Build Thread OOPS I DID IT AGAIN!!!!! LADY LUCK

[Vikingone]

Soooooo. For once it looks like the good Lord was looking down on me. I have an 85 CJ7 that is presently down to the frame. I’ll have to admit I prematurely tore it down. High hopes of money being there and the time to get her done quickly. But nope. The frame has been sitting there collecting dust (literally). Well, a good friend who knows about my 85 project and calls me up and said he knows a guy looking to get rid of an 84 for six bills!!!! SIX HUNDRED BUCKS!!!! So I talk to the wife (who gives me flack for even wanting to spend 30.00 on my 85. (I get it. Covid didn’t help the wallet). She said go look at it and buy it. So that’s what I did. Frame is spotless. The tub... some rust here and there but solid. Problems, it’s only a 4 banger. No big deal I have my 258 to rebuild. So this one I’m hoping to just get her running (got her to fire up last night with some starting fluid and some patience). Want to make her driveable while I slowly swap parts from one to another as well as selling off parts. Still can’t believe I scored it for 600.00 dollars. Should probably name her Lady Luck LoL.


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[KsCj5]

Nice score!!

 

[Vikingone]

Well I see some good and some bad. The good....previous owner said it wouldn’t run without starting it with starting fluid. Pulled the plugs. All fouled. All improperly gapped. Did a full tune up and she fired right up. Took her for a spin and the steering is a nightmare!! Manual steering. Gonna be putting my power steering parts in from my 85.
The bad.... lol. Some rot on some brackets. But that’s no biggie. I have brackets all cleaned up and painted from my 85.

Looks like I definitely need a drop pitman arm.
And that definitely looks crooked.
Then......
Well that’s a good place to route a lower rad hose. SMH


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[Vikingone]

Well south Florida heat is brutal today. Didn’t get as much done as I wanted. First I had to do an oil change and replace the oil pressure switch on my wife’s Envoy. If I didn’t do that first she would’ve had my head. Then I did an oil change on Lady Luck because it was black and way overfull. Then got the rear axle bolted back to the frame off of my 85. Really wanted to get the front axle in as well but like I said. Heat is way to much right now. Maybe this evening I will.
The plan is to hopefully sell the frame off of the 85 as the 84 is better. But for now I’m gonna get the axles in and swap out the tires. With those terrible 315/50r24’s on it it won’t clear my garage door. So eventhough the 31x10.50x15’s May look a little funny at least I should be able to get her in the garage. I’ll be looking to sell the 24’s as well. Did some more research on putting my power steering system from the 85 into the 84. So far looking at part numbers they’re all the same. Hell the 84 four cylinder already has the pulleys and a bracket on it. So we shall see.


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[Belizean]

In this heat you got a lot done. Did an oil change in my daughters car yesterday and I was done outside.

 

[Vikingone]

Well. Battled the heat again here in South Florida. Swapped the 24’s off oh Lady Luck and put on my 31’s. The 31’s are a bit small but they will do for now. Of course I take the center caps off the 24’s and find wheel lock lug nuts. No tool. Off to the parts store. Oh yeah we have it in stock. Get there. Oh sorry we don’t have that in stock. Ugh. Off to another store. They had it. It’s about 100 degrees here and that job sucked. Now I have to decide am I just gonna sell the frame. Or a rolling chassis. Hmmmmm what to do. Well I’m done for today.



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[mtnwhlr]

That does look better. My first thought when I say the first pics was man those wheels and tires need to go. Some 33's would look pretty good.

 

[Vikingone]

That does look better. My first thought when I say the first pics was man those wheels and tires need to go. Some 33's would look pretty good.

I was thinking 33’s or 35’s. The ones that were on there were equivalent to 37’s so I know 35’s will fit.


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[Vikingone]

So. Yesterday and today just did some minor things.


Took out the rotted rear seat and the passenger seat and cleaned up the tub somewhat.
Then tackled the cooling system. PO complained of overheating.

Well when you route the lower hose under the steering shaft that’s bound to be a problem. Bought another hose and replaced the tstat as well. All good except the radiator isn’t correct. Not even for a Jeep. So I’m gonna try and mount the radiator outta my 6cyl to this one. Hope all works. Ordered up my pressure hose for the power steering as well as a new valve cover gasket and drop pitman arm. Took her for a little rip and ran well but the steering is still terrible.


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[Belizean]

To bad you are not closer, I have a 4 cylinder radiator I took out just a few months back.

 

[Vikingone]

Well I haven’t had too much time the past couple of days to work on the Jeep but still making some forward progress. A lot of out with the old and soon to be in with the new. The sway bar brackets and straps for the bushings were heavily rotted.

