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1941 MB Slatty/ Project Slat Nasty

21K views 92 replies 24 participants last post by  BeaverTown 
#1 · (Edited)
Well on an impulse Craigslist buy I got myself a 1946 CJ2A. It came sans motor, but form the pictures looked relatively solid so I figured what the heck it's only $250. I learned something, you get what you pay for.



Yeah doesn't look to bad but from about the middle of the cowl back the entire body is made from torch cut (and not cleaned up) 1/8" plate. I should be able to run this thing through a brick wall backwards when it's done.



The future interior... under all the surface rust. And yes I know my colomn and steering wheel are fawked:finger:



And a better shot of the steering colomn. That's it for pics at the moment cause my camera took a dump.

THE PLANS
Remove the tub from the frame.
Fix the one frame crack.
Add stock rear YJ leaves all around.
Waggy 44's (still need'em). Keeping stock axles for now.
T90/Dana 18 combo (cause I already have them)
Probably a Buick 225 for motorvation (Because I already have the stuff, just need a motor:woot:)
Plan is currently SOA for the leaves. Now SUA.
36x12.50 15 SX's (need these too) Now 33x12.50's Mud terrain but not sure which ones yet
Put the body back on and bedline the underneath and inside.
Need new fenders and grill, probably hood too:(.got a grill coming, gonna make due with what I have now
Fab up a cage and some bumpers
Rustoleum anything I didn't bedline and call the thing done.

It all sounds so easy but I am on a very limited budget and that is why this is going to be called Forever. I've wanted a Flattie forever, I want to keep this forever, and it will probably take me forever to even get this thing going let alone finish it. Realized that Forever is a gay name so now it's called Flat Nasty!

I welcome any and all input, this will be my first ground up build so I'll take any advice or help that comes my way.

Again this is gonna be slow so hang with me if things don't get done as fast as some of you guys are capable of.:beer:
 
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#35 ·
The body is currently sitting behind the garage and everything else but the t90 and dana 18 is gone. I am currently saving up a build fund as I don't want to get into it and then have to stop for lack of funds. I'm hoping to get it back in the garage soon and start some of the massive amounts of body work that this thing will need:(. After that the plan still calls for a 2x3 box tube frame, 4.3/sm420/d300 combo, and toyota axles or 30/44 combo (depends on which I can put together the cheapest).
 
#37 ·
After taking the big ZJ out on SnoFari it became apparent that I would really like something more streetable and with an open top. I'm going to be bringing this project out of the mothballs in the next few months. The plan remains about the same. This post is just to get me thinking about this and motivate me to get it started again.

The biggest thing is going to be finding a new body. The old one is just to shot, although I will be using some of it as armor and as the mock up body till I can find a new one. I'm going to do a highline and move the rear wheel wells up (a la Mieser's build on Pirate, a definite must read if you are a flattie fan). I'm still tring to find the right leaves to put under it, I've narrowed it down to 1.5" Rusty's Off Road, 2" BDS, or Trail-Gear Yota 3" springs. I'm not sure on SOA or SUA yet either. 37" Pit Bull Rocker radials will be the tire of choice.

I'm still kinda up in the air about the engine as well. I have an SM-420 and would like to adapt it to either a 4.3, 5.3, or a 2.5 Jeep 4-banger. A supercharged 3.8 would be another option, but I doubt that I'll go that route. Any opinions on this would be appreciated.

Axles will be yota's still and the transfer case may change to a stak mini monster 3 speed if I can swing it when the time comes, other wise I'll be sticking to the 300.
 
#38 ·
#40 · (Edited)
That is an awesome build... just read that instead of working:sonicjay:. I won't have quite that much tube but the idea is the same.

After doing some more thinking, I'm already looking in to linking it. I'd probably want to do it eventually anyway so I might as well do it from the get go. I'm going to shoot for a 90" wheelbase. I don't like the comp cut but I'm not going to get into stretching the tub since I want to be able to run a top.

The motor is going to be a 4.3. I found one out of a 93 S10 with all the accesories and computer for a smokin deal so I'll be picking that up Sunday. It's not ground breaking or all that cool but I think it's the most cost effective option.

Oh and let me know if you need a hand wrenching on the heep
That I will.

First Item of business is going to be getting the drivetrain squared away. The engine, tranny, and t-case (once I find one) will be rebuilt first. Then I think axles are going to change once again. I'm thinking early bronco width Jana 54's front and rear. I already have two high pinion 44's, then I'd be radius arms in the front similar to your setup. I think either 12-14" travel air shocks or coilovers all around will work. I've also got a 9" I could use out back but I don't like the ultra low pinion.

