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Hasselback's "Lets try this again" CJ7 build

90K views 852 replies 53 participants last post by  ScroungerLee 
#1 ·
Alright, Lets try this again.......

Two years ago now, I bought my first CJ, with the intention of restoring it. I had limited mechanical ability, limited tools, and of course, limited funds. She was a 1978 CJ7 that was rode hard, and just all around shot. The body was toast, but it did have a good 360 motor, T18 tranny, and D300 transfer case, and what seemed to be a good frame. I got it tore down to the frame rather quick, cleaned it up a bit, painted it, and started building it back up. After I got about a year into my project, I found this forum, Way too late! :brickwall
After reading other build threads, and browsing this forum for some time now, I can't help but to think, yeah, I wish I would of done that, or, Damn,that would of worked so much better! So now, with my Jeep about 80 % complete and running, I stand back and look at it, and see everything I could have done better, had I known before. The other major hurdle for this project was that I did not have a title for it.
So, one day last month I spotted a CJ7 part-out in the classifieds here on the forum. Out of curiosity, I messaged the owner (CJinPA), and was able to get the complete rolling chassis with gas tank and steering box for $640.00. And it came with a title! So without hesitation, I made the 3 hour one way drive across the state to bring her home. I went and bought a sand blaster from Tractor Supply, and got to work blasting off all the rust, only to realize my compressor wasn't big enough. So off I was to get a bigger compressor! After blasting the whole frame for two weeks though, I'm having a little buyers remorse after welding shut about a dozen pinholes through the frame, and replacing the rear crossmember, and rebuilding the two rear sections where the rear shackles mount. All that's done now, and I'm finally ready to get painting.....
Shown here, you can see what the frame looked like when I picked it up, and what it looks like now all sandblasted, with my "parts" Jeep in the background. With all the techniques I've learned, and all the products I've seen used here on this forum, this build should rival all the other ones on here that I've drawn my inspiration from. Oh, and instead of a '78, now it's an '86 CJ7 Renegade.....So here we go, again! :thumbsup:
 

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#453 ·
Putting some more miles on the Jeep today, tying to get a feel for it. Still can't find anything wrong with it mechanically! Got the motor all cleaned up today too. For being 30 years old, the engine compartment is looking pretty nice. The question now is, to nutter, or not to nutter? What are the advantages?
 

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#455 ·
Did some research today about doing the nutter bypass, and found a good thread by Jeephammer, and it referenced that the directions were for the Carter BBD carb. I'm still new to stock carbs, and don't know the difference between them, so can someone tell me what carb I have from the pics below? From what I've found, I'm thinking it is a Carter, just need a confirmation. :cheers:
 

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#457 ·
#461 ·
Yep, I've narrowed it down to the Carter BBD with computer feedback. It is running great, and I plan on doing the team rush upgrade as well. I'd really love to get rid of all those emissions related hoses and wires, and the ECU to clean up the engine bay and make it alot simpler to work on. I do have another carb sitting up on the shelf that came on my original Jeep, not sure what it is, but it was on the AMC360 when I bought it. It kind of looks like the pre 1983 Carter 2bbl. But then again, some day I probably will drop another 360 in this rig, so I may just leave it alone for now. I miss my old 360, and its only been gone 10 days!

On another note, I've been shopping around for some 18 gauge sheet metal to fix the right side wheel well opening, and striking out. Tractor Supply has 1 2x2 sheet for $39.99 :eyebulge: which isn't big enough to make it in one piece. Lowes only has smaller pieces, so I called the local steel supply shop which could get 18 gauge cold rolled sheet, however, they laughed at me when I said I needed a 24x36 inch piece, and said they couldn't help me! So I guess it's back to Tractor Supply to get 3 12x24 inch pieces, angle cut the ends to 22.5*, and weld them together to form a rough arch, then trace out my wheel opening on it.
 
#462 ·
That thing on the back is the "stepper motor".

I got all my sheet and steel, or most of it at an Amish fabrication shop. It's actually called Peight's Welding but they stock all kinds of steel and they fabricate steel stuff as well. You couldn't beat their prices. I'm sure you've got some Amish communities nearby. Call some welding shops and ask around. I did get a few small pieces from Lowe's and T.Supply but they only carry 16, 22, & 26 ga. in various sizes and most of my repairs were with 18 or 20ga.
 
