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Fino's 1970 Mini Build Thread

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by FinoCJ, Oct 3, 2014.

  1. Sep 9, 2021
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Northern California
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    What about going to an auto paint store that can load aerosol cans? Use their color chip chart to match your faded color the closest and have a can or two made?
     
    ITLKSEZ likes this.
  2. Sep 9, 2021
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    Jul 18, 2013
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    That would be the plan, but not finding any places that will color match and make me a can of auto paint. I could try hardware store "Rust-Oleum" or similar, but not sure if the difference in auto enamel vs oil based Rust-Oleum would be problematic. Short term and for my beater jeep, it'd probably be ok, but long term, the Rust-Oleum stuff might fade more and may cause issue if it's over painted one day without stripping to bare medal.

    Edit - I found a place kind of on the other side of town that will do it for $35/can plus an additional $5 for a can of clear.
     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2021
    Ol Fogie, Jw60 and Norcal69 like this.
  3. Sep 9, 2021
    jzeber

    jzeber Well-Known Member 2022 Sponsor

    Morgan Hill, Ca
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    H
    Hopefully "not". I used these corner guards on mine. They were way cheaper when I bought them. CJ-5 Corner Guard Blanks - Steel
    My 71' became more and more flat black as the years went by. :D
     
    ITLKSEZ likes this.
  4. Sep 9, 2021
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    Jul 18, 2013
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    I bought these Warrior full corner guards to cover my marginal body and paint work....summit had a nice deal on them awhile ago for under $200
    Jeep CJ5/CJ3A Rear Corners
    but there are some unexpected complications with installation - mostly on the opposite side than I just repaired. I don't really want to deal with that side right now. But yes, they are flat black and match the sliders and slowly the distinctive pin-stripping is getting covered up and not visible.
     
    Steamboat Willys, Norcal69 and jzeber like this.
  5. Sep 15, 2021
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    Its done for now....I really have to thank Jen for all the sanding and putty work she did on this....we spent two days working on just the filler and glaze, and then when we primed it, we weren't happy, so we spent another 3 days - and its still not going to be mistaken for professional grade, but given what the rest of my jeep looks like from a paint and body standpoint, its plenty acceptable....the jeep is ready to run again (knuckles are good to go as well):
    from this:
    [​IMG]

    to this (the sun glare in the first pic makes the color match look better than it really is):
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  6. Sep 16, 2021
    txtoller

    txtoller Member 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Weatherford, TX
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    Came out nice!
     
    FinoCJ likes this.
  7. Sep 16, 2021
    bigjohn

    bigjohn Active Member

    Kelso Wa
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    Mar 18, 2010
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    Very nice work James, that looks really! And honestly these jeeps rarely get quality body work so I wouldn’t worry too much. Especially since the long term plan is corner protection, right? Regardless excellent work dude!
     
    FinoCJ likes this.
  8. Sep 24, 2021
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2013
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    Added a little more rear diff protection....
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I've beat mine up just bit, and after watching a couple different people punch into or through their rear diff cover when backing up or sliding back down off a steep obstacle (say on holy cross on the ecj5 run), I decided it would be nice to have a bit more protection. I was planning on just buying a simple, heavy duty, thick aftermarket one, but found the above protector on CL while surfing for other axle parts. The posting was from just down the street, so I went and got it for cheap. Install was trivially easy - one of its selling points to me. It bolts on over the cover - so you don't have to remove to old cover and deal with draining and refilling fluid or scraping old gasket/RTV off and prepping for new gasket etc. I think it looks a bit stupid (or at least not appropriate on an old cj), but if it works I'll take it for now. Next time I change fluids (and hopefully go with a lubelocker re-usable gasket), I might still replace the OEM cover with a heavy duty one and pass this along to someone else...we'll see.

    I do have a early production, thick OEM front D25/27 cover that will eventually get put on - thanks Wheelie! They make diff protectors like this one for the D25/27/30, but no way would I have enough clearance to fit it behind the the steering linkages. I will hoping to install the cover and a used, vintage Dana Powerloc LSD I recently acquired - thanks Jeep2003! - after doing the front knuckles, but I just didn't have time to mess with it, and I wanted to make sure the cj is ready for Moab in a week. And the 58 also needs a lot of attention - as always. So the rest of the front axle and T18 4speed are to come one day in the future. Probably before I get the front axle fully finished, Wheelie will have done his D30 swap and I should just buy his D27 already completely built!
    [​IMG]
     
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  9. Sep 27, 2021
    jzeber

    jzeber Well-Known Member 2022 Sponsor

    Morgan Hill, Ca
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    I had the same diff cover on my 71 and it held up very well to a lot of abuse over the years.
     
