A little project update on Chug A Lug

WOW been raining here so no work. I have been working on the wifes Crafts room and the Console. Console is coming along nicely. No big mistakes. I have to move the remote jack I put in for the CB Mic cause where its now comes out into the side of the Fuel tanks (bet that won't work well) I am putting 4) RCA jacks (2 right and 2 Left for the stereo) then a couple of 3.5mm mono jacks one for the Microphone for the Stereo/Bluetooth the other to an external speaker for the CB.

BUT the big news is the New Dual Electric fan arrived. First thing I noticed was how light it is and then HOW AWESOME the Shroud is. It even comes with a fancy rubber sealing strip. The fans are wired separately So I will have to come up with a 2-1 connector plug to go to the Fan controller. The Shroud is that glass filled Nylon stuff so looks super strong. And there is ample area to work out a good looking and solid way to attach it to the radiator no Nylon things shoved through the core. And It looks to give me a full inch of clearance between it and the Water Pump Pulley. NICE.

I'll mount it to the top of the core (its about 1/2" shorter then the core) and then center it side to side (1/2" of the core not covered with the Rubber seal call that almost 1" on either side) BUT thats great coverage compared to any round fan setup.

I have decided should I want to add a GMRS radio to CHUG I will go with a ceiling mount. As I will be running a full aluminum top all the time. No reason not to use all that property for stuff. And it will make it real easy to mount etc.

I added a set of 12V Power posts to the little Power panel I have inside the Console. So now I have

2) 12V power ports

1) USB dual port

1) set of 12V power posts

This panel also has a 8 fuse fuse box

and I set up a Relay Jack (not sure what I will use this for thoughts were to be able to shut off the Console power when the key is off as its all directly wired to the battery)

And a small digital Volt meter.

And this stuff only takes up about half the console so lots of room to pile junk in there.

YEA something finished so I can take photos.

First up the Fire Extinguishers and the fancy QD mounts I made.

The big Red Knob is the release you pull that out and then grab the extinguisher and lift and pull half the mount goes with it but that shouldn't be a problem. They are setup so that either front seat can reach across and access the extinguisher on the other side of the jeep or if standing outside the Jeep even with the Suicide doors I plan for my Hard top you can easily reach around the hinge line on the door and access the extinguishers they are both 1A 10BC. I'll also have one in my Off road travel trailer when completed.

The mounts are a bit tight and fiddly to remove the extinguisher but I figured that was better then loose as a few thousand miles down the trail they will loosen up and they can be released easy enough now.

NEXT up was way more frustrating then I thought it would be.....THE SHOULDER BELTS first the little L brackets I made so the retrators could anchor to the forward outer Roll Bar plate bolt (a 10mm grade 10.9 with a Grade 10.9 Nylon lock nut and Split washer) ended up to short the Retractor ended up trying to be in the same space as the Top Bow Socket. SO I had to remake those. Then the Stainless Steel 45° brackets I made for the Stub end to attach to the floor became unnecessary. The Upper mounts ended up working our great but were very tight to get on. I also had to remake a couple of special "pads" I made as dad had the holes for the Seat belts going through the bend in the Wheel house front (no clue how or why) I ended up deciding to move the Mounts an inch to get around this and tossing the Pads.

I solved the busted off little tabs on the plastic cover of the Retractor by threading the little L brakect and installing a 8-32 brass screw to interfere with the movement of the plastic so it stays in place now.

The stub side mount has a large pair of 2" D Fender washers to keep it from coming through the floor. All the mounts use G8 7/16" x 20t bolts and Nylon insert locking Nuts and are tightened just to the point I can with effort by hand rotate the mount. I figure this will allow the mounts to follow the webbing should it be yanked off center rather then acting to tighten one side or the other of the strip of webbing.

And a view of the Right side Belt.

The manufacturer made a big deal about having the retractor perfectly straight up and down and for the Webbing to pull from the retractor in a straight line. I have this within a degree so I'm really happy.

As I am sure a number of you have read I am a big supporter of SEAT BELTS in any vehicle so I wanted to do my best at making sure what I put in CHUG would work.

I'll post up Photos of the Belts for the rear seat later as they mount to the seat frame on a special mounting bar I made for them. And the Rear seat is currently hangin on the wall of the shop waiting its turn to be installed.

I also got the CB antenna mount mocked up. Its going on the Upper Left Tire Swing mount.

It consists of a TOP GUN 1" D HD solid mount then a HUSTLER stainless HD spring and finally a HD Quick disconnect unit that will allow me with a push and twist to remove the mast from the antenna so I can get the Jeep in the garage. I plan on using a 7' Neon Orange Firestick. So getting through the 84" opening to my carport/garage needed some help.

Waiting on the Coax and some 90° coax fittings and I'll have everything but the Mast.

With the reinforcement I have on the back side of the tub and the tie in to the Roll bar plate I can grab the mount and bend it all over which way and while the whole jeep moves I can detect absolutely no movement in the mount. So I am pretty happy about my choices for the mount.

OK new PITA to properly hook up my little Digital Pioneer Stereo with AM/FM and Bluetooth for my phone (Oregon its a $1200++++ fine for using your phone while driving and with my work I have to be able to answer my phone on the way to and from work) I need to have a power line from the ACC side of my ignition switch. so I have two choices neither any fun at this point. I can disconnect and remove some stuff on the ignition switch side of the Steering column and tape directly to the ACC terminal on the ignition switch. PITA level 4-5 or I can remove the Fuse panel and tap into the open terminal I have on the ACC side of the fuse panel PITA level unknown as I could be messing up all kinds of stuff I don't need to just to gain access.

The wire is going to have to run down the left side with the Fuel pump and Fuel level gauge wires then travel across the fuel tank to get to the console. I would have much preferred it to have traveled under the Tranny cover and come up into the console where the main power line dose through the PTO cover.

Should only take a hour or two to run from the ignition switch if I can gain access to the switch without to much cussing. Always something.

I really need to stop playing with electrical stuff before I go bat sh*t crazy.

SWAG now that could be fun. I already have the Theme song and Whiskey Jug art work!

My hope is to be starting the engine and on the road sometime in August. Certainly before fall comes around.

Most of the car shows and cruise ins I was hoping to make this year are either cancelled or postponed and up in the air. So I am not sure whats going to happen that way. If I have to wait to this coming spring to hit shows I guess I will have the Hard top done as well.

That console is awesome, I like the way it lights up. 

I was thinking of you and chug on my last adventure out into the desert. 

Hopefully we can do some eastern Oregon Flatfendering sometime. 

Ha ha 

So had a bunch of honey do's and such to screw with my time this weekend. But I got the front half of the top and the rails that it will slide on done for the console. I am thinking about painting it with Zinc Phosphate Aircraft Primer then VHT Chassis and Roll Bar Satin Black then masking off the edges (where the Angle trim and all the rivets are) then Painting the Flat surfaces of the console with a Hammer Finish Satin Black. Thinking I will just clear coat the interior wood With Model Airplane dope.

Still working on the back half of the lid that will hinge at the rear and tip up. And how I want to do the Locking system. But I am thinking I will go with a real high quality Drawer lock, Like this

But still to be decided. And I am trying to decide how I want to mount it in the gap. I do know its going to be on top of some 1/2" Thick rubber donuts and a pair of 3/8" bolts with Nylon lock nuts inside the console.