83 CJ7 Finally out of storage

It has been awhile since I have posted any updates. Some progress has been made and the punch list of things to do is getting shorter and less important to me. Since it was nice this evening when I got home from work, I gave her a quick bath for pictures. I got new 31x10.5x15 tires to replace the 1988 vintage stock size tires that has been on it. I had been wanting 33s, but in listening to all of you wise folks, decided the 31's would improve the stance without forcing upgrades that I might not even need. I still have the 2.73 gears in it and I don't mind driving on the street like that. I had it on the freeway last week and the Sniper was suggesting 24 lb/hr @ 72 on the GPS which works out to about 19 MPG. Downside is that I doubt I'll ever find a speedo gear for this combo. I also thoroughly cleaned and painted the fender flairs with SEM Bumper Black. Makes them look like new.
I finished installing the carpet in the rear with new velcro to secure it in position. I don't understand why that takes so many hours, but it did. Still need to install the two forward pieces. Back in the 80s when I added the center console, I just screwed it in over the carpet. But then I never would remove it so that I could take the carpet out for cleaning. This time I intend to cut the carpet around the console so that the carpet comes out with the console installed. Clearly I need to procrastinate some more to gain the courage to cut the carpet.
I have also fabricated and installed a custom power panel. We can't seem to have too many USB ports anymore and I need 12v to power a fridge in my "camp kitchen" that will be going in soon. I haven't made up my mind on a second battery or a portable power station yet. They both have their pros, but I am leaning toward the second battery. I'm pretty sure I can do a 100 AHr lithium with controller and solar panel for less $ than a 46 AHr portable, just not sure it is worth the extra work.

I struggled deciding if I should put this frame cover back on. All I have done is cleaned it and the top is the same color as the bottom. Seeing how much people are asking on Ebay for these I have been tempted to sell it and fund most of an 8274. Fortunately this decision isn't permanent and is easily reversed.

I have also been working on getting the timing and idle on the Sniper right. It was running great, but I was experience knock under light acceleration when above 2,000 RPM. I seem to have resolved both although I think I can still further refine it a bit. It seems that my runs on the interstate last week finished resolving whatever has been going on with the clutch. All of the clutch linkage is either new or has been welded or bushed so it is nice and tight. I have adjusted and adjusted trying to find the sweet spot that it would fully release and downshift. I got it better, but downshifting was still not easy and frequently required a double clutch and heal on the skinny pedal. I had just about given up and figured I would just learn to live with it but after a couple 1/2 hour runs on the freeway and it is back to shifting like I remember from the 80's.

You might also notice another modern convenience. I installed a 67 Designs ball mount and phone holder to the windshield frame. It was really simple to install with 2 rivnuts and a 1/2" aluminum spacer to raise the balls up above the dash pad. It holds my phone rock solid in a place I can easily view without it being in the way. There is even have room for the boss to have her own phone holder and maybe a tablet or GoPro. I also decided to mount the microphone for the hands free calling to the back side of the dash. Boss says she can hear me and the road noise fine

Rkuehljr said:

I still have the 2.73 gears in it and I don't mind driving on the street like that. I had it on the freeway last week and the Sniper was suggesting 24 lb/hr @ 72 on the GPS which works out to about 19 MPG. Downside is that I doubt I'll ever find a speedo gear for this combo.

Click to expand...

I have a 25 tooth speedo gear that might get you close if not spot on with 31.5 tires (30.5" actual) and 2.73 gears for a good price.
What is the gear count on your current speedometer gear?

keith460 said:

I have a 25 tooth speedo gear that might get you close if not spot on with 31.5 tires (30.5" actual) and 2.73 gears for a good price.
What is the gear count on your current speedometer gear?
View attachment 4142437

Click to expand...

A very generous offer Keith. I’ve got a 26 tooth in it now. Check my math but I’m getting 24.6 so 25 is probably going to be as close I will get.

30.5/28.9=26/?

?=26*28.9/30.5=24.6

Of course I can’t touch it with a wrench without finding something to fix. The O-ring has been cut since it was built. I‘d like to blame the transfer case oil leak on this, but I know better than to think that is the only leak point.


I’ll DM you to work out the details

Finally got started dealing with the last bit of rust that was on the rear lift gate. Hoping that this doesn’t involve welding.

