybe give it a week or two...:)

SC
Great job. That's what my doors will need. When can I drop them off? Actually mine need a new hoop put in them from a pair of sacrificial doors I have, so it may take you a bit longer. Man that paint of yours looks just like my slate blue color, but I know you said it wasn't.
Thanks guys but those doors are child's play compared to some of the tasks you all pull off...

...oh yes I did! I am officially a 2 Jeep family...just added this 1999 XJ to my stable. 102k original miles, 1 owner, very well maintained. Hmmm, new bumpers, a slight lift, rip off the doors, the list goes on...nawwww, my daughter will drive it the way it is, at least for awhile anyway! :D
 

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#220 ·
Great job. That's what my doors will need. When can I drop them off? Actually mine need a new hoop put in them from a pair of sacrificial doors I have, so it may take you a bit longer. Man that paint of yours looks just like my slate blue color, but I know you said it wasn't.
 
#224 ·
I would be more than happy to, just get 'em out here!
 
#225 ·
I'll drop 'em in an envelope this weekend! :cool: Northern Cali huh.... well I'm kinda in the Emerald Triangle every Wednesday night from 9-10pm, maybe I'll just drop them off. Are you near there? (do you know what that's in reference to?)
 
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