Very nice!

Thanks for the likes and comments and still following along after all this time!

Doing anything I can think of to help speed up putting it back together and then getting it out of the workshop at the end!

https://youtu.be/UeRtZfxWzl4

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3028.jpg
I wanted to replace the formply floor I had used with something longer lasting and harder wearing. After much research I came upon Compact Laminate board and the manufacturer said it would be perfect for what I going to use it for, even though I could be the first in this application! The core of a compact laminate is made up of several layers of Kraft paper that are saturated in phenolic resin. The top and bottom layer is a sheet of melamine impregnated with a patterned paper. Then pressed at 1000psi and 160*C/320*F in a large press to cure. Had it custom made to my measurements and had it freighted from interstate.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3029.jpg
Unfortunately they did not tell me that compared to the formply, which was 50% thicker than the laminate, it was double the weight! 17mm formply weighed in at 20kg/44lbs and the laminate at 44kg/97lbs! I know I'm not building a race car, but that is a lot of extra weight. So it wasn't a total lose, I came up with a different use for it.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3030.jpg
This stuff is super tough to cut and I went through a dozen quality metal jigsaw blades. Here I am using epoxy to double the edge and fit around a worn out desk top. Used up most the off cut to do this, so there was little wastage.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3031.jpg
Feel better now as desk was due for replacement and this worked out a bit cheaper in the end than doing that. Can't half tell this is my desk with every model, 43 in all, being either a Willys Truck or Panel of the same model as mine.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3032.jpg
So what to use now? I really wanted to avoid a seam but my floor is wider than the normal 2440x1220mm/8'x4' sheet. I found this black patterned non slip Baltic birch plywood with just a layer of phenolic resin each side. Was a third of the price and less than half the weight too! Where the ruler lays is where I need to cut lengthwise.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3033.jpg
I could also get it in a 3050x1524mm/10'x5' sheet. Was way more than I needed length wise and even a bit extra width wise as the photos show.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3034.jpg
The hexagon pattern is a lot like a bed liner and very hard and tough. Used for trailer, caravan, scaffolding platforms etc.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3035.jpg
It was cut down to 1860x1288mm/73"x51" to replace the formply.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3036.jpg
I laid down the stainless steel rub strips and used a transfer punch though the existing holes.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3037.jpg
All the holes, which were less than 0.5mm bigger than the stainless barrel, or furniture bolts, all fitted perfectly.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3038.jpg
The chassis and cross members were covered in automotive body mount double sided tape.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3039.jpg
Then covered with neoprene rubber strips to isolate the board from the chassis to stop any noise and make up the difference in thickness between it and the formply.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3040.jpg
74 holes later, which were all painted by hand as well as the cut edges to stop any moisture getting in over time, it was ready to mount.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3041.jpg
The fasteners were all recessed into the floor for a flat finish and placed onto the chassis ready for the tray.

In case anyone wants to hear me babble about it even more.
https://youtu.be/Btv9ZJck5nM

It's coming home!!
http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3043.jpg
Off to pick up the cab and drop off the hard tonneau. It was too big to fit on the roof rack so into the hire trailer it goes. I had already taken all the other bed parts and the two sides on the roof of the Jeep earlier in the week.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3044.jpg
At the painters I found the cab all ready to be loaded onto the trailer.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3045.jpg
First time I had seen it since the cut and polish had been done. Looking really good in the autumn sunshine.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3046.jpg
A group of the workers picked up the cab trolley and all and we sat it on the trailer. It is held down with the straps and the cable winch to hopefully stop it moving.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3047.jpg
Got it home safely and it drew plenty of stares on the way home. It is less than 7km, away so a quick trip.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3048.jpg
Doesn't look like it, but getting the trailer through my gates is not easy as cannot line up straight with them and they are only a couple of inches wider. No one to help guide me either and I block the traffic while doing it.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3049.jpg
Looked like I would have enough clearance to fit under the carport. I was pushing the cab along from the front by myself.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3050.jpg
Well it suddenly didn't move anymore as it had jammed under the first beam!!! My heart sank.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3051.jpg
Pulled the cab back with my guts all twisted up wondering what damage I may have caused. Fortunately none!

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3052.jpg
Went inside and had a sit down wondering how to solve the problem. As the rear axle was already past the low beam, I figured taking off the front set was a quick way to drop it down some more.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3053.jpg
That got me to the halfway point only though. Thought about letting air out of the rear tyres to get more clearance.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3054.jpg
But taking the jack out from under the A frame and lowering it to the ground the last little bit got it past the beam with only a few millimetres to spare.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3055.jpg
Got to enjoy the look of how the two sizes of gold pearl, silver metallic and the xirallic in the olive paint reacts in the setting sun while I wait for my wife Lisa to get home from work to help me unload.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3056.jpg
Before putting it back on the chassis, I can finally run the donor Grand Cherokee under floor heat and isolation moulded mat.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3057.jpg
There is also a firewall section and can see that I have to cut off the top section that used to go under the area of the donor cowl where the wipers and HVAC sat.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3058.jpg
Only problem was that being right on the fold, it left an ugly edge along the top of the mat.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3059.jpg
Used some pinch weld trim along the edge and that cleaned it up nicely. I had left all the mounting studs in place from the donor firewall and floor and placed the retainers back over them to hold it all in place.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3060.jpg
There was also a factory pressed heat shield that sat above the exhaust system.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3061.jpg
The pressed shield goes over the tunnel mat and fits perfectly.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3062.jpg
We also put in the cab windows while it was easy to work around the cab. I put some rubber grease in the groove with along the cord as well as on the face of the lip that gets pulled over the window flange. Helps it pull over the flange when installing it.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3063.jpg
Now it was time to roll the cab very carefully between the 32 Willys and the house to get it into the workshop.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3064.jpg
Once along side the chassis, we attached the engine crane to the lifting rig I made that bolts to all the front seat mounts. It is angled back to be in the centre of balance of the cab.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3065.jpg
Using plates between the crane and the rig with a single bolt allows me to tension the joint and stop it swinging around.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3066.jpg
Can set it on an angle for instance and it stays there. Lisa is just keeping it steady and not holding any weight. We angled it up over the transmission as didn't have much head room under the panel door guide.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3067.jpg
Not a lot of room between the back of the bell housing and the front of the bed floor, so had to go in straight.

http://willyshotrod.com/Willys3068.jpg
It dropped straight over the mounts so the hard part is all done without damage. :)