Build Thread Replace all the things. - CJ5 Restoration

[IngramDesigns]

Welp. I'm new to the forum. Let me at least introduce my build.



Never owned a Jeep before and inherited my wife's father's 1978 CJ5. What a piece. Massive frame rust. Shoddy body work wrapped over rusty sheet metal. Plated tub on the inside, again over rusty metal. Poorly maintained in general. Oh, a minor detail the body was welded to the rear crossmember. All the body mounts rusted out and destroyed both on the body and frame.



Really the only thing it had going for it was the rebuilt 304. It has the Edelbrock performer "kit" on it with a cam, new lifters, manifold and a garbage Edelbrock.

After knocking off the ugly and cleaning it up, it was still a POS. My wife and I weren't in a financial spot to do any kind of restoration on it. So we drove it a little around town. When we moved I put it in the back yard of my house under a cover.

Fast forward 6 years. The financial situation has changed drastically. We bought a tiny vacation house at my wife's childhood stomping grounds where she remembers learning to drive on that Jeep. The urge struck to restore it.

I engaged a local classic car restorer. Issues confirmed. I'll spare you the gory details. A new body and frame, at least, were needed.

I acquired a body, hood, and tailgate from Jay at WillysOverland. A frame from Throttle Down Kustoms.

The teardown starts.




Fast forward again. The body arrives, frame, and the process begins to turn it into a roller.

Frame was epoxy painted gloss black. Energy suspension body mounts.


AMC 304 Removed, cleaned up, and painted. There's a couple of leaks that are addressed. New oil pressure sending unit, things like that. It will receive a new set of fenderwell exit Hedman headers, Holley Sniper EFI and Hyperspark Ignition.


Engine and drivetrain reinstalled on new frame. Skyjacker 4" kit, new bushings, greasable maineyes, motor mounts, trans mounts, all polyurethane. I'll need some wedges to correct caster angle.


With as much rot on the old "Jeep" we're running all new plumbing. These are Omix lines. Russell stainless lines will go to the corners.

The new body is getting a Chevrolet color, "Lime Rock Green". It was introduced on the 2014 Green Flash Camaro, but now they sell it on trucks as "Rainforest Metallic". A pretty color that I'm hoping will look nice in the sun.

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The inside of the tub was bedliner-ed by WillysOverland before it was freighted. It is applied on the inside of the tub and under. It got a little dirty during paint, but it'll clean up.



All sheet metal will be new. New windshield hoop, fenders, hood, tub, tailgate.


For now that is where the build sits. Next steps are to complete the plumbing. Mount a new gas tank (new straps, new skid plate, etc).

The body will go on next and receive a Painless wiring kit (P/N 10150).

 

[Bob95065]

Great build and post. Please continue to document your progress.

 

[Belizean]

Welcome to the fun ! A nice clean one now.

 

[gert]

So cool I love seeing builds


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[doswell]

What happened to your project, dude? Got any updates?

 

[IngramDesigns]

What happened to your project, dude? Got any updates?

Hey man. The project has been coming along, but wrapped with a lot of fitment issues with the aftermarket body panels and tub. We've got it almost ready. I'll have to put in seat belts, adjust a bolt position on the windshield bracket, install a new Bestop top. It'll be drivable then and I'll take it to the DMV to get it re-registered and legal. Pics incoming.

 

[IngramDesigns]

I wasn't happy with the dashboard provided with the aftermarket tub. Bought this new one, stainless, from Kentrol and painted it to match. It'll get wet sanded and polished.

 

[IngramDesigns]

Provided dash pad didn't have any welded studs for the gauge cluster or speakers. No holes for some things and I didn't want one with a radio cutout. Hence why I'm replacing it.

 

[IngramDesigns]

I'm dumping some progress photos. This is when they just started wiring and had the tub mounted on the TDK frame.

 

[IngramDesigns]

Engine has been cleaned up. New Hedman fenderwell headers coated with a spray on coating.

An AGR steering box added. The axles were cleaned up. The suspension is a Skyjacker 4" with "soft ride" springs. Front shackles are 1/2" lift from Daystar. Poly bushings everywhere.

 

[IngramDesigns]

One of the aforementioned fitment issues. This is a factory windshield hinge and the holes aren't even close on the tub.

 

[IngramDesigns]

Summit radiator fit perfect. Holley 4bbl sniper installed. She runs.

Work continues on the replacement dash. I 3d printed some rings for these polk marine speakers.

First time my boys have seen the "new" jeep.

 

[IngramDesigns]

Here she sits. Still a lot to wrap up.

 

[Belizean]

Nice ! Who made the tail gate ?

 

[IngramDesigns]

Nice ! Who made the tail gate ?

I think it's an MDJuan panel.

 

[gert]

a beautiful Jeep


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Chuck Bnvds]

The progress looks good, it seems like you're taking it slowly but surely.

 

[IngramDesigns]

Well here's how it sits for now. I've got a few minimal things to do (rear parking lights, windshield wipers, shift boots, SpeedHut cluster install, some 3d printed parts I'm modeling).


1978 CJ5, 304, T-150, Dana 20, Dana 30, AMC20
-Color: GM Lime Rock Green
-15"x10" steelies with 35"x15.50" Tires
-AMC 304, Edlebrock Performer Intake and Cam, Holley Sniper EFI and Hyperspark Ignition, Hedman fender exit headers, StainlessWorks Turn Down "mufflers"
-Throttle Down Kustoms Frame, New Tank, Holley in-tank HPFP
-AGR Superbox 1 Steering Box
-Tom Woods Double Cardan Drive Shaft
-SkyJacker 4" Lift
-Daystar 1/2" Lift Shackles
-Bestop Supertop
-SpeedHut Cluster
-Flaming River steering column
-Lots of bits and bobs

 

[Belizean]

Like the update on color

 

[CJ]

Well here's how it sits for now. I've got a few minimal things to do (rear parking lights, windshield wipers, shift boots, SpeedHut cluster install, some 3d printed parts I'm modeling).


1978 CJ5, 304, T-150, Dana 20, Dana 30, AMC20
-Color: GM Lime Rock Green
-15"x10" steelies with 35"x15.50" Tires
-AMC 304, Edlebrock Performer Intake and Cam, Holley Sniper EFI and Hyperspark Ignition, Hedman fender exit headers, StainlessWorks Turn Down "mufflers"
-Throttle Down Kustoms Frame, New Tank, Holley in-tank HPFP
-AGR Superbox 1 Steering Box
-Tom Woods Double Cardan Drive Shaft
-SkyJacker 4" Lift
-Daystar 1/2" Lift Shackles
-Bestop Supertop
-SpeedHut Cluster
-Flaming River steering column
-Lots of bits and bobs

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You did a great job! Lookin good...