Gone Postal : Mail Jeep Build

[95yjjeep]

i got creative on some body work today. the mail jeeps have this hideous channel that runs down next to the windshield and door opening for the sliding doors. since i ditched the sliders, i didn't need that 3" channel to hit everything on the trail...so i cut it off. i cut the upper door sliders off too. now the roof line doesn't have the greasy sliders on it. i only got the driver side done today. i'll finish the other tomorrow.

passenger side before (so you can see what it did look like)

driver side after.

another.

you can tell the difference in this pic.

i also pressed out the old bushings that were in the yj springs i picked up yesterday and got them in there for good.

i also started stripping some of the accessory items that were mounted to the fenders. i hope to get the motor and transmission out in the next couple of weeks. i need to pick up a cherry picker i guess.

 

[UncleWillie]

If you need to borrow a cherry picker let me know and I will loan you mine for a few days when I et back from VA.

 

[Jeff H]

chad i also have a cherry picker you can borrow if you want to get it next time you visit your parents

 

[UncleWillie]

Jeff would probably be closer. I am way out in the cow pasture.

 

[95yjjeep]

i hate grinding metal. i did a little body work (cutting out rust) and hit it with some black primer. murdered out!

the windshield frame looks so much better without that goofy ass channel running down it. i am going to mess with the driver side to make it look like this side. i cut out even more on this side due to rust and i actually like it better.

i kinda like the black primer.

 

[Ray VanBuren]

This is such a cool build. I used to have a '71 DJ that was LHD that I was going to do all this to, but my plan was to obtain another DJ, cut off the back half, and splice it into mine for a wheelbase stretch.

 

[pikapp691]

Any updates? Great build!

 

[95yjjeep]

Any updates? Great build!

not really. thanks for the interest though. i finally got an 230v extension cord for my welder tonight and i got to get to work on it tonight but it rained me out. i did start welding in the gas filler cap hole but i only got it half welded in due to rain. i finished cutting out the channel around the door last night so i can start mocking up the half doors this weekend. i'll get a good bit of welding done. i still have to finish welding the rear bumper in place, rear spring hangers and the bumper end caps.

i did get some old cj5 hood hinges that i'm going to use for the doors. not really anything worth photos. i'll get some photos up on sunday or monday.

 

[95yjjeep]

got some work done today. it doesn't look like much but it was a big step for me. i got the rear bumper fully welded on and the rear spring perches fully welded. i also did some body work. i welded up the gas filler door that was on the back of the body. i had to fix the rear corner also because i put the template up to high and caused my brother to cut the fender too high. oops. it's fixed now though!

i got the bumper end caps welded on too.

this was the driver side door opening i finished up the other night. i will put my doors on it this week.

gas door is no more.

rear perches.

the 2 other black primer spots are some other holes that i filled in.

windshield after everything was cut off.

here is the fixed rear fender.

 

[95yjjeep]

here is the old cj5 hood hinge i got from pullapart that i'll be using for my door hinges. i'll have to fabricate the lower hinges to match.

 

[95yjjeep]

didn't get any work done on my jeep tonight but i did finish my new website with my graphic design portfolio. that means i can work on my jeep again this week. you can check it out. http://edmonsondesign.com/

 

[95yjjeep]

it's got doors! kinda. this is the one that i got free off the board. i used the cj-5 hood hinges i snagged from the junkyard for my lower mounts. i'll have to fabricate the upper mounts. no biggie! i'm going to plate the doors with 1/8" plate. i just haven't picked any metal up yet.

another.

this is the door frame i made to match the bestop door. i thought i got it pretty dang close.

i'm going to cut out the body to match the shape of the doors and i am adding some 3/16" plate below to doors to use for lower body armor. that will form the door opening on the bottom side. when it's done i hope it looks like a wrangler door frame.

 

[MarsFab]

I think I've got some more of those hinges laying around if I can find them.

 

[95yjjeep]

I think I've got some more of those hinges laying around if I can find them.

heck yeah if you've got 2 more that would be awesome. i still have your waggy pitman arm too. i'll bring it by soon and pick up those hinges if you can locate them.

 

[MarsFab]

I'll look tomorrow. I'll be out of the shop Friday and saturday so you may wanna try to com get them tomorrow if you get free. Give me a shout and remind me to track them down.

 

[95yjjeep]

got a little work done this afternoon. i swung by marsfab this morning and picked up some more cj5 hood hinges that he had so i can finish up the doors tomorrow. i started the rocker armor. i still have to bend and weld up some tube for the sides but it's a good start.

i formed the front of the rock slider to match the shape of the front molded fender shape.

close up of the front.

you can see how the door is going to fit. i still have to cut the door opening but i'll work on that tomorrow.

passenger side (left hand side)

another of driver. (right hand side)

back of driver side.

passenger side front.

i've got 8ft of 1.75"DOM .120 wall to use for the sides of the tube. it's got edmonson offroad on it b/c the place i buy my metal from makes you have an account (haha).

 

[95yjjeep]

did as much as i could today. man it's hot outside! I got the rocker guards finished up. i bent the 1.75" .120 wall DOM tubing, welded it up, painted everything and installed.

driver side partially welded.

upclose.

passenger side welded, painted and final install.

driver side painted.

with the door on. i also cut the door openings today to fit the yj wrangler half doors. i kinda like it. what do you guys think?

