No one has written a procedure manual for mounting an MB body to a CJ5 frame. I got some advice from total strangers on the Internet that were super kind in sharing their experiences.
With an awful lot of measuring and re-measuring I took the plunge and started drilling. Larry Schultz's excellent body mounts and with rubber pucks from Four Wheel Drive Hardware the body tub was mounted to the frame. The body pucks come in a 24" round bar. You have to cut it into slices with a chop saw. What a stink!!
The body fit rather well considering it was twisted. I didn't find this out until I started adding fenders, etc.
Next up was a fuel tank. I could have used the CJ5 tank but every time I have seen a CJ5 climbing a steep gradient I have seen gas spilling from the cap. I also didn't want anything else under the frame to bang on rocks that wasn't necessary. I was not going to add a rear seat so I chose to mount a fuel cell in its place.
I purchase a 16 gallon Jazz fuel cell from Summit racing equipment. Larry Schultz fabricated me a fuel cell mount and tie down brace.
With the tub installed , it was time for the fenders. With a twisted tub they didn't fit particularly well. But it was thin metal and with hood and grill in place it looks pretty good. Especially compared to the original CJ3A tub purchased 6 months earlier.
Everything was tied down on the trailer with the old roll cage temporarily located in place. It was back down South to John Toumbs Repair for a lot of mechanical work. In the next few weeks the engine, trans and transfer case will be installed with Howell Pro Injection, new drivelines, etc. Work will then progress to steering, brakes, seats, roll cage and a host of many other items on the list that only money, time and a total disregard for all logic will determine.