#463 ·
We got plenty of Amish around here, but I've never seen one with a welding shop. Probably would be funny though to see their horse running in a giant hamster wheel making the electricity to power the welders!:rofl:
 
#464 ·
I think it's probably more of a Mennonite owning it and Amish working there. But then anymore theres a lot of what we call "briefcase amish" around too. Old school Amish are getting fewer and fewer. But call around to the welding shops even if they're "english" shops. Some carry stock on hand.
 
#465 ·
Yeah, the Amish around here are barely Amish anymore. There's an Amish sawmill just down the road from me that I get lumber at, but you could barely tell its Amish. They have brand new front end loaders, log trucks, cell phones, and they even have a big speed boat in the barn!
 
#466 ·
I did a nutter. heres a detailed explination of the vaccumline routing i used and it works great. no oil blowby, i advanced the timing 8 degreese btdc. heres a detailed reply i did for a guy with pics http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f8/old-jeep-second-chance-82-cj7-build-1626785/index8.html post 110. I did a team rush using the original ign system and used a carb rebuild kit that came with the jeep and no issues at all with the original carter bbd. Make sure the stepper pin is 1/8th where you can see the shoulder.
 
#467 ·
seabass1858 said:
I did a nutter. heres a detailed explination of the vaccumline routing i used and it works great. no oil blowby, i advanced the timing 8 degreese btdc. heres a detailed reply i did for a guy with pics http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f8/old-jeep-second-chance-82-cj7-build-1626785/index8.html post 110. I did a team rush using the original ign system and used a carb rebuild kit that came with the jeep and no issues at all with the original carter bbd. Make sure the stepper pin is 1/8th where you can see the shoulder.
Thanks for the link to the write up. Should come in handy when I go to do the nutter bypass.

Last time I was under the Jeep, I noticed the rear pumpkin cover had two little rust holes in the top. So I pulled it off, expecting to see either water or mud inside, but was surprised to see it was still full of clean looking oil! Also saw these numbers painted on the pinion gear. Do they have any relation to my gear ratio?

Back to my holy cover though, my solution to the holes was to weld a drain plug over the hole, and weld up the other small hole. I couldn't upload a pic of the finished product though. Turned out good, and now I can easily drain the oil. Might add a fill plug at the top too.
 

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#470 ·
I seem to remember someone saying to count the teeth on each gear, and divide them to get the ratio. The numbers painted on are 42 and 13, and it looks like there is 13 teeth on the pinion. That would make it 3:23 gear ratio. Never heard of that one before.......
 
#473 ·
Picked up some 16 gauge steel today to start fabricating the new wheel well arch. Gonna have to make it in three pieces, but I got my fingers crossed! The left side is still good, so I'm going to trace it on a sheet of plywood to use as a form to make for the new piece. I'd be diving into that project tonight if I wasn't heading to camp tonight for a day of hunting tomorrow. Half of me wants to stay home and do this though!
 

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#477 ·
I'd be diving into that project tonight if I wasn't heading to camp tonight for a day of hunting tomorrow. Half of me wants to stay home and do this though!
Tell me about it! These Jeep builds play hell on your hunting season. It's hard to focus on anything else without wishing you were getting some work done on your build. I normally take off today for the early ML season and hunt today and tomorrow, but instead I'm at home taking care of some outside winterizing tasks (it's my lunch break) because my weekends are usually spent on the Jeep. Playin' catch-up! I couldn't skin up a deer right now without major re-arrangement unless I do it outside.
 
#478 ·
Renegade82 said:
Tell me about it! These Jeep builds play hell on your hunting season. I couldn't skin up a deer right now without major re-arrangement unless I do it outside.
I hear ya! Last year I had to do my skinning outside because I had a non rolling jeep parked under my hoist! That's not the case this year :thumbsup:
 
#479 ·
Was just looking at the original owners manual that was in the glove box, and was amused at this page. They must know that I spend more time under my jeep than in it. Those jacks can give way at any time!
 

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