• Remove old body
• Remove old fuel system
  • Tank
  • Lines
• Remove brake lines
• Remove engine
• Clean frame
• Wash frame
• Replace front U joints
• Repair frame
  • Body Mounts
  • Left & Right Rear Frame Members
  • Gas Tank Cross Member
  • Secondary Cross Member
  • Driver Side frame by transmission
  • Rider Side front by front end
• Sandblast frame
• Rustproof frame
• Reinstall front end axel and hardware
• Reinstall rear axel
• Reinstall front and rear bumpers
• New brake lines
• New gas tank
• New fuel lines
• Reinstall engine
• Body
  • Fix body dents
  • Paint body
  • Install body
  • Install Fenders
  • Install Grill
  • Install Windshield
  • Install Tailgate
• Interior
  • Break/clutch pedals
  • Dashboard
  • Steering wheel
  • Seats
  • Center console
  • Rollbar
  • Canvas Top
• Electrical system
• Repair Wreck Damage
  • Straighten Frame
  • Replace Leaf Springs
  • Replace front shocks
  • Straighten tie rod
  • Straighten & Paint Front Fender
  • Replace side marker light
  • Get Comprehensive Insurance Coverage
• Winter 2004 Upgrade
  • Two Barrel Carb
  • Herculiner on floor
  • Paint Roll Bar
  • Replace starter
  • Replace front u-joints
  • Reorient air compressor
• Winter 2005 Upgrade
  • Two new axels w/ 3.4 gears
• Spring 2006 Upgrade
  • New (old) engine!
• Spring 2008 Upgrade
  • Roll Cage!

I decided to just clean off the skid pan with the wire wheel on my hand grinder instead of sending it off to be sand blasted. So, 30 minutes (and a whole lot of dust) later I had a mostly clean skid pan. Then a quick coat of POR 15 and it's up on the nail to dry. I'll put a second coat on tomorrow (If I have time.) And then it gets reattached. I already have the motor mounts reattached. So... I'm aiming for this Saturday to put the engine back in!!! Woo Hoo!!!!!
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Just a couple of overall shots to document how it looks at this stage of the game. Tomorrow evening I'm going to pick up the new gas tank. That leaves only the windshield and front grill to be acquired.
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I put the anti-sway bar back on and replaced all the bushings with brand new bright red ones! Same goes for all the spring shackle busings. The are all now red neoprene.
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I put the new brake lines on today. They aren't the prettiest but I think they should work just fine. The brass thing is the proportioning valve. (Like that tells anything.) It's the assembly that makes sure equal pressure goes to both the front and back tires. Two more pipes connect where the black tape is and go up to the master cylinder and brake fluid reservoir. It's so nice to see shiny new parts starting to get attached to Virginia!
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The new fenders are here! The new fenders are here!
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Nope, you guessed it. This is not my Jeep either, but it is the car I would love to park right beside my banana yellow Jeep if I had $40K to spend on a car. Vrrooommm!
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Tuesday, May 29, 2001

First Blood - She (Virginia, my Jeep) finally drew blood. Not too serious but it is making typing a bit more akward. Was drilling a bracket for the rear break lines and it jammed in the drill press and spun out of my fingers. Slicing my left index finger in the process. I knew it had to happen eventually and it's really not that serious. But I am putting the break lines back on. And I'm picking up a new gas tank this Thursday. She's starting to come together!
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Saturday, May 26, 2001

Fenders - They are on their way. Had to order some leaf spring shackle bushings and thought, "Aw hell, I have to order them some time and I might as well combine the orders to save on the shipping." So, I ordered two shiny new fenders from 4wd Hardware. It will be interesting to see how big the boxes are that they come in. Will probably be here middle of next week. Depending on how the long weekend delays things.
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Thursday, May 24, 2001

About 1/3 of a quart of POR 15, three $0.25 paint brushes, three pairs of disposable gloves and one hour later my frame has a shiny black protective coat of paint. Thanks again to Mom and Dad for the extra hands. I now have to leave it dry for 12 hours or so and then put a second coat on it. Then it's time for reassembly!!!!!
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It's really neat how clean it made the frame. It actually looked like you had painted it with greay primer paint. And there were at least three places where I found serial numbers at various places on the frame.
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It's Clean! I just got my frame back from the sand blasters and it is as clean as a sandblasted baby's bottom! By the way, it only ran $75 instead of the $150 I was expecting. Also, say hi to Mom and Dad! And tanks to Dad for the use of his truck!
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Tuesday, May 22, 2001

Wednesday is the day. I pick up the frame then and hopefully get a coat of POR 15 on it before it rusts. Sand blasted steel is said to start to rust almost immediately after it is cleaned. And it is supposed to rain that day too. Good thing POR 15 doesn't mind a little rust.
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Thursday, May 17, 2001

This is my Jeep. (Or rather 'was' my Jeep.) We had the three neighbor girls over last summer and were shooting some pictures of them for their Mother. You don't have to look too close to see why I decided to put the new body on it. I am so anxious to see how it looks when I'm done!
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It's done!!! The welding is finished. And a fine job it is too. Now, to line up a pick-up truck owning friend to help me cart it over to the local sand blaster. If luck is with me I'll get it there tomorrow and maybe have it back by Monday or Tuesday. If not, then it's a call to Dad and we haul it over Monday.
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Wednesday, May 16, 2001

Welding has occurred, again. Mr. Boyer came over again yesterday and worked on my frame most of the day. In between road trips to get a fresh gas cylinder, lunch and a new roll of welding wire we (mostly he) got quite a bit done. Unfortunately we didn't quite get everything finished and he had to leave. Hopefully he will be back on Thursday to put this baby to bed. Then, it's off to the sand blaster.
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Saturday, May 12, 2001

This is NOT my Jeep. But it is the color that I think mine is going to be. They call it Solar Yellow and there are Jeeps and Nissan Xteras out there painted this color. A nice deep rich yellow. The deciding factor will be the cost. I'll keep you posted. And I'm looking for a photo of the Jeep before I disassembled it.

Click on the Comments link below and let me know what you think of my choice of colors.
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Wednesday, May 09, 2001

It fits! - The body fits. We sat it down on the frame last Saturday and it lined right up. Got all 8 bolts screwed in using only our fingers. (And a small phillips head screw driver to coax the holes into line.) One more pass over it with the welder and it is ready for the sand blaster!
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Thursday, May 03, 2001

The body mounts are here and sitting on the frame. Just waiting till I can get a few friends over here to help me put the body down on the frame to test the position of all the new mounts. After they are verified we'll take it back off and weld those suckers down.
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