Before we get started let me give everyone a little history on my highhood. My father traded a ruger .22 pistol to my best friends dad for this jeep ( oh ya I was 12yrs old at the time, im now 30:D). My dad and I started building and learning as we went, it was an awesome expeirence. We wheeled it for a couple of years and then I got my own rig. My dad continued wheeling it up to about 5-6 years ago and after rolling it a couple of times he decided it was time to upgrade and he parked the Rattler ( an affectionate name my friend and I named it for its rattling lifters). Fast forward to present day, I have since sold my rig and stepped out of wheeling for a couple of years. I now have a great career a wonderful wife and a fantastic little two year old boy who is my world. My dad still wheels often in his wrangler and I have decided it is time for me to make a come back tour in the ''rattler'' and give my son the kind of up bringing that I had, except this time the rattler is gonna get a little bigger and more safe. Oh by the way im on a budget so those of you who like to watch people spend 50G on a rig ( im guilty:D) this probably isnt the thread for you. Here are the specs that are coming out: dana 44 rear locked soa, dana 30 open soa, and spicer 18 stock, rusty floor boards and tool box. Specs going in: 14 bolt locked fw rear, dana 44 fw front air locker, scout d300, out board the springs, box frame, do some body work and paint. This is a 62 CJ3B and they are somewhat rare in this year so I will be trying to keep the body as stock as possible.

Ok so I got her in the garage and tore the rearend out of her. Its time to start on the frame work this afternoon. here are some pics of last nights progress and the 14b that going in: P.S. that lady in the first pic is my mother in law NOT my wife, I reapeat NOT my wife!!!!

Cool story. I like the jeep and will be watching. I have an almost 3 year old daughter and she has a rubicon jeep power wheels and she says at least she can drive hers. Haha. My project jeep is in pieces she loves to help though. Good luck.

What motor are you gonna be running? Is the body gonna get stretched any?

Sorry I should have put more info about the rattler:laughing: It has a balanced and blueprinted ex turbo buick V6 in it that will eventually get Fuel injected. Im running a sm420 tranny and I just dropped the scout 300 off at the shop today to get hot tanked and gone thru. As far as streching the tub, originally I was going to make it look like a scrambler/highhood:eek: but after finding out the history of a 62 highhood and how rare they are I just cant bring myself to cut her up. I know she is gonna be little but she outta be a lot of fun!

You need to re-turbo that v6, that'd be way sweet!

Ok I need some help, after spending a bunch of time staring at the frame and preping it to be plated I cant help but ask myself why not just build a new frame? I can take the tub off and do the work on it that needs to be done and plus make a better frame to boot. On the other hand I could just plate what i got and see how it goes. What do you guys think: build a new frame or quit asking questions and get to work plating the frame?

New frame all the way. Those old frames will crack on ya. Even if plated. And you'll spend more time plating and fixing cracks than you would just building a frame.

Here are some pics of the frame thats under her now.

very cool jeep chris i'm envious:D if the frame has been repaired before or looks like swiss cheese from rust/holes then it might be better to build a new one. be careful if you decide to repair the old one-to much welding/plating may require you taking it to a body shop with a frame rack to get it straightened-of course after 40+ years of service it may be already bent/tweaked. if you decide to build a new frame i will loan you the i beams i used to build my frame with. i might have my original drawings and dimensions for the frame for my flatty-if i find them you are welcome to them. subscibed to your build thread keep us posted on your progress. retro jeeps are cool :smokin:

looks like you posted your frame pics while i was typing a reply to your question that frame does not look to bad. if you take it rockcrawling a lot it will self destruct eventually as do most early c.j. frames. i broke the frame in my 1st flatty 4 different times- but that was 25 years of jeeping-125 trips through the con every sierra trek from #9 on and numerious trips to dusy,barret,calistoga,deer valley,hell hole etc. when i built my new flatty-i built a custom frame so i would not have to worry about breakage.

Dave, thank you for your offer I just might be taking you up on it soon:D. I have a feeling that the frame is tweaked because she always had a little lean to the drivers side which gave her a little bit of an attitude:laughing: I dont want to half ass anything on this jeep, she deserves the best I can give her. If that means pulling the tub and building a new frame then im in, but if the orig frame can hold up im willing to roll that route. Urgently awaiting the crowds opinion. I need to make the decision by sun. Thanks for the help:smokin:-Chris.

Well I decided to go ahead and plate the frame so I got a little bit done on the frame and got the 14b pretty much all ready to go. I had to cut about 4 inches off of the rear of the frame (do to some cracking between the rivets) and scabed in some 2x3 here are some pics.

Lucky, you and your tig. :flipoff2: Lookin good man! Just can't beat a good ol' flatty, high hood or not. Are those 36's? And what are you planning on running for springs?

Lucky, you and your tig. :flipoff2: Lookin good man! Just can't beat a good ol' flatty, high hood or not. Are those 36's? And what are you planning on running for springs?

Yep, those are 36 inch Iroks on 16.5s I wanted bigger but Im glad now that I didnt. Im going to be running CJ7 rears in the ....rear:eek:, I have been flirting with the notion of land cruiser springs up front because of the offset centerpin and they arent 5 feet long. Flatties are the BEST, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for these jeeps (see post#1). Thanks for the compliment and good luck with your build as well.

looking good chris- hope to see you on the trail next year with your flatty. another option for your springs is a set of rancho 44044's with a set of drop shackles- i started out with cj7 springs but had to replace them every 2 years-bent/sagging from all the parts/welding equipment/camping gear i carry on a rock run.you will probably be o.k. with the cj7 springs you just have to refrain from packing your rig like i do-which looks like a episode out of the beverly hill billys ( 60's t.v. show). :D

Ok I have been sick as a dog for over a week and got nothing done during that time:mad3:. I finally got a little time today to pretty much get the hard part of the frame boxed ( what a pain in the arse!!!:flipoff2:) hopefully tomorrow i will get to start on the rear spring hangers:D. here some pics of the rear pretty much all boxed.

Didn't come factory boxed back there? :confused: Mine was? Which is why I gotta re-weld the crappy 67 year old welds.

Nice job though!

Man I wish it came boxed, it would make my life a lot easier at this point:laughing: Thats ok though if it was easy everyone would do it, right?

nice job boxing in the frame rails chris.

Well I didnt get as much done tonight as I wanted but a little is better than none. I got the rearend back under it and the hangers all welded and ready to put in, oh and finished the rear of the frame. Im going to wait on the mid section til I pull the T-case. Anyway here are some pics, hopefully I can hang the springs tomorrow:D

I finally got some work done today:D I got the rear springs hung and all welded I just need to finish welding the front hangers but she is sitting on all fours again. I think I will try to pull the Tcase and finish up the frame sometime this weekend.

When I gave you the Hi Hood, I was afraid that I was not doing you any favors, but you are doing a magnificent job , bringing the old girl back to life , it is indeed very gratifying, remember to take a little time with the family...but you're doing great.
Love
Dad

nice work:)

damn dude, your doing all this welding overhead? I do not envy you! I'de take the jeep in a heartbeat though:) Im a welder by prof., i know how much that can suck.

Nice job on the perches.

damn dude, your doing all this welding overhead? I do not envy you! I'de take the jeep in a heartbeat though:) Im a welder by prof., i know how much that can suck.

Nice job on the perches.

It really does suck doing all this overhead, but it will pay off in the end. I need to get my butt back in gear. Life has its little ways of not allowing anytime to work on my jeep, but next mon. I will be hard at work on her once again. Thanks for the compliments they help keep me motivated.:D