See my profile and other of my answers. I have owned and driven/ repaired/ built CJs, since I began driving in 1981, All of my CJs were/ are my primary drivers...7 of my own, still have 6 and 7. I am not a paid mechanic...Nor paid here...This is my hobby, I just want to help all I can...Satisfaction in hearing gratitude from my experiences being passed along!
I have a fiberglass body too. Mine is a 1946 CJ-2A sorta converted/being converted into a "Glass" MB (WWII) (shovel and Ax coming soon) .......All but the windshield frame assembly, aluminum dash and the REAL 1943 MB GRILL, are 100% glass.
I purchased body from "T.J. Vanderbosch" (near Chicago) back in 1991....When I started I had a frame, drivetrain, loose motor....Body was shot (and contents) Basically, I started from scratch! By Myself $100 for "Willy" and $950 for the body (shipping included).....Then started spending the Real Funds to replace all of the bearings, seals, brake system, lines, hoses etc. etc.
NOW, I pretty much have a "Brand New Willys" (which needs new paint and new stencil type insignia)
The entire body showed up "bright canary yellow" from "Roadway Truck"
I made a crappy, from time to time, video of my progress over tme (not real boxoffice hit stuff)
I really like the no rust concept, the lightness, and the noise reduction. The only things I do/ did not like were:
1) I sent the hood back 3 times because the thing was snatched from the mold too soon and lacked re-inforcement (hood center was a Pond)
2) they butchered the tailgate opening (I live with it)
3) Grounding everything with a dedicated ground wire to each fixture on the body.
4) I got/get? Over time,... Noticable, large Spider webs in the gel coat (look like Doo-kee!) at Turns (bends) at body junctions, such as on the exterior body where on the inside fenderwell turns to go down behind the driver seat.....rear corners of body....hood curvature flat to vertical....sanding and paint may hide some of this later...this started in '92 and I have only painted once since (maybe in '99)
Regardless, you must reinforce stuff well or support stuff off of the frame!...Even slight body movements may cause spiderwebbing if something is allowed to viberate or swing freely---I am really EZ and Gentle with "Willy" and they still come thru.
I built a spare tire and gas can rack on mine (spare was originally on the pass side with civie configuration back in '46)....weight is now on the frame (chassis)...stability "Fingers" are on the body on the rear. (pic below will sorta make you understand)
(Will send Closer-Ups of my mounting, if you wish)
I figure trading RUST for some other fault isn't too bad of a tradeoff.
Overall I am real happy with what I have now (so is my daughter [helped build "HIM" when she was tiny], her birthday on the hood, she learned how to drive, in WILLY at age 10, 4X4 and all)...I will answer any more questions you want and assist you getting any info you might want to see. Reply below at "Reply to Question"
These are existing pics I made, I could make some closer-ups to show the spiderwebs if you want.
Even though I have a CJ-2A.........I do have the "Instructional Video" from 4 Wheel Drive Hardware (maybe 1990 or so VHS) showing step by step--changing a CJ7 body over to glass--all the "TWEAKING" that is necessary to make it fit/ work. Really well made and informative. Just looks really EZ, since the hard work is done off camera...they were very specific, with the steps!
Let me know what you need, or to know.
I also share my Walmart Photo Album Sharing with CJ People---lots of pics--captions of what I have done--several really good CJ mechanical modifications...May help you with same problems I have overcome...I will send you a PM so you can leave me your E-Mail so I can send you "Veiwing" of the 6 or more albums.
Noise reduction will sell you with "glass" by itself!
The Medic
This is the rack on my '77 CJ 5 (MR. JEEP) it is built similar to the one I made for "WILLY"...Mr.Jeep's spare was on the passenger rear fender...4 different times! I got tired of the Jeep body work and paying for/ repairing fences...so we made a swing rack in the back.
Sunday, July 25th, 2010 AT 11:53 AM
