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Grocery getter, A/C, lots of space, chrome rims, navigation, HAHA

39K views 207 replies 17 participants last post by  Heimaster80 
#1 ·
So starting very late on this one, but it seems to change after ever trip out so, this will be the NEVER ENDING chop cut re-build tread:flipoff2:

Don't try to make sense of the this tread I am going to jump all over the place as I can find older pictures. Going to keep current Jeep runs updated.

Decided to keep the sand car -Sold my 2004 TJ to a buddy at work, it was clean, mild lift, along with mild wheeling.

After a few months got the itch, Dad found a Jeep for sell locally. Few weeks later I had a 46' CJ2A with a bad ass 350 under the hood.

The jeep was a river house jeep for look'n cool, sounding cool while launching your boat. It had a recent paint job with some ghost flames and some boat type seats. Overall looked like a good Willys project.

After further inspection-
Front block POS Motor mounts, the front Diff had 3/4'' up travel before hitting the motor mounts.

Frame...................................yup its a Willys

Rearend fluid, uh.....yeah filled with river water

Body -Bondo, up to half inch thick in places!!!!!

It has 350 chevy, large cam(power/ whats done unknown), four speed muncie with the stock T-Case/ axles/ 9" brakes/ UPGRADED(haha) chevy steering box
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Chop, cut re-build

Worked on it for about a year, last couple months every night with my step Dad Dan getting it done for Nov. Thanksgiving trip.

*Frame fixed
*Fluids check
*35'' KM2's check
*National springs SUA check
*mastercraft seats
*all new electrical
*Roll cage
*custom steering links
*A whole bunch of other shit I cant remember

First ten minutes, front passenger axle.....broken on Turkey day! After dinner drove back into town 2 hour drive, pulled the axle out of a buddies Willys and drove back. Next morning changed it out.

Carb worked like hell, brakes yeah what brakes.

Made a couple other trips had steering arm issues, stock knuckle twisted. Jeep did not stop going down hill. NO STEERING with low tire pressure, low gearing????? -NO.

So skip around a whole bunch, was looking for tires for my step Dads "General" Willys and came across a set of chevy one ton military axles. SO..........

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Chop cut re-build time...again.

*If you go to larger axles you need to change -Rims(4-wheel parts cheap steal), tires(38.5x14x17), brake lines(custom), transfer case(dana 300 with upgrades & twinstick), trans(SM465), driveshafts(Jess @ Highline), bell housing(custom machined), adaptors(AA), power steering(West Texas Offroad), Ram assist(West Texas Offroad), SOA(Re-arched National springs) shocks, fuel tank(custom aluminium), Fuel injection(TBI), winch, clutch linkage(AA), Rear disc brakes(shaved 50lbs) well etc. I will take some pics of the work and post up later.

Again this was done for the following months prior to Thanksgiving trip, late nights, yeah yeah you guys know.

Oh yeah I also re-wired it again because I wanted it BETTER, WTF was I thinking? Damn that wire loom is hard to work with, but look awsome.

I cut the drivers side front axle(Dana 60) down 4". the rear (14 bolt) I used Cab N Chassis dually hubs which moves the mounting flange in two inchs per side. Worked out nicely.

So thats the current rig, well kind-a currenty in pieces in the garage:shaking:

Well thats it for now....here are some pics.
 

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#4 ·
Thanks guys.....

Here is the YouTube link to one of the shots on Greenday area BFE in Moab.

It was a week long trip had many fueling issues with fuel injection( I'll get more into that later) but jeep did great. This was the "real" first hardcore trip I had ever been on and I went with full blown rock buggys. They climb like crazy and haul ass over the rocks! It was an awesome trip and I learned a lot. Only had to winch on Helldorado at the last waterfall, little Willys had them all impressed! We did so many trails I don't remember but the one that really got my attention was Rusty Nails, when your lifting a rear tire 10' away from a 50' plus drop off.....that's when rock crawling gets real serious. One the first day the very first trail they took me on was Hells Gate, then the Escalator up and down. When I went down the jeeps so short the rear tires came off the ground until the cage hit the side of the rock. It this point it was close to vertical. Made for a great first day in Moab!!!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ARa8TIoLQCU

Also if you look under the guys name that posted the YouTube video there are several of their buggies that trip.

I want to go back in a year or so, that is a great trip. And some awesome trails.

~Travis
 
#7 ·
85ish.....it was 85-87 i can't remember. Bottom line not long enough for the waterfalls. but it's under reconstruction as we speak. Longer rear springs and moving the axle back another 8" so the drive shaft can survive.

Will post up n the move in the next couple days.
 
#8 ·
Stretching the body at all?

How much of the wheelbase issue ( steep climbing ) is center of gravity related versus wheelbase related? I have been wondering about that a lot lately...
 
