The longest build thread ever, at least it seems like it!

[Kaiserjeeps]

Thanks for the detail Al. What did the piece of glass run you?

It was the original glass I pulled out. It was in super shape after a good cleaning.

[Kaiserjeeps]

Al...you are seriously committed in a great way! Wish I had half the time at home that it takes to do that stuff...gone 6 days a week coming up to the 5th week in a row...gets tiring...i hope to win the lottery soon so I can get off the road and get some stuff I want to do done...like you are!

Keep it coming...great stuff!

Thanks Jon. At least you are earning money. I honestly need to either sell my home and move on to new horizons or if I stay here, I had better get a real job soon. There is no real money here. People seem to bring it here. I have a pretty good assortment of parts I make. But they are for Jeeps and they most certainly are not Lamborghini's. They just keep me busy as well as working on this truck. I am trying to finish it so it is easier to trailer out of here. Only God knows what I am doing next. I sure don't. I missed the memo.

[brute4c]

If someone with your skills cant make a living then I am doomed...wish we went through your area...I would help you move...you know....have truck will travel.

[Kaiserjeeps]

I have not taken on any work because of I keep thinking I will be moving soon. A monumental effort that will be. The work is there waiting. But I tell them not right now. I have been on the market for two summers now. Two showings and I just don't get it. My place is great. 10 flat acres, no neighbors I can see, two great finished shops, Moose, bear, deer, cougars, blah blah... I want to leave because Liz died in my living room. This place is sour to me now. I get multiple reminders every day. I just don't feel I should stay here. I have a future with Becky now. I am ready for it. Please just pray God does something with this. Gods plan is a definite plan. I just missed the memo. I am doing a month of home repairs and going back on the market. I hope to have the truck done soon. It will be easier to move being complete. Heck I would be pleased to even drive it. Thanks Jon.

[Kaiserjeeps]

I sanded the grill support for two days. I got a coat of primer on it. Before I did that I painted SEM rust sealer on the backside. It needed it. I see late last night that after it dried up some that I have several rock ships to fill with spot putty. I thought I had them sanded out. But I sure see them now. I have had a heater on it all morning to try and make it sandable. It can be gummy and a mess if I don't do that.

[Kaiserjeeps]

Only a couple rock chips. Anyone recognize that flag on the wall?



I did not want to do the extra work but I did. It looks really good. That grill was one of the hardest things to sand. Power tools don't reach. Luxury problems.



Now this is cool. I wanted a dome light. I found some 230 lumen outdoor waterproof rock lights at super bright LEDs store. They come with a flat rubber mounting base or a curved one. It is for bigger tubing but it worked great. I will put a plug in where the bow slips over the door frame. I have another one of these lights for the rear of the tent mount that will be over the bed mounted on the 1 3/4 tubing. It will shine down in the bed just forward of the tailgate.



I grabbed a battery for a test and I like it.



Now on to the fenders, then the hood and finally the tailgate. This is the fun part.

[Flingarrows]

Looking good Al

[Kaiserjeeps]

I have been working on the fenders for days. About 25 hours now. Being a 44 gumbo tired thrasher the fenders were pretty bent up. I had a 1/4 inch bowed out crown forward of the door seam. I used a wolfs fab shrinking disc and it is amazing. A SS flat wheel that goes on a peanut grinder and shrinks metal back with heat. I love that tool. I was able to get the fenders nearly flat and remove all of the stretching. I still needed a skim coat of bondo though. I also had a dozen welds on the fenders to fix crack damage and broken spot welds. Paper thin and dirty metal. Fun fun..

Most all crown gone. You can polish a turd. These fenders were trashed.



Fixing welds. and multiple cracks front to back.



Previous bondo work. They did the old school hole drill to hold the bondo. When I removed the bondo and gave it a couple whacks, the fender was nearly straight. Bondo work like that is lazy. I welded the holes up and knocked out most of the dent. Then still skim coated it for time savings. I am also not that good fixing metal with zero bondo in a timely manner. But it is better.



I welded up the OEM hood latch holes. I am using modern jeep hood patches and did not need these holes anymore. I punched out a round correct size filler plug from some 18GA metal. Light welding and all done. No more extra holes.



In primer yesterday. Checking last night after drying some they show a lot of flaws that need spot putty. Not a big deal. I have some high quality German stuff that is great to work with.



Continued

[Kaiserjeeps]

So I am using a Rochester Quadrajet 4 barrel on the Buick 350. I have a manual choke and selected this carb from 4 or 5 carbs I had on the shelf. This one has a 1/4 shaft sticking out that will accept a bell crank lever making my manual choke a reality. I could not find a lever after searching the entire internet. I thought a rudder lever from a RC boat might be the ticket. Sure enough after finding a lever with a 5MM hole, I drilled it to .250 and presto. I now have a manual choke linkage.

Sorry the pic is blurry. I am still looking for Liz's old Nikon I bought her. It will turn up someday I hope.



And some E code headlamps! Lights that work. With the overly bright LED headlights on the road now, I am not concerned about these. They are way more precise than the LED problems on the hiways. These E codes have the trademark fine cut off with the 45 degree shoulder illumination. I have been running these for decades.



Starting to look like a truck. All that is left is the hood, doors and tailgate. The doors will get some special attention that will forever end the upper cracks from slamming the door. Wait for that one.



I am also now doing some planning on electrical and what I need to build out. I will be using only maring plated wire for supreme corrosion resistance. That is all I use now. That and this truck will have all weather pack connectors. More common than the Mil spec connectors and just as sealed.

More later after I get some feeling back in my fingers from sanding for days. And days...

[Kaiserjeeps]

I put about 30 hours into the front fenders. They needed a lot. I put some seam sealer in the fenders at the seam on the roll and body sides. Then got paint on them. They look remarkably good. I am needing to finish this truck. I am relisting my home and hope to sell this time. 3rd summer on the market. I need to be able to move this truck if it sells. Under it's own power would be a bonus.

Seam sealer after a lot of sanding




Some tan paint.



My cheap camera is bending the image. Nice...



I made new neoprene fender seals and punched screw holes every 4 inches to attach it. All seals were replaced ths way.



I got the fenders on and brush guard too. It looks great.





Boy does this truck look different from when I brought it home.





The hood is next.