Jeep CJ to TJ COnversion (lots of modding!).

[Enzoenvy1]

Here is what the ride height should be (about).

Remember the small tires, lol?!

Here is the body and the hood. I am about 40% there, lol.

Well, I am all about this one right now. The 360 CS, and the new Mustang are kind of being built. I want to focus on this one. I have to build complete custom bumpers, a custom roll cage, and a custom interior with new seats. I also need to finish the grill which will be hard. Well, what do you all think?

Jon

[novadose71]

I think your insane!

[kk916]

The amount of detail into this project is absolutely nuts!!! But I like it, very nice job :)

[sinister]

Wow thats freakin sick!

[Bigjeepzz]

Hey man nice job on the Jeep. I can understand your frustration on the body. You have more bravery than me for trying this. Everything looks good so far. Are you going to be putting a track bar on your front axle as well. I know you are building a replica of your 1.1 Jeep but I don't know which kit you have on your Jeep. Very nice work so far and I am looking forward to seeing more from this project.

jake

[Enzoenvy1]

Hey man nice job on the Jeep. I can understand your frustration on the body. You have more bravery than me for trying this. Everything looks good so far. Are you going to be putting a track bar on your front axle as well. I know you are building a replica of your 1.1 Jeep but I don't know which kit you have on your Jeep. Very nice work so far and I am looking forward to seeing more from this project.

jake

Hey Jake, I am indeed adding a front track bar, tie rod, and custom hubs. This baby is going to turn as well! The kit is a Rubicon Express 5.5 LA Kit. There are of course artistic liberties, but I have followed their kit explicitly so far.

[Bigjeepzz]

This is going to be one sharp model when it is complete. Have you come up with some springs yet? Can't wait to see more.

Jake

[Enzoenvy1]

This has become such an undertaking that I was not even ready for. I got all excited and was trucking along when I realized that I am basically trying to replicate a real suspension. So along with that comes all of the real components. Lots of redoing and lots of broken axle pieces have found their way into the trash can. But, I am still at it. I know most of you will appreciate what I will show last!!!!!!

The wheels were traditional "d" window steelies. I wanted 8-hole "soft 8's". I am not going to buy any so I decided to drill out the hubs and then the holes in each. Thankfully I had a drill bit that was perfect as they are now larger than what they look like in real life. Kind of like American Racing "Mohave" wheels. I want those some day as well. I also had to add a lip to the rims so that the tires could have something to secure to. I did this because the kit wheels simply glue to the backs of these awful looking hubs that would stick on the stock axles.

Since I made these axles I needed a semi-realistic hub for each wheel. Well, the hubs are on the rims, lol.

Well, I also needed some brakes. Since there were none in the kit(s) I had to bash a completely new kit of another unsaid vehicle that is also donating another important feature. Now the Jeep has 4 wheel disc brakes like a real Rubicon would.

This thing has to turn as well, so that had to be designed as well. Like a real Jeep axle there are offset steering knuckles for the tie rod to attach to. This was a pain in the butt.

[Enzoenvy1]

So, here is the almost complete rolling chassis. At least here it is before I redid almost everything. I wanted to add shock hoops instead of using simple lift springs. Coil overs are the way to go in the sport and mine will be this was as well.

Shock hoops gotta have shocks. Once again I had to really think about this one. Based on various designs all I wanted was a body with a piston and some simple coil collars. So I came up with these:

Here is how I "machined" the parts, lol. I have no lathe, but I have a hell of a lot of Styrene and a Dremel. So, here is how I made them

Here is a test coil added to the shock. Believe me, all of this took a long time to get even close to testing. I still need to find a metal that retains memory to use for the coils.

[Enzoenvy1]

Then, I realized that none of this would work. The tires were too close to the shocks and would rub while flexing. So, I broke down the axles to the basic tubes again and lengthened them to make room. After that I had to cut the shock towers off and relocate them along the top of the frame. This is a pain!!!!!!

Here she is with the hacked up body on the frame and all I can say is WOW!!! The ride height is exactly parallel to the ground, and the shocks function perfectly.

Uh oh, what is that in the bay there?!?!?!?!?!!?!

Any ideas?

[Enzoenvy1]

Well, this should help. I wanted a 5.9 Liter block, but couldn't source one. So, an SRT-8 Magnum gave up the power and the brakes.

Now I have started a new chapter of personal hell in getting this to fit in. But, so far it looks like it will clear with no problems. I guess the scale difference helps a little.

Well, tell me what you think?! I am loving this beast, and am close to starting all of the body armor and bumpers and 1,000 other things to boot. At least I have Jeep factory paint to match mine!!!!!

Thanks for looking guys and gals.

Jon

[Dave McFly]

hey if you don't need that magnum, i don't care if it does not have the engine. I would like one for a project i am working on. gonna make it into a commercial vehicle and don't care it it has no engine .

[Enzoenvy1]

Well, nothing was wrong with what I have done, but then I thought about the strength of this Jeep. It may be a model, but I want it too last. So I decided to scratch the styrene axles and make brass. Glad I had the styrene ones for a guide. Glad I learned that soldering is a pain in the butt at this scale. Glad that I tried it though. I bought all of the brass and a K&S Tube Cutter. Here is what I have done so far.

Here is my kinda jig.

Result.

Old axle and new creation.

Old arms and new arms.

Start of new axle after soldering.

[Enzoenvy1]

Here is the axle coming along.

Here is the new axle with brass arms.

Added to the chassis.

Hope you all like it. Hope someone comments?!

Jon

[MoparMarc]

Great idea to go to brass, that will make it much stronger. Excellent work so far!!!

[Enzoenvy1]

Well, either no one likes this build or no one cares to comment?! Either way I am still progressing. Since I decided to build brass axles I also decided to build a brass chassis as well. Back to the LHS for some brass stock and away I was once again.

