50 CJ3A "Nuthin' Fancy"

[squidtone]

Koenig Supertop update:
I've got the top painted, and I decided to paint the doors body color. I re-painted the side jambs Luzon red (after already painting them ivory). I like them better red. I left the sides and rear panels ivory, and I'm going to take some time to decide if I'll leave it this way....I may still paint the rest of the panels Luzon red.

Assembly: First, a word about weatherseals. These tops were engineered strictly for the most crude protection...there is no way these things came close to sealing water out. I suppose one would have to caulk everything to have any hope of keeping dry. I don't want to do this however as I'd like to take the top off in the summer. So, I did my best to practically get some higher level of sealing. Some sections simply bolt together with no seal at all. In these cases I used strips of gaffer tape...it serves more as an "anti-squeak" and maybe will keep the water from pouring in. Most everywhere else I used 1 inch wide 0.060" thick EPDM sponge rubber.
The doors use some hollow FrostKing seals for the outer edges (against the body).

I drilled out the rusty "slam latches" (a misnomer by the way; you can't "slam" the doors...you have to half actuate the latches to slide over the side panels to close the doors) then blasted, cleaned, re-lubed and re-welded them back together. Very crude, but they do work.

The tops of the jambs have open gaps around the whole top under the wide "gutter panels"(used on the Supertop models only). I made them out of scrap sheet metal, welded them up and painted them. These at least will shed some water, and serve as a base for some non-hardening "dum-dum" caulk.

I got a little more "freestyle" with the interior bits. I made new "door cards" with masonite...they're retained with "L" aluminum at the top edges. The forward vertical edges used screws with finishing washers, but I made "L" channels here too. It looks better. I may paint the door cards gray to match the seats, or maybe "wrap" them with some vinyl shelf liner with a vintage pattern? Maybe just polyurethane them?

Also made a headliner with masonite. That is retained with screws/finishing washers.

I still have no glass. Not sure what I'm going to do...new laminated glass, or plexiglass?

For now, I'm shifting to a new project: rebuilding the Harrison heater. The housing has lots of rot. I'll be doing some big patching. Not sure if the "core" is okay, but I'm making a rig to pressurize it for testing.

First picture shows gaps at top of "jambs"
Second picture is fabricated jamb caps
Third is new cap in place without gutter panel installed yet
Fourth is cap with gutter with paint
Fifth is new door card
Sixth is headliner
Seventh picture is dash and doors interior view
Eighth is the exterior


Happy Jeeping!
Dave

[squidtone]

December 22, 2021

Metal work for Harrison heater is complete. The housing was really rusted out and required extensive repairs. I formed new outer case corners (challenging compound curves), a new "air deflector" for the driver side, big chunks of the back panel, as well as a piece of sheet steel to strengthen the elevator bolt mounting screw.

I added more screws to hold the assembly together too.

A pressure test of the heater core revealed a couple leaks.  One leak was a pinhole in the middle of the core which required ripping out the exchanger fins to get to it (see blue arrow pointing to pinhole!). A light sandblasting cleaned the spot to prep for soldering. I didn't want to use a torch on this job, so I made a 200 watt "solder iron" using a cartridge heater embedded in a copper block. It is controlled with a heater controller I scavenged years ago. I set it to about 650F for the job.
To solder it, I first wiped with muriatic acid, then some plain old "No Korode" plumbers flux, then some lead tin solder. I loaded up the iron and then daubed it onto the pinholed surface to "tin" the area. I gobbed on a thicker layer and it seems well wetted. I also soldered up a crack in an end tank, and soldered on a new steel mounting tab (the original rusted away) on the driver side brass tank.
Pressure testing revealed no more air leaks, but I'm prepared to replace it as I wouldn't be surprised if operating heat and pressure will reveal more leaks.

I put it all together and it would not fit up under the dash. I don't remember any trouble taking it out, but then again most of the floor was gone when I did that. I trimmed 1/4 inch off of each tube and it fits in place beautifully. There's still over an inch of each tube protruding out of the firewall for the hose.
I am waiting for a new motor, switch, fan blade, 45 degree hose barb, and heater valve fitting. I'm having a hard time finding "Hammer" paint too. Most stores I visit are missing half of their rattle can spray paint stock. Sigh.

[squidtone]

January 2, 2022
I finished the "bodywork" of the heater housing. Primed with Master Series silver, then Napa 2K primer, 2 part glaze smoothing, then rustoleum gray "hammer" paint.

I got a new 12V bower motor (Continental PM354) and universal resistor switch from Rockauto. McMaster Carr supplied a new 5 blade 7" fan...(the old one was fused to the 6v motor.) The blower motor fits right onto the housing with no mods necessary, and the motor can be configured to run CW or CCW depending on application. It's a good thing because the fanblades on the new fan I bought are opposite from the original fan.