#9 ·
Talking about my ride -No body stretch just comp cut fenders which I do not like but meats are to big to fit. The rear will start pushing the jeeps nose up and over on the steep climbs. With 38"s it is alittle high but the trade off is up travel vs. height. I have recently lifted it another good inch and a half. That has really helped out keep if off the bumps all the time. Much better ride, but then the rear springs allow to much axle wrap and I ended up breaking the eye off passenger spring (front eye) the military wrap kept it all together and I continued to wheel with it broken until we got back to camp.

Back to the climbing question, Yes I do feel that the length is an issue with the steep climbs not the height as my axles and tires weight almost as much as the whole jeep. I feel my CoG is very low and even with the short wheel base it is very stable on the trails and climbs. If I did it all over (future planning) the front axle would be further forward then it is currently be 4-6" and the rear would be back 4-6" from where it was. I would also raise my drivetran to flat belly!

Wife says it must have four seats real soon or else.........

WELL then! four seats in my mind equals, new frame, body stretch(sorry EuroFord) linked front and rear with coilovers, beadlocks, and hundred more horsepower! Oh yeah and another seat.

Now all I have to do is finish my Dad's build and start again.....Now do you see why this is Chop cut rebuild thread. Poor old Willys it just wants to get dirty......
 
#10 ·
About how much up travel did you have? How much do you have now?

Do you have any kind of rear anti-wrap bar?

Something to think about. A decent patch to the rear end feeling like it wants to pick the front end of the jeep up and over on steep climbs may be to run with the rear tires aired up slightly more than the front tires. Sometimes this can make a difference in how hard the rear end is biting and allow the front end to do a little more work. Just another little trick to try.

I like your jeep....very cool!
 
#11 ·
Up travel in the front is 3.5" until it hits the bump stop. The bump stop compresses about an 1" to 1.5".

Before the up travel was about 1.5" before the bump stop, so yes it made contact over all the little bumps and rocks.

Yes it has a rear track bar but still have issues as it limits travel and all anti-wrap or you have full travel and the axle wrap is half ass'd limited but still happening.

Never though about running a little more air in the rear tires.

~Travis
 
#12 ·
The build

Here is pics from the first build. Not much to show what I started with but some bits a pieces.

First pictures are of the seat extention into the rear fender well. My step Dad can shape up some sheet metal!

Used some self tappers to hold it in place then welded it all up
 

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#13 ·
Roll cage

Steering was sleeved and rod end was used on the knuckle side(turned out to be a bad thing as the steering arm on the knuckle ended up twisting) live and learn.

Heres pics of the first roll cage that I have ever built. It turned out great, welds could have been better but I did learn a lot with this build.

The seat brackets are built into the cage for strength and with the fuel tank built below the seats there was no way to get to the bolts so the seats and belts are installed prior to installing the cage.
 

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#14 ·
Some more pics of the jeep, rear bumper built, and the new arrival of my daughter (5-6weeks old), momma asked me to watch her......I let her watch me. Deadline was getting close, build must go on!
 

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#15 ·
First trip

Well heres the first 10 minutes out.....

Thanksgiving 09' Borrego Springs

Drove back into town after eating some turkey pull the axle out of my buddies Willys to get me through the week. Fixed it up the next morning.

Had a great time..... very mild wheeling trip. Four Willys in our jeep'n group this trip
 

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#16 ·
Coyote Cayon run

Couple days later same trip.....

My Step Dads jeep stalled out in the middle of the water, HAha the fan kept blowing water all over the distributor:p

Had to back in and pull them out, the V8 with the exhaust under the water made it truely sound like a jet boat!
 

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#19 ·
Car show

So got it together just in time for the El Cajon Main st. Car Show. This year they shutdown the whole street and filled it up with Jeeps! There had to be close to two hundred jeep/ trucks/ and other off road vehicles!

My Step Dad drove the general, I drove my jeep and my Uncle drove his frame off perfect Jeep. My Uncles Willys is the cleaness I have ever seen, he has owned his since 1978 and just recently restored it (close to OG)

Enjoy the pic's:flipoff2:
 

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#20 ·
Uncle Dave's rig

Here are some more pisc of my Uncle Daves Willys
 

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#21 ·
Rear leaf springs

Here is how I adjusted for the longer rear springs and changing to SUA...............Frame extention, not ideal but what are you going to do. This re-build has really kicked my but. This should have been an easy re-do but has taken several different setups and I have had the springs changed three times:mad3: First time the :confused:free arch guess, second time the "mock up" add five inch's (WOW what a mistake!!!!!!) this make the springs into a horse shoe....funny thing DID NOT WORKKKKKKK, third time they added a leaf(as they suggested the second time) but Noooo I had to tell them to leave them extra soft for flex...:shaking: now they are on and working with the shackles at 11'' long. We are real close now they will need to be arched up just a little more to get the shackle length around 5-6''. This will also help keep them from dragging down the rocks or hanging up on steep climbs.

