Baltimore Ed's ‘02 Scrambler'ed TJ build

Baltimoreed

TJ Enthusiast
Supporting Member
Joined
May 18, 2019
Messages
538
Location
Aurora, NC
Finally got my Tj from the mechanic. Hurray! Here’s some photos of it in my carport. It’s got a new starter, new brake lines, new caliper hoses, all matching lug nuts, new wiper arms, balanced tires, an oil change and filter, brake pads and drums checked good, 4 wheel drive stuff was good and everything greased. Been tinkering with small jobs on it today. Replaced the bent up antenna, removed the milk jugs from the front bumper and installed the end caps, moved the mirrors from the doors to the body using Cj style arms and mirrors and installed the missing rear license plate holder. Had to thread the rusty enlarged holes with a tap to get my s/s screws to work. Tomorrow I’ll start on a bigger job, either the fender flares or moving the turn signals.

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Here’s my mirror movers installed. Opened the bolt holes up to 3/8 in the aluminum round pieces that go on top and under the arm. Used s/s 3/8 allen cap screws and s/s nuts. Put black end caps on the arms too. Added a round piece of aluminum conduit in the inside corner of the mover to act like a stop. The arms could be shortened if necessary. I have no trouble seeing the right mirror through the door window but I’m 6’4. Started on my turn signals today.

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Got one side almost done on my turn signals except for the body work and headlight install.. I used some scrap 1/4 in aluminum diamond plate to make the inserts to replace the plastic housings. Used my HF milling machine to cut the recesses on the back as they were a little too thick. Not real pretty but if I do it right you won’t see them again. When GR8TOPS does my bed liner I plan to ask if they can coat the inside of these.

Update—removed the milk jugs from the back bumper, only had one bolt on each tear out of the plastic. But the two lower bumper bolts are just hanging. I’m guessing that a PO had a hitch of some kind and removed it but never reinstalled these bolts correctly. I’m not going to either as I want to retro the rear bumper to a Cj look. Today I’ll drop my unpainted bumper off at my local body shop for him to blast and paint.... Just wrestled/installed my lock box under the driver’s seat, 3 different sized torx screws! But it should work ok. You gotta have a secure place to put stuff if you can’t lock up your Tj.

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I took a very wet road trip [680 miles round trip] to GR8TOPS this week to have them do a turnkey half top and rhino liner bed job on my Tj/Cj8 build. Turn out nice. They couldn’t do their soft tonneau cover as the center brace was in the way of opening the trunk box. I would have had to mess with the brace every time I wanted to open the box. I found an outfit an hour away that builds and installs hard tonneau covers so I’ll get up with them next week and see if that idea will work. I don’t see why it wouldn’t. Open the hinged tonneau and then open the trunk. When I get my other turn signal fender filled in and painted I’ll post some pix. The suns supposed to come back tomorrow for a few days. BTW, I pick up my painted rear flush bumper today, the bumperettes [kinda like the Rockettes except the can’t kick- only bump] came last week.
 
Got my half top, liner and trunk installed at GR8TOPS Tuesday. I like it, the top and bed liner look great. Rode home in the rain Wednesday with no leaks. They couldn’t do their soft tonneau cover because the brace across the center interferes with opening the trunk. I’m going to try to find an outfit that can make a hard cover for me. Installed my flush mount bumper today. I want to swap out the galvanized bolts with s/s though. Have plenty of s/s nuts.

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I asked Matt the same thing. There are drain holes. Walking around the truck a few minutes ago I suddenly realized that the driver side hinges match the body but the passenger side hinges are black?? When I paint my front fenders bodywork I’ll have to mask around them and hit them. I also tried to install a new set of adjustable door straps to keep them from moving my mirrors, got the passenger side done but bubba beat me to the drivers side. Theres a self tapping screw and a pop rivet holding the metal loop to the door. Duh. I’ll have to research how to pull the inside panel off and add a plate inside and redo bubba’s Jeep repair.
 
Research done, window crank clip tool bought, got my door straps done. Sorry bubba. Used a sawzall to cut off most of the rubber on the front bumper ‘bumpers’ and then used a side grinder to cut the two steel bolts down until the ‘bumper’ came off. I thought about trying to remove the whole bumper but this was a lot easier. Sanded it down some, primed and hit it with bed liner paint. Got a nice red trimmed steering wheel cover to match my red grabbers on the roll bar. When I upgrade seats I’ll get some with red trim. When I get my body work done I’ll get some nicer photos.
 
