I know it's been a long time since posting. The long and the short of it is: I have been waiting for over 8 months for a !#@$!% custom gas tank. Excuses, excuses. I finally received it and low and behold, they made it to big! To big in every direction. To tall, to long, to wide...about 2 inches in each direction. So it won't fit in the skid plate/mount. SOB! After 2 days of steaming over that problem it was time to come up with a solution. I have the custom tank mounted with straps with no Skid plate for now. I needed to get this thing running again so I can finish other things on it(body work, final welding,etc), due to limited space in my shop.
With that said, I spent a huge amount of time getting this done (3 days). There are a lot of fuel lines, electrical connections to this modern stuff (roll-over valves, vents, evaporator canister, fuel pump, nylon fuel lines, etc.). Got it all hooked up, dumped in some gas(no leaks), hit the key...and nothing! Chit...I had forgotten to connect the fuel pump harness to the pump. Click - fixed. Hit the key.....
Success! Started and ran like a top!!! I felt like Young Frankenstein IT LIVES!
Let er run for 15-20 minutes trying to get it hot enough to kick on the electric fan, no luck. The custom radiator I had made is to efficient at idle in "park" to heat it up enough to kick on the fan, temps were good.
Moving on, thought I would put er in gear and see what I had. Nothing happened! Chit - now what! I had forgotten that when I had the console out I had to move the 4x4 lever into neutral and never put it back in gear. This sounds stupid but I didn't have the lever knobs on because I knew I was going to have to take out the console again. Anyhow, put it in 2wd high and she moves on er own once again.
No progress for a few more days, as I threw my back out Again - urg (so it gives me time to do this update)
Immediate next steps:
1) Go get a 4 wheel alignment and assure that my frame shortening is square and correct.
2) Final TIG weld drivers side frame rail at splice (with any adjustments needed)
3) Make and weld-in floor board patches where new meets old and seem seal. Weld-in firewall patches.
3a) Go get inspected and licensed.
3b) Drive / Beat the hell out of it (fix what's not up to standards)
3c) Make custom skid plate
4) Strip remaining body of old paint
5) Prime and paint
6) New tires (probably Goodyear DuraTrac P255/75R17, they seem to match my mission, but I'm open to other idea's). Due to cost I'm waiting on new wheels, want something nostalgic (not wagon wheels) something like steelies but not so outrageously priced
7) Replace all glass (tinted)
8) Find / Install a fold and tumble type rear seat (need suggestions / idea's as I haven't found anything that works yet)
9) Refinish or make new wood slats for rear.
10) Insulate interior and put in heat shields underneath.
11) Make interior kick panels
12) Upholster / finish interior panels
13) Install headliner
14) Make it to MOAB in 2018!
The lessons I've learned so far:
A) Don't let anyone tell you it can't be done or that it's to hard. The electrical was really not that big of a challenge. Just leave everything in tact. Only disconnect what can be reconnected and test before moving on(label stuff). I was able to make everything work, with the following exceptions: Seat beat light and Air bags light (I knew in advance I didn't want either one). Yes I have 3 point belts and no air bags. It's still much safer than my Model A hot rod.
B) Don't count on anyone else (I was disappointed every time and it cost me dearly).
C) Truthfully, do your homework and don't compromise your mission.
D) Due to how the donor frame is put together, shortening it was really not that big a deal (start to finish on the frame was less than 3 hours). Yes I had to shorten exhaust (20 minutes) and the driveshaft (urg about 8 hours).
E) Get better at 3 dimensional measuring. I would have spent more time carefully measuring where the cuts were to be made in the donor floorboards to minimize patching. (floorboards to Willys under seat boxes, console to boxes, console at rear to willys rear floor).
F) Expect to have to redo a few things as project progresses. This or that is in the way of that thing type redo's.
G) Enjoy the process and when frustrated, walk away for a while. You will come back with an open mind and a better solution to the problem at hand.
