watchamakalit Posted May 3 Posted May 3 This will be a thread to document and track work and condition. So let me introduce you all officially to Brown Betty. 1977 CJ-7 base model. 304 V8 TH400 Borg quadratrac These photos were provided by the previous owners children. These show Betty just as I found her. Sitting the same way since ~2017. After exposing her to the sun for the first time in nearly a decade she areived at her new home. ***this space reserved for picture to be added later. (Wife took them, and hasnt sent them too me yet)*** And after a quick bath shes tucked in the shop to get some needed attention.
watchamakalit Posted May 3 Author Posted May 3 After I got her all tucked in it snapped a few pics to just document things a little.
watchamakalit Posted May 8 Author Posted May 8 ITS ALIVE!!!!! Well sorta. Got it to idle off a gas jug. Didnt want to run it long just wanted to confirm its healthy. Now its time to get the oils changed and service a transmission. Also getting a muffler and tailpipe since those are mia.
watchamakalit Posted May 25 Author Posted May 25 Got the new fuel filler and vent hose today so I put the tank back in and changed the oil. Fired right off thanks to the previously installed electric pump. I was shocked to find a keyed gas cap, not because its keyed, but because its key matched to the hardtop and doors. Let her idle and come around a bit before taking a lap around the yard followed by a trip down the road and back (just a mile). Drives like a cj, rides like a cj, sounds like a cj, I'm in love again. Next one the list is a transmission service, transfer case service, and a muffler and tailpipe are in order. Them its time to figure out why 45 feels less like "shaking hands with danger" and more like "climbing in the back sat of an old plymouth at the drive in with danger". Not exactly something I want to let the wife drive yet. It was definitely "exciting" to say the least. Every bump in the road was a direction change, you just can't tell which direction or how fast it was gonna happen. 87b6aa32-dc05-4003-b9f0-90d36a71ee68.mp4
Gojira94 Posted May 26 Posted May 26 I really wanted a CJ when I was a kid in the 70s-early 80s. There's an EBay seller here in NC that has 258 and V8 NOS sealed in AMC/Jeep box cruise kits. Saw them when I was looking for a tester. Pricey, but here's one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/127844355284
watchamakalit Posted May 27 Author Posted May 27 Thats tempting. But its not gonna be a road trip vehicle. Small trips to town and such will be the most it sees.
watchamakalit Posted May 30 Author Posted May 30 Muffler and tailpipe installed last night. Took it for about 5-6miles of country road cruising. So far all is well, would love to run it to town and back (10mi round trip), but no insurance yet limits how much I wanna be driving it. Top and doors came off today, hoping to get the insurance taken care of monday.
watchamakalit Posted June 13 Author Posted June 13 Took longer to get insurance than I expected. Yesterday we took her to town, just to fill the fuel tank..... 75 miles later we came back home. We never left the county as I didn't want to deal with a long distance recovery should Betty decide to keep things. Made it back home with only some minor things to First is a leaking distributor base gasket. It's making a mess of things. Second I have a fresh leak of brake fluid out of the lid for the master cylinder. I'm guessing the master is about shot, it's been leaking this way awhile judging by the rust and damage on the inner fender. Third thing is the front passenger hub\brakes need my attention. Not sure if the brakes are hanging or a bearing is going, but the hub was about 50 degrees warmer than the others when I parked it. Sorry no pics.... Voltage and oil pressure gauge need looked at. I'm getting in correct readings from both. could be simple could be complex. Gotta dig in and see. Last but not least I need to reattach the driver front fender flare. It likes to Jeep wave at people all the time. lol Overall not too bad for the first bit of driving it's seen in 10+yrs.
watchamakalit Posted June 13 Author Posted June 13 Also needs a new lower steering shaft. Speeds above 45mph are sketchy.
watchamakalit Posted Friday at 09:41 AM Author Posted Friday at 09:41 AM Parts have begun to roll in this week. I got a head start on this weekends work last night. Got the new brake master cylinder bench bled and installed. Drained all the old fluid from the lines, man it was nasty. Ready to bleed out the rest of the brakes. Next will be a lower steering shaft coupling rebuild, carburator rebuild and distributor gasket. Followed by new vacuum lines for the quadratrac.
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