I will have a 700R4 (I think) 2wd tranny as well as a T90/Dana 18 combo(with a Buick V6 bellhousing, both need rebuilt) for sale or trade soon, if anyone is interested.
 
#41 ·
4.3 is here. No pics cause the lighting in my garage sucks. It turned out to be a 1990 motor with 23X,XXX miles. I'll begin tearing it down soon and replacing anything that looks worn.

Question for the Chevy guys. Is the ecm different for the auto and manual trans on these TBI motors? The one that I have is currently hooked to an auto.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk
 
#43 ·
Question for the Chevy guys. Is the ecm different for the auto and manual trans on these TBI motors? The one that I have is currently hooked to an auto.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk
Yeah there different, when I had the auto computer in my blazer the computer would continue to give the motor fuel after I let off to shift. It was doing that to "butter" the shifts for the slush box. Pita yes, but I was still able to drive it and all problems went away with the correct computer.

Good news is that you can get your computer tuned by waitforme performance or others for $150 or so and they can set it up right and make go fast changes too, all with free lifetime updates.
 
#42 ·
I just can't decide on axles. I went and picked up another set, :D. I got a set of toy axles. I like the width compared to the 44's that's for sure. Plus parts for these are a little cheaper. I wouldn't have to flip the t-case, I wouldn't have to narrow them, and everything under the sun is available for them (I.e. no custom rear axle shafts). On the other hand they are still low pinion and I'm not sure how that would affect my rear drive line length.

Decisions, decisions.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk
 
#44 ·
I spent this afternoon tearing apart my 4.3. Everything looks good and rebuildable. I'll take it in to get hottanked and bored .030 over. I found out about Affordable Fuel Injection from dhartman when I picked up my Toy axles. I'll be getting a harness and computer from them when the time comes.

I've also decided for sure to build up the Dana 44's so I'll be high pinion front and rear.

I'm starting to get excited that this thing will finally coming together.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk
 
#45 ·
Not a lot has happened since I tore apart the 4.3. I've been collecting parts and getting the shop ready. Plans have changed a bit so...

The new plan:
3.8 Ford supercharged V6
Ford T-18 4-speed
Short output Dana 300 (I have a few ?'s about this)
Toy axles (4.88's, spool in back, aussie out front)
3 link front, double triangulated4 link rear
High lined fenders
37" mtr's

The biggest thing I haven't figured out yet is steering. Full hydro or hydro assist and Saginaw or toy box if assist.

On the 300, when adapting to the T-18 can I use a jeep tailhousing and run a scout 300 (assuming I can find one)?

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2
 
#48 ·
One of my favorites. That one and a few builds on Pirate are what made me decide to get back to this. Mine will be a civilian:( and won't be green but otherwise I'm going for a similar look. Kinda stockmod-ish but performance that will sneak up on you.
 
#59 ·
I was thinking the same thing before I happened into the Ford motor. I would have actually prefered the GM powerplant but the parts that I now have make this a bolt together, no (expensive) adapters build. When I was originally looking at that swap I was going to use the SM-420 that I have with a Jeep 300. The current parts that I have will make the drivetrain ~5" shorter than if I'd gone that route. Once you have the T-18 in yours I think you can just get a 2.8 S-10 bellhousing and the GM 3.8 will bolt up.:naughty:
 
#58 ·
Nothing really. I've picked up more parts and tools. I've also been practicing my welding.

Parts:
-Ford T-18
-Jeep T-98
-Ford small block bellhousing with hydraulic clutch
-Scout Dana 300
-37x12.50/15 original MTRS (5 of them, 4 with 1/4 tread for mock up and a fifth with 90% tread for a spare)
-Warn 8274
-4 stock 15x7 toyota rims for mock up (one will eventually be for the spare)
-All my 3 and 4 link brackets from Barnes 4wd during one of their sales

The build is going to be going a little more high end than I had origanally planned. ORI struts will be replacing the coilover or air shocks, this should make packaging everything in the small space I have to work in easier. Those will be ordered as soon as I can get an approximate weight on the whole thing. I'll be building my own body tub. After looking around for a suitable donor and not finding much I decided that I might as well make it what I want. It will not be stretched at all so that I can still use a soft top. I'll be building a 3/4" square tube structure and skinning it in 18ga. This will be the first task and one that I hope to start within a few weeks. Then onto the frame. 2x4 rectangular tube 34" wide in the back and middle and 30" at the front.

I've kind of been working myself up to this point. Some upgrades had to happen on my ZJ's front axle and that took a bit more money than I had originally planned. Look for some regular updates in the near future.

Wadey, no paddles yet, lol. Should be ready for Beer or Ping Pong soon. But as soon as it's built we'll have to move the body structure off to play.
 
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