Well it's saturday again and I set some time aside to work on my Jeep restoration project.
I figure if I post a little info here from time to time it may help me stay focused on completing it by this summer.
I cut away all the rusty places and floor boards last week (6 areas all under 6" square) and this week will be welding new panels in their place...if it goes well I will begin the finish work and bondo fill next week.
I have purposely avoided rebuilding the motor because I know who I am...if I finished the motor first I'd put this ole crap body on it and drive it...this way once the body is cherry and the paint complete I'll do the engine and have something nice to haul to a meet and hopefully use it as a project panel.
Wish me luck?
Posted by Matty McQuilkin (Member # 4156) on :
Monte, good luck on the restoration of your jeep. There’s a lot of work to do a full restoration, cutting away at all that rust, grinding, fabricating new metal and welding in place. Your right about motor good idea to do it last. Get the work done the put the engine in and then play. I’m in the similar boat at the moment, restoring two cars one is a 1961 Austin mini cooper and the other is a 1972 mini cooper S. The 1972 just needs a engine rebuild the it’s good to go. The 1961 is about ¾ way though a complete restoration I hope to finish that some time in spring. To darn cold here in Wisconsin at the moment to do too much... Good luck with your project and has lots of fun.
Posted by R T Thomas (Member # 355) on :
Man.........
I sure would like to get a chance to ride in your Jeep before I get too old to hold on in the curves!! hahahah....Just yankin' yer chain Monte!!
See ya, R.T.
Posted by jimmy chatham (Member # 525) on :
he will have a hard time driving it across the ocean to get it down under R.T.
Posted by James Donahue (Member # 3624) on :
Hey Monte, good idea about continued posting for accountability. In fact, I'll respond with my progress on the '62 dodge panel truck, and maybe I'll stay focused.
I'm guessing that the panels you cut out weren't too "curvy". I'm tempted to say I wish I was in the same boat, but then this truck would have alot less style, and with the strange looking front end that Dodge designed, it needs all the style it can hold onto. I made a big sheet metal brake just for this job. I'm using it to replace to bottom part of a door today. I come inside to warm up, and be sure the congestion I'm getting over doesn't get worse. Anyway, it's a bit tricky, as the door curves from top to bottom, AND is "thicker" in front by the hinges, then gets narrower at the back of the door. The edges of the metal were and are folded over for strength.
I'm on my third try making this one piece. There are some art forms where you've got several methods to use to make a given job, and methods of dealing with any flub-ups one might creat. It appears that sheet metal is not like that. It has it's own set of rules, and YOU WILL follow them! Posted by Monte Jumper (Member # 1106) on :
I know what you mean James...but I'm lucky...jeeps are flat.
I only have one spot on the rear right quarter that I have to deal with the curve but even it is a simple curve (no compound).
I'm finding wire wlding a little more tricky that acetylene...I may go back to that.
Jesse James is my hero when it comes to metal fab.
I made progress today (not as much as I'd like ...so off to my other vise "pool".
later
Posted by Santo (Member # 411) on :
My kids are tired of hearing me talk about old cars and trucks. I had Leo with me, when I stopped to look at my buddy from work '69 Chevelle project. His blueprinted motor is already done, but he needs a lot of body work. He asked me and another friend for some ideas of what to do with the gas tank. He was replacing the trunk and didn't want to continue using the plastic fuel cell inside the trunk. After suggesting that he drop a section of the trunk pan to fit between the frame rail and lower the fuel cell to where he could use the original filler connection and eliminate his original problem, (fumes in the car) he suggested a ride. With me behind the wheel, he guided me to a place where I could put my foot into it. After a few passes, we headed back to the garage. My son was in the back seat so I could see how excited he was about the ride he just took until we got out of the car. He was lit up like a light bulb. Later he kept telling me, we have to get car like that.
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hahahah....Just yankin' yer chain Monte!! ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
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