Ran into a wall on my hard tonneau cover build. Can’t find anyone that will work on a custom job so I’ll build my own. I’ve ordered some aluminum angle and a pair of s/s 16 inch egress 4 bar hinges to start with. I’ll use a sheet of 3/16 or 1/4 in aluminum diamond plate for the cover. This is kinda what I hope to wind up with. 9D12FFC6-B759-4175-8113-229E6C199C65.png
 
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Been under the carport and boy it’s hot but I’m getting things done. Replaced 4 steel rear bumper bolts with s/s 1/2 inch bolts, masked the grille and primed my ‘V’ brace. My delron door hinge bushing kit arrived today. Had to use a 2x4 to get the doors off, don’t imagine they’ve been off in a while. But there was no ‘ simply drive out the insert with the supplied tool’ on these babies. The factory inserts wouldn’t B3046BEF-B2D5-48B0-AD77-246F2EE5D580.jpeg608C52BB-F85D-44E7-9606-E96A529E6502.jpeg move, I eventually used my dremel tool to cut a slot in the insert to give the steel somewhere to go. Then I was able to work them out. I think the doors are opening and closing better as they’re sitting a little higher and the locks might have been in a bind. My aluminum angle for my tonneau showed up. Ordered a Sony N5300BT too, my oem radio has volume knob and cd issues. Gotta have my tunes.
 
Finally got primer on both my filled in turn signals. Maybe I can get them completed tomorrow. I’ve decided that I don’t like body work any more than sheet rock work. Also tried bending my aluminum angle for my tonneau frame. Not too bad for a first try. Heat it and it softens right up. 84ED83A8-B08C-4327-956C-AB3600735E9C.jpegF5A9437F-57F0-4CFA-B721-5225D8B3DBD2.jpeg
 
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Installed my Sony radio today. Getting the oem unit out was tough but the install was easy. Picking up a rock station on the outer banks 130 miles away. Sounds great but now I’ve got to learn how to operate it. It’s going to be interesting, I remember when tv’s that had tubes in ‘em. I also tinkered with my tailgate as it was scrubbing against the end of the steel lock post. I removed one washer from the post and now it shuts fine.
 
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Today I corrected another of bubba’s mods. He had installed sun visors from another vehicle that didn’t even come close to Tj oem?? They had a 3 hole mount so they kinda hung cockeyed off the windshield frame. I installed a brand new correct pair of agate visors. Also replaced the original headlights with NAPA’s upgraded sealed beams and new bright kentrol s/s bezels. They look better than all that black.
Hadn’t mentioned it here but I installed delrin door hinge inserts. Once I figured out how to get the oem steel inserts out. They did not want to come out. But they raised the doors a bit and now the doors work great.
 
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Got some more work done. My meep meep horn is gone, now Ripley sounds like a ‘69 Plymouth Fury. A muscle Tj, made you look. Replaced the weird bulb in the engine compartment light, cleaned it up. Replaced the #19 fuse for my lighter but there might be another issue as I plugged in my phone to charge it and it was flickering charge- no charge??? Ordered a washer pump at napa, I’ll try to get it installed tomorrow. Got a question for the forum. In looking at my engine compartment there is a fairly large shelf on the driver’s side up against the firewall, about the same level as the battery shelf. What was/is supposed to be in that space? Another battery, air compressor? It looks like something was bolted there as there are bolt holes in it. My tonneau hinges came today so I’ll see what I can get done before my surgery Monday.
Here’s a pix that I found showing the shelf that I’m curious about. The thing right under the master cylinder.FEE103E1-80E5-45E4-B8E0-7EA449084F25.jpeg
 
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Surgery is over, 2 weeks out, moving with a cane pretty good. Sleeping a little better now. Replaced my washer pump motor but no go. Next time I mess with it I’m going to swap the hoses and power from the front windshield pump to the rear washer pump and try that switch and wiring. Carried my used rims [with junk tires] to my local tire dealer. He dismounted them for free, also picked up my drawbar from the local fab shop, they blasted and painted it for 35.00. I love living in a small town for 47 years. Everyone knows you, knows your checks are good, half the folks around here were taught english by my wife. Makes life less complicated. Pictures when I get my rims cleaned up.

Update- swapped the hoses and power around on my washer pumps but no go. Drilled new holes in my drawbar and enlarged the 1/2 inch holes in the ells, primed and painted the fresh steel. Pulled my fog light covers to clean them up. Bought a nice looking pair of hard half doors, correct agate interiors [got lucky] with blue paint exterior. They should repaint close to my blue steel pearl. Be here Monday.

Update- found another Fury horn in my barn so now Ripley has 3 ’66/‘69 Fury horns under her hood. Sounds real good. Got the draw bar figured out and installed. Fixed the sticky passenger door where it was scrubbing the half top. Plan on getting her washed tomorrow after therapy. Pictures then.
 
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