Nuthin' Fancy update:
As noted above, I finally got the Jeep into my garage so I could take the thing apart. This definitely is the worst part of any automotive restoration: So much dirt and rust and grease.
The disassembly proceeded with bagging and tagging of everything, even if it was no good; I know it's always good to keep it all for reference when the Jeep goes back together. While removing the springs, I did have a hard time with the spring shackles. Some of the shackles were frozen and didn't even pivot. A couple of the threaded bushings were frozen into the frame as well. However, wimpy propane heat helped� (along with a cheater breaker bar) and I got all the bushings out of the frame.
see picture 1
I was going to leave the steel strapping on the frame horns, but the ugliness of them got to me, so I did some cutting and grinding to get the strapping off. Here I've started to cut it off.
see picture 2
I didn't know what i would find, but it appears as though it was added to the frame as a preventative measure (for the snow plow rig) as there is no damage to the original frame. Careful cutting and cleanup revealed really nice frame horns.
see picture 3
I wirewheeled, sandblasted and sanded the frame so it's ready for Master Series silver primer. On the rear parts of the frame, there is pitting to be sure, but it's a cosmetic issue, and I might make some effort to fill the pits when paint time comes.
see picture 4
It's a nasty job cleaning everything up. I have been "suiting" up with thermal underwear, full mask, goggles, ear protection, and a hat along with my 4 and 4.5 grinders and attack parts. Actually doing this in 20 degree weather works out well because the goggles don't fog up.
The rear spring packs were rusted solid but in the interest of keeping this just a fun low cost project I decided to take them apart to see what I could do. They all came apart fine with no broken leaves, so I spent some hours sand blasting, sanding and wire wheeling each leaf. There was so much orange rust dust I think the weather radar picked up the clouds...I came out orange too...what a mess.
see picture 5
The rear springs are quite pitted, so we'll see how they do when put back into service. They do stack and slide smoothly now though.
I've gotten the brake system all taken apart now too. It seems as though it must have had a new brake job right before it was permanently retired; the shoes and springs look new, and three out of four wheel cylinders look new on the inside. I did have to drill out the bleeders though...rusted. Thank goodness for carbide drills...I think the tips of bleeders are case hardened. I managed to save all the wheel cylinders. Whoever did the brake job didn't know what they were doing though, half the brass eccentrics were either missing or in some cases they put them on the outside of the backing plate as washers for the nuts on the lower eccentric bolts. I made eccentrics with a cnc instead of buying new ones.
see picture 6
One of the drums is bent however, so I've put in a plea for a used one in the wanted section.
I did have to buy one eccentric bolt from Walcks (as well as pinion and wheel seals, knuckles seals, and all brake hoses.) I've also procurred all the shackles and bushings from an ebay seller, and all the axle u-bolts I need from Stengel Brothers suppliers. Searching around Amazon I found master cylinder (raybestos) for 37 bucks.
Even at this early stage, I look at what I've done and am thankful I've got alot of the dirty work out of the way. I look at the frame sitting on the garage floor and it kind of amazes me how much better everything looks with just some elbow grease.
see picture 7