Grand Willys Project

[bodgie]

Keep looking i'm sure you'll find something suitable.

[Gojeep]

Just a old bumper cover from a Limited or above spec is all I need. Even a damaged one.

[briteway]

Originally Posted by Gojeep

I drilled out the original mounting holes to take the front parking sensors. I removed the holders from the trashed donor bumper 10 years ago. This one was is damaged though so wouldn't mind some more if anyone has a 2005-2010 Grand Cherokee with a damaged bumper. I can not find anywhere that sell the holders separately for the front of the Jeep. To the left of the sensor is where I repaired the rust damage and has come up fairly well.

Far out. I wish I knew. I threw out my front and rear bumper in April last year which included the sensors and fog lights.

[Gojeep]

Originally Posted by briteway

Far out. I wish I knew. I threw out my front and rear bumper in April last year which included the sensors and fog lights.

Bummer!

[Gojeep]

Spare Willys bonnet was getting in the way and finally had everything I needed to use it for an awning over the garage side door. With winter here it will stop the rain from blowing in.

The local powder coaters are closing down and I happen to ask if he had any old headers for a project I had planned. He gave me these for free as someone had cut off one of the primaries. I had a few sets of 80 series Land Cruiser ARB bullbar tubes under the house that I thought I could make a replacement for it.


The new primary I made is on the left and think it blends in well enough. I also cut off all threaded bosses and welded up the holes that were for the water cooling as these were from a drag boat. Turns out a Dodge R5P7 NASCAR engine powered one! So still fits the theme of 'keeping it in the Mopar family'.


I made these mounting flanges up that block off the tubes to stop spiders, wasps, hornets etc making a home in them. I welded in a nut where the pipes merge to bolt through the wall of the garage.


Been knocking all the dents out of it even though it was actually straight on top to begin with! But the dents that had been filled in times past showed up underneath, so couldn't live with that. This was the best bonnet of the three that I had from the Willys Trucks and rust free too, except for some surface rust where the factory hadn't painted above the braces. Did a mockup and like what I see. Was very tempted to do a 'ratrod' or 'patina' look and call it done.


Got the dents out and have it in primer. Original plan was to go gray to match the existing roofing, but looks a bit top heavy. So will go with the cream the the bonnet was anyway.

[Gojeep]

Even with the sun out, we were only getting up to minimum spraying temperature. So lamps from the front and a blow heater from behind to get the steel warm enough. Paint warmed in hot water as well.


I reinforced the garage wall with leftover hat channel from when I built the garage originally. Above the door will have a pulling force and the end of headers have a compressive force.


The bonnet itself bolted to a set of angle brackets through the original hinge mounts. Only the block off/mounting brackets for the headers were added which act as bracing. The bonnet is still stock except I removed the safety latch and spring. Even the original ornament is back in position.


To keep the door from swinging around in the breeze, I have just used a simple pad bolt. There is a clear stick on bumper on the header tube as well as one behind the pad bolt on the flange.


All finished up and pleased about how it turned out. Been planning it for nearly 10 years, but waited until I knew I didn't mess up welding the wider bonnet together on the Willys first, and then to get some suitable headers that were cheap enough. Was worth the wait as these were free!


In the end the only thing I paid for was the paint. Might just be able to make out the Willys 'looking on' in the background.

[Gojeep]

I been trying different things like baby oil and trim restores etc. to keep where I have removed all the plastic protrusions the same as the surrounding areas. Like the first runner which has never been touched. But after awhile they all fade again.


After watching many youtube videos and reading forum posts on it with people using everything from peanut butter to heat guns, nothing lasts for long or it makes them brittle. I saw good reports though from an Australian product that is actually a die like printers ink that I will give a go. https://youtu.be/YmkazRFrV_s


Pretty clear to see that I have done the first two runners. You use only a few drops to load the foam brush each time.


Done them all now and you have to leave it for 24 hours while it dries and you must not allow it to get wet.


Was pretty cold so was still a bit left wet the next day so rubbed it with a cloth to remove the excess which dulled it down back to a stock look. Looks patchy in the photo but that is just from the lighting. I also used it on my Jeep which had some graying plastic and works really well there just like the video. Seems better on the textured surfaces. I'll report back over time to see how it holds up.