CJ3B Beastie

Great work sir!

 

The openings diameter is 5", so it's cut with a 5" grinder cut off wheel, rough cut first well inside the line, then use a grinding disc on the edge to get the curvature smooth.
Should have realized it before I cut it, but the opening should not be half a circle.
It should be a bit pointy at the top to allow for the curved plate getting cut off at an angle. So I had to add a few slivers to the body work and blend it all in after the welding was done.

Not going to do much today.
It's going to be another 110* F day here.
I wouldn't mind a bit of that snow and cool weather you guys are getting.

 

Got the left side storage bins mostly finished.

Had to repair a section of the mudguard top panel and a few patches in the body work along the way.

 

Once that was done I made up some pressed channel shapes for the lip around the opening and welded them prior to fitting into the top of the guard.

Welded in and ground down to blend it in.

 

Then the body of the storage bin was inserted and tacked in place.

This side needs to allow for the fuel line going through the base so it's a bit of a difficult opening to seal up.


Will move on to the right side next but it needs a full length repair along the top of the guard and the side panel of the body needs a big patch to repair damage.

 

That looks great! I wanted to do this, but just count get it done. Fantastic!

 

Right side body work.
Not very exciting but documenting it anyway.

The damage to be repaired.

Panel has been distorted and bent various directions from the spare tyre being hit.
The internal mudguard top is rusted away at the corner along the entire length.
Dents in the rear curve and the top sill has been bent inwards.


Needed to put a new patch in the inside vertical behind the old brace. found rust and thin metal once it was removed.


Cut away all the bad bits and installed the new panel for the mudguard top first.

 

Silver bar is to hold the rear in alignment with the front while work was being done.

Got the outside panel on and then welded it all in.


Then replicated the storage bin arrangement on the right hand side.

 

So that pretty much took care of the body repair work.

I am sure to find more little sections that need attention when I start stripping back the old paint and rust from the areas I have not worked on yet.

Time to move on to the controls location in the cab.

I have a spare old hanging pedal set from a CJ5 so it is getting shoe horned in.

Cut the rear off to suit the shorter dash to firewall distance.



Propped the pedals in position and located the position the booster will be on the firewall.


Then made some new front flanges to match the brake booster.


That,s as far as I have got so far.

 

Looks amazing. I love those wheel house storage compartments.

 

Lack of storage places is the only thing I don't like about the older Jeeps.

I have decided to leave the original under seat toolbox out and make a storage space under the right seat accessible from the front so the seat won't have to tilt.
The new tunnel makes the original tool box impractical to refit.

Those, along with a centre console and under hood storage, should satisfy my obsession.

 

Underhood storage? Looking forward to that. I'll be making those wheel house storage things on mine, they look great.

 

Fairly easy process to make them if you are doing a full rebuild.

All the bends and curves for those parts were done between 2 pieces of angle iron in a vice and a hammer for the 90* bends and I just broke the curved piece's back on a large pipe to get the curve for the wheel arch.

Would be much harder to do the job if the body was still on the chassis but not impossible.

Under hood storage is yet to be thought about in any detail.
I was going to mount axe and shovel under there similar to what Duffer did on the photo he posted on page 4, but now my axe and shovel are exterior mounted I will need to think of some thing else to store under the hood.

Going to see what space is left once the radiator is mounted and the engine bay is finalised.
It is starting to get crowded with the turbo on the left side of the engine and the brake booster over on the other side.
Still need to squeeze a battery in there somewhere yet.

 

This will be me

 

You can always build a Rotisserie for about $200.

 

I wish I had room for a rotisserie. I don’t even have room to take my tub off, I can lift it up about 4 feet but that’s about it

 

Haven't had had updates from down under in a while. How is your 3b coming along?

 

Been stuck doing "real" work.

But did pick up some seats for the beastie today.
Subaru, faux leather look, the same type as the ones I used in the cj5.

Going to be busy doing other things for a few days but hope to get into the steering and pedal install soon.

 

So earlier I was working on the pedals and steering and got to the stage of setting up the steering so it is just right for me.

That meant the seats needed to be positioned so it could all be worked out.

The CJ5 pedals hung and the brake booster on the the firewall.