Wildman's TJ is getting a face lift

I should have mentioned this earlier, but didn't realize until I saw your post. I typically start on the back side of parts first. That way you can get a feel for the painting rhythm before doing the parts that show. :unsure:

That is a great suggestion and makes perfect sense. O'well next time.
 
Got most of both fenders sanded back down and about ready to reshoot with primer. But it's too hot now so I'm going to have to wait. I've got a doctor's appointment tomorrow in Yakima so by the time I get home it'll be too hot.

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Hopefully tomorrow evening it'll cool off enough I can paint. Or I'll get up at O-dark thirty Thursday and do it.
 
Got the radiator ready to take over to the radiator shop in Yakima. I'll have them clean it and also see if they can install a larger core into it. If they can't I may just buy a larger one instead. I'd be riding the Harley instead if I didn't need to take this over there.

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I'd gone on a dump run this morning plus run a few other errands in town and while I was at the dump I noticed that there was a wet spot under the front of my new to me truck. So checked it real quick and yep it was coolant. DAMN

Out comes the radiator pressure tester and sure enough it isn't going to be anything simple or easy. The Dang Nab water pump is leaking and on the Dodge Ram trucks getting to it on the magnum engine is a royal PITA. But got one ordered and I'll be watching my coolant levels until it arrives. Don't have much I'll be using the truck for anyhow. But DAMN.

While I was cruising into town it dawned on me that once I have the Jeep running and a good tune from @Flyin' Ryan Performance for the 6 pack & 408 I can take my old PCM that I had tuned years ago by B&G and slap it into the truck for a little extra umph. It'll be interesting to see how it does.
 
I'm taking my Jeep trailer into Luft Trailers for service and some repairs in anticipation of the Jeep getting finished.

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Stopped by the radiator repair shop in Yakima and they advised me to get a different radiator. Said that the one I had wouldn't cool my new engine.
 
While I was in Yakima today I stopped by the friendly discount tool store (Harbor Freight) and bought some other sanding tools for getting these fenders stripped back down so I can repaint them.

Been wanting a excuse to get one of these.

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And the sanding attachment.

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I'll let you know what I think 🤔.
 
I've been going out and sanding for about an hour here and there but might need to sleep during the day and work at night until this heat wave breaks. They say it's going to cool off on Tuesday but I've got a VA appointment so I won't be here.

Worked on the new truck for a short time this morning before it got real hot and installed a brake controller. Lucky for me the 97 Ram has the plug under the dash already.

Nothing fancy or expensive since I don't plan on using this a LOT to tow with.

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Added a clamp to keep the wires up out of my feet.

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The trailer is at the repair shop getting fixed and got my fingers crossed it won't take too long or cost me a ton but it needed some stuff fixed.

Then I worked on the fenders for a while but now it's 104* outside and 99* inside the garage so I came inside for some water and to take a break.

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Think I'll try shooting them with primer tonight and see how it all goes.
 
For all the painting members on here I've got a question just to make sure I'm understanding things correctly.

What I've been trying to do is get all the tight little areas sanded and to remove that top layer of the clear that I'd already sprayed on these fenders. From what I've read online and seen in videos is that you cannot paint directly over clear coat and that you need to remove the top layer of the clear for you to get good adhesion of the new paint. And also, since I've gone all the way down to bare metal in some areas this means that I need to spray a primer first before I spray a base coat color. And then of course clear coat to finish it all off with.

If I'm misunderstanding or mistaken, please someone speak up and set me right.

Edit: Also I'm planning on painting the Savvy aluminum backers for the sliders when I repaint these fenders. To do aluminum I need to use some type of etching cleaner and then a self etching primer?

https://www.eastwood.com/ew-aluminum-prep-and-cleaner-quart-trigger-bottle.html

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PL25ZM/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Is this correct for the aluminum?
 
Got some more parts in today. Been looking at all my options for a parking brake since I had to remove the stock brake lever with the GR center console. I could have gone with a hydraulic valve but then it's not really a emergency brake. So I decided to pick up a different option.

E-Stop electronic emergency brake system.

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A nice solution to the problem and fits under
 
I worked on the fenders until about midnight last night and think I have them ready to repaint. Trying to get into some of the tight corners and spots was really hard. We'll see how they turn out with the first coat of primer on them and then go from there.

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Was going to try and get up around 4 AM this morning to paint them but didn't wake up.

This morning I went out and installed the rear window latch in the truck since the old one was broken. This one is metal instead of plastic like the one I took off. The only thing I had to do was enlarge the holes on the catch side a bit because it didn't fit.

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The latch side fit perfectly.

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Nice to be able to close it and lock it now.

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It's not normally this warm but hopefully it'll break soon. It's still 77⁰ inside my garage @ 7AM.

Got up this morning early and usually open the doors to the house and take advantage of the cool morning air...but not this morning it must have been 75 degrees still..its supposed to cool a bit today here in the big city
 
First coat of primer is sprayed on the Savvy sliders and front fenders.
But I'd only bought a quart or this primer because I'd thought I'd only be doing the sliders. So now I've got to run into town to see if I can find something.

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