FYI, shackles shown were used for mock up height ONLY! I have temp ones built now out of 1 1/2" and 1/4" thick

Moved the front hanger back 7 1/4" and the springs moved the center point around an inch to inch and a half, so over all I gained around 8-9'' of wheel base. It drives better, steers better and with the anti-wrap bar we through togther yesterday it does tear up the driveshaft when you punch the gas!!!

More pics to come with fron mount/ bump stop mount/ limit strap/ shock mount/ etc, when I take some pics...and remember:flipoff2:

We'll see how it performs offroad but for now I am pleased with the switch from spring over to spring under.

Have a good one guys

~Travis
 

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#22 ·
Here's how the drivetran re-build started.

While looking on Craigslist for some tires for my Step Dads Willys I came arcoss military truck axles front D60 and Rear 14bolt. They were out of a 86'(dont quote me) one ton Chev pick up. The rear had the military spec detroit locker. I was on it like white on rice! I dont know why but I just wanted front and rear out of the same vehicle same year. Once I started looking into how I was going to make this all work I started to realize I would be re-doing a lot of the work I just finished! But I knew there was no inbetween for me. I wanted to go crawling and if I didnt go big this time I would be upgrading later.

I looked and planned for awhile and finally ended up at MIT in El Cajon. They are a little on the expensive side but you get what you pay for. They set me in the direction of the SM465/D300twin/Adavance Adaptors. Also turned me onto the hydroboost setup. This setup gave me the overall shortest drivetran possible for keeping it all Oneton.

The next problem I had was the axles were to wide to work with the narrow frame and body. I went out and got quotes from MIT and other hot rod shops to get the axles cut down. The cheapest I could find was around $5,500:shaking: RIDICULOUS My boss at work had recently cut and rotated his knuckles so I got some tips from him and had at the front axle. I cut the driverside knuckle off then cut the tube down by 4". What a work out! Damn those knuckles are on there tight! I mock the knuckle inplace then took the front and rear ends to get striaghtens and the knuckle TIG welded back on.

All said and done I thing the axle narrowing costs me under 1k, BIG difference from 5,500!

The rear axles was easy thanks to a wheel'n buddy telling me about the Cab and Chassis hubs. These are 14bolt dually hubs that brought each WMS in 2", PERFECT MATCH:grinpimp:

Next I converted the rear brakes to disc brakes with an e-brake cable (that has NEVER worked) Now I just use a electric line-lock for an e-brake.

Next to upgrade was the entire brake system from the pedal assembly(80's CJ/ booster(hydro boost from VANCO) all the lines fittings extra. All the rims (cheap steel ones from 4-wheel parts -gift card) and the tires thanks to Craigslist. Brand new 38x14.50x17's BFG KM2($1,400 for 4) -won't ever buy them again. The sidewall sucks! and the price to replace is $602 dollars!!!! Ask me how I now.:(

Here are some axle setup pics. You can also see my removable Radiator mounts. You just unbolt the tube and lift the Rad striaght up. Works great.
 

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#23 ·
Axle move more body comp cut:( to make room. at least it came out clean without to much paint damage.

On the passenger side look at the corner of the fender you can see the cut and about a 1/2" of bondo, oh yeah baby. Whoever did the body work LOVED that stuff. Haha

Well as I hit more rocks the vehicle just gets that much lighter!:smokin:
 

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#24 ·
Here are some random pic's

Loaded up ready to go to MOAB last year!

National Spring took it to TDS 2011 because I couldn't make it(I did end up going for a day I just wheeled by Jeep Grand)

My Red TJ I sold to keep the buggy.....

My buggy I sold to finish building the Willys!
 

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#26 ·
What is the wheelbase now?

Looking good. I don't know about that rear frame extension thing though. Are you going to do something with that space? Cooler rack, spare tire, subaru brat seats, hydraulic lift tow truck type thing, etc?
 
#29 ·
TOW RIG????? Com'on now..............That's a great idea!

Alright Mr. Monitor here are some finished(springs and hangers are changing one more time) Doesn't look to bad with the spare tire on but even my wife said "so are those supposes to be like that....are they standing like that" then "it doesn't look bad.....it just....well, looks OK" THANKS BABE:laughing:

Well if it works on the trail I live with it until........Like I said I'll live with it.:shaking:I dont like the height of the rear springs, I think it will hang up on the rocks to much. Hopefully the next couple of weeks it will make the trip back to National Spring for the LAST arch!

WB is 95" oh yeah. Drives much better on the street.
 

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