R1 Rebuild (with lots of pics)

Finally!!! I have the time, money, and resources to rebuild my R1 the right way. Just alittle background, I joined the forum a few years back (when I purchased my cj) and I have been in and out ever since. I have been enjoying my jeep but I would love to be able to take it on the road. This means I have a lot of things to fix. Thus starts the frame-off resto/mod.

My jeep is certainly a R1, but it is in pretty bad shape. It has a '76 231 oddfire block with mostly dauntless bolt-ons (i know... odd). This is coupled to a t-14 attached to a d-18. From what the previous owner said, one of these was regeared to rock crawling gears but im not sure which. The frame is kinda rough. The metal is good, but a pole vaulting incedent a few years ago left the frame buckled right behind the shackles. Also, the frame was cenverted to handle power steering so... it has been welded on and hacked apart in some areas.

I have another donor jeep that I took apart to inspect the frame and it looks in much better physical shape but the amount of rust is extensive. I'm not sure at this point if it is bad enough to keep me from using it as my new frame. The tranny mount is mangled but I can steal the one from the renegade. The same situation goes for the rear bumper.

Enough talk though, lets see some pics!!! These are pics of the donor frame after i removed the tub and the renegade frame after i removed the tub.

Tub in the air


Larry rolling up the torch


Manual Ross Steering





Looks like the frame cracked once upon a time


Swiss Cheese Cross Member


Ren 1 Frame


Rewelded section


Buckled section


More to take off

 

Well, it appears as if i can't load from facebook... guess i have to bite the bullet and create a photobucket account

 

I like!!! Are those really old super swampers????

 

Haha, is surprised to see him wearing that much. Usually he is barefoot.

 

I don't know much about rust on frames. I know the pictures leave much unsaid but does the donor frame appear well enough intact? How much rust is too much? Obviously I am going to sand blast one or the other once I get both of them stripped. More pics coming this weekend.

 

I was about to take my other jeep apart but i soon realized I had no place to put everything to keep it organized and out of the way sooo.... here's the solution

 

I sandblasted and powdercoated the transmission. The color is "blood red." I used green painters tape to keep the powder off of the mating surfaces. Then I baked it and pulled off the tape. Lastly, I used a file to clean up the mating surfaces.

 

It has been a long time since I have been on Early CJ5, I joined the site back when I got my R1. It now sits in pieces in my shop undergoing a slow rebuild. Lately I have had more time to work on it and I want to show you guys my latest rebuild photos. I am powder coating everything on my jeep that is driveline or suspension related. That means just about everything except for the frame and the body. If it will fit in my oven, I'll powder coat it. I have been sandblasting most of these smaller items in a harbor freight blasting cabinent. As I tear down these components, I am also ordering rebuild kits and rebuilding them. My color scheme is a black and red driveline. The transmission adapter plate turned out silver by accident... I used an "inferno red" and somehow it came out silver. I have another one from my parts jeep so I will coat it red and put the silver one on the shelf. I have almost two of everything, so I am taking the better of the two to rebuild my jeep. Eventually I will have a bunch of pretty "spare parts" waiting on the shelf. Enjoy!

 

Looks good.

You might want to test fit your throw out bearing to make sure it will still fit over the painted/powder coated front input bearing retainer. Depending on the thickness of the coating, clearances might have changed.

 

Hey, I just drove through Leesville yesterday! I was down in Bridge City, TX and decided to come back to Shreveport up 171. I got back on 49 when I hit Many though. It's nice to see they finished making 171 bigger all the way down to Lake Charles.