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Blue Jeep build

Not now not ever:flipoff2:

I'm offshore in the Persian Gulf right now. Should be back home middle of November.

Mostly a South African dive crew. Those guys are pretty much just like us, so it's nice.
They've got some pretty crazy stories about what's going on down there these days.

This is the first time I don't have a list of Jeep shit I need to buy. I'm taking that as a good sign.
 
Got word my suspension links from BentFab are finished and waiting to be shipped.

Also ordered all the fluids for everything.
 
You back home yet?

Not yet. Job should be finished by the time I wake up tomorrow. Probably be flying back home sometime next week.

I assume I still have to get a covid test before I fly. Don't know what kind of stupidity awaits me when I get back on land.
 
Welcome back, I'm sure you had plenty to catch up on and Christmas, but I'm looking forward to updates.
 
Welcome back, I'm sure you had plenty to catch up on and Christmas, but I'm looking forward to updates.

Thank you Sir, it's always nice coming home.

Now I just have to figure out where I was in working on the pile. I did order the materials and supplies to make the mold of the hood. Or I should say, to attempt to make a mold.:flipoff2:
 
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Started shaping the hood. Got as far as realizing I do NOT want to do this in the shop.
Was hoping with no fan running and all the doors closed the dust would just fall. That was stupid thinking.:lmao:

Anyway, it seems stiff enough to be supported on a table outside and hold it's shape. Two gallons of Bondo that has cured for 4 months added a bit of stiffness.


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The Bondo also added thickness, which I needed to have room to make a part that can take a little abuse.
 
2 gallons??? Jesus. :shaking:

It's now the "Bondo Buggy" :lmao::lmao:

:flipoff2:

Good to see ya back at it sir. :beer:

I'm going to pull a mold off the hood when it's all straight and pretty. Problem is, there's a few places where there was only a 24ga section of hood with not much gap under it. The bondo is to build up depth on the hood, so after I pull the mold, I'll be able to lay up a robust part that can take a beating without making contact with what's under it.

Basically, this is what I get for having no clue as to what my next 3 steps are going to be at any point.:flipoff2:



You're back in the saddle. Good to see.

Thank you Sir.
 
The bondo is to build up depth on the hood ...

Marine hull fiberglass is your friend sir. :smokin:

Strip off ev'ry bit of the bondo and start over. Lay down a layer of the marine hull fiberglass and let it cure. Then go back with a second layer with the grain orientated 45* off the first one. Apply the resin thick on the second layer to smooth out the heavy fibers. Let cure, sand smooth. Done.

Not a mold now but a finished product way stronger than the metal was by itself. Paint to match.

I rebuilt an entire rusted-out tub on an FJ-40 one time usin' this technique and the body out lasted ev'rythang else.

I've never made a mold for nuthin' so I got no idea if'n the Bondo is rigid enough to work. Must be tho since that's the route you're takin'. I got faith in ya. :beer:
 
Bondo is fine how I'm using it. It's used for making plugs all the time. It's like doing a paint job, you just stop after the epoxy primer.

My main reason for making a mold to produce the hood, is that if I destroy the hood, I can just pull the mold out of the corner and make another hood.
 
Will the Camaro take as long as the jeep? Gonna add rear doors on the Camaro?

I've been giving him shit about finishing that car ever since he posted about it. I bet if we keep it up we can project shame him into finishing it.


Love ya Kevin! :lmao:
 
I'm not laying a finger on the Camaro until the Jeep is done.:flipoff2: Only jumping on one grenade at a time.

I ordered a new Ram tow pig and got rid of my old Chevy truck. When my buddy who always gives me shit about the Camaro in the carport offered to bring his trailer over, I realized I had to jump on the offer. So, now I have a place to park the new truck and the Camaro is where it should have been moved 6 years ago.


My New Years resolution for the past 6 years has been to move the Camaro. I'm calling it a win.:lmao:
 
I like the underslung chassis rails in the back, we built all our super late-model circle track chassis like that to keep the CG low. :smokin:
 
Hood shaping all done. Sanded it out to 400 grit. Probably should have stopped at 320 grit so primer has something to grab on to. It's smooth as fuck right now. I may do one more guide coat and check it with the 320 grit.


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Guess I'd be stupid not to do a sanity check by putting it back on the jeep one last time before primer and final sanding.
 
Possible stupid question..... Is that the hood you are using on the Jeep or is this one going to be a plug to make a mold from?


Edit: Went back a page and answered my own stupid question. Carry on. :laughing:
 
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Got the hood primered and sanded down. Still a couple little spots I'm not happy with. Bought a spray gun and a gallon of Duratec primer. So I'll hit it with a few more coats and sand it all down again and it should be good to go. Any issue on the hood will be transferred directly to the mold, so I need to get the hood as good as I can.

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Then I realized I didn't order any PVA mold release. Soooo, that's on order too.

In the meantime I decided to make the front bumper. The extra 2x3 I has stashed away didn't go as far as I was hoping.


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So along with needing a bumper and something to mount the winch to, I also need a tube for the front swaybar.


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Winch is about as far back as I can get it without touching the steering cooler.


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So, thinking it all stuck out kinda far and looked a bit stupid, I hit it with the tape measure....

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That really didn't tell me anything except that the front of the bumper is 12.25" from the grill.........well, ok, it is what it is. It ain't like I can really shuffle things around.

So I slapped on a wheel to have a look from the side.


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Put the winch above the frame rails and stuffed into the grill as far back as you can get it and then run the sway bar tube under the bumper with an angled skid to the tube so it doesn't get smashed with rocks.

And shorten that bumper as much as you can....
 
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