  10. Jul 13, 2022
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2013
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    5,593
    The rear seam between the corner panel and the taillight panel that I welded together last fall starting pulling apart after just a wheeling trip or two....
    [​IMG]

    As usual, my welding is pretty questionable. Been procrastinating on fixing it, but wanted to strengthen things up before Leadville. I managed to get the seams clamped together, and even get some holes drilled in one side of the pinch with the right angle drill.
    [​IMG]

    Then I did my best to weld it back up....Between having issues getting all the rubber undercoating cleaned off, gas flow, difficult access and my general incompetence welding, well in climbing there is a saying that if you can't tie the knot, make sure you tie a lot....I sort of went with the if you can't weld well, weld it like hell....its ugly from the underside, but its back together. Spray some more rubber undercoating over it and maybe no-one will notice.
    [​IMG]

    Will also have to clean up the paint in the seam area from the heat damage, and wondering if this is a good time to put the corner armor on....
     
  11. Jul 13, 2022
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    Jul 18, 2013
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    I've been trying to determine if a cyclic, speed related 'whompf-whompf-whompf' sound and vibration is some sort of bearing going bad, or if its just unbalanced, chunky, cupped, worn tires causing the concerning issue....I've been listening to all the bearings, first using hose etc, and then for $5, bought the HF stethoscope - man does it really help with listening. Pretty much ruled out the driveshaft u-joints as it made the sound with them removed. So been focusing on the rear axle - Got some help to spin the tires while I listened....did this both with the differential open and with it locked - which also allowed me to listen to the D18 ouput bearing and whatnot. With everything turning (diff locked), all the bearing spots sound pretty similar and smooth - there is a consistent/smooth hum, but nothing that sounds like I would think a bad bearing would. With the diff open, you get a distinctly different sound...kind of a muted clicking or rapid ta-ta-ta-ta sound. In this case, the wheels were spinning exactly opposite and the driveshaft was not turning, so no pinon movement. At first I was concerned of a bad outer axle bearing, but I am pretty certain the sound is the spider gears doing their thing in open mode with differential wheel rotation - especially since its not noticeable when the diff is locked. I took some video to capture the sound with the stethoscope ear bud against the mic....you got to turn your volume full up and you can hear it pretty clearly. Just ignore the hissing sound - just before I started the video, I noticed something weird on the tire - so i pulled it out - you can guess the rest.
     
  12. Jul 14, 2022
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    After heat damaging the paint at the panel seam where I was welding it back together....figured I could try and make it look a bit better and keep some of the rust at bay. I find paint and body work to be very tedious - so got Jen's help again. Did a bit of sanding down in the seam to remove the damaged paint etc:
    [​IMG]

    Sprayed a bit of primer:
    [​IMG]

    Now we wait - this is the tedious part for me....ready to be done with it....but we wait (and I surf ecj5) and will lightly sand and spray paint later. Trying not have a hard tape line - kind of feather the paint edge. We can do a bit of wet sanding if needed. Seems like I've spent a lot of time around this corner recently.
     
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  13. Jul 16, 2022
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    While waiting for stuff to dry on the corner, I had to find something else to work on...so decided to clean-up, paint and install a v6 fuel pump heat shield and filter bracket. I haven't had any issues with vapor lock or bad fuel pumps since I rebuilt the engine and installed a new pump. Before the rebuild, I had some combination of weak and dying fuel pump, dirty carb, vapor lock, worn points that made it hard to start when hot (And the 58 wagon also did this until the rebuild)....so even after 5-6 years or trouble free starting and fuel delivery, I stress about hot starts and think there is some value in trying to keep the fuel pump area as cool as possible - and with a front dump exhaust, the heat is right there. Guessing the original heat shield was probably removed by the PO when the headers where installed. I also never loved that the line to the carb with the filter was not secure and kind of vibrated and shook. Figure this can't hurt - but it certainly is a PITA is access the fuel pump mount holes with the filter bracket. Given the number of pumps we've all seen fail in the field - I hope I don't regret adding this. Its not too bad to get off - so a field repair might not include re-installing it. And thanks to Wheelie for salvaging these pieces....
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2022
    Fireball likes this.
  14. Jul 16, 2022
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    And the corner is done (again)....going to head to Colo like this. One day I'll get the corner armor on.
    [​IMG]
     
  15. Jul 16, 2022
    Renegade ll

    Renegade ll Member

    Thayne Wyoming
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    Feb 17, 2013
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    James I think it turned out really nice. See you in Colo.
     
