My first vehicle! 1956 CJ5

[56willys]

Work has been kind of slow on flossy, between being bummed out about the oil leak and being busy working. I haven't got a lot of time in the harage. However I did get a cb radio installed, with a 4 foot firestick on a spring mount. I think someday it would be cool to get a full 102" whip, but what I have will work for know. I also installed some seatbelts, any offroad park around requires them and I figured it wouldn't be a bad idea anyways. I changed front differential oil and filled the knuckles, now the u joints don't click anymore! Then I put some rear main sealer in it and drove for a pretty good distance, it w as still dripping from the bellhousing, but it's not as bad as last week. So I think it will make it through Bantam I'll just pack some extra oil.

I still can't get over how much better it rides now. It actually has some get-up-and-go I drove around some backwoods and was planning on staying around 30mph but without any throttle input, next thing I know I look down and were going 40, it actually moves pretty good considering. After the drive I took a infrared thermometer tk it and the upper water neck was 160 degrees and the coolant at the top off the rad was 130 degrees. I could still hold onto the radiator.

[gmwillys]

Work and life has a tendency to steal time away from projects. It happens. Yesterday was the first day that the Heep has seen daylight in a long time, awaiting the starter and generator to come back, etc. etc. etc.

New shock mounts and shocks definitely help out in the ride quality for sure. A Willys will run better the more it is run. When you get the oil bleeding repaired, you'll be driving Flossy everywhere!

[bmorgil]

Drive it and enjoy it 56'! When you are ready go after that seal. Until then keep some oil handy and the RPM's low.

[gmwillys]

For the time being, I would recommend that you would make a diaper of Pig Mat or related material to catch any oil that may ooze out when showing. As long as you keep an eye closely to your oil levels, all will be great!

https://www.amazon.com/New-Pig-Unive...s%2C117&sr=8-3

[56willys]

Sorry I went awoll on you folks, I was away all of last week doing high-performance car stuff. So ive just been tinkering, doing little fine-tune stuff. Haven't really completed anything major. I got all the electrical issues sorted except the horn doesnt work. I finally got some gauges hooked up, tach, volt, oil, and temperature. So know i can keep an eye on how the engine likes me, It does make oil pressure!! Between 25-30 psi at idle, occasionally it drops to 22 if its idling rough when its cold. but as soon as i just barely tap the throttle it spikes to 45 psi immediately. I got a reducer to hook up the original 6 volt fuel and temp gauges but the amazon river special was defective, and with no time left to wait on the postal service i just bought a regular temp gauge. To eliminate the factory electrical sending unit. But the threads in the head are too small for the new pickup, so i have about 5 different fittings stacked to get the right threads. I will perfect it later, but it will get me a gauge working for know.

So the Bantam Jeep Festival is this weekend, we're leaving tomorrow morning and camping there the entire weekend. My buddy came tonight and loaded Flossy on his trailer to haul down. I dont think its quite ready for an hour drive, then offroading and another hour drive home. Its safer to just trailer it, then I dont have to worry about breaking as much stuff. But that turned into an ordeal, My friend came and i still had a bunch of stuff to finish, so he got to work on the famous Flossy! Finally got everything buttoned up, pull it on the trailer and start strapping it. The good news is there was no drops of oil under the Jeep after driving. Maybe the Lucas majic poop worked. But i noticed there was some brake fluid dripping on the rear axle, coming from the bleeders/wheel cyl. fittings. Thats not too big of an issue ill just tighten things up alitte, (famous last words) The fittings and the first bleeder were a little loose, so i gave them a good snug, and the last bleeder i go to give it one more little tighten and the stupid thing broke off!! and i didnt even give it that much torque just a little bit. Alright, lets try a bolt extracter to get out the chunk of thread left in the cylinder. Fist couple attempts are to no avail, try it again and the bolt extracter breaks, (well this sucks!) So with really nothing left to try and the sun getting low and brake fluid leaking everwhere, lets take an idea out of Bubba's playbook for feild repairs on junk vehicles and i welded the hole shut. I figured i wont let one wheel cylinder ruin a weekend of fun that ive been working all winter for, i can order a new cylinder later. And then i ran out of welding wire! But luckily i got enough of a puddle on it that i think it will hold.

So yep, thats my story, Flossy's on its way there and we will be pulling out in the morning, so i probably wont be able to reply for a few days. But ill get you all informed after the show, and tell you the list of things that break this weekend!!

[gmwillys]

Well done '56. The weld on the bleeder will get you through, and is a better idea than smashing the line flat going across the axle...I would have never taken a hammer or vise grips to a brake line. I agree on trailering Flossy to Bantam. We'll be loading up the Heep this afternoon for our annual Veterans benefit ride on the mountain this weekend.

Have fun this weekend and take plenty of photos.

[LarrBeard]

"catch any oil that may ooze out when showing."

BMorgil may remember this. "Way baack in 2019" when the JeepFest restarted the Arena Show, when you brought a vehicle onto that shiny floor in the Exhibition Hall, one of the nice ladies came around and asked how many drip pans you needed. It wasn't do you need a drip pan - it was just how many. Old Jeeps are like old coots - we all dribble a little bit.....

[bmorgil]

I do remember the floor of the Arena! I think I ended up laying on it.

[AJ-MJ]

It sounds like exciting times for you guys this weekend... HAVE FUN and enjoy your "labor of luv". My hunt club is have a fund raiser so I'll be working, but it will be a good time. I was always told Jeep don't leak they just mark their territory.