Another Willys Crawler build

Tdylan28

Member
Where do you live? I think you need to block Carl "I Lean" because he had a flattie sitting in his garage for too long and sold it before finishing. :)

Looks good. I've always wanted a Flat Fender and also suffer with height so a stretch would also be needed.
I live in Ohio. Close to Toledo in a little farm town that nobody's ever heard of. And there is no way I'm selling this jeep now that I'll have a scar to remind me of it everytime I look in the mirror.

You should probably buy a flatty and start a build thread so I can see some progress while my face heals up lol
 

nnnnnate

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Location
WVC, UT
I don't have any skills and currently also don't have a house. If I did buy a flatty now I'd end up without a wife as well. Maybe another time though. lol.
 

DaveB

Long Jeep Fan
Location
Holladay, Utah
My 84 CJ8 has the 4.0 (now 4.6 stroker), AW4, and a Dana 300. You will have a fun time with the length of the 4.0 which in mine barely fits with the radiator in its stock position. I used TJ front pulleys and brackets to center the fan. I also used the OBD1 wiring from a 93 Cherokee. Your OBD2 wiring will require a few more sensors like the battery temp sensor, just keep every sensor from the 98. I blended the 93 XJ harness with the CJ harness so that I could use all of the stock gauges. The OBD2 computer will make it a bit more of a challenge since the computer runs the gauges. Good luck, looking forward to see how you fit everything.
 

Tdylan28

Member
My 84 CJ8 has the 4.0 (now 4.6 stroker), AW4, and a Dana 300. You will have a fun time with the length of the 4.0 which in mine barely fits with the radiator in its stock position. I used TJ front pulleys and brackets to center the fan. I also used the OBD1 wiring from a 93 Cherokee. Your OBD2 wiring will require a few more sensors like the battery temp sensor, just keep every sensor from the 98. I blended the 93 XJ harness with the CJ harness so that I could use all of the stock gauges. The OBD2 computer will make it a bit more of a challenge since the computer runs the gauges. Good luck, looking forward to see how you fit everything.
Yeh it should be a fun time that's for sure... I dont think I'll be keeping the mechanical fan. If I can find a slim electric fan I'll try to go that route. The radiator is going to be pushed right up against the back side of the grille and I'll probably end up moving the fire wall back a few inches.

I pulled the entire wiring harness out of the 98. Hopefully I'll be able to weed it down a bit because its huge haha
 

Tdylan28

Member
I spent some time today on finishing the floor from where I stretched the tub and patched the passenger side where I cut out the tool indents. Then rolled some axles under it to figure out wheelbase numbers. Man I need more garage space... what a pain... but I'm really getting excited about this jeep. As it sits this is a 91" wheel base. I'm going to push the rear axle back a few inches when I cut for larger tires. We will see where everything lands when I start getting the drivetrain figured out. Next step is going to be frame rails so I'll try to pick up material this week for that. 20180909_191808.jpg20180909_183127.jpg20180909_191944.jpg20180909_191639.jpg
 

Tdylan28

Member
Today I finished up the drivers side sheet metal work. I still have to finish up the passenger side. I threw some olive drab on there. The previous owner painted this thing with a brush.. :skeptic: I'm going to spend a lot of time standing down the brush strokes. 20180915_161536.jpg
 

Tdylan28

Member
Use Aircraft Remover, it'll strip paint to bare steel! Save you some time, for sure.

The stretch looks good though, nice sheetmetal work!
Thanks! This is my first real attempt at body work. Its not perfect but it's good enough for an offroad toy haha. Aircraft remover is a good idea, they brushed this paint on super thick it looks pretty bad.
 

Tdylan28

Member
I finally picked up some material for the frame rails last night. I've been so busy between work and school. I'm a pipefitter apprentice so we do night class after work. That has really killed my progress lately. Hopefully by this time next week I will have a frame welded up.
 

Tdylan28

Member
I got the frame welded up today! I used some 2"x4" 3/16" for the rails and some 2"x3" 3/16" for a couple crossmembers and over lapped the rails 4 inches. I know people do more than that but it will get lots of gussetting and plating and more crossmembers so 4 inches will do fine. I got it within a 1/16th of an inch of square :cool: which is pretty good considering it was built on the driveway haha I'm going to use that same 2x3 to make some body mounts. 20181008_183655.jpg
 
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Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
Thanks Greg, I just want this thing done asap so I'm taking every chance I have to do something on it. Anything happening with yours??

No, been working on my adventure trailer or out wheelin' in the Willys. I'm hoping to make some good progress this Winter. It would be awesome to have it driving by Spring, but with my working out of town that may be tough.
 
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