1. Registration trouble? Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom right corner of the page and your issue will be resolved.
    Dismiss Notice

Operation: Make Make My CJ5 Into A CJ6

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by dsrt4, Apr 28, 2016.

  1. Apr 28, 2016
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2009
    Messages:
    555
    Thought I had a thread I could update but I guess I didn't make one. Anyhow...I Finally got my 1973 Cj5 and Fiberglass Cj6 tub home from my Father's farm. The Jeep has been through several iterations over the years. My Family bought it new. Drove it for a few years and let it sit.

    I bought it for $500 when I turned 18. Tore it down to the frame and did a full blown cosmetic restoration. Drive train had 40K on it so I left it alone save for seals and brakes.

    I got into wheeling and went to a 4" lift and 33's then from there I stretched it 10" added 1 tons and 39tsls. Wheeled it all over New Mexico, Utah Colorado, Missouri and Illinois. Skip ahead 10 years ago I decided that I liked it better with 4" and 33s. Almost sold it and bought another but I couldn't bring myself to do it. So here is where it is at now.

    I have my original tub back on a Intermediate frame boxed to the rear bumper with 76 on up springs. It has a Rancho 4" lift and some new 33" mud claw tires on it. I put my stock Dana 30 with later discs back under it but unfortunately I sold my Dana 44 years back so now it has a Amc 20 with MOSER 1 piece axles in it. It is running and driving again as a cj5. I primarily did this just to make sure I wanted a cj6. I drove it for a bit and then decided to go for it.

    So as it sits now drive train is 304 t18a d20 amc 20 and Dana 30. The frame is going to be cut and stretched 20" just after the tcase. I want to use this frame instead of making one or using a commando frame.

    I am using 28" of 2X4 rectangle tubing with 4" long stubshafts being inserted into the original frame sections to stretch it the 20". The top and bottom of the tubing has been machined for a slight interfere fit into the original frame. The new sections of 2x4 frames have already been machined and are ready to go. I'll post pics of the tubing tonight. Tub is a Fiberglass Cj6 tub. I bought it new in the crate off of Craigslist from a fellow that lost interest in his early cj6 project. I'm using my original hood and grill but am using crown steel fenders. Stock cj5 body is beat and bent and will be going into the basement.

    Right now I'm just happy to have the jeep and it's new tub home back at my house in my garage so I can work on it. I'll post pics of the progress.

    Tub shot. [​IMG]
     
    fhoehle and ITLKSEZ like this.
  2. Apr 28, 2016
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2009
    Messages:
    555
    20 some odd years ago. After resto with lift and 33s.
    [​IMG]

    Then onto different paint and wheeling.
    [​IMG]

    Then onto bigger tires and some stretch.. [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 28, 2016
    fhoehle likes this.
  3. Apr 28, 2016
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2009
    Messages:
    555
    More lift more stretch[​IMG]

    Last build 1tons and 39 tsls.
    [​IMG]
     
  4. Apr 28, 2016
    Focker

    Focker That's a terrible idea...What time? Staff Member

    WA
    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Messages:
    7,540
    Sounds like you know what you're doing and what you're in for. It'll be fun to follow along... Thanks for posting.
     
    dsrt4 likes this.
  5. Apr 28, 2016
    tarry99

    tarry99 Member

    Northern California
    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2012
    Messages:
    3,784
    Cool.............
     
    dsrt4 likes this.
  6. Apr 29, 2016
    givemethewillys

    givemethewillys Been here since sparky ran it. 2022 Sponsor

    New Kent, VA
    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2005
    Messages:
    1,998
    I'm looking forward to following along to this one....
     
    dsrt4 likes this.
  7. May 1, 2016
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2009
    Messages:
    555
    Started pulling everything off of and out of the cj5 tub today. Made it pretty far. Got the front clip off and the windshield. Pulled the steering wheel/sector shaft and pedal hanger conglomeration out. I Pulled the heater box and cowl intake out. I went ahead and pulled dash off as well. Hope to get it and hood water blasted this week. I wish didn't drill so many dang holes in the dang dash.

    Hopefully I can get my plasma cutter back this week and cut up whats left of the original tub after I get it off.. I went ahead and cut out the drivers side firewall to use as a template. I may just use it as a drill jig for a 3/6 or 1/4" aluminum replacement for the original firewall plate. I saw a 1/8" plate that 4wd used to glass in on their tubs when they used to make them. I may mimic that or just bolt it to the firewall. I have not decided yet. I'll probably just lay out and transfer holes for the passenger side firewall goodies.. I have some pics. I will upload them after I melt into my bed and sleep.. Garage is a MESS!

    Good times!
     
