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looks great - can't wait to see the build
The "yet to be named" 1978 CJ7 build.
Sasquatch - 5.0L CJ78
Im the proud new owner of a 1978 CJ7. This came to me from Missouri... My brother-in-law bought it last year and decided it was too much for him to take on right now, so I took it off his hands for $3000. Finally got a hotshot to tow it down here last night and now the fun begins.
This is going to be a very novice restoration... quality will not be compromised, but craftsmanship may be interesting, as I want to do the work myself. The frame is almost perfect, with a small spot near the front that needs some attention. The body is rough, but nothing that some elbow grease and a welder wont fix. Engine runs strong (304 v8), and the TH400/1339 are in good shape. A few leaks here and there, but some new gaskets will clear that up. Tie rod ends and the bushings on the leaf springs are toast, and the wiring leaves much to be desired, but overall its solid.
Here she sits today:
![]()
Shell be in pieces by tonight...
You all are a wealth of information and help, and believe me, ill have plenty of questions. Ill do the typical search, but I may ask as I go on this thread if anyone is interested in helping.
:wave: Thanks for looking.
Im the proud new owner of a 1978 CJ7. This came to me from Missouri... My brother-in-law bought it last year and decided it was too much for him to take on right now, so I took it off his hands for $3000. Finally got a hotshot to tow it down here last night and now the fun begins.
This is going to be a very novice restoration... quality will not be compromised, but craftsmanship may be interesting, as I want to do the work myself. The frame is almost perfect, with a small spot near the front that needs some attention. The body is rough, but nothing that some elbow grease and a welder wont fix. Engine runs strong (304 v8), and the TH400/1339 are in good shape. A few leaks here and there, but some new gaskets will clear that up. Tie rod ends and the bushings on the leaf springs are toast, and the wiring leaves much to be desired, but overall its solid.
Here she sits today:
Shell be in pieces by tonight...
You all are a wealth of information and help, and believe me, ill have plenty of questions. Ill do the typical search, but I may ask as I go on this thread if anyone is interested in helping.
:wave: Thanks for looking.
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Here's some typical rust:
![Automotive parking light Tire Hood Automotive lighting Automotive tire]()
![Tire Automotive tire Hood Automotive lighting Tread]()
![Helmet Orange Amber Recipe Ingredient]()
The worst of the body rust:
![Hood Motor vehicle Bumper Vehicle door Automotive lighting]()
The worst of the frame rust:
![Automotive tire Tread Tire Motor vehicle Wheel]()
How the rest of the frame looks:
![Automotive tire Motor vehicle Bumper Wood Automotive exterior]()
The SOA:
![Automotive tire Motor vehicle Wood Automotive exterior Bumper]()
It's starting to look like a typical CJ build:
![Tire Wheel Vehicle Hood Automotive tire]()
Listen to her purrrrr:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...B-97AD-8FE7AC97BEA6-4312-0000039A9CC8BBB4.mp4
The beginning of many busted knuckles:
![Gesture Finger Thumb Wrist Nail]()
Did the 78s come with disc brakes in the front?
The worst of the body rust:
The worst of the frame rust:
How the rest of the frame looks:
The SOA:
It's starting to look like a typical CJ build:
Listen to her purrrrr:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...B-97AD-8FE7AC97BEA6-4312-0000039A9CC8BBB4.mp4
The beginning of many busted knuckles:
Did the 78s come with disc brakes in the front?
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Money is going to be the main deterrent from finishing this year. I expect by next spring I'll have it somewhat back together and drivable.BagusJeep said:
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Im considering hiring a freelance welder to come patch the rust holes in the body... If I were to try it myself, can anyone recommend a "cheap" welder that would get the job done?
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2,073 Posts
Signing in to follow this one. I cant be of much help on the welder front either as we have a 110 and 220V miiller mig at work I can steal for a weekend when I need to weld something on mine...
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Ive read some decent reviews on the HF welders... Nothing special, but it seems like it would get the job done, especially since they are smaller holes... Plus the whole inside and underside is getting coated and lined, so it doesnt have to be pretty.
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Bastard. If only I were a bit closer to Houston....
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careful with coating it...that stuff is a mess if you have to remove it later. We spent HOURS carefully patching the rust inside the tub and priming before spraying my bedliner down... It was a TON of work but I plan on keeping my rig for at least 30yrs so I dont want to deal with it again any time soon.
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Im in the same boat. I want this to last for awhile, so there will be a TON of prepping and patching to make sure every bit of rust is gone and every weak spot is repaired or reinforced. The body is in such good shape (compared to other I have seen) that I would rather not spend the money on a replacement tub if I can repair this one... Plus it keeps it original, and thats really what im shooting for.
I really wanted a Hobart or a Lincoln. However, I also wanted one that could do gas MIG welding (in addition to flux core wire welding). And I wanted cheap.
So I ended up with a Northern Tool branded welder, which at $320 was quite a bit cheaper than the equivalent from the other brands:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200332691_200332691
I'm learning on this welder, and so far it's working well for me. I also picked up an auto-darkening helmet, which I highly recommend as a beginner. It makes things much easier. Northern tool has a good one for $50.
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Suggestion time...
How did/do you keep track of what-goes-where as you are dissembling the Jeep?
Best advice for body mount bolt removal (to avoid breaking any...)
How did/do you keep track of what-goes-where as you are dissembling the Jeep?
Best advice for body mount bolt removal (to avoid breaking any...)
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14,964 Posts
Take thousands of pics - literally multiple pics of the same item from different views, etc.!AustinCJer said:
Bag and label everything really good. Use ziplock bags and a sharpie. Store them on shelves or in bins/totes keeping all similar items together.
Soak those body mounts for a full week or so with WD-40, PB Blaster, etc. then take your time loosening them. May have to re-soak them a few times as you free up some threads depending on how bad they are.
.
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yep... What SKT said is exactly what I've done in the past
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The plan tomorrow is to get everything disconnected from the firewall and start breaking down the dash from the inside.
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Took out the dash and labelled all the wires with scotch tape and a sharpie... Removed the rest of the interior and cleaned everything up.
This Jeep has been painted, primed, painted, primed, and painted again... Looks like a jawbreaker... Hahahha.
Sooooo after some closer inspection, there is a LOT of rust on the body. Lots of rust painted over and all the seams are rusted through... How should I tackled this?
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