The powder coated parts really look nice. Were I to do another frame off on anything I'd like to be able to do many of my own parts.
Josh's 1985 CJ7 Restoration
Hey guys! I am sure you have seen me around here on a few threads but I normally just do a lot of reading on here. I love seeing all of the stuff people are doing with their Jeeps. If I can't figure it out by myself, from the FSM or my Grandfather, I come here. With that said, since I am doing a complete restoration, I figured I can document what I have done now and continue to document. I would like to look back on it some day and I would really like to contribute some help to us CJ folks.
I bought this CJ7 in 2018 that I found on Facebook market place. It was local and the best looking one on Facebook. $2,600 and it was mine! It had issues but I knew it from the start and was willing to fix it. Hard top and pre 1981 hard doors were included along with a box of parts and little trim stuff. It also didn't run when I bought it but I knew what it needed.
About the Jeep:
258 with a T5 transmission and a dana 300, AMC 20 rear axle and a Dana 30 in the front. Pretty much a base Jeep but I am not sure if it had a package on it due to it being repainted a few times. LOTS of rust! Had the nutter bypass done and the cooling system was re-routed... not sure why someone would do that but I guess it got them by. Here are some pictures before the carnage started!
I bought this CJ7 in 2018 that I found on Facebook market place. It was local and the best looking one on Facebook. $2,600 and it was mine! It had issues but I knew it from the start and was willing to fix it. Hard top and pre 1981 hard doors were included along with a box of parts and little trim stuff. It also didn't run when I bought it but I knew what it needed.
About the Jeep:
258 with a T5 transmission and a dana 300, AMC 20 rear axle and a Dana 30 in the front. Pretty much a base Jeep but I am not sure if it had a package on it due to it being repainted a few times. LOTS of rust! Had the nutter bypass done and the cooling system was re-routed... not sure why someone would do that but I guess it got them by. Here are some pictures before the carnage started!
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Were these holes from factory?
Trying to tie up some loose ends here... Can any of you guys tell me if these holes (circled in red) were original from the factory? Or is this something the previous owners did at some point?
There seems to be a slight amount of rust scale around the hole that leads me to believe that they were drilled by someone but they are so perfect they look stamped.
I posted this in a facebook group for a quick answer but I'm getting mixed thoughts. I forgot that some on facebook don't know left from right but I only post on those groups for quick answers like Wikipedia... every once in a while I see a thought out response. (No offence to those who who are on facebook CJ groups) I like this forum better anyways, better Jeeps, better people, even better knowledge.
Trying to tie up some loose ends here... Can any of you guys tell me if these holes (circled in red) were original from the factory? Or is this something the previous owners did at some point?
There seems to be a slight amount of rust scale around the hole that leads me to believe that they were drilled by someone but they are so perfect they look stamped.
I posted this in a facebook group for a quick answer but I'm getting mixed thoughts. I forgot that some on facebook don't know left from right but I only post on those groups for quick answers like Wikipedia... every once in a while I see a thought out response. (No offence to those who who are on facebook CJ groups) I like this forum better anyways, better Jeeps, better people, even better knowledge.
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Here’s a picture of the underside of my hood, for comparison. No holes there in mine. But I have three holes near the latch area that you don’t have. My hood has been dented from contacting the windshield frame, so who knows what happened to mine regarding the three holes.
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Tub is back
Haven't been active much on here since not much progress has been going on in the garage. Work has been busy too but now I have a lot of work to do!
Yesterday I picked up my freshly dipped tub! I've been waiting for about 3 weeks for it to come back but it was worth the wait. $525 was the cost to have it dipped and it came out wonderful. There are some areas that have a little pitting but there is no rust holes or pin holes from rust. At most, it's just a little rough to the touch in those areas but nothing that needs repair. I spent about 2 hours rinsing the remaining chemicals off with the pressure washer and blowing out all the seams with the air nozzle. I am going to let it sit out in the sun today and take the air nozzle to it again before I start any work just to make sure all water is out of the cracks and seams. It's kinda cool to see the areas around the tub where they prepped the tub at the factory for leading or filler work. Some spot welds had imperfections or something so they would take the wizz wheel and fix it and fill it or simply prime it.
My plan moving forward is to:
1. Weld up the old radio antenna that was on the rear. I will re-drill it to be in the cowl area.
2. Seam seal the outside, inside, and bottom of the Jeep. (my goal is to make it waterproof :laugh
3. Coat the braces and tube areas with cavity wax or a internal frame coating to prevent rust and to provide bare metal protection.
4. Prime all body panels before the heart of fall and hunting season for southwest Ohio
5. If time, temperature, and my work's paint booth availability permits, color and clear may go on. This depends on how fast I get stuff done at home.
