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18 Year old and Two JEEPS!

66K views 486 replies 75 participants last post by  95riograndeman 
#1 · (Edited)
20 Year old and Two JEEPS! MY BUILD THREAD!!!!

This will be my build thread for both my CJ and TJ.

Well as you can tell from the title I am 20 and own a TJ and a CJ-7.
From working on these two jeeps for the last 4 years, I know alot about jeeps and has been the best experiences of my life!

Here are the specs:

1986 CJ-7 Laredo
Inline six 4.2L engine with 2150 Motorcraft Carb
Five speed transmission
Dana 300 Transfer Case
Dana 30 Front axle
Dana 44 Rear axle
2.5" ProComp Suspension Lift
3" Body Lift
33" King All Sports with jeep Wagon wheels
Custom 3.5" square tube bumper (rear)
Fog lights
Stainless Steel Brakeline kit
SkyJacker shocks
Cherry Bomb Exhaust
Custom Stainless Rocker guards
Custom Stainless rear corner wrap
Original Interior

When I first got it..........


TJ specs and pics coming soon!
 
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#69 ·
im calling a double fail on you, one nice overspray on the tires. haha

also you could have just used regular primer( a lot cheaper) and used a guide coat, then wet sand it and its the same thing but a lot cheaper and not that much more work to do.

But looks good, what color you going with?
 
#71 ·
im calling a double fail on you, one nice overspray on the tires. haha

also you could have just used regular primer( a lot cheaper) and used a guide coat, then wet sand it and its the same thing but a lot cheaper and not that much more work to do.

But looks good, what color you going with?
Dude, as much wear as those tires will see after I'm done, I could care less right now about the tires. :p Plus, if you take brake cleaner on a rag and wipe the tires down, it will strip all the paint off. :thumbsup:

I decided to go with this primer since its a one step primer, and it shows the imperfections like the final coat would. I am going for a pretty good finish here, and money wasn't a big deal.

Final color with be AMC charcoal metallic. --I can't wait!!
 
#72 ·
man...mike called a double fail on you...What are you gonna do next man?

haha jk. Just do some burnouts and the overspray on the tires is gone :D
:teehee:

Well today I won't get much done since I am heading over to the Truck and Jeep fest with the TJ. Supposed to rain but oh well.....
 
#75 ·
Sanded more on the hood and fenders tonight. Its getting there.....
 
#76 ·
Sanded more on the hood, put the last coat of bondo on it. :D

Looking to get some LED oval lights for tailights. Found these:

 
#77 ·
Well, it rained some here yesterday morning and I was hoping the paint the tub and grille. Finally around 5:00 it cleared off and I pulled the gun and decided to spray it. Still some things I wish I would have spent more on but you basically have to draw the line. It came out very shiny and looks great. I am very satisfied:









 
#78 ·
I painted the hood and fenders. NO MORE SANDING!!!!!! WOOHOOO :bacon:











 
#224 ·
Nice painting...I am new to your thread and Nice job!...I have just created a thread myself and I just went through the sanding and painting process on my CJ 5....(my thread is "refacing a pretty face" on the jeep builds page)....Agreed..."NO MORE SANDING"

NICE JOB MAN!:thumbsup:
 
#80 ·
I am on right now.....gotta few minutes before I need some sleep.

Yeah the paint turned out super great!!! I definatley cannot wait any longer...I want to get this jeep back on the trails. :drool:

You know what is sad?....I forget what it sounds like. :shhh: :rofl:
 
#82 ·
:rofl:

How are those light guards comin? (Lunch break)
 
#84 ·
Thanks.

TIPS:
1. Buy a HVLP gun like you see in my hand. (100% better than a regular siphon gun)
2. Buy good paint. (Primer and final)
3. Buy good sand paper.
4. Buy good bondo and spot putty.
5. If you feel it, you will see it.
6. Completely sand down stripes/decals to paint underneath them. THEY will show thru.
7. Wipe down the sanded primer with compatible thinner before final coat.
8. Buy new masking tape when masking things off. You'll be glad you did when you take it all back off.

Anything else, just ask me. I have done both this jeep and my truck now, so I know some of the basic tips. :teehee: :cheers2:
 
#86 ·
Post some pics of yours man. I would like to see it. :cheers2:
 
#90 ·
Took all the tape off last night. Drove the TJ to work today.

Starting to put the CJ back together. Tomorrow I have the day off, so I should get alot done!!!!! :drool:
 
#92 ·
Looks good. Almost the same color as my TJ.
 
#95 ·
Well I am gonna fix the rust on them this year yet and the next time they rust out again they probably will get chopped and tubes put in thier place. ;)

The CJ:

I put my fenders on, rollbar in and bolted down, started putting gauges back in the dash, picking up a new speaker for the dash so I can put that in, painted my flares, painted all the hinges, installed headlights and turn signal lamps, wiped off all the red overspray left over from the primer, painted my rear bumper, painted the kickpanels, and MORE.

I should have the jeep all put back together by tomorrow evening. :drool: :cheers2: :cheers: :barbell:
 
#97 ·
Probably when I switch to tube fenders in front, I will upgrade my rear axle and run 35"s then.

Yah I work pretty fast when I have had most of this stuff apart before at one time or another LOL. :rofl:

The T-5 five speed came in the jeep. Its nice because you can have the low gearing for trails but still be able to maintain highway speeds.

A three speed either limits your highway or your trail speed alot. :thumbdown:
 
#99 ·
Or new carb, or swap in a Ford EFI controlled 302. I helped my dad put a ford 302 from a cougar in his 1978 CJ. Worked perfect and its not a chevy! :laugh:





The ford 302 truck bellhousings have the same bolt pattern as the T-150 three speed trannys the jeeps have. No adapters required and you can make your own motor mounts. (We bought the conversion harness, much much easier)
 
#101 ·
I installed the windshield glass in the frame. Took 3 hours to figure how that tough seal goes in there with the glass. But 3 hours is better than a $100 paying someone else to do it.



But now I know how to do it, and I figured it out myself. I feel good.
 
#102 ·
Just got out of an 3 hour meeting at work. :rolleyes: :p

Can't wait to drill the seat bracket holes tonight and start buttoning this project up!!! :bacon:
 
#103 ·
Well, I finally got her all back together and running great!

Here are some pics:







 
#104 ·
Finally got around to taking a picture of the TJ dash lights. I just took the little bulb covers off the light bulbs. Blends in good with my tan dash.

 
#106 ·
Thanks, I am still debating on getting the Laredo decal kit for it but it came out great!

The seats are original from the Laredo package. I fixed the drivers side tear in the usual spot, but probably will have to get them redone in a couple of years.

I am so happy with the way it turned out. I got it done right in the nick of time, because today college starts back up for me. :teehee:
 
#108 ·
Thanks!!

Next set of upgrades for the TJ:

New crager wheels without the simulated beadlocks
Custom Long arms
Stronger rear axle -8.8 or S35 kit
Possibly 35"s
 
#110 ·
Last night I did some cutting, welding and grinding on my 3.5" swaybar disconnects on the TJ. I made them longer for the 4.5" kit. Drives alot better going down the road with the swaybar in the correct position. :cool:
 
#111 ·
Figured I would do a comparision while I had photobucket up:

Before:



After:

 
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