Long Time no See

Its been over a year since I posted anything.
To be honest I had all but forgotten about my little site.
Just a few updates.
I've changed jobs a couple times, I tried the Lumber yard driver thing.
This just didn't work out, but I gave it nearly a year. Its hard to support a
family and buy a few toys here and there on $350 to $450 a week.

So I'm back to working the Fayetteville Shale Gas fields, I literally doubled
my income so it was strictly a financial move on my part.......

I'm working on a new woods Toy.

Its a 73 Jeep CJ5, no bells and whistles on this thing. Its strictly utility. From its 258CI 6 cylinder AMC engine and 3 speed transmission. No A/C or even Power steering.

To be honest it was more project than I anticipated. It needed a LOT of work.
The seller, had some extra parts.
New Rough Country Springs, 2.5" lift,
New Shocks,
New Gas Tank,

It started and pulled itself onto the tow dolly, that was a plus. But it had no brakes and barely ran.
So first on the list was to decipher what exactly I had on my hands. I did a preliminary web search
and found it was a Cater BBD carb and it was not much to talk about when it was brand new.
But lets make a list of things needed first.

After all how do you eat an Elephant, one bite at a time.
Address Running issue,
Lights,
Then Brakes,
Then Tires (those are dry cracked bad but holding air)
Roll Bar, every jeep of the CJ era are known to fall over once in a while if the circumstances are right.
The body and paint and seat covers are last.

So home it come and I tweaked the carb and set the timing enough to get it idle.
I found the thermostat wouldn't open either so that was added to the list.

The offending Carter Carb.... These things was not good when brand new.
So off to the parts store.

I got a two barrel adapter, so I could put on a good carb, a tried and true Motorcraft 2150
two barrel. Regardless what you think about Fords the 2150 is a great carb.

Then I had help. Sam got into the action too.

Okay so it was running better, I added brake fluid and bled the brakes out and take it for a test drive.
That didn't go as planned, but just a quick ride up the road and it came to stop, thats where it got interesting.
With a few pumps it locked the rear wheels and slid to a stop. So I eased it back home.
I found two blown wheel cylinders.
So the brake rebuild is next on the list of things, and that I did. It got new shoes, springs, adjusters, and wheel cylinders all the way around it.

Before and after much better. then I found another issue, it needed new axle bearings too.
Thats where I stand tonight all together, except I found a bad brake hose too, it was plugged solid.
So thats another piece ordered...... Its only money right.
I also found a nice CJ roll bar for an affordable price so thats another piece of the puzzle.
I'm putting it together to accent my XT550 dirt bike, this way the family can go on my little forest adventures
and camping too.