Status

Alright, I have been busy with my job. I have not been too busy to actually work on the jeep, just to busy to let you know about what I have accomplished.

These are the tubing caps to give the nerf bars a "professional" appearance.

Here is a sem-completed nerf-bar.

Here is the paint gun i got for my birthday. I'm sure we'll hear more on this later.

New fender flares:

Gasket for the transmission shift housing.

The passenger side nerf bar.

Birthday

For my birthday I got tools! Apparently people want this thing done!

I got a tool for blogging, see the model below wearing the jeep blog apparel.

I got some totally intense drill bits. It was like 100$ for 29 of them. Let's just say they make it seem like I am machining a block of butter.

This will be used when I am working on the dash.

This will be used to polish the clear coat.

Nerf Bars

I am building some heavy-duty nerf bars for the Jeep. Currently the only thing between a nasty roll or T-bone (not the kind from a highway diner) is a thin sheet of fiberglass. So I am building some supports out of 2" sq 1/4" wall tubing and 3" sq 3/16" wall tubing. I am going to gator coat the outside of the 3" sq tubing, put endcaps on it, and then rivet some diamond plate onto it. Each will be attached to the jeep with 8 3/8” grade 8 bolts.

Fitting Stage.

Members to frame tied in.

Drilling out main bar.

The bit is just there for classic looks, the laser actually cuts the hole

Mounted

Mounted and torqued

Grade 8 bolts

The Chinese's Plan to Take over America

I have finally uncovered a conspiracy.

So the enemy has made their way and established a military encampment in Nogales. We keep pouring troops to the line in Green Valley having the I-19 freeway as our only source of transit to the front line.

I work in the chop shop, a welding shop for the local military holding down this battle. Most of the military-issued vehicles have already been lost so it is my job to re-enforce civilian vehicles to brave the battle. So in my shop I have this 1978 Jeep CJ 5 that I am adding some nerf bars to for strength, impact protection, and to mount rockets on. Anyways, I was cutting some 1/4" plate to make some tie-in points to the frame.

Here is the pile of steel that I started with:

Well here is a start for the rocket mount.

See?

In the middle of my fabrication, my cut-off saw shut down. I toggled the switch on and off several times. I plugged in a grinder to see if the saw had blown the relay. The Makita 4.5" grinder functioned perfectly. I then smelled the saw and it smelled like burnt plastic. I then went and got a beer and started pulling apart the handle. I found this inside:

The chop saw manufactured by Harbor Freight had a 15A switch in it! This saw definitely pulls more than 15A of current, since it used to blow my 15A circuit breaker before I put in the 20A breaker. Anyways the Harbor Freight 14" cut-off saw that I bought for $59.99 is practically an act of war on America. First of all, we give our money to the Harbor freight tool store. Their store drastically undercuts every American brand practically twisting your arm to buy their products. So the American buys the Harbor Fright tool over the American tool. Enemy 1, America 0. Now the American man fights his harbor freight tools not paying attention to the global issues or invading enemies. Enemy 2 America 0. Now finally when they invade we try to tool up the American man, but he only has harbor freight tools and cannot even build a gun mount for a jeep. Enemy 3 America 0. The enemy always wants our steel. You think they use harbor freight tools to build hotels in Hong Kong? No Way. I had a 4.5" harbor freight angle grinder catch fire in my hands. I left the smoldering grinder in my driveway and drove to home depot and bought a decent angle grinder. Makita, I think it is Japanese?

So here is the stopped saw:

My fix to this, no switch use the power strip as a switch.

WTF? 15A!

Put the switch in the trash.

The fix.

Taped the handle to prevent foreign objects entering the housing.

The nerf bars.

Me driving on my birthday.

AMC 304 V8 With Two Egg Intake

So I was in the area of my dad's ranch and was checking on the extra engine. See my Free04 V8 post.

Anyways a morning dove build a nest on the engine already. See the pictures below.

I now know this:

Environmentalists cannot move this engine since it in now a habitat for the bird and its two young.

The engine must have some kind of spirit or energy in it that the bird was attracted to as a place to raise its young.

One day this engine will be the source of many happy wheelies. If steel could tell stories...

Here is the nest.