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  16. Aug 8, 2022
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    Based on 'commentary' on the colo trip when I had to use my winch, it apparently was time to change out my fraying and kinky winch cable. I actually have had an almost new spare 5/16" cable sitting in the parts pile for a couple years from a friend that replaced with synthetic - just didn't seem all that necessary yet. I have an old slow Ramsey REP 8000, and the instructions for the bottom end of the cable that is held to the drum is something akin to:
    Before installing the new cable assembly, make sure end of cable is squarely cut and wrapped with tape to prevent fraying. Form a short 90° bend (approximately ½" long) in the end of the cable. Position the cable drum so that the large 13/32" diameter hole in the motor end drum flange is approximately on the top. Insert the bent end of cable into the 13/32" hole in the drum flange and then carefully run the winch in the "reel in" direction approximately ¾ revolution until the ¼" diameter threaded hole in the drum flange is on top. Secure the cable to the drum flange using cable anchor and capscrew shown in the parts drawing. Securely tighten the capscrew, but do not over-tighten.

    Its the cut the end square and bend a 90 angle and insert into the drum flange hole that never seems all that neat and tidy - albeit its not really a functional issue, and the cable anchor is what is actually used to hold stuff in place when beginning to spool in. But the spare cable I got, iirc, is from a warn, and has the nicely crimped end with the mounting hole. I probably could have ditched the cable anchor, and just used the crimped end, but I threaded a small hole in the drum flange, mounted the crimped end and used the cable anchor...everything got a nice light coat of lubricant and its all wound....it really is much easier to work with the new cable. Should have done this two years ago. So Rich M...don't injure those hands shoeing horses and you'll be ready to pull the cable on holy cross next year!
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  17. Sep 14, 2022
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
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    5,593
    Got a wheeling trip coming up, so went to look the jeep over on Sunday and found a puddle of fluid....the LF shock is donating its fluid to my floor.
    [​IMG]

    I recognize that I put them in 'upside' down, with the seal downwards - and that leads to issues like this sooner. But, given the typical diameter of many of these new twin tube shocks, they just don't fit on the front with the axle housing and steering knuckle stops etc. I've typically run slightly more budget ($30-40), gas charged, twin tube hydraulic shocks - pretty much the standard shock found with most basic lift kits. I've run both rough country and these were Gabriel Ultra - the shock body pretty much seems identical on a lot of these and is made in Mexico with I think just a different brand sticker put on it - maybe the valving design is proprietary inside. But anyway, they never fit with the seal upwards, and the shock body takes a lot of abuse as it comes into contact with the steering stops. Additionally, seems I get about 5 years of hard use on the front - the rear go twice as long as they are mounted upright and have no clearance issue with axle. In terms of ride quality, the twin tube have always been fine for me - even with the softer BDS springs I don't want anything that makes it ride firmer or stiffer. The worn out 33 MTs are also hard to balance and probably don't help whether driving or towing at highway speed. So I decided to try something new that hopefully fits better and maybe also works just a bit better in some scenarios - although at the risk of making the pavement ride harsh - some Rancho 7000s that are a monotube. Price at RA was good for a monotube ($60) - so figured for the additional $20 per shock I'd give them a try (did all 4).
    [​IMG]

    As usual, its a bit of fun researching shock lengths and trying to find exactly what you want with a non-stock application. These are recommended for cjs with 2-3" lift....the compressed length is spot on at 14", which gives me about 3.5" of uptravel, and the extended length is 21" - which is only 7" of total travel. My jeep rides at 17-17.5 inches, so pretty much dead center in the range of travel. I think it will work out well although the overall range of travel is a bit less than the standard twin tube I've used. FWIW, these are RS77113....for a more stock ride height needing a shorter shock, looks like RS77119 is correct.

    They have a smaller diameter shock body so they fit (barely) in the upright position - seems the key diameter is 2"....the new monotube is just under 2" and the generic twin tube are 2.25" - that little bit makes it work. We'll see how much external bashing and abuse the shock body takes from the axle....I'll follow with some updates - hoping to test them out this weekend on a wheeling trip.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2022
  18. Sep 14, 2022
    Rich M.

    Rich M. Shoe salesman 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Maryland
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    I have one red boot off a destroyed stabilizer you are welcome to :rolleyes:
     
  19. Sep 15, 2022
    txtoller

    txtoller Member 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Weatherford, TX
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    I think I would just move the shock mount to the rear.
     
  20. Sep 15, 2022
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
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    I may have some red boots off a set of RS5000's you are welcome to also. There is still one usable set of RS 5000 shocks in the shop I had on the rear of my 3B that could be used if the travel fits. I don't recall ordering those specifically by application but rather what I needed for length with about 3" of lift.
     
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