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CJ5 wild stretch and full build (Big Booty Judy)

Nice build man, stumbled across it chasing the 4-LInk Calculator thread. I'm doing something similar:

LINE-X Jeep

I too added some L-Track,I like how you did the storage, gonna borrow that idea. Keep up the good work!
I've paid attention to yours. Nice build!
Basically the same thing. Were welding 72 t-nuts to hold them in place. I put down some Steel-It as I don't like metal on metal, we will be covering the entire tub with LINE-X XS-350.
Yup. T nuts are a better way to go compared to riv nuts, but boy are they time consuming. You're doing really solid work.
 
Honestly I never even though about using riv nuts, I only did the t-nuts because I had them on hand and I had the tub sandbalsted, I never would have used them if I were not going to bare metal. I think I may pull my thread over here, Pirate4x4 sort of keeps messing with formattting and images I upload. So much content I have used over the years seems to be gone. Keep up the good work, you're inspiring me to get 'er done as I have been taking a long time.
 
Honestly I never even though about using riv nuts, I only did the t-nuts because I had them on hand and I had the tub sandbalsted, I never would have used them if I were not going to bare metal. I think I may pull my thread over here, Pirate4x4 sort of keeps messing with formattting and images I upload. So much content I have used over the years seems to be gone. Keep up the good work, you're inspiring me to get 'er done as I have been taking a long time.
Pull it on over. This is the better forum now anyway. Unfortunately all the greatness of pirate is gone. And a lot of good tech is getting lost on a bad platform.
 
I'll start working on that this weekend. At a minimum I'll cross post. I've learned so much on forums over the years, hate to see it all lost, will trry to give some back.
 
It's all the little bs that takes forever. Not much to report. Just made some tower braces out of some 2x4x.120 box tube and tacked em in.
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This is so close to my vision of what I'm just getting started on. Except short nose and a V6/stick.

How tall are you that you had to raise the roof bars? I'm 6'5" so I'm guessing it will be mandatory for me.
 
This is so close to my vision of what I'm just getting started on. Except short nose and a V6/stick.

How tall are you that you had to raise the roof bars? I'm 6'5" so I'm guessing it will be mandatory for me.
6' . You could go with a different style seat. The suspension seats sit a little higher than stock style seats.
 
Got a little work in today. Most of the engine cage bars are in and partially welded out. Front and side tie ins are removable and with these in, makes the chassis pretty much a tube buggy from front to rear as the firewall bungs are tied to the main cage.
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Glad I have a lathe. Had to take .060" off these tube connectors to get them to slip into some 1.75" dom. A little irritating as they were supposedly sized for the tube already. I couldn't even hammer them in without turning them down.
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Then I welded in a few of the isolators and got to work on the rear down tubes/frame connectors. Fit right in nicely, cleared the body just perfect. And didn't obstruct anything in the wheel well.
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And then I got busy building the second connector/support bar for the shock hoops/engine cage. Had to leave at least 10.5" from the firewall to the tube to leave room for the hydroboost and master cylinder. And work it over and around the top of the engine to clear the top mount alternator and ac compressor when I getthere. Thats why it's leaned back. And I utilized those tube connectors. The two engine cage bars will also be cross tied together with additional tubing and a dimple die plate when I get back to it. But it's a few steps closer.
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........and about an inch of clearance to hide it all under the hood. Figure I'll be able to mount the coilover reservoirs to the bars as well.
 
Is that tube close enough to the sheet metal to get a few stitch welds between the two? Or does that tube need to be removed?
 
Is that tube close enough to the sheet metal to get a few stitch welds between the two? Or does that tube need to be removed?
It would be close enough. But the cage and all the attachments need to be removable. Mostly for finish welding and final body prep and paint. Plus I wanted it to be (fairly) easy to work on/replaceable parts. Upside is that rear bumper is ridiculously stout. Feel really bad if anyone ever hits it.
 
Holy crap batman! An update! It's been a minute, but I finally found a little time to start working on the floor. So I'm dumb. I didn't take the time to carefully cut out the tool box to clear the transfer case, I just hacked a huge swath out of it. So I'm piecing the toolbox back together, so then I can piece the floor and trans tunnel in. Hopefully get the floor done this month, then on to coilovers, finishing the trailing arms, then ripping the whole thing apart to prep for full weld of everything. But the interim gave me time to clean and organize the shop and knock a couple other projects out of the way.
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I hadn't realized it's been since March since your last update, so glad to see you back on this.
That's what happens when you tackle a motorhome project, that was more project than you realized....... and now I need to do an air throttle conversion on it. Ugh.
 
Got busy for a little bit this morning while it was still cool. Finished repairs on the toolbox and got it stitched back in. A little Frankenstein-ish but it'll do. Then made the rear trans tunnel panel and working on finishing this floor finally.
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Just saw this thread. Epic.

Regret the Atlas tail housing adapter for the D300? Swapping my XJ soon and that’s one of the few parts I haven’t bought yet.
 
Nope. No regrets here. I ordered it from advance adapter, they were out of stock and on backorder. I think it took about 4 months to get it. Very well made piece.

It's a fun build, sometimes wish it was a little easier and I could just order some simple parts, but that's what full custom gets you. Everything ends up being custom.
Just saw this thread. Epic.

Regret the Atlas tail housing adapter for the D300? Swapping my XJ soon and that’s one of the few parts I haven’t bought yet.
 
Tried to be fancy and make a one piece trans tunnel with a ton of weird shapes. Close but no cigar. In the scrap pile it went.
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During my build I only used the bead roller for flanging. Looking at your work, I don’t know why. It has to make all that stuff more rigid.

Carry on.
 
During my build I only used the bead roller for flanging. Looking at your work, I don’t know why. It has to make all that stuff more rigid.

Carry on.
Yeah, all the panels are incredibly rigid. After I get the body back off, I'll still add some bracing to the bottom, but it won't need much. Amazing how much a couple beads help to keep sheet metal from popping like tin cans.
 
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