Budget

	Initital Estimation	Mechanical	700.00
		Paint	300.00
		Tooling	500.00
		Total	1500.00
Parts:	1=need to add tax						tax:
	1.00	79.99	Battery				6.48
	1.00	6.99	air filter				0.57
	1.00	4.19	oil filter				0.34
	1.00	13.92	spark plugs				1.13
	1.00	55.11	electric fuel pump				4.46
	1.00	3.27	mechanical fuel pump plate				0.26
	1.00	9.99	clear fuel filter				0.81
	1.00	4.49	pre carb fuel filter with return line				0.36
	1.00	34.86	brass expansion plug kit				2.82
	1.00	14.99	fuel pressure guage				1.21
	1.00	24.99	fuel regulator				2.02
	1.00	35.99	water pump				2.92
	1.00	23.28	distributor cap				1.89
	1.00	10.92	rotor				0.88
	1.00	5.99	RTV blue				0.49
	1.00	8.99	water outlet				0.73
	1.00	13.99	valve cover gaskets				1.13
	0.00	42.11	spark plug wires				0.00
	1.00	7.74	3/8" fuel hose 6'				0.63
	1.00	4.99	thermostat				0.40
	1.00	1.49	water outlet gasket				0.12
	0.00	68.97	flex fan and spacer and shipping				0.00
	1.00	14.99	oil pan gasket				1.21
	1.00	7.74	7/32" vacuum hose 6ft				0.63
	1.00	6.49	ultra black RTV				0.53
	0.00	5.26	silicone hose 3/4"x1ft				0.00
	0.00	5.26	silicone hose 3/4"x1ft				0.00
	0.00	25.04	silicone hose 5/8"x5ft				0.00
	0.00	41.62	chrome valve covers				0.00
	0.00	25.90	oil dipstick				0.00
	0.00	139.98	flowmasters				0.00
	0.00	19.99	3" header collectors				0.00
	0.00	11.99	shipping for collectors and mufflers				0.00
	0.00	-5.40	battery core charge				0.00
	1.00	21.60	motor mounts				1.75
	1.00	2.49	hose clamps				0.20
	1.00	19.14	exhaut clamps				1.55
	1.00	2.99	copper washers for oil plug				0.24
	1.00	8.29	copper tubing for oil pressure gauge				0.67
	1.00	8.99	wire loom 3/4" x 10'				0.73
	1.00	4.99	wire loom 3/8" x 10'				0.40
	1.00	8.37	3/8" power steering return line x 3'				0.68
	1.00	8.99	water pump relief hose				0.73
	1.00	14.99	upper radiator hose				1.21
	1.00	5.99	power steering belt				0.49
	1.00	6.99	fan and alternator belt				0.57
	1.00	7.99	permatex anti-sieze				0.65
	1.00	4.19	oil filter				0.34
	1.00	29.99	coil				2.43
	0.00	17.29	oil pump kit				0.00
	0.00	2.15	oil pressure line compression sleeves				0.00
	1.00	1.44	washers to space fan and lock washers				0.12
	0.00	-85.00	sold seats and center console				0.00
	0.00	35.00	seat riser brackets				0.00
	0.00	0.00	304 v8 engine				0.00
	1.00	14.99	locking fuel cap				1.21
	1.00	8.99	viton o-ring kit				0.73
	1.00	2.87	petroleum jelly				0.23
	1.00	11.99	shift shaft seal				0.97
	1.00	2.99	hose clamp				0.24
	1.00	7.99	oil cap				0.65
	1.00	2.49	carburetor gasket				0.20
	1.00	18.99	accelerator cable				1.54
	0.00	-185.00	sold soft top and doors				0.00
	Total	789.28	Remaining	-89.28			50.55	WITH TAX=	839.83
Tools, cleaners and, safety gear:
	1.00	3.49	nitrile gloves				0.28
	1.00	6.99	tubing cutter				0.57
	1.00	12.99	tubing bender				1.05
	1.00	7.99	siphon				0.65
	1.00	298.88	air compressor				24.21
	1.00	1.99	welding extension chord supplies				0.16
	1.00	14.77	welding extension chord supplies				1.20
	1.00	8.99	welding extension chord supplies				0.73
	1.00	20.68	welding extension chord supplies				1.68
	1.00	0.94	welding extension chord supplies				0.08
	1.00	4.99	engine cleaner				0.40
	1.00	3.67	gloves				0.30
	1.00	2.98	rags				0.24
	1.00	26.80	dropcloth				2.17
	1.00	25.44	1 gallon MEK				2.06
	1.00	-50.00	sold old air compressor				-4.05
	1.00	17.62	respirator				1.43
	1.00	11.99	chemical gloves				0.97
	1.00	2.00	wire brushes				0.16
	1.00	2.79	paint brush				0.23
	1.00	4.79	chemical goggles				0.39
	1.00	3.49	nitrile gloves				0.28
	1.00	524.00	lincoln 140 HD mig welder				42.44
	1.00	1.34	screen				0.11
	1.00	3.96	dawn				0.32
	1.00	25.84	pump				2.09
	0.00	23.90	exhaust pipe expander				0.00
	1.00	9.99	100 nitrile gloves				0.81
	1.00	25.00	coveralls				2.03
	1.00	2.99	hand cleaner				0.24
	Total	1051.29	Remaining	-551.29			83.22	WITH TAX=	1134.51
Paint:
	1.00	12.08	engine enamel blue				0.98
	1.00	8.01	header paint flat black				0.65
	0.00	19.44	orange header paint				0.00
	1.00	5.49	scuff pad 400grit				0.44
	0.00	9.72	orange header paint				0.00
	0.00	6.53	gm blue engine paint				0.00
	1.00	3.77	1 can gloss black spray paint				0.31
	1.00	15.08	4 cans flat black spray paint				1.22
	0.00	9.43	Red rosin paper				0.00
							0.00
	Total	89.55	Remaining:	210.45			3.60	WITH TAX=	93.15
Total:
	Total to date:	1930.12	Remaining	-430.12			137.37	WITH TAX=	2067.49	without tools:	932.98
										jeep cost	1200.00
										TOTAL:	2132.98

