A little project update on Chug A Lug

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   SO I spent the day today working on the passenger side of CHUG. trying to gain a little elbow room for the Wife (she's Adjective deleted in the interest of living longer) Anyway she needs more bottom and shoulder room. With the hard top as the doors angle directly from the Rear hinge line to the Windshield frame and are approx. 1.125" thick inside that line. SO it robs some of the elbow room.

First thing I did was to change the Window tightening knobs to eliminate three of them. I had originally had 1/4-20 flat head bolts counter sunk into the 1/8" aluminum that is currently the outside of the door (until everything about the doors is finished then I will skin them with .040" like the rest of the Top) Then it had the Plastic knobs with brass inserts screwed on the inside to be able to tension the weather stripping when the window is inserted.. These dug into her arm.,

I replaced the Counter sunk bolts with Steel T Nuts that I have set in flush. I am using JB weld to secure them. I used bolts to pull them into the enlarged counter sunk holes I even drilled 4 little shallow holes in the beveled edge of the counter sink and 4 holes through the flange part of the Nut to make sure once the door is skinned they won't be able to rotate. 

I will now replace the Knobs on the inside with Flat head Bolts counter sunk into the weather striping tension thingy. This will gain her 3/8" of elbow room with nothing to poke into her arm. 

Next up was the Console. I can't really do much with it but I could put a couple pieces of left over Polyurethane body mount pads 7/16" thick under the Right side of the console causing it to tip to the left maybe another 3/8" along the top edge. I then removed the rear half of the Lid and as much as possible with something only a little over 1/8": thick I rounded the sides. Again to reduce the digging in aspect. I then did a crappy job of repainting it and will end up revisiting that.

And now we come to the seat itself. It occurred to me if I shimmed up the back of it. Then it would raise her bottom in relationship to that edge of the console and maybe even help her elbow position a little. SO I added a 1/4" thick Body mount pad to where the Frame rests on the Wheelhouse and made a new Rubber foot for the Inside rear corner. This raises the seat about 1/2" in the rear. Not sure how much this gained.

And finally I finished up the Interior panel for the door as her elbow was ridding on the square frame work and this would eliminate that even if being a little padding.

I haven't asked her to sit in it yet (its in the shop backwards and the Pass door can't open all the way so I have to move the pickup then pull the jeep out and turn it around first.

All this done. If it doesn't gain enough to make her comfortable. I know whats next. A NEW CB radio!!!!

Ok so thats confusing. I have a COBRA 29 which is a big radio 8.625" long add the COAX connector for the Antenna and it takes a big console to mount it in the console almost vertical. 

The New President George AM/FM/SSB WX etc. that just came out is only 6.77" deep Same width and Height so would take a 1.85" shorter console to contain it. My Pioneer Digital Stereo in the console is really short like less then 6" so that's no problem. 

If I rebuild the console I can gain at least 2" in vertical height and I am sure I can find at least an Inch to move it to the left there is plenty of room before it hits my seat frame. The combo of these tow things would allow me to move the Passenger seat frame to the left at least 1.5" giving her more elbow room.

Now I just have to decide to drill out all them rivets and take the console apart so I can rebuild it smaller. At least I won't need a bunch of new material to do it. Maybe a little 3/4 thin wall angle to replace the corners. 

WOW the things a guy has to do for love.