Painting the Jeep!

[thecheese429]

Or at least part of it. I'll be getting help from my neighbour, a professional painter.
Stage 1:
The hood was repainted poorly, leaving the paint peeling with moderate surface rust in spots. I removed the hood and began stripping the paint off the outer surface.

Stage 2:
I decided to paint the driver's side fender too, and in its removal, the bumper had co come off. The bumper has some rust on it, so it will get a paint job too. The fender is kinda banged up at the door seam, so I will be messing around with the fit and bondo.

After removing the bumper, I found the reason for the differently painted hood: this car was in a minor accident. The bumper is bent a little at the mounts, the frame is slightly warped, and one reinforcement rod is snapped. I never noticed this with the parts attached, so I guess that's a good thing.The hood is not the only replacement panel; both fenders are replacements too. This damage is minor, though, and I think it can go without fixing.

Stage 3: removing more paint from bumper and hood, and beginning some bondo on hood (3 minor dents, my neighbour convinced me to fix them).

Pictures can be found at this url: http://tinypic.com/a/18zma/4

[thecheese429]

Today I went to the junkyard and pulled off a stock fender. I took it home and it bolted right up. So I won't have to paint the fender now.

The hood and bumper are still waiting for time to permit my working on them, but I think that they will be painted, not replaced, unless I find a cheap one.

[T.P.]

Sounds like a fun little project, keep us updated

[GasSavers_maximilian]

My ex's bumper started peeling (apparently all the resist hadn't been removed properly before painting). I got some quotes, but then decided as a gift (we had separate finances) to repaint it for her. I could justify buying a paint sprayer as well. Anyhow, I did the research, bought the materials, sanded the thing down, primed it, and was just ready to paint it when she ran off with another man. Talk about an anti-climax!

[thecheese429]

This has been a good excuse to fix a bunch of other stuff while I have it apart, like troubleshooting the AC clutch (which seems to have spontaneously fixed itself, but it's probably just me toying with connections) or speaker wires, or any of innumerable other things.

Today I sanded the bumper down a little more (about 3/5 outside sanded bare) and put some rust converter on it. The stuff is supposed to change rust to black primer, but since there was a lot of bare (not rusty) surface, it looks more like gun bluing. I'll put a satin black topcoat on it tomorrow or later.

As for the hood, I'm still waiting.... for something. Not quite sure what. Maybe I'll call around and see if I can find a white hood so I don't have to paint. Also, I'm still wondering why I used silicone caulk instead of superglue to put the decals on the side.... oh well they won't be coming off anytime soon.

Once I have this back together, I'll have to try some mods for FE. I might try a tank with the WOT switch unplugged (yes, I end up at WOT in 5th on the highway, partially because of the big tires and engine-powered fan). Then I'll try it with only CAI (from front of grille) or only HAI (it actually has a HAI stock! it pulls air from right off the outside of the exhaust manifold) or leave it the way it is (it switches between the two depending on pre-throttle vacuum). I can also take the belt off the PS pump.
BUT.... those mods will have to wait awhile.

[thecheese429]

I just realized that I could post the pictures here... silly me
here's a picture timeline

before:
http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=...wO6Ih4l5k2TGxc

http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=...gDkIh4l5k2TGxc
http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=...VzpIh4l5k2TGxc
http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=...JdYIh4l5k2TGxc

Unfortunately I did not take as many pictures before, but there are some.

The front has been polished with a bottle of vintage chrome cleaner, and the black part of the grille insert has been given another coat of black.

This is the fender I got for $25 (what a steal, that's cheaper than painting the old one)
http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=...84eYh4l5k2TGxc


Here's what I was talking about with this car in an accident:
That's a pic of the very front of the right side of the frame.
http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=...V8vIh4l5k2TGxc

[thecheese429]

http://i27.tinypic.com/1zgyptl.jpg

There's the newly painted bumper! I had already sanded some of it down to bare metal, but then I just scuffed up the rest and put some rust converter on it. Then 2 coats of satin black, and it's done!

Now, onto the hood.

[T.P.]

looking nice

[thecheese429]

I was cleaning the inside of the truck, and noticed that where the rubber matting (carpet was optional) http://i26.tinypic.com/2iji7wh.jpg
was torn, http://i30.tinypic.com/95vn9g.jpg
water had gotten in and made the padding soggy. I had known this for quite a while, but I didn't realise how bad it really was until I pulled the padding up... http://i26.tinypic.com/2zycutj.jpg
to find rust. http://i32.tinypic.com/xc8ys2.jpg
It had rusted through in a few little spots (again, a problem that I was aware of, but was letting sit unfixed) and had some mederate surface rust. http://i25.tinypic.com/33d8ti0.jpg
Some places had to be patched http://i29.tinypic.com/25rng42.jpg
So... lots of sanding, sandblasting (bad idea) and rust converter, then primer http://i31.tinypic.com/9qd1fc.jpg
then, bedliner. (I'll put pics of it in once I get some good ones. Its kind of hard to get good pics of black shiny rough material)

I had seen some trucks with that in the cab before, but never thought of doing it until now. Now it looks more rugged than it did before.

If I can find some bucket seats for the right price, that'll be the next thing on the inside. As for the hood, it is still not getting much attention, but will eventually.

Also, a window on the bed cover broke after a storm. I think it has to do with the temper, because there was no obvious impact. http://i30.tinypic.com/6i4ck4.jpg
I think I'll replace it with lexan, and while I'm at it, replace the back window too. The back window was replaced after it broke (before I owned the truck) with opaque plastic.

[thecheese429]

Here are some pics of the interior with the bedliner:

http://i25.tinypic.com/1zodyiq.jpg

The door was not closed for the rain we got last night, so when I looked in, I saw this:

http://i28.tinypic.com/21mdv78.jpg

The water just beaded up, and I vacuumed it off. I'm gonna love this stuff.