... better known as Stone Soup.
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... better known as Stone Soup.
i don't get much time to work on my own rig, and havn't had a project for quite some time because my free time is so limited. but i was going crazy and something fell in my lap.
what happens when you cross this....
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_2969-2.jpg
with this?
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_2983-3.jpg
you get this....
a 1953 jeep CJ3B on a little bit of a samurai chassis with a sammi drive train.
this was what i drew in the beginning as a plan... i've had to make some changes but overall still following the same path.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...jeeprat5-4.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...jeeprat3-4.jpg
i had a plan in my head that i could build this for under $1000. little did i know i would build it for free and have money in my pocket.
i found the CJ3B on another forum i'm on. i tried to haggle with the guy on the price but he wouldn't budge. i ended up paying his full asking price of $1.98 but got him to deliver it for free. when he got there i reached into my change jar and counted out exact change =)
i got the sammi for $800 and quickly started parting it out
hood & grill $100
transfer case $100
fibreglass top $200
tires $400 plus another set to roll on
tires $100 (the ones i took in trade)
exhaust system with new cat $100
tub & doors $100
the tires it has on it now cost $85 from a used tire shop, everything else is what i had in the shop
divorcing the tub and chassis... showing off that 1.3L powerhouse... back in 87 when it rolled off the assembly line it produced a whopping 60BHP
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3041-2.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3042-2.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3043-4.jpg
test fitting the cj tub... yup, this ain't gonna work
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3045-2.jpg
so the surgery begins...
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3054-3.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3055-3.jpg
it's not low enough till you can scoot a beer can down the road!
big Z notch in the frame
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3056-2.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3057-3.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3058-2.jpg
i got the body back on it and started hacking away at the sheet metal... well, what's left of the rusty sheet metal... and LOTS of bondo..
the axle tucks up real nicely now
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3059-3.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3060-2.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3061-3.jpg
here it is on the ground with the rear end mostly mocked up, i still need to triangulate the suspension and mount the air bag.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3062-3.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3063-4.jpg
then on to the front... i was going to cut out the center section of the sammi front axle and put a straight tube and just re use the front knuckles, but as i was mocking it up (yes i know the axle is backwards in the pix) i kinda liked the 3rd member there to give it that pseudo 4x4 look. my original plan was for a mono-leaf up front like in the pictures i put together in .cad - but i didn't like the reality of it. so i did a quarter eliptical suspension with control arms. the control arms are half of front upper control arms from a jeep JK sleeved with DOM and a heim joint at the other end, it works better than i expected.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3073-4.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3071-4.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3070-3.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3069-3.jpg
wingnut & dipstick helping out as usual
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3074-4.jpg
i got the front axle under it and put a coil spring in the rear just to keep the body from rubbing the tires... so it's higher here in the pix than it will be going down the road.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3075-4.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3076-4.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3077-3.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3078-3.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3079-4.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3080-3.jpg
then i had to address the steering. it originally had the steering box over the front axle and the pitman arm moved side to side... hmmmmm... that's not going to work. so i moved the steering box back about 12" and turned the pitman arm 90* and used an old TJ pitman arm up on the front knuckle.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3086-4.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3087-4.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3088-3.jpg
it works really well & clears all the suspension.
to address the gaping hole in the front axle i hit up the guys at the shop that does all my waterjet cutting... i said "hey buddy" and told them about my "no budget" build and they happily cut me a cover for it.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3083-3.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3085-3.jpg
now i'm working on sectioning the body. i really didn't want to do it, but i couldn't find any rims with more backspacing and no one in the phoenix area will "re-hoop" a rim for the backspacing i need.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...100_3089-2.jpg
i really wanted to use the original tailgate but there is no way to widen it. i might just sell this one and put one together from scratch.
Very cool project, you are only limited by your imagination.
Wow! Can't wait to see this one finished, this thing is going to look BadAss!
Definately cant wait to see the finished product. I wish I had the talent you have!
my brother in law chris has been coming by the last couple weekends and helping me work on this. some sh!+bag stole my camera from my office but he had his so we got some pix and a video.
we got the steering box frame mount completed with sleeves that run through for support, got the rear trailing swapped out for some longer ones and clamped an air bag in place to see how it traveled. the tires are hitting the top and front of the fender wells so there is some more sheet metal that needs to be trimmed to get the travel we're looking for. but the main purpose of the air bags is to be able to rais it high enough to get over speed bumps and in steep driveways without getting hung up. i'm preserving the low COG and getting the benefit of a good break over angle for mall crawling =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIYwjGFdT-4
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...DSCF1606-2.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...DSCF1609-2.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...DSCF1613-2.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...DSCF1614-3.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...DSCF1615-2.jpg
Is it hard to register or insure a vehicle like this to make it streetable?
Insurance isn't difficult. If you can register the vehicle, it is easier to insure. But I have only run into 1 item I was not able to place.
Manufacture of climbing walls. I had a market, but it wasnt affordable.
i started with the 87 samurai since it had a title and could be registered sight unseen. but then called motor vehicles department and asked if i could register a '53 jeep i got that was a basket case with no VIN number and only a bill of sale. the girl did some research and said if they couldn't find a VIN then they would asign a new number to it. my biggest fear was that it would call a "special construction" and have to meet 2010 FMVSS. once i have the chassis finished i will paint the frame to make it look a little more restored and not like i've pieced it together. once it's a roller i'll take it down and cross my fingers. after registration is final insurance will not be a problem.
If you get the form, I can do a level 3 inspection.Quote:
Originally Posted by Doc in AZ
YES!!!