My Flat Fender Build
- Thread starter en480c4
- Start date
Well, I’ve made a pretty big change of direction. With any luck, the ‘48 will be sold tomorrow morning. In its place, I’ve bought a ‘46 very early CJ-2A.
It does three things the ‘48 doesn’t… It runs, drives and stops! It was Harvest Tan. Then it spent a lot of its life as a FD brush rig, so it got painted red. The original hood and windshield were replaced, but there’s tan under the red, which is under the white on the fenders, which are original. Front floors have been replaced, but it’s otherwise unmolested.
Plan is to make some improvements along the way, including some seat padding/covers, swapping from the 6V generator to a 12V alternator and clean up some wiring. But otherwise, once I get it registered next week, I’ll just enjoy it.
It does three things the ‘48 doesn’t… It runs, drives and stops! It was Harvest Tan. Then it spent a lot of its life as a FD brush rig, so it got painted red. The original hood and windshield were replaced, but there’s tan under the red, which is under the white on the fenders, which are original. Front floors have been replaced, but it’s otherwise unmolested.
Plan is to make some improvements along the way, including some seat padding/covers, swapping from the 6V generator to a 12V alternator and clean up some wiring. But otherwise, once I get it registered next week, I’ll just enjoy it.
It’s registered and insured. I picked up a spare tire for the extra rim I had, and got the side spare mount on. I also picked up a cover for the master cylinder access hole in the floor, and a rear view mirror.
So it was time to take it for my first drive. Where it promptly died on me about a mile from the house.
The wife rescued me with a tow strap, and I got it home. After a little digging, I quickly found out the distributor was loose, so under load the engine was pulling back timing. I did a quick adjustment and it’s running well.
Take 2 tomorrow.
So it was time to take it for my first drive. Where it promptly died on me about a mile from the house.
The wife rescued me with a tow strap, and I got it home. After a little digging, I quickly found out the distributor was loose, so under load the engine was pulling back timing. I did a quick adjustment and it’s running well.
Take 2 tomorrow.
Are you sure the ECU wasn’t getting a high
temperature indication from the IAT sensor and pulling timing to avoid detonation?
9 days to get it titled!!!!! Jealous. Looks like a fun toy
Maine only requires a bill of sale to register something this old. I’ve been waiting on the weather more than anything!
Trip 2 was considerably more successful. Not long, but out and back under its own power. I’ll call that a win.
Tried to address two things today. One successful, one not so much.
The intermittent starter not starting issue is not a starter issue, but is damaged teeth on the ring gear. I knew this was a possibility going in, but I hoped I’d find an issue with the starter when I pulled it. I just went ahead pit that back together. That’s a problem for tomorrow Ian.
I was able to install the Classic Military Parts 12V alternator conversion. Once the battery was jumped and charged, it ran great.
Progress between all the rain we’re having this spring.
The intermittent starter not starting issue is not a starter issue, but is damaged teeth on the ring gear. I knew this was a possibility going in, but I hoped I’d find an issue with the starter when I pulled it. I just went ahead pit that back together. That’s a problem for tomorrow Ian.
I was able to install the Classic Military Parts 12V alternator conversion. Once the battery was jumped and charged, it ran great.
Progress between all the rain we’re having this spring.
So, the old battery was toast. The previous owner running it without it connected to a 6V generators and charging it with a jump pack took its toll. New battery is in and it’s working great with the alternator.
I tried a new gear reduction starter. My 97-tooth ring gear usually mates with a 10-tooth bendix gear, and people have reported good luck with the 9-tooth gear reduction ones when the flywheel teeth are trashed. Well, mine is apparently too far gone. So I’ll have to get myself psyched up to pull everything to either swap the ring gear or put on a whole new flywheel.
In the meantime, I decided to pull the draw bar. I won’t need it and it looks much better.
Next thing I’ll do (other than address the flywheel issue) is get my Big Willy Jeep rock sliders and seat cushions/covers on and keep trying to get more of the red and white paint off. Hoping to uncover more of the original Harvest Tan. Goof Off graffiti remover and Easy Off oven cleaner gets a lot off.
I tried a new gear reduction starter. My 97-tooth ring gear usually mates with a 10-tooth bendix gear, and people have reported good luck with the 9-tooth gear reduction ones when the flywheel teeth are trashed. Well, mine is apparently too far gone. So I’ll have to get myself psyched up to pull everything to either swap the ring gear or put on a whole new flywheel.
In the meantime, I decided to pull the draw bar. I won’t need it and it looks much better.
Next thing I’ll do (other than address the flywheel issue) is get my Big Willy Jeep rock sliders and seat cushions/covers on and keep trying to get more of the red and white paint off. Hoping to uncover more of the original Harvest Tan. Goof Off graffiti remover and Easy Off oven cleaner gets a lot off.
This has been going nowhere fast. Took it out a few weeks ago and came home to oil on my feet. Figured it was a broken line to the mechanical gauge. Nope, far worse. It’s decided to pressurize the crank case to the point where it ejected oil out the vent on the fill tube and it came through the abandoned heater hose holes in the firewall.
Hoped it was easy and the PCV system was clogged. Not that lucky. Did a compression test yesterday and instead of 90-110 psi, mine measured between 40-65 psi. It doesn’t smoke or show signs of burning oil, so I’m hoping the valves are way out of adjustment. So I’ll be trying to address that next.
I did pick up a late CJ-5 roll bar for $25. I think they have the best lines for these, with the main hoop having the same angle as the windshield frame. But getting that in isn’t a big priority since I can’t drive it. But it does allow me to decide what weather cover to get for it.
And the seat covers went on, but I pulled them again since I’m not driving it.
It sure does look nice sitting in my driveway, though. Even if it feels like it’s mocking me.
Hoped it was easy and the PCV system was clogged. Not that lucky. Did a compression test yesterday and instead of 90-110 psi, mine measured between 40-65 psi. It doesn’t smoke or show signs of burning oil, so I’m hoping the valves are way out of adjustment. So I’ll be trying to address that next.
I did pick up a late CJ-5 roll bar for $25. I think they have the best lines for these, with the main hoop having the same angle as the windshield frame. But getting that in isn’t a big priority since I can’t drive it. But it does allow me to decide what weather cover to get for it.
And the seat covers went on, but I pulled them again since I’m not driving it.
It sure does look nice sitting in my driveway, though. Even if it feels like it’s mocking me.
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