Grill and front fender hinging

[amc78cj7]

We pulled the engine from an EB this weekend to swap into our frame-up build. It was then that I noticed that the EB front clip (inner fenders and radiator support "box") look to be welded to the firewall. We eventually cut the radiator support in order to pull the engine forward. Is this true that the tub is entact from the rear corner panels to the front radiator support or is it bolted in a way I could not detect?

Being a Jeep guy, I realize the superior design of Jeeps having a frame-mounted grill/radiator that is independant from the rest of the tub. Especially it is convenient for removing the grill during engine swaps and also since we intend to hinge our front fenders similar to my Jeep (pic below). If I separate the EB radiator support / grill from the inner fenders and support it using frame mounts and support bars (like a Jeep) and attach the fenders with bolts similar to a Jeep, will there be enough support and weight distribution from the remaining 4 frame mounts to keep the tub / firewall in place? Jeeps have frame mounts for the main tub, whereas the EB will only have 4 in this case. Is there a reason to not do this?

 

[Devin]

The front clip is welded on to the tub - as you said, solid from back to the front. I'm not sure why you thought you had to cut the raddy support to pull the engine. Just remove the raddy and the fan and you will have plenty of room to get the engine out.

That being said, I have seen several "conversions" that allow the entire front clip to be hinged and rotate up and away from the cab. The 4 mounting points for the main tub would be plenty, IMO.

Do some searching on here and you should be able to find some front clip hinge conversions.

 

[DonsBolt]

there are actaly 6 body mounts for the tub
2 in the front floor boars
2 just behind the rear seats
2 at the rear of the cab, just infront of the tailgate

you can do allmost anything you want with the grill and fenders. Some guys build a tube frame to hold the radiator, grill, and fenders. I have seen a few guys install a tilt foward nose. So with some imagionation anything is possible

 

[amc78cj7]

Thanks fellas. The sawzall is coming out tonight.

 

[grant_71]

Did he say "superior design of jeeps??"

 

[reamer]

Just that Jeep attitude coming out. Bet he thinks the WWII jeep was was related to his "thing"
Wrong! the fist "Geeps" were Willys and made by Ford. Soooooo that makes the Bronco the great grandchild of the Original. That AMC/Chrysler thing aint more that a red-headed step child.
Reamer

 

[lonesouth]

its ok, once he drives it, that superiority complex will be corrected. I had an 84 CJ-7 with all the bells and sold it cause my 73 bronco drove better in every way, even being 11 years older.

 

[ep67bro]

Superior front design!!!! My brother in law has a CJ7 that no matter how hard we try we cannot get the front clip to sit even. The single?? front body mount is as week as the day is long. Not to mention the fact that my 67 bronco is 19 years older than his jeep and broke half as much! But with that being said they are fellow four wheelers and I will except that!

 

[amc78cj7]

Just that Jeep attitude coming out. Bet he thinks the WWII jeep was was related to his "thing"
Wrong! the fist "Geeps" were Willys and made by Ford. Soooooo that makes the Bronco the great grandchild of the Original. That AMC/Chrysler thing aint more that a red-headed step child.
Reamer

Newb. The first military contract was to Bantam, who could not produce the numbers so they went with the Willys design and contracted manufacturing out to Ford and Willys to produce the numbers the military needed. The Ford Jeeps were called GPW (the W indicating the Willys engine design). To restorers the Ford Jeeps are often referred to as "F-script" because Ford made sure every part coming from their vehicle was marked with their signature, including the heads of bolts.
That was in 1941.

I restored a 1946 Jeep CJ2a (the first year of mass produced civilian Jeeps) so I know a bit about the topic.

Don't get me wrong, my entire family is Ford automotive and my father-in-law was the head of stamping for Ford Motor company (meaning all your EB body panels came from one of his factories), but don't ever claim that Ford is the father of Jeeps.

BTW, that's a Chevy engine in my Jeep above...