Spare Rim

So I am selling the extra wheels that came with the jeep in hopes of getting a matching rim.

Here is the matching Rim:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/ION-SERIES-71-ALLOY-WHEELS/GP_2015303_N_111+10201+600003864_10101.jcw

And here is what I am basically exchanging to get said rim:
http://tucson.craigslist.org/pts/1115555406.html

We'll see what happens!

Let the Sparks Fly

So I have stripped the body down to nothing, minus the fender flares, the bottom side armor, and the right turn signal. My current phase of the project is doing the welding for the roll cage.

Here is the list of tasks to be completed:

-Remove remaining body stuff as mentioned above.
-Remove the fuel tank.

-Fabricate and weld:
-front roll cage mounts
-rear roll cage mounts
-mid body mounts
-lower seat belt mounts to frame
-rear seat/belt tie into frame
-upper seat belt mounts
-clutch bracket
-straighten back left roll cage mount
-build roll cage mount bushings

So here is a picture of the front of the jeep

Side view without nasty seats

Side view with nasty seats.

Firewall

Rear of jeep

Checking body straightness

I installed a 20amp outlet in my garage with its own breaker, because my dry runs with my welder kept blowing the breaker. I have also noticed improvement in my air compressor and chop saw. Funny story about the breaker. I have this super-long (like 18") 1/4" drill bit that I use for snaking wires and drilling through walls. Anyways I was drilling a hole through an empty port in my breaker box directly through my house and into the garage. I wasn't exactly sure where is was going to come through, but I figured I'd punch through and then pull out and then go find the hole. So I dilled and then it kinda blew through and then started drilling again. Then is blew through that and started drilling again. I figured that I drilled through some kind of insulation or styrofoam or whatever. So I pulled and and the bit was covered in fluid! It was covered in oil! I ran into the garage and I drilled through my oil crate and into a perfect quart of mobil1 7500 motor oil (like an $8 quart of oil). Fortunately, I was able to salvage some of it and did not drill through any others that were lined up next to it. I guess I did not get shocked and now I have an awesome power source in the garage.

The new power source in the garage.

And here is the sacrifice that was made.

Tonight I was testing out my chop saw to see if it could handle the fierce cutting that it has ahead of it. It passed the tests, so I think welding is in my agenda for the weekend. I have also noticed improved performance of it on the 20 amp circuit.