So out they came. I just have to finish painting my other ones and they can go in. Seats came out. Floor is gonna need some work but definitely way better than my other tub. A guy came the other day and hauled off the old tub for a couple of bills. But the body work is gonna have to wait.
Took the manual steering system out and started to install the power steering system. Ran into a slight headache when all three bolts for the steering box spun in the frame. Looks like I’ll be cutting a hole in the frame. I’m an ok welder. Well honestly it’s been years since I’ve welded so I’m gonna call on a friend whose a professional welder to weld back in the hole.
Only other issue was when trying to get the steering shaft off the shaft in the column moved out about an inch or so. Don’t know if that’s a problem but I just tapped her back in. I have the lower bearing for the column so I’lo replace that while the it’s all out. Mounted the power steering pump and it all lined up. The new pressure hose arrived today as well. Learned that the only difference between the 4cyl. Power steering system and the 6cyl is that hose. Gotta go to the fastener store to pick up some grade 8 bolts. That’s all I can really do today. The wife is working so I’ll be doing daddy day care for the rest of the day.


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[Vikingone]

We have power steering. Only part left is to cut a hole in the frame in order to replace the bolts for the steering box bracket in order to replace the bolts that just spun. Ugh. Guess it’s not really a big deal. But no leaks so that’s a good thing.
Also removed the “whatever vehicle” radiator and electric fan that the previous owner had zip tied in and installed my 6cyl radiator. Had to modify the lower hose somewhat but she’s in and not rubbing on anything. Then mounted the electric fan properly. Still trying to bleed all the air out of the cooling system which has been kind of a headache. None of my gauges work yet so I’m more than likely gonna pick up an aftermarket temp gauge to at least get a temp reading.
Really wish I could take it for a rip with the power steering in but that will have to wait till all the bolts for the box are in.


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[Vikingone]

I start a new job tomorrow (I’m a Barber by trade). So my little two week vacation is over. So I’ll have less time to do things but will still squeeze any free time I can.


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[Vikingone]

Well today was the day to cut the frame to get new hardware in for the steering box. Opted to use a hole saw and it was actually easier then I expected.

Got the new hardware and took it for a quick rip. MUCH better with power steering. Got her home in the driveway and battery was done when I went to restart it. Ughhhh. Father in law insisted it was the starter solenoid. Kept telling him it wasn’t but for 15.00 it wasn’t worth the fight. Well it was definitely worth the “I told you so” when the new solenoid didn’t fix it. Grabbed another battery out of the garage and jump started her. Back up and running. Checked voltage and was just a little over 14 volts so alternator is ok. Also on a high note some guy came and bought the hideous 24’s wheels and tires. Got more for them then what I paid for the Jeep so I’m happy. Father in law and I got my 85 frame and axles out of the garage and stored next to the garage. Man that wasn’t easy either. Especially in south Florida heat. Now the real test was to see if she’d fit in my garage. With a little love. (Pushing you on the garage door) and she’s in. Still having an issue purging the air outta the cooling system. When I shut her down you could hear the air banging. And she was spitting into the overflow bottle. Hopefully I’ll get that figured out. My temp gauge doesn’t work (yet) so I did buy an aftermarket one that will go in hopefully Tuesday.


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[Belizean]

Did you look around inside the frame for how much rust was inside the framework ?

 

[Vikingone]

Did you look around inside the frame for how much rust was inside the framework ?

Yeah. Really doesn’t look bad


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[Vikingone]

Well. Today has just sucked. Trying to deal with this cooling system. She’s been overheating. Went and bought a mechanical gauge and installed that. It read nothing. Pulled the new Tstat I bought and low and behold put it in hot water and nothing. Ran to the parts store. Got a new gauge and a new Tstat. Tested both in hot water and they worked. (Sad you need to test these things prior to install now and days). Installed the new NEW Tstat and gauge. Still overheating. Gauge read nothing. Shut her down and gauge went up to 150. Checked the temp of the coolant. 150. Ok. Starter her back up. And gauge went to 135 while coolant temp went up. WTF!! Also put the stock fan back in along with an electric fan. I’m calling it a day. Only thing I can think of is water pump. Eventhough it seems to be flowing maybe it isn’t flowing enough. I don’t know.


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[Belizean]

Some water pumps pump water in different directions than others. Did you change pumps also ?

 

[Vikingone]

Some water pumps pump water in different directions than others. Did you change pumps also ?

Nope. Didn’t change the pump. I don’t see any rotational marking on the one outta my 6 cyl. There’s numbers stamped on it though. Gonna see if the numbers match


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[Vikingone]

Well after doing daddy duty I went back out and pulled the pump. Low and behold it was the one meant for a serpentine belt. Grabbed the one off of my donor and wala. No more overheating. Once she hit 190 degrees I kicked on the electric fan and dropped her down to about 150 at idle sitting.


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