Here is the new skid plate made of .025 Brass and lots of patience:

Here are the new frame rails made with lots of cutting/swearing/patience/and time:

[Enzoenvy1]

Here is the plastic one and my brass one side by side:

Here is the plastic one on top of the brass one - you can see that it is dead on:

Axles:

Test fit of rear axle to skid plate:

[Enzoenvy1]

Here is the skid soldered to the chassis - fit perfectly!:

Real TJ's have a tubular front cross member. Many aftermarket companies use this as the point for a modified sway bar. I will be doing the same:

Here is the first test of the new chassis - guess what, it fits better than the plastic one ever did!:

Jon

[RatRod]

Man, your into punishing yourself huh? LOL!!! I've been watching, and with every new idea you get the nicer the Jeep is!! This will be a pretty cool project with all the working features.

[kk916]

I'm not even a 4x4 guy by any means and this is still one of my favorite builds to follow. You are doing a heck of a job. Keep up the great work

[Jpl3k]

Hey Jon,

You've captured my attention with this build enough to urge me register here to reply. Generally speaking, my modeling interest is not so much in cars as it is in the scifi universe of 'Maschinen Krieger', and 1/35 military stuff. (You can see more of my projects at my Flickr link below.)

My dad [Peter_Lombardo on these forums] actually thought I might be interested in this and passed me the link.

Your TJ model dilemma has struck me as well; I've written to Revell and Tamiya about releasing a 1997+ Wrangler over the years, but was never bold enough to take on scratchbuilding one. The things we strive for the most are usually not available for sale. Anyway, I'm watching with great interest, and wish you the best of luck. You seem to be rolling along fairly well, and with great accuracy and detail. Very impressive!

Keep it up!

-Jonathan

Note:

I've been a Wrangler fan since I was in junior high, and got my dream machine into college; a Stone White 2000 Sahara! A while after I passed 100k I was given a great offer on it, so I traded it in for a new one. My current Jeep is a 2007 Red Rock Rubicon (same as my avatar). I also have a 1946 CJ-2A in storage (picked up from a PA farm). After my dad and I complete the restoration of his 77' MGB I hope to get the 2A project started (barring any changes in future plans and, of course, adequate finances).

[62rebel]

this is the first i've seen of this build and i AM impressed. keep going by all means!

[white00gt]

Amazing wish I had the scratch buidling skill

[Enzoenvy1]

Amazing wish I had the scratch buidling skill

Thanks for all of the compliments guys! This has indeed taken on a rather lengthy approach to building a model. But, I realized a while ago when I started this that I needed to make it the best that I could. Hopefully I am doing that so far. I will admit I could have been a little more accurate with the ideas and replicating them but this is also about fun too. Every other thing I build is too technical and I follow too much reference. This is mostly personal and little reference. I know that it will all pay off. You all should feel how heavy this thing is already!!!! I think that the shocks are going to need actual oil and compression in them to hold it up!!!

Jonathan - As a fellow Jeeper I relate to you greatly. I dreamed for years of owning a TJ. When I finally got mine I knew then that Jeeps are indeed special vehicles. I love everything about them. As we speak I just returned from a "jaunt" to the store after it had just snowed about 5 inches. No one on the roads but I sure as heck had some 4-wheel drifting action. Snow, mud, rocks, anything and these babies do it. Jeeps really kick ass in my book.

BTW - That is a nice ride you have acquired. I am trying to talk my better half into letting me get an 07 but I really doubt it for now. Heck I only have few thousand left on the TJ anyway. I will keep it in the family forever.

My "X's" father has a 42 CJ-2a with the Hurricane in it rotting in a barn about an hour away from me. I have been trying for years to get it from him. I will not give up as that would be the ultimate model for me.

Jon

[Jpl3k]

I hear ya.. Atleast you have the free territory to roam in, New Jersey is nothing but concrete, and every available plot of untouched land is being cleared out for new apartments, condos, houses, stores, mini-malls and offices! I hear it's a nice world out in CO, AZ, UT, NV! Hope I get to visit before it's too late.

Anyway, without getting too OT, I'm blow away with the amount of work you've put into this machine. I was surprised you weren't getting more comments and compliments earlier on. When I clicked on to page three and saw your brass chassis I was like, 'Oh man, what's he gonna do next?' Yeah, you may need to put some compression into those shocks, that beast is gonna be heavy!

I have a 1/25 CJ5 I started playing with a long time ago. I planned on lifting it, building a working suspension, and all the rollcage/roofrack/etc features.. Not so much a rock-crawler as a western roamer. (Probably because that's what I really want to do right now!)

Jeep that's been in a box for a while: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jpl3k/2177284466/ (The rockcrawler is new as of last night.)

I always liked the custom matching trailers some aftermarket manufacturers made for Jeeps; where they take the back end of a Jeep and mod it into a trail-ready 'trunk' or fold-out tent.

I imagine you've seen EarthRoamer's 2007 JK XV-JP: http://www.earthroamer.com/galleries/xv-jp...hotos/index.htm

See also: http://www.earthroamer.com/galleries/xv-jpinaction/index.htm

That would be one fun build! And honestly, there isn't that much to it once you have the basic Jeep; extend the chassis and tub, scratchbuild the 'sleeping quarters' (styrene), and add interior details from those old pickup truck trailer kits. You're doing all the hard work right now, suspension and all. The model could be presented with the top up (tent made of thin spandex-like material with aluminum rods supporting it) and a little LED to light it up inside, and you've got a contest winner! Of course a small offroad base would finish the diorama nicely.. Sadly, I think my creativity far exceeds my talent.

Looking forward to more,

Jonathan