Here you can see where the starter and the generator have been removed. Below is a photo of the starter and the generator on the shelf.

Above is a photo of the transmission and clutch/bellhousing. Kinda gunky inside. Below is the same thing just a different view for your enjoyment. You can see the clutch next to it.

Above you can see that I decided that the transfer case was sad and needed company so i put the transmission over there with it. Below is the engine before I pulled the oil pump off.

Above is the other side of the engine before the oil pump was removed. Below the motor is strapped in and ready to go to C&T Machine for a complete overhaul.

Above and below you can see how bare the frame is now. I removed the brake lines and fuel lines right after this photo. I also took my 4 1/2" grinder with a wire wheel to everything i could get to and was able to rip of a decent amount of gunk. The frame and such will be sodablasted on Monday.

Some quick pics!

Here she(maybe a he) is ready to have the tub pulled. The most difficult part was without any question the steering wheel removal.
Here is the body. Needs a little TLC.
Yee-haw for powerwashing. It broke so I have an extreemly dirty driveway!
This is post powerwashing. Didnt do as much as I had hoped that it would but it did remove the 3-4 inches thick coating of grease and gunk.
Here is the lastest look(10/20/08) There is no driveline, transfer case, fuel pump, exhaust, exhaust manifold, radiator, electrical, oil bath, oil filter, oil fill tube, but there is a whole lotta grease on the floor!
Here is a rad picture of the tranny shaft hanging out the back where it was connected to the transfer case that is now removed!

What's Been Done

So maybe some of you would look at this semi-rusted mountain of metal and wonder what has actually been done. Some of you may even think I'm a crazy man for continuing in what seems to be like an endless quest for completion.

Although you may have some right to believe that I haven't really done that much I would like to live in my own world of lies and deception and think that i have made enormous progress and that i may soon be able to cruise at a top speed of MAYBE 40mph.

So here's what has been done:

I started out not really knowing what I could do. So i pretty much took off everything that didn't look like it was OEM(original equipment). That included a whole lotta stuff..including but not limited to: a funny top, weird half doors that were fabricated by my granddad, an interesting center console pole with a fan, light, and rear view mirror. Then pulled the gas tank and threw it away...rusted through. I also removed the grill, which i shouldn't have but hey-where were you to tell me not to?

So like I said it then got moved to a storage unit which was a happy move. It was nice and enclosed away from the elements.

In July of 2007 we moved it to our house. This is where the majority of the work has been done.

At the house I was able to finally figure out how to remove the upper support bars for the soft top. I think that my grandfather welded them into place so it was a beast to get them off. But with more determination than I thought that I had in me they were finally freed.

...wow, that was a three or four day brain fart ! I'm back and hope that i can finish with my earlier train of thought.

So, I have also removed the hood, front fender(the only fenders in fact), tailgate, and lots of the footman loop things that seem to be all over this damn thing. Also removed is the tow bar that was bolted to the front bumper... hey that makes for an interesting story! I was saying earlier that we moved it to the house from the storage unit. So the way we did that was we towed it from the storage unit behind the Mrs sisters husbands parents Honda Pilot. It really worked fairly well. The trouble started when we decided we would back the Pilot with the Willys still attached up the driveway to eventually get the thing in the garage. Well, my driveway is steeper than any mountain in North America. Needless to say it made it about half way up before coming off the ball and crashing into the back of the Pilot and causing a large gash of a hole in the tailgate. So, not so good. $1700 not good.

So since i started this post even more has been accomplished. As is sits now-I have the entire body or "tub" as i call it off the frame. Underneath the body was inches of caked on grease and gunk and goop and all manner of nastiness. Dustin and Lee, my favorite people in the whole world, helped me peel it away with screwdrivers and wire brushes. After they had left I took my 4 1/2 inch grinder with a wire wheel brush to the frame and transfer case and tranny. So it looks like a whole new machine. Last night (8/20/08) Chris was supposed to come power wash it but I guess something came up with his work. This weekend would have been great for him to do it but it was/is his wife's birthday. Well, i have you know your birthday ruined my weekend. O well.

So in conclusion, so much has been done and anyone that wants to argue can go to hell. I am very proud of my accomplishments and growth as not only a mechanic but in my strengthened stick-to-it-iveness.

Adieu

A Little History

I guess a little history is appropriate. This marvelous, magical, mysterious time sucking Jeep was my great grandfathers to start with. Well maybe not to start with but it was his. I tell people that he bought it new but that's not the truth. He bought it a year or so after it was bought new, but saying that he bought it new does sound better. Anyway, it was originally his and then he gave it to my grandfather, who passed away back in October of 2004, who left it behind in shambles. I guess if we were to follow tradition it would have to go to my dad but thank goodness that we didn't. So back in November of 2006 we(the Mrs, Paul, and I) went and got it from Grand Junction.

We loaded it up on a trailer and brought it back to Utah. It sat in front of the Mrs parents house for a week and then I moved it to the side of my sisters house. It sat there for about 9 months and then i moved it again to a storage unit. Then i finally moved it to my/our garage. I would like to think that it is MY garage but it isn't. Sad huh!

Anyway so now I dream about it night and day, left and right, up and down, and just about any other possible way that I can.

So there's your Willy's history lesson.

Why?

So you be asking yourself why I would ever do a blog, well... I'm not super sure either. I thought it would be a good way to post pictures of my progress on the Jeep and where I can go to look back at the progress that I have made but seem to forget too easily. So I will take pictures of projects and such and hopefully not have to blog that long cause it will be done soon. I really am hoping that it will be done by....lets see.....set a goal....July 1 2009. That's what we are now shooting for.

I know that it is totally possible but I may end up charging a little more than i should on the old magic plastic card to be able to meet my goal. But I guess that's what you've gotta do. Its not good to fail :D