Uni-body CJ - Not really but....

Just got a 67 v6 CJ Cheap....

Tub as bad as e-mail pictures showed - basic rust bucket- but here's the thing.

PO had made an Inner skeleton of Angle iron and 1/4 inch Plate - rear floor, rear inner fenders, riser from front floor to rear floor, opening for tailgate. The old sheet metal is there only for cosmetics!!!

thing is solid as a tank (and just as heavy I bet)

Would be very easy to use some cheap patch panels and get a respectful looking - but not normal - body

Thing is - he used about 6 Cross pieces -think of them as bed frame cross pieces - then set the whole tub on the frame and welded the cross members to the frame.

SO.......

Normally cross members, skid plates, etc that go between frame rails are bolted not welded.

Is this thing TOO rigid now?? Will I eventually crack what is otherwise a very solid 67 frame.

Should I leave it or try to carefully cut the welds (without cutting the frame) and then figure a way to bolt it to the frame?

Thanks

 

Pics would help a lot, if you can get them. Sounds like there's enough extra weight to sag out the suspension.


Edit: This is firegod33. I forgot my daughter was logged in on this 'puter.

 

Springs are sacked for sure - has jc whitney type helpers and Airshocks to boot ! Was used for plowing so I suspect PO liked the weight

Here are two pictures - look close at the underside and you will see one cross bar just above the Std body mount (Doesn't touch) one about 6 inches behind, and one Just before where the frame turns upwards

all thee tie into the diamond plate on both sides

the other photo is of the plate wheel wells. Look closely at the plate on top of the well and you'll see the angle used to support the upper lip of the fender
Figure I can trim weight by cutting "windows" in the plate but still worried about the extra rigidness

 

if i were you i would look for another tub

 

Welcome from central Va. Yeh new tub is deffinitly in order. But i got to say one thing about the old tub BEEFY

 

Beefy it is!! Can be pretty sure it won't rust out again in my life time

And I'll bet it will even soften the ride of a certain company's lift springs!!

Another tub is the plan But here in the road salt capital of the world (Wisconsin)- short of a new repro - good ones for the early CJ5s are few and far between. And really can't see driving to some place like Texas cuz even if the tub is cheap - Gas cost is a wopper!

until then - the mechanicals will come first. Then either some metal work on the old tub or a replacement if I come across one in time.

But even if I take this one off - the question remains about the rail to rail cross braces.

Should I leave them on to stiffen the frame - or cut them off and let it twist?

 

Up to you on the twist. Some of us here think Jeep engineers designed the frame to twist, some want it all gone.

 

welcome from a fellow WI guy. I am in east troy WI. Only about 30 min from milwaukee. My jeep was simular in that it had a CRAP body on it. PO took and covered all old rusty body with fiberglass. Had glassed wood for the bed of it, and so on. Tore the whole thing off and made my own body. As you said, bodies are not a normal thing here in WI. Try going to the spring and fall Jefferson swap meets though. Always some jeep parts and bodies there. Good luck with everything. Zach