 

[95yjjeep]

fyi. i have all the holes drilled on the driver side, i just ran out of bolts to do the install. i'll probably do button head bolts on the sliders or maybe some zinc coated bolts.

 

[XJfreakHO]

Not a fan of the doors, but thats just because with your skills you should have built a set of tube doors and skinned them.

 

[95yjjeep]

Not a fan of the doors, but thats just because with your skills you should have built a set of tube doors and skinned them.

very true. i'm going to skin the bestop door and my homebuilt door. i'll do some cool tube doors after i get this thing built and rolling probably. i got the bestop door free so it'll work for now. thanks for the compliment though!

 

[benmack1]

Great build. I'm new to this forum but really enjoying this build. I had a couple dumb questions if it's OK to ask. What are you using to weld? Those are great welds. I'm trying my hand at a CJ5 resto and am about ready to do some fabrication so I need to buy a welder. Not that a new welder will do the trick for me but I was just wondering what you used to get that kind of result (other than alot of skill obviously). Can you do this kind of fab with MIG or is this arc/stick welded? Also, how do you make such nice bends on the tubing? I've never done anything like tubing bending so any info you can provide on how you manage is great. Again, sorry to ask what may be dumb questions. Thanks for your time. Awesome documentation along the way, it's a great read.

 

[95yjjeep]

Great build. I'm new to this forum but really enjoying this build. I had a couple dumb questions if it's OK to ask. What are you using to weld? Those are great welds. I'm trying my hand at a CJ5 resto and am about ready to do some fabrication so I need to buy a welder. Not that a new welder will do the trick for me but I was just wondering what you used to get that kind of result (other than alot of skill obviously). Can you do this kind of fab with MIG or is this arc/stick welded? Also, how do you make such nice bends on the tubing? I've never done anything like tubing bending so any info you can provide on how you manage is great. Again, sorry to ask what may be dumb questions. Thanks for your time. Awesome documentation along the way, it's a great read.

ben, i'm glad you like my build. i'm a picture junkie for sure. there is never a dumb question. that is how we all learn.

as far as my welder: i'm using a miller millermatic 185 mig welder. it's a 230volt welder and i am using 75/25 gas mix. it's a great welder. i bought it second hand off of craigslist. it's big enough to weld 3/8-1/2" plate which is as thick as i really needed. it welds axle tubes just fine. IMO Miller and Lincoln make the best mig welders. i have never used a lincoln but i've heard good things about them. i love my miller and i would recommend one without hesitation. to be honest i haven't been welding that long. maybe 6mos. i had some tips given to me by a very good mig & tig welder as well as from some of the local 4x4 shops (marsfab and tarheel 4wd). you just have to practice and document what works and what doesn't work. i'm learning that welding hotter is working better for me. if you have any questions feel free to ask. just reading, researching and doing it is the only way to get decent with it. i'm not a great welder. i just have a good machine.

the dom tube is bent using my jd squared model 3 manual tube bender. it's a good bender for the money. you just have to put some ass into bending .120 wall tubing with a manual bender.

thanks for the compliment and i hope you continue to read my build. if you need anything bent, welded or fabricated i can probably help. if i can't, i'm sure i know someone who can.

 

[mattb6679]

Great Build, Look forward to seeing it on the trails someday.

 

[benmack1]

ben, i'm glad you like my build. i'm a picture junkie for sure. there is never a dumb question. that is how we all learn.
as far as my welder: i'm using a miller millermatic 185 mig welder. it's a 230volt welder and i am using 75/25 gas mix. it's a great welder. i bought it second hand off of craigslist. it's big enough to weld 3/8-1/2" plate which is as thick as i really needed. it welds axle tubes just fine. IMO Miller and Lincoln make the best mig welders. i have never used a lincoln but i've heard good things about them. i love my miller and i would recommend one without hesitation. to be honest i haven't been welding that long. maybe 6mos. i had some tips given to me by a very good mig & tig welder as well as from some of the local 4x4 shops (marsfab and tarheel 4wd). you just have to practice and document what works and what doesn't work. i'm learning that welding hotter is working better for me. if you have any questions feel free to ask. just reading, researching and doing it is the only way to get decent with it. i'm not a great welder. i just have a good machine.
the dom tube is bent using my jd squared model 3 manual tube bender. it's a good bender for the money. you just have to put some ass into bending .120 wall tubing with a manual bender.
thanks for the compliment and i hope you continue to read my build. if you need anything bent, welded or fabricated i can probably help. if i can't, i'm sure i know someone who can.

Thanks much for the info. I am glad to hear comments about the miller welder. I have my eye on a Miller 211. A bit pricey but I guess one of those 'for life' buys. It'll keep my wife pissed too for awhile so it's kind of the gift that keeps on giving. Peace and quiet to work (she gives me the silent treatment and I just run with it) I'll probably have some more questions as you go. The pics are great. I read folks describing things in text and have no idea what the heck they are talking about and then see a pic and have the 'Oh, I get it moment'. I'm really enjoying the postings - good stuff.

 

[95yjjeep]

Great Build, Look forward to seeing it on the trails someday.

thanks! me too. i'm ready to drive this pile. i've got a long parts list before that is possible tho.