  8. May 12, 2016
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2009
    Messages:
    555
    Yikes! What a Friggen mess. I must have a pound of Metal shavings the sawzall and sandstone in my shoes. I finished cutting up what was left of the body and got it off the frame. Seems like I have been here before. How many others have felt like that! :)

    This is like the 4th go around for this Poor old jeep. Excuse the Mess. The Johnny Lightning AMC Gremlin fell out of somewhere in the
    tub :)
    [​IMG]
     
  9. May 12, 2016
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2009
    Messages:
    555
    Heres the 20" splice sections. These are 2x4 1/4" wall pieces. Actual length is 28" long. 4" of stub shaft on each end has been milled down on my bridgeport to fit inside the frame once its cut. The weld will actually be a zig zag pattern almost because the original frame is boxed and plated with .187 plate down the length to the rear bumper. The inside plate will be cut back 4" to match the end of the stub.

    Here is a few pics with a original 73 cj5 frame rail section showing the mock up.
    This is before it is slid over the tube. It'll stop and shoulder up against the 4" section.
    [​IMG]


    This is slid down into the frame rail. Through the first hole on the left you can see the end of the stub shaft. (That is what I am calling it)
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Top view.
    [​IMG]

    Backside view. Obviously this short piece of frame section isn't plated over like my current frame is. The plate on the inside will be cut back 4" and will butt up against the end of the stub shaft.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  10. May 12, 2016
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2009
    Messages:
    555
    I don't know why there is duplicates of the pics sorry.
     
  11. May 12, 2016
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2009
    Messages:
    555
    Weld locations. 12 per side.

    [​IMG]
     
  12. May 20, 2016
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2009
    Messages:
    555
    Frame cuts for new 20" sections.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]
     
  13. May 27, 2016
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2009
    Messages:
    555
    Anyone watching this?

    Got it stretched Sunday. Went together pretty easy for the most part. I welded struts onto the existing frame before I cut it in half. I tacked the engine side of the extensions in and squared them up.

    I then promptly ran out of gas for my mig. Almost fired up the Lincoln buzz box and finished it up since I couldn't get any gas.

    I then remembered I had a few rolls of Lincoln flux core wire so I just did it all with that. Lots of 1.5" welds and moving around o. The frame. The rear frame fit right into the extensions and I used ratchet straps to pull it onto the extensions and hold it there.

    Took longer with the flux core but it all came out great. I used some short sections of frame from another rusted out 74 frame I had and made bolt on covers for the extensions to just give it a sort of stock appearance.
    I'll post those up later.

    Anyhow... it's right at 72-75 cj6 wb length now.
    Little bit less than a .062" deviation on numbers I took off original frame. I can live with that... :)

    My garage is a disaster area. Hopefully I can drag the frame out this weekend and pressure wash it and clean the garage out.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: May 27, 2016
  14. May 27, 2016
    johneyboy03

    johneyboy03 The green beast

    Quebec, Canada
    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2011
    Messages:
    2,115
    nice work, it's my next step for my cj5.

    Keep on the gooe work :)
     
    dsrt4 likes this.
  15. May 27, 2016
    tarry99

    tarry99 Member

    Northern California
    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2012
    Messages:
    3,784
    Looks Good............Are you planning on plating / gusseting any of those frame connections?
     
    dsrt4 likes this.
  16. May 27, 2016
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2009
    Messages:
    555
    Nope not one bit. You can see above the weld layout and the stub sections going to each existing frame rail. I had help coming up with this setup from a friend in the custom wrecker building field. His structural engineer essentially said the 2X4 tubing was overkill.

    There is only one butt to butt weld on each end of the extension.
    I showed him the weld layout he agreed it was good to go. He also stated I could even run several 3" lightening holes in the tube if I wanted to.

    I thought the lightening holes would look neat but I decided against it for time constraints.
     
    Last edited: May 27, 2016
  17. May 27, 2016
    Focker

    Focker That's a terrible idea...What time? Staff Member

    WA
    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Messages:
    7,540
    There's an edit function... Just remove the extra pics from the post.
     
  18. May 27, 2016
    dsrt4

    dsrt4 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2009
    Messages:
    555
    It's difficult to do on my phone because the pics just show up in the edit box as pics not the text link.

    I'm not super worried about it though. I think folks got the gist of it.
     
  19. May 27, 2016
    Focker

    Focker That's a terrible idea...What time? Staff Member

    WA
    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Messages:
    7,540
    Top right of the text box is a paper with wrench icon. That's for switching to a different editor.

    You're right tho...No biggie.
     
  20. May 27, 2016
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    USA
    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2006
    Messages:
    5,798
    First I saw this. Looks great. Keep it up.
     
New Posts