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First Ride of 2008 - click here!

My 77 CJ 7 - bought for $1,500, ragged and beat to death. After a small (Ha!) additional investment and 2+ months of labor she's on the trail!

Before the Work

The way she is today!

Spec's (just in case you wanted to know)

To give you an idea how stupid of a undergoing this was, here was my "to-do" list (all the work has been done by me - I'm amazed it even runs).

1. Welded (boxed) the frame. This was a two-week job! It sucked!!
2. Swapped the springs back under the axles. It had 6" to 7" of lift (cutting torch and welder)  
3. New U-bolts front and rear
4. Cut and re-welded rear spring hanger.
5. New u-joints (2) rear drive shaft
6. New u-joints and yolk (2) front drive shaft
7. Knocked out 2" of drop on the transfer case cross member (cutting torch)
8. Replaced all the spring bushings with poly's – front and rear
9. Did a "reverse u-bolt” swap (gives more ground clearance).
10. Replaced all brake lines, metal and rubber
11. New master cylinder and vacuum booster  
12. Replaced rear brakes, shoes wheel cylinders
13. Installed a “J-Mar” brake (it’s a hydraulic parking brake that locks the front disks)
14. Ran a new fuel lines (metal)
15. Fixed vent tube on the gas tank
16. New wheel bearings and seals
17. New axle bearings and seals
18. Replace some wiring (BURNED TURN SIGNAL WIRES IN Column)
19. Install front "Lock-Right" Locker
20. Installed a rear "Power-Trax" Locker  
21. New 35 x 12.5 Dunlap Mud Rovers Tires
22. Installed new radio & speakers
23. New window pillar "off road" lights
24. Replace the steering coupler
25. New gaskets for the power steering box REPLACED COMPLETE BOX
26. Swap out the dropped pitman arm for a stock one
27. New fiberglass dash board.
28. New gauges (oil, water, amp, volt, fuel & Speedo) 
29. New Fiberglass windshield frame
30. Replace all "under dash" wiring (all connectors soldered)
31. Fuel gauge wire
32. Mount new L.E.D. tail lights (I've always been a light nut)
33. Extended front shock mounts (more travel)
34. New front shocks
35. Replace tie-rods (2)  
36. Replaced pitman arm to knuckle tie-rod
37. Replace broken spring plate
38. Seal engine from water
39. Run air cleaner vent
40. Drive train vent tubs extended (rear, front, trans & transfer case)
41. Install & wire CB radio and antenna
42. New turn signal front lights
43. Re-mount seat belts
44. New air cleaner housing (good-bye snorkel)
45. Install hidden beer cooler consol (oh-ya!)  
46. Replace front disk pads
47. New front calibers

After an outing at Richloam, I found out the importance of a clutch fork boot! As I sat in water (higher than the right door jam, 33+ inches) the clutch sucked up pine needles and dirt. This worked it's way behind the pressure plate diaphragm forks making the disk impossible to engage. I cleaned it out, now she works fine. I did throw in a new disk, so add it to the list!

48.    New Clutch disk

 - "Thanks" to Dave Souza for the tow! -

The List goes on!!

49.   Replace all primary ignition wiring

50.   Replace bad electrical junction block.

51.   Trim front wheel openings (tire clearance) & re-install flairs

Will it ever end???? This has to be a disease!

52.    (2/2004) - New rear axle bearings (Moser Green).

53.    Rear Brake shoes

54.    Accel Super Coil

55.    Re-routed engine air-cleaner intake (now draws from high, up underneath the dash inside the Jeep)

56. - Clutch again! - Click here to see the downfalls of a stock diaphragm pressure plate when used in heavy off-road / mud & water use. I have now replaced it with a "Long" style unit - problem solved.

September 2004

57. New plug wires

58 - Rebuild the rear end. New pinion bearings, crush sleeve and races. 

Feb 2005 - Help me, I just can't stop myself!

59 - Swapped out the T-150 3 speed / Dana 20 for a SR4 Four speed and Dana 300 with twin stick.

60 - New "used" Carb.

61 - New oil pump

March 2005 - July 2005 - "my world is shit" Pyle from full metal jacket.

Driver side rear axle bearing seized up and separated while flat towing the Jeep down I-75 at about 65MPH. This caused the tire, brake drum and axle to exit the Jeep and go bouncing down the interstate. Luckily it did not cause an accident or loss of life. Broke many other parts while recovering the CJ from the shoulder. Off the road for about 5 months, but the list goes on!

62 - Machined axles for newer style seals (Mosier) and new bearings

63 - Super Heavy Duty steering tie rods

64 - New Superwench front Hubs

65 - New bearings for the front axle.

66 - new brake backing plate (after the interstate ground the old one down!)

67 - replaced broken front axle shaft

68 - brake replacement fronts & Rear

Looks like an engine rebuild or replacement will be forthcoming, Let's see what happens and how much more $$$$ we can throw at it!

September 2005 - October  2005  - I must be crazy!

69 - Swapped in an AMC 360 V-8 (5.9 liter) - now that made a difference!

70 - Dual exhaust with 2.5 Flowmasters

71 - Tapped grease fittings into the rear axle for the new wheel bearings and at the front hubs.

72 - Ignition upgrade with GM module

December 2005

73 - New carb. for the 360 (Holley 2bbl)

February 2006 - "my world is shit" part two

Rear end problems again. This time driving the Jeep back from the woods at about 50 MPH - Pinion bearing let loose and parts of it wedged between the Ring and Pinion gears. Result? Locked up the rear wheels making for a scary ride. Smoke and fish-tailing on 35"s. Lucky she didn't roll. It hit so hard the axle housing actually broke.

Information I have found on many forums talk about the problems with the crush sleeves in AMC 20 diff's. Even though the pinion pre-load is set, with hard driving it crushes more and becomes loose (#53). The addition of lockers does not help. Next time around, it's time for a Ford 9"!

74 - Replaced housing, welded the axle tubes and reinforced spring perches.

75 - Replaced gas tank and fuel sending unit

76 - Replaced speedometer gear.

77 - Upgraded to a Mallory Hi-Fire capacitive discharge ignition

October  2007 - "the list goes on"

78 - Installed rear disk brakes (Dodge calibers and Samurai rotors)

79 - Corvette master cylinder

80 - Re-jetted the Holley 2BBL carb (68's)

March  2008 - "the list goes on, and on, and on"

81 - Used Safari Rack - modified it to sit lower on top of the jeep

82 - Light bar with (4) 100watters - made a "bull bar" to protect them from branches

83 - Brush cables from finders to rack bar

--- Next projects for this old CJ; Newer YJ frame; steering column and shaft; brake hydro boost; back yard paint and axle upgrade ---

Gary's other toys (click here)

1965 Mustang for Sale