An impact driver made short work of getting the hinge screws out without stripping, and the rubber seal for the glass was still flexible enough to get the glass out pretty easy. I wouldn’t be afraid to re-use it, but new seals are on the way from Metro Molded. Getting the seal for the hatch off was another matter. Seems that sometime in the 80’s I had applied some white sealant between the lift gate and the seal in an attempt to reduce the leaks. The stuff was still pliable and put up quite a fight. In the end, a torch and a putty knife prevailed.
I considered stripping the paint myself, but decided to run it to my media blast guy since he would get the rust off while preserving more metal than I would. Picked it up the other night and I should be able to save it pretty easily.


I need to track down a PPG dealer to get the Ditzler colors and texture. Anybody have the application instructions?

I treated the rust areas with a rust converter to be sure and the filled to get it smooth and flat

A trip to the local PPG dealer for some primer and paint ended up not being so easy. First, affordable primer isn’t available, just the stupid expensive stuff, so I ordered it online and waited a week. Second, PPG only has the recipe to make the colors in lacquer and that hasn’t been available for some time. The folks at the paint store were very helpful showing me several options that were readily available like the SEM texture, but the texture just wasn’t right. In the end they mixed up some paint, color matched to some hardware I brought them and I have a texture additive to go in it. Now it will be up to me to figure out how to recreate the texture. Anyway, I have the hatch in primer, exterior blocked, and the hardware primed. Also prepped and primed some left over HVAC sheet metal that has been collecting dust for 16 years to work out the texture on.



i also decided to seam seal 3 sides to try and keep the moisture and rust away.

next steps are to remount the hinges and align it before paint. I’m thinking I will lay down a smooth coat of color or two and then a topcoat to create the texture. Might even try a schutz gun to get the texture.

Sprayed the test panels today. I like the color, but it just doesn’t match. More black and less grey that the old top. Guess that confirms that I will have to refinish the whole thing. Something I knew was likely but hoping would have to be done. Good news is that I created a texture that I think is pretty good using a texture additive sprayed from a Schutz gun at 4-6 feet. Makes a heck of a mess.

Weather and schedule hasn’t been very friendly to getting this top painted. The drive to work at 48 F this week has altered the weather requirements to get the paint put down. I had everything setup earlier this week to paint and was finishing up a final wipe down when I noticed the wind coming up and a dark sky moving in. So I re-checked the weather app only to see rain starting in 7 minutes. Glad I hadn’t mixed paint yet! Work up yesterday morning to rain, but by 10 it had moved out and wasn’t expected back until late afternoon. This time I was successful in getting the paint down. I am so glad I spent the couple hours making the cart for the top, so much easier to move around.
Anyway, the top is painted and ready for final assembly. The top surface probably needed more high build primer as it is showing some stripes but the customer is satisfied.
I’m particularly happy with the color match on the interior, I only painted the hatch and I can’t tell.


The texture isn’t perfect, but unless you really know what it is supposed to look like will pass.
Now to get the glass back in without breaking it…

Decided to upgrade the headlights with relays and Hella E codes with Halogens. I’m not an electrical guy nut have a propensity to over engineer. I decided to use this as an excuse to add a power distribution and relay box to support some future plans. Fabricated a bracket to support the box and allow the wiring to get in through the bottom. 100A buss located under the bracket, fed through an ANL fuse an 4ga wire.

Power distribution and relay box is supposed to be water proof once you put these green silicone plugs in all the holes. I went ahead and put a relay on the fog light circuit while I was in there. I now have 12ga feeding the headlights.

I think the install ended up looking reasonably clean.

The Hella E codes do have a big rubber boot that doesn’t really fit in the stock buckets. Trying not to cut my originals, I found that if I took the buckets apart, I could work the boot through the hole and have the lamp housing sit down on the locators.

I also set out to understand how much the relays actually increase the light output by. So using a light meter app on my phone I measured the amount of light. The stock wiring and sealed beam made 251 & 307 lux (L/H). After the relays and the larger wire feeds were installed the sealed beams made 293 & 311, so a big improvement to the low beam, but virtually nothing for the high beam. Readings after the Halogen E-codes were installed were effected by taking the buckets apart, the low beams came up to 311 lux, and high beams were 317. I’m really looking forward to getting them aimed tonight and seeing the sharper pattern.