What have you done to your JEEP today

[Another Ahab]

Fair enough! Even though there's plenty of other faults I've deliberately left lmao!

 

[DeetFreek]

Ok, all the big parts are done! There's still all the small nooks and crannies yet, (wheels and bumpers too lol) but it's time to move on to some very minor body work. I'm not spending a ton of time on it. Just filling some of the bigger holes is all, otherwise I'd be spending the next month making it presentable! It will not be pretty.

This was the front passenger fender lip and top, ¼" thick on the side, no clue on the front. I was dumbfounded by how much there was, it was an entire new contour!

It makes sense though, this was what they covered up.

Finished the floor board fix today.

It may not be level, but it's smooth at least!
Have one more spot to finish up and then back to some clean up.

 

[Saberr]

its a jeep.... why are they bondoing dents for perfection ? hammer out and move on.

 

[DeetFreek]

its a jeep.... why are they bondoing dents for perfection ? hammer out and move on.

Agreed 1000%! It sure wasn't a beauty when they finished it, so I'm not sure what they were going for.

 

[Another Ahab]

Agreed 1000%! It sure wasn't a beauty when they finished it, so I'm not sure what they were going for.

Agreed compeletely with the idea of just "hammer 'em out" and drive, but you never know:

- Maybe the bud bondo'ed the first dent or two, and then felt like he couldn't go back (because he was already in so deep)

Who knows?!

 

[DeetFreek]

I did a thing today....and I totally understand now why it's easier to take out the entire power train at once! But, it's back in again, and I have this huge clearing in my shop now, odd how much space an engine on a stand takes up.
Got this A1 tank today for the low cost of shipping it from Minnesota to Iowa. Needs a patch, about 4"x4" on the bottom. I'm not worried about doing the work, I've repaired tanks before. This one hasn't had fuel in it in a long time either. Gonna need a good cleaning before any new fuel goes in it. But I'm just happy to have the correct tank again. It had been replaced with a CJ tank, and I've always despised it.

 

[Saberr]

extra 10 gl is sure nice as well.

 

[Another Ahab]

. But I'm just happy to have the correct tank again. It had been replaced with a CJ tank, and I've always despised it.

Everything looks real good. Nice work!

What's the difference between the two tanks, is it the fit mostly?

 

[DeetFreek]

Everything looks real good. Nice work!

What's the difference between the two tanks, is it the fit mostly?

Just a few more gallons.

 

[frank8003]

I remember driving around following the boss all over the place. Extra gallons is good. I even had to use the 5 Gal in the gerrycan to get there. He was in a chopper and went straight there. For me it was hours and hours, lost, with the trailer too. Gallons is good.

 

[DeetFreek]

Today's project. Went rather well, with the exception of out at the seam, where some of the lead solder remained. Had to grind out and re-weld a few times to burn out the solder. Gonna try performing electrolysis on this tank, it needs a good cleaning out.
Got some headlight pieces primed, painted the radiator and geeked out on my dash lights. The speedo lights will get a coat of red, and the high beam indicator hasn't worked for ages I'm guessing because not only was it painted over, there was no light nor wire up to it. The dimmer switch had about an 1.5" worth of wire sticking out of it, assuming that was for the light, I rigged it up to the battery and used a few jumpers to make sure it still worked. Lo and behold, it shone brightly through the now clean jewel!
And I cleaned the battery box up over the last couple of days.

 

[Another Ahab]

Today's project. Went rather well, with the exception of out at the seam, where some of the lead solder remained. Had to grind out and re-weld a few times to burn out the solder. View attachment 797612

The sheetmetal patch has just the slightest radius on it (at the outboaqrd edge):

- How did you finesse that bending without putting a crease in the metal?

 

[Saberr]

Easiest way to do that is to tack flat corners in and to maget/clamp steel as you move forward so mext inch or so is even with tank and tac again. Rinse and repeat. As you slowly move to the rounded part, it will naturaly follow the curve. Works even better if you heat the patch metal as you go to allow for more flex.

 

[DeetFreek]

The sheetmetal patch has just the slightest radius on it (at the outboaqrd edge):

- How did you finesse that bending without putting a crease in the metal?

I spent a good five years building commercial mufflers, I know a few tricks. What I ended up doing was after welding up the three inner sides (almost, but not quite to the outer corners) took a hammer and slowly beat the edge down to match the radius. I really didn't cut too far into it, so there wasn't much bend to match.

Saberr is pretty close too. You can tack your way out to the edge and using a light touch with a hammer can bend it before its welded as well. No heat really needed for that thin metal.

 

[DeetFreek]

I bounced around a lot today. Clean here paint there, just didn't feel like it was a very accomplishing day. But, I got the grille painted, and mostly reassembled.

I swept up the pile of paint and filler remnants, really didn't feel like laying in it if I didn't need to. I don't want to even try to guess how much weight there was it all...
Gave the cubby a coat of primer, I plan to try and get the floor pans done next. I'd like to get the trans cover and pedals back in.

 

[Another Ahab]

I bounced around a lot today.

Gave the cubby a coat of primer, I plan to try and get the floor pans done next. I'd like to get the trans cover and pedals back in.

Didn't realize the grille was on a pivot, does that mean it'll drop and allow access to the radiator fins. like is that the reason for the pivot pins?

 

[DeetFreek]

Didn't realize the grille was on a pivot, does that mean it'll drop and allow access to the radiator fins. like is that the reason for the pivot pins?

The grille unbolts from the radiator and the inner fender wells and can be swung face down. This allows the entire powertrain (radiator, engine, trans and transfer case) to be taken out as one unit. That's pretty much the reasoning, but yes, you could get to the fins that way too.

 

[Saberr]

ONly on the early batch. Latter years, the grill had to be unbolted completely to remove.

 

[DeetFreek]

ONly on the early batch. Latter years, the grill had to be unbolted completely to remove.

Absolutely correct, I have an early. Delivered May '53. I surprisingly still have the correct fenders, but somewhere along the line, my battery box cover was altered. Still has all the thumbscrews, but all eight tabs were cut off the sides and a stud was added to each end.

 

[DeetFreek]

Stuck my floor pans in today, pedals attached and leak checked the patch in the fuel tank. Had one small seep, took care of it, and now for the internal cleaning of it.