Knifeboy Jeep Build Thread

Not sure if this is the right area to put it but if it needs to be moved to a different area then thats cool.

Started today with first cutting the grass around the Jeep so that I can have plenty of room to work on it. Yesterday I removed the top and everything that was in the back of the Jeep. Today I started with removing the steering wheel, taking the dash off so that I could get to the wiring and disconnect/cut it all out of there. Then I removed the main part of the wiring harness and unbolted the steering column. I then disconnected the brake lines from the master cylinder and then found out just how bad it was, the fluid just stayed in it. Even when pressing on the brake pedal it only spit out fluid randomly. Good thing I'd planned on replacing it along with all the brake lines and hoses. Heres a few pics of the state it is in now.






I had to soak the joint with liquid wrench in hopes of being able to finish getting the steering column separated so that I can pull it out

nice! keep it up and keep us posted.. any questions .. just ask

I might need help from yall locating some parts.

Not a problem.. CJ-7 or YJ? Quadratec.com and 4wd.com are good online sources with catalogs... Hard to find parts you can get from vintagejeepparts.com ...

Thanks. Everything is CJ7 except the tub which is a YJ tub.

Was running through a few ideas the past week for dash layout and think I finally settled on what I think will work for me. Its rough so bare with me and it might change just slightly on the switches but the gauge layout and audio layout I think I'm happy with. Its not to scale either so don't shoot me, lol. What do yall think?

I finally decided to sit down with AutoCAD and spend about 30mins (maybe less) doing a slightly better design that is to scale. The only thing I havent included into the design is grab handle and the radius on the top corners of the glove box. What do yall think?

I'm keeping the factory speedo and also using factory tach, oil, and volt. The first toggle on the left will be a momentary single pole single throw switch for engine start, second will be key on, third will be for the offroad lights. The glovebox and right speaker positions may move after I do a little more measuring up to the Jeep. And the left speaker and both switches on the left may switch as well after I do a little more measuring. I'm hoping to use 6.5" speakers since most marine stereos come with that size speakers. The design aint final and will probably change. I'll post up a final design later on.

Boy, you've got your work cutout. Nice job on the AutoCAD. I use it and SolidWorks pretty regularly.

Hook-Em wrote:

Boy, you've got your work cutout. Nice job on the AutoCAD. I use it and SolidWorks pretty regularly.

Thanks. I've been working with AutoCAD since I was in 9th grade when I took Engineering Graphics class 2 years in a row and I also design all my knives with it.




Tweaked design to accommodate for tub clearances. Still need to measure it up against the tub to make sure it will work. After I did the first one, I got to looking at the tub before I went to bed where the dash goes and noticed the curves in the corners. I'll have to make up a cardboard template and check it out against the body. Might swap the radio and right speaker depending on if it will work with the grab bar which as you can see I still need to put the holes for it on the dash.

Suggestion only.....

On my CJ5 I don't have a radio. I installed a Pyle 200 watt Marine amp under the dash. All that is exposed is an auxillary input plug. The amp comes on with the key. Bad guys don't see anything to steal, and if you get caught in bad weather nothing will get damaged. I use my phone or an ipod. The P.O. cut the dash and installed a stereo and trimmed (knocked a hole) in the heater box. I did not notice this when I originally installed a brand new marine stereo in this spot. It rained... Crawled in the jeep to go to town...Started the old girl to let her warm up...Thought "nice, I have tunes"....Put my fist up to remove the 2.3 gallons of water trapped in my stretched bikini top.... watched the water run down the windshield into the intake for the heater...watched the smoke come out of my new stereo. All electronics come with a certain amount of smoke pre-installed, if you let it out, you can't put it back in.

I don't mean to clog your thread, just took the opportunity to tell a completely true funny story, and share what I did.

note... cad drawing looks like the stereo will be in the same spot mine was...

I bought the amp with the aux adapter, and a volume control on E-bay cheap....

I appreciate the suggestion. I'm going with all marine equipment for that reason. Here is a final version of the dash I'm going to have made.

I know its been a while since I did any updates but I ain't been able to do much on it in a while until recently. Got some of my Kentrol stainless steel hinges painted with bedliner, got the brake pedal, gas pedal, and parking brake pedal removed from the Jeep as well as removed the windshield. Still need to work on cleaning up the area of the body where everything will be bolted back up so that I can paint them with bedliner to save me time later on when I finish up with the bedliner paint job, lol. Have a bunch of things coming in and already got some of it delivered to me today. Christmas is coming early for me. More pics to come as things come in. Still have more I need to buy and source, lol. Currently the dash is being cut out. Today I got my YJ windshield frame (rest of the kit hasn't come in yet but will be here in a few days), poly high back seats, and Painless 12 circuit wiring harness. Heres a few pics for now.

FedEx Clause came again today!! Check out everything I got. Only thing not pictured is my brand new gas tank which is currently sitting in the Jeep tub waiting to be installed!! Went with military OD green seat belts as a way to show off the Jeeps roots of being made originally for the military.

Oh, man! Christmas in September!

Merry Christmas to you, buddy. Looking forward to seeing your rig all fixed up.

To Randy: Love the magic smoke reference. Good stuff!

Still waiting on more parts to come in including my windshield glass. I got everything else but it to complete the windshield. This Saturday I'm going to the local U-Pull-It and look for a transmission.

Windshield came in yesterday!! Got my Flaming River tilt steering column in today as well as the mounting bracket. Going to get them painted up tomorrow when I get home from work.

Got the spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap, distributor rotor, and ignition coil changed out. Also got the steering column sanded and painted as well as cleaned up the area under the dash where the pedals go and where the windshield and doors mount. Hopefully after work tomorrow I can get the wiring done under the hood. Still need to buy a fuel pump, fuel filter, and fuel lines before I install the new gas tank and do an oil change. Hope to get the wiring and oil change done this weekend. Come on payday!! Daddy needs a new fuel filter, fuel pump, and fuel lines!! Pics to come tomorrow when there is daylight.

Heres the pics I promised. Today I received my jerry can, oil pressure switch, brakelight switch, temp sensor, headlight and wiper switch knobs, as well as my battery cables. Man does my steering column look good!! Steering column and mount are painted with flat black acrylic enamel and the firewall is painted with bedliner.

Got some wiring done last night and this morning. Been working under the hood for now. Got my temp sensor and oil pressure switch changed out as well. Still need to pick up some wire loom and a couple of clamps for under the hood. Still need to figure out how to wire up the 3 prong oil pressure switch. And now for what yall love to see, more pics!!

Got the gear lube in the front differential changed out and got the tie rod changed out that was causing me to have loose steering. Tomorrow I hope to have my rear diff changed out and get the oil change done. Also hoping to get the fuel system apart and get it cleaned out.

Sweet build. Very envious of your skills. What kind of knives do you make?

skybluebumpers wrote:

Sweet build. Very envious of your skills. What kind of knives do you make?

Fixed blade hunting and fishing knives. Can't wait til I get everything done on my CJ. I just wanna go take it for a drive for the first time under its own power, lol. I at least know the engine runs good and I fixed the weak point in the steering so its nice and tight.

Can't wait til I get my dash!!! The guy who cut it out on CNC sent me a pic of it before he sends it out tomorrow.