The switch is a simple universal with nichrome resistor wire to cut voltage for lower fan speeds. It has a bulb inside that lights up the front of the knob. I had to run a ground wire to the switch case for it to work.

The blower housing was lined with gaffer tape so the heater core would at least not sit against metal. The assembly was put into the Jeep and screwed onto the firewall. I had included a blower motor circuit in my fuse panel so I simply wired my new switch and blower motor to the terminal on the panel. I used a 20 amp fuse.

[squidtone]

In the engine compartment, I installed a 45 degree fitting into the passenger side of the water pump, and a heater hose valve at the back of the head. Plumbed with 5/8" heater hose.  I still need to make a heater hose bracket to support the hoses at the passenger fender. I'll think of something. (And also eliminate the temporary zip ties.)

While not necessary, I also thought I'd try a bypass hose from the driver side of the pump to the front of the head (recommended by MetalShaper on one of his youtube videos). I refilled the coolant system and fired her up. No leaks after a road-test yesterday. I have no windows yet, and it was about 25 degrees F, but I still felt the heat!

I'm working on windows now....updates coming.

[squidtone]

The windows are done.
I decided to go with plexiglass.
I used 0.23" stuff, and cut all the pieces with a cheapie track saw for straights, and a coping saw for curved corners. The edges were smoothed with a belt sander, and jitterbug sander. I installed the stationary "glass" with two piece window gasket.
For the door windows, I fastened the windows with two machine screws to the regulator "U" channel. I had to dissolve ancient grease in the regulators and replenish with white grease. They now work again! I used METRO WC1172 which is a nicer window channel that has stainless steel beads just like the old stuff.
I don't think there were ever window-opening sweepers in these doors, but I decided to install some on the insides at least. I had to fabricate "L" channel to attach the sweeper fuzzy strips. One leg of the "L" is slipped under the aluminum door card channel, and the other "L" serves to mount the sweeper (fuzzy strip). In the picture, you can see the fuzzy strip, and a sliver of the "L" channel....it's hard to tell, but it does fill up a big void that was there.
I did the insides only at this time because there isn't much room for an outer fuzzy (sweeper). I'm still thinking how to fit something.
For door handles, I got a pair of universal handles at this time, from NAPA, for expediency. The originals look much nicer, but I was missing one, and while Jeepster handles are the same, they don't have a lock cylinder....

[squidtone]

Here's a shot of my heater. I made up a panel for the switch, had a go with some "engine turning" finish, and put in a 12V power socket. I'm putting the alternator "GEN" light on the left of the panel, and maybe something else (plug in there now).
Everything works, and no leaks!

Then a few exterior shots (taken in the super hard crusty ice field across the street from my house)

Happy winter!

[Marla.the.V35]

I think you need to rename your project/jeep, she's a stunner!

[squidtone]

Jon,
THANKS for the comment!
I would not have believed in the beginning I would have taken it to this point.
Sounds corny, but I feel like I saved a Jeep from oblivion, and it feels good!
(I love your project thread so far by the way...Marla Hooch....ba hahahaha!)

[squidtone]

Hi folks.
Update post.
I started a topic a year ago on what color combo to paint the half hard top. I decided to paint the top "ivory", except the doors and door jambs. Well, I thought all along I might like the rear panel and corners to be body color ("luzon" red). A few weeks ago, I took the panels off the Jeep and scuffed them down and painted them. It was alot of work because I don't have alot of room, I had to remove the windows out of their gaskets, and it's getting cold. But I got it done and it's all back together. I have to admit I'm not quite sure I like it better or not. But I'm stuck with it now!
It's fine. I still want to run no top at all in the summer, but the top is NOT that much fun to remove. And it's heavy. And I have no room. BUT, the heat sure feels good toolin' around town when it's cold out! I did a bunch of errands today and got quite a few dudes stopping to chat about the Jeep. One guy had just bought a CJ2A a few weeks ago and I think he appreciated seeing something somewhat "complete".
I took a few shots today so here's what it looks like:
I'm enjoying it. Hope to get some good drives before the salt trucks come out.

[BillT]

 Very nice looking Jeep! You did good.

[Marla.the.V35]

Personal opinion: I like the red quarters so much better. Looks GREAT! Enjoy those drives!

[squidtone]

Thanks!
Now I have to stew on painting the top Luzon Red....
Probably won't do it....the ivory on the top came out super nice and I don't want to scuff it down!

[49willyz]

IMO that ivory top really looks great, I'd leave it