 

[Devin]

Newb. The first military contract was to Bantam, who could not produce the numbers so they went with the Willys design and contracted manufacturing out to Ford and Willys to produce the numbers the military needed. The Ford Jeeps were called GPW (the W indicating the Willys engine design). To restorers the Ford Jeeps are often referred to as "F-script" because Ford made sure every part coming from their vehicle was marked with their signature, including the heads of bolts.
That was in 1941.

I restored a 1946 Jeep CJ2a (the first year of mass produced civilian Jeeps) so I know a bit about the topic.

Don't get me wrong, my entire family is Ford automotive and my father-in-law was the head of stamping for Ford Motor company (meaning all your EB body panels came from one of his factories), but don't ever claim that Ford is the father of Jeeps.

BTW, that's a Chevy engine in my Jeep above...

You still got that '46?

 

[amc78cj7]

You still got that '46?

No. I determined long ago that I don't have the resources to have more than one girl in the shop. I'm very much a monogomist in that way. I started on the red CJ7 in the pic above and sold the CJ2A to fund the project. A year ago I sold the red CJ7 to fund the Bronco build. Fortunately the Bronco belongs to my son so I won't be able to sell that. I'll just have to start from scratch with limited funds on my next project. That or keep the leftovers from this bronco and turn them into a rock buggy.

 

[BroncoDawg]

Ford may not be the father of the GP, but definitely the uncle. General purpose was the origy name, or GP and then lengthened to Jeep by the troops themselves. I've read that even tho ford stamped all their parts, they were identical to Willys and were interchangeable.

Bantam couldn't gear up to produce the units needed, but if they had, would they ever have developed their cool little trailers that are the grandad of today's adventure trailers.

 

[amc78cj7]

Ford may not be the father of the GP, but definitely the uncle. General purpose was the origy name, or GP and then lengthened to Jeep by the troops themselves. I've read that even tho ford stamped all their parts, they were identical to Willys and were interchangeable.

Bantam couldn't gear up to produce the units needed, but if they had, would they ever have developed their cool little trailers that are the grandad of today's adventure trailers.

Everything you state is true, except that extended form of GP is argued by most to refer to the miliary designation "G" for government use, and "P" to designate its 80-inch (2,000 mm) wheelbase. GPW added the designation "W" to designate it was a version of the Willys contract design.

 

[amc78cj7]

Superior front design!!!! My brother in law has a CJ7 that no matter how hard we try we cannot get the front clip to sit even. The single?? front body mount is as week as the day is long. Not to mention the fact that my 67 bronco is 19 years older than his jeep and broke half as much! But with that being said they are fellow four wheelers and I will except that!

Off topic, but make sure your brother-in-law has the two supporting rods running between the CJ7 grill and the firewall. They are adjustable and keep the grill aligned. Between the one frame mount, the two supporting rods and the fenders there are 5-points keeping the grill in place. Without the supporting rods I have seen the grills lean.

 

[1sicbronconut]

Always thought it was funny that Ford designed the now classic Jeep grille. Some intresting stuff here. http://www.mrgrille.com/history.htm

 

[amc78cj7]

Always thought it was funny that Ford designed the now classic Jeep grille. Some intresting stuff here. http://www.mrgrille.com/history.htm

Actually Hummer came up with the grill and just leased it to Jeep 40 years in advance. ;D (J/K of course).

That is interesting and something I did not know. Thanks.

I would argue that Kaiser and AMC had a bigger role than acknowledged in this article though.

You'll notice my screen name
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[1sicbronconut]

Have some friends that are AMC guys but they would ge very upset over your engine choice;D One has a built 401 and the other has a built 390 but they both admit they would love to own a Early Bronco while I have no use for a CJ7 but being a Ford tech (20 years) and loving millitary history I would like to have a Ford produced GPW. Henry also had every part stamped Ford on the first few years of production to make sure he didn't get ripped off having to replace anything on a Jeep he didn't make.