The Tux goes to the cleaners/ Jeep Restoration

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  • Labeeman

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    23   0   0
    Oct 11, 2010
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    Baton Rouge
    For all you jeep lovers out there this post is for you. I’ve posted a thread about a 1963 CJ5 I picked up a few years ago with around 27000 original miles on it at the time and said I would post again when I start the restoration process, so here goes. The jeep is very unique in that it was a special edition that came out in 63 called a Tuxedo Park. It was Jeeps attempt to market the jeep to the upper crust of society. It was painted *Indian Ceramic* and had chrome accent pieces such as the dash grab bar, windshield hinges and bumpers. I drove it for about a 1.5 years and then parked it at our shop about a year ago to keep it out the weather til I could start working on it. Well earlier this month my oldest son and I took off the first bolt and since then I’ve been busy just tearing it down. I’ve had a few older jeeps and this one is in the best condition of the ones I’ve had so the tear down process has been tedious but not hard as all the nuts and bolts and body parts have come off with no problem. I’ve got the body off the frame and have it on a rotisserie to work on a few areas that need some help. I’m doing a lot of the work myself so this won’t happen in two months but I’m hoping to have it done in the next 12 months. That’s my self imposed deadline. I do have to put the jeep project on the side for a few weeks starting this weekend to do some carpentry work around my house, but when I get that done I’ll be on the jeep project hot and heavy. The jeep will be bone stock original except for a brake upgrade (11 inch modern self adjusting drums) and possibly a over drive. I am going to do a few cosmetic changes but beside that it will stay original. No lift kits or big tires for this project. It will be the official jeep of my honey company.
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    rcm192

    Sic semper tyrannis
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    111   0   0
    May 31, 2010
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    Put some white walls on it! Lol.

    As another jeep fan [i currently own 6...5 XJs and a TJ] I am looking forward to seeing the final product!
     

    Labeeman

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    23   0   0
    Oct 11, 2010
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    Will change the seals on everything from the engine to the tranny. The tranny is going to the shop as it is hard to shift from first to second. Lots of parts and pieces will be changed as 55 years takes a toll on a Jeep.
     

    RaleighReloader

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    Jan 30, 2015
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    A tip of my hat to you for keeping it original (brakes notwithstanding, since I'm sure the originals were borderline dangerous). I really hate to see these classic old Jeeps pimped with big rims and sky-high suspensions.

    Mike
     

    tallwalker

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    Jul 24, 2012
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    Covington, LA
    Looks like a great place to do a project like that too. You will really have something when you get finished and will likely last another 55 years. Nice going.


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    Labeeman

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    23   0   0
    Oct 11, 2010
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    Baton Rouge
    Have you ever woke up one day and realized how fortunate you are, and should truly be grateful for things that have happened to you for which you really did not have any influence over, thus the land and shop. Even though I did not know my moms dad very well as he died when I was young, he was a hard working farmer who had good business sense and acquired a few pieces of property before he died. When he died, my uncle took over the reins and has run our small family business for the last 45 years. The land where our shop is located was planted in sugarcane for the longest time until my uncle decided that we needed a place to work out of and that everyone could use to work on equipment and whatever else needed to be done. In 2004 we broke ground and built our shop. A few years later we added on a small kitchen and bathroom. We have celebrated many hot 4th of July’s and many cold New Years nights setting off fireworks. On a more somber note we had my oldest sisters memorial service at the shop on a unbelievable cool August afternoon. She was 53 when she died. My sister loved to visit our place and meditate in the dark of the night somewhere in the fields surrounding out shop. She was a pure hippie at heart but was also a labor and delivery nurse at Woman’s hospital for 28 years and knew a million people. The crowd was huge and the service was beautiful. At the end of the service we spread some of her ashes across the fields and now she will be there forever. I hope you can see by now that this place is more than a metal building and cement. It’s a place where my kids learned to shoot and hunt and also learn a little about tradition and what it means to be a family. We do our best to keep the place up and persevere it for future generations. So yep everyday that I wake up I am extremely grateful to just to be alive as no day is promised, and that I have a little bit of dirt and grass I can walk on when I need a little space to get out of the craziness of Baton Rouge. Well, it’s time to sign off as I thought I’d drop a little bit of Americana on the good people of Bayou Shooter.
     
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    RaleighReloader

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    Jan 30, 2015
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    Nice piece of writing there, Labeeman. Your grandpa would be proud of the good work that is going on in that shop. And I’m sure your sister’s spirit loves to dwell with the family.

    May your family enjoy those traditions for many generations to come.

    Mike
     

    Labeeman

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    23   0   0
    Oct 11, 2010
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    Baton Rouge
    I’ve made some progress on the body. I’ve cut out the dented areas on the rear quarter panel and tail light section. I also sent my carb and fuel pump off for rebuilding. I also lined up my body and paint guy and the transmission repair guy. I also threw in a pic of the old shop cat. She went missing for a week and we thought a dog or coyote got her, but we found her stuck in a tree. We were very happy to get her back as she’s a dang good mouse catcher.


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