6. Continue with the rest of assembly, wiring, etc.
Haven't been active much on here since not much progress has been going on in the garage. Work has been busy too but now I have a lot of work to do!
Yesterday I picked up my freshly dipped tub! I've been waiting for about 3 weeks for it to come back but it was worth the wait. $525 was the cost to have it dipped and it came out wonderful. There are some areas that have a little pitting but there is no rust holes or pin holes from rust. At most, it's just a little rough to the touch in those areas but nothing that needs repair. I spent about 2 hours rinsing the remaining chemicals off with the pressure washer and blowing out all the seams with the air nozzle. I am going to let it sit out in the sun today and take the air nozzle to it again before I start any work just to make sure all water is out of the cracks and seams. It's kinda cool to see the areas around the tub where they prepped the tub at the factory for leading or filler work. Some spot welds had imperfections or something so they would take the wizz wheel and fix it and fill it or simply prime it.
My plan moving forward is to:
1. Weld up the old radio antenna that was on the rear. I will re-drill it to be in the cowl area.
2. Seam seal the outside, inside, and bottom of the Jeep. (my goal is to make it waterproof :laugh
3. Coat the braces and tube areas with cavity wax or a internal frame coating to prevent rust and to provide bare metal protection.
4. Prime all body panels before the heart of fall and hunting season for southwest Ohio
5. If time, temperature, and my work's paint booth availability permits, color and clear may go on. This depends on how fast I get stuff done at home.
6. Continue with the rest of assembly, wiring, etc.
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Got some seam sealer on last night. I did my best to take some pictures along the way but I get so into the live action that I forget to document it for you all who read my thread.
I used a 3M urathane seam sealer in a caulking tube. Not sure on the part number but I got it at NAPA. It is very easy to apply if you lay tape around the area you want to seal. The tape makes easy clean up and leaves a crisp edge. using my finger to smear the sealer in the crack, it left a nice rounded, factory looking fill on the outside of the tub.
On the inside, I laid a bead as if I was caulking a kitchen counter or shower stall panel and I took a brush and ran it along the seam to smooth it out. I would then take the air nozzle and set it to about 40 PSI and blow on the sealer to create a ripple effect. I only planned to do the outside and firewall areas but that seam sealer goes a really long way so I completed about 80% of the inside of the tub before I ran out.
Here are some pictures.
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![Automotive tire Road surface Asphalt Automotive exterior Composite material]()
![Tire Automotive tire Hood Automotive lighting Tread]()
I used a 3M urathane seam sealer in a caulking tube. Not sure on the part number but I got it at NAPA. It is very easy to apply if you lay tape around the area you want to seal. The tape makes easy clean up and leaves a crisp edge. using my finger to smear the sealer in the crack, it left a nice rounded, factory looking fill on the outside of the tub.
On the inside, I laid a bead as if I was caulking a kitchen counter or shower stall panel and I took a brush and ran it along the seam to smooth it out. I would then take the air nozzle and set it to about 40 PSI and blow on the sealer to create a ripple effect. I only planned to do the outside and firewall areas but that seam sealer goes a really long way so I completed about 80% of the inside of the tub before I ran out.
Here are some pictures.
#3 would be my biggest concern and plan of action. There are a lot of "blind areas" that are bare metal now, so it's up to you to protect them one way or another, and it sounds like you have a plan...It looks great!My plan moving forward is to:
1. Weld up the old radio antenna that was on the rear. I will re-drill it to be in the cowl area.
2. Seam seal the outside, inside, and bottom of the Jeep. (my goal is to make it waterproof :laugh
3. Coat the braces and tube areas with cavity wax or a internal frame coating to prevent rust and to provide bare metal protection.
4. Prime all body panels before the heart of fall and hunting season for southwest Ohio
5. If time, temperature, and my work's paint booth availability permits, color and clear may go on. This depends on how fast I get stuff done at home.
6. Continue with the rest of assembly, wiring, etc.
I hope you get a big Buck this year!
Yeah, I know what you mean. I expect it every year but given my grandfather (who owns the land and lives on it) has heard a single shot just before the end of daylight a few nights in the past weeks makes me wonder. DNR has been tipped in our area so hopefully if there is any wrong doings they are caught.
Here is what we had in august... The one in middle and the one on the left are still on the property. The big guy on the far right hasn't been seen since that picture was taken. I believe that's the only one I have too. I enhanced that picture due to the sun setting to the west. The second picture is what I think is the deer on the left in the first picture. I have not seen him since that date. I'm gonna give him another week to see if he is on a cycle. I've changed up my game plan this year so hopefully I can catch one off guard.
121 - 140 of 348 Posts
