Too rusty to save?

[1955CJ-5]

Whoa!!!� Slow down!� You're going to rush right through the fun of re-assembling the jeep!� A week after you get it together, you'll be taking a part off just to fix something!

Looking great!

You know, it's just sitting there, and nearly all the parts are in boxes. I go into the garage with good intentions, like spending an hour or two putting this or that together. I went out at ten this morning....the two hours turned into about six hours....

[1955CJ-5]

Today I started by installing the remaining body mount bolts and making sure everything was tight, and since I was under the jeep already, with the tools scattered around me, I put the last two exhaust hangers on.

Then it was time for something fun..



It's a flatfender again!



And then there were two..

[1955CJ-5]

And by the end of the day...

[1955CJ-5]

I've been around the block so many times that the neighbors don't even bother looking any more....

So I ventured out to the park..14 trouble free miles so far.

Having said that, I did have to change out the voltage regulator. I had one that I bought for the CJ-5 and never installed. So now I'm charging. The fuel gauge is intermittent. Bad ground probably. The horn works, and the parking lights don't...bad ground again most likely....

[zooke581]

That's one fine lookin' Jeep.  You should be proud.

[1955CJ-5]

Thanks Zooke...

I am really really pleased, and it's fun to drive to boot!

Who'd a thought this thread would lead to this.....

[Ryan_M]

That does it.  I'm painting my wheels red this winter.

[bretto]

Looks fantastic.  Good job, it's a joy to get it out and get the air flowing around ya isn't it?
I had to rewind because I knew you have been going at this project at sonic speed but now that I see the date on the start of this thread, I think you have set a record for one of the fastest restores on here.  If I count right, you are just a tad over 8 months right now.  I am sure there is more to do but you are hauling *rear end.  It sure does keep this thread moving to.  You will have to stretch the truth to the normal folk.  If you tell them it took you less than a year for a restore, they may think it's too easy.

[1955CJ-5]

I was rooting around under the dash, with the battery hooked up, trying to figure out why the fuel gauge is intermittent....

And I found a hot wire....

I had re-used the old dash light wire and socket, because it "looked pretty good"...well, the insulation was nearly gone right where the wire exited the socket...dead short with the light switch on...

 I had also re-used the parking light wires because I hadn't figured out how to replace the old wire with the new...

They were pretty much in the same condition, ready to short out....

The top stub wire is the one that came out of the socket...once again, worn through where it exited the socket




But now it's as good as new. A brass eyelet and some solder...

[1955CJ-5]

So, I've been putting this off...

The air cleaner was pretty dirty as you can imagine...






But it's clean now....part of me wants to install it just like this...and I might for awhile, since it's cold and raining in my paint booth....

[1955CJ-5]

It looks like a central vacuum or something....I better paint it...



I added some welting to the hood blocks....



The spare tire hanger is on..

[1955CJ-5]

That does it.� I'm painting my wheels red this winter.

I really like the red wheels. They add just enough color..

I used Rustoleum Regal Red # 7765...about four cans for the wheels...and then I let them bake in the sun for about a week. The paint survived the tire mounting surprisingly well...

[Ryan_M]

That does it.� I'm painting my wheels red this winter.

I really like the red wheels. They add just enough color..

I used Rustoleum Regal Red # 7765...about four cans for the wheels...and then I let them bake in the sun for about a week. The paint survived the tire mounting surprisingly well...

Did you just chose Regal Red because it looks good or does it actually match the original red used on the wheels? There was a "Sunrise Red" on the shelf next to Regal Red and I wonder if that would be a closer match. I know you did a ton of research on Potomac Gray so I'm curious if you did the same with the red.

[SteveW]

The color for Potomac and Pickett Gray was Harvard Red. I did research as best I could and used Dupont Centuri(sp) I used a flattener or it would have been brighter. Not sure how much but am guessing at least 25%

[1955CJ-5]

That does it.� I'm painting my wheels red this winter.

I really like the red wheels. They add just enough color..

I used Rustoleum Regal Red # 7765...about four cans for the wheels...and then I let them bake in the sun for about a week. The paint survived the tire mounting surprisingly well...

Did you just chose Regal Red because it looks good or does it actually match the original red used on the wheels? There was a "Sunrise Red" on the shelf next to Regal Red and I wonder if that would be a closer match. I know you did a ton of research on Potomac Gray so I'm curious if you did the same with the red.

I tried Sunrise Red, my wife said that it looked like lipstick....

I tried VanSickle tractor paint, and of course that just looked like the old IH model H that we had..

I tried Red Pepper/Safety red and it just didn't look right.

I wanted just a red....plain old red, no sunsets, safety or lipstick....and the Regal seemed to fit the bill.

My CJ-5 was originally President Red, and the Sunrise Red is a pretty good match.

This jeep originally had the beige-tan almost almond wheels, with Luzon Red as a body color. So i had no example of the original wheel red....

So yes...I picked it because I liked it