Grand Willys Project

[Gojeep]

Well look what we scored. We tried to get these licence plates 12 years ago, but they were already long gone. They have never been assigned to a vehicle so in new condition. Looking forward to the day I can register the Willys with these plates. Hopefully I can sell the ones we already had, WLLYS to someone.

[CJ6np435]

Originally Posted by Fishframe

Yes, and while he’s at it, increase the roof height by 5mm and widen the whole vehicle by 25mm !

you're taking the piss, I'm serious!

[Gojeep]

A lot of time spent but little to see. That is what wiring is all about! Only noticed when done badly.
I'm keeping it brief so I don't bore the socks off people.


Time to sort out the door wiring. It is just as well I have a workshop manual with over 9000 pages to follow the circuits etc! Printed out 60 pages by the end of it just for the doors!


Top is stock and the bottom is what I thinned it out to. Most of the wires removed were from the remote mirror adjustment as well as for the extra window circuits. Have to be very careful though because CANBUS systems can service more than one circuit.


I found these soldering pliers to be quite useful. Each end of the wire sits under a spring clip to hold it in place.


I unfortunately could not use the donor electric window motors or tracks. They just would not fit unless I made the whole door wider! Problem was though that the CANBUS wiring only works with the donor switches and motors as well. They use 6 wires where my aftermarket ones only use two. Days of trying to get the two wire motors running on that system failed in the end. Much studying later I thought I would try the same style of switch from a Dodge Dakota. They look the same and fit in the same holder I had made my armrests to suit.


Why I thought these might work was the terminal pins are much larger unlike the small CANBUS ones. I didn't have a wiring diagram for the Dodge switch so worked out what wires go where by studying the circuit boards and using a meter to compare them. Got there in the end and even the central locking switch works and lights up etc.


With the master switch I had the same problem but the rear window switches are not operated through the CANBUS. The motor also are only two wires. I could have covered the front set or left all 4 window switches visible and just wired the windows to the rear pair. After the success of the passenger side I thought I would buy the drivers master switch from a Dakota as well. It also fitted in the Jeep switch holder.


Can see how the larger pins for the rear windows are larger than the front CANBUS windows on the left one shown. All the pins are large on the Dakota one on the right. I was successful in working this out and even have auto down for the passenger side. Normally the drivers side on the LHD's these are made for.


Even though this will be painted later, I thought I would add some sound deadening in the doors as the inside of them is already painted anyway. Nothing worse than a hollow sounding door when closing it, also when you have speakers mounted in them for the audio quality. This is RESOMAT brand made in Australia and used in our military vehicles and even in Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz vehicles etc. https://trufitauto.com.au/category/resomat-premium


This is not a butyl/bitumen based so odour free. Lighter and thinner too than the popular ones with better performance. Just peel and stick and can even be pulled back and stuck back down again! I am only applying to the large flat surfaces and cut it out on the outside to make it easier before sticking inside. I keep a selection of lids for my circle templates. Turns out my peanut butter jars are the right radius for the corners.


This stuff is great to mould into place and no heat guns needed. I worked it over the mirror reinforcement plate using a trim stick.


I bought a set of rollers to get it nice and flat for the rest of it. The difference it made to the sound of the door was very noticeable!

[Fishframe]

I like the soldering pliers.

[SeaComms]

Nothing boring about any of this!

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[Gojeep]

I have kept this old sign since I picked it up when dropping our daughter off in primary school in the 90's! That was the last time we had 7 digit phone numbers as well. Lack of email and web addresses certainly date it too. Thought it was something good to use for the door and kick panels as won't absorb any moisture.


It is made from perspex which is a British name for acrylic. I am routing the area around the door handle so it will sit perfectly flush over it.


Can see it sitting nice and flat. Also routed the backside of it around any bolt and screw heads and the speaker mounts.


To hold the door panels in place I am using 'christmas trees' from my old XJ Cherokee door cards. I had to recess them a bit as they were designed for a thinner panel. Also means the heads are perfectly flush on this side as will be doing minimal backing on the covering to keep the modern interior theme.


Just trying the panel flipped over on the opposite door to see if everything still lines up there, it does, so can use it as a template. If I was going for a more funky theme I could have done it this way!


The armrest will break up the panel nicely. Plans at this stage is to cover the armrests in matching dark slate leather as used on the front bucket seats. I will cut it from the rear leather seat covers from the donor. The panel I will match the tan inserts.


To bolt the armrest to the door I have installed nutserts in the middle of the stiffening bead that runs across the door. The front bolt I get to through the hole for the switches and cut an access hole out for the rear one. This will all be hidden with another padded covering panel.


I ordered in some door pocket handles in as well as some I took from another Jeep, KK same as my daily driver. The tan ones are from the donor rear doors.


I ended up going with the donor ones and will change the colour of them to black to match the leather. The cover piece I had some I think is polycarbonate. Routed a recess this time for the back of the christmas trees into the armrests. The door handles are held down by the original screws after I welded in a tab for them.


The covers will be padded before being covered in leather. The handle holds down the centre of the cover and the trees the rest. All sits flush on top with no gaps around the side.


Only thing I didn't like about the polycarbonate is that you cannot use staples. It just shatters! Not sure how well the glue only would have held on it, so replaced them with more of the sign scraps which staples really well.

[Penguintas]

Great to see the next stage. Back in the day heard contact lenses were made of PMMA (Perspex) and I can remember making small changes to these and then polishing with Silvo. A really useful compound, and as you say does not shatter like polycarbonate. Polycab is not our favourite material for spec lenses either.