Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

Thanks for clarifying, the blue you've chosen sounds nice. The trim and wheels on your Jeep TB SS contain black and polished surfaces, perhaps one option would be to run that lower trim completely polished without any color in it? not sure that's possible or maybe black to match the wheels? I'm sure you will get all kinds of input and feedback from others on this board.

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

The old tail light lenses are cracked. I installed the newer left tail light housing, but the lens is pale. I ordered a set of red LED bulbs from eBay. They're made by jdm astar ($15/each) and they're bad ass. The pictures are #1 tall lights before. #2 left bulb without the lens, #3 white LED bulb (right) and red LED bulb( left) for comparison.
#4 red LED without lens and #5 parking lights with left red LED and right White led bulbs installed. The brake lights are even brighter. Definitely worth the price for the upgrade.

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

Those bulbs made a big difference.

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

I hate bodywork. I'm just trying to make it straight enough to get a decent paint job. Since i live 15 miles from summit racing, i perused their paint catalog for inspiration. I've decided on Sonic blue pearl and moonshine white pearl. The roof, side stripe between the chrome and some "SS" stripes on the hood will be white and the rest of the Jeep will be blue.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

That's looking good, I can't wait to see color on it.

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

Glad I've got my bodywork behind me...ive only got a few more pieces to paint..

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

So i went back to summit and noticed they have painted samples of the paint they sell. The color on the left is the sonic blue pearl I'm planning to use on the Jeep. The color to the right is cobalt blue metallic. I like the cobalt better, but i think the lighter blue will look better with the white pearl and look more period correct.

As the body work progresses forward from the left rear quarter panel, i had to remove the chrome strips and the wood grain decal, which was a pain. The white on the doors is factory original. The blue on the Jeep was a repaint color.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

I'm really tired of sanding, but I've got the hood smooth and ready for primer.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

So what happened to heading down to Florida?

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

The plan is to get the bodywork as straight as i can and then primer it. Then I'll take it you my friend's place in Florida where he'll fix it straight enough to paint. Then he'll paint it. I'll probably take a week off of work to get it completed. I redid my dad's 1959 Chevy truck there. It took almost 3 years to complete, but we were 30 miles apart. Being able to walk out back and tinker with the Jeep will save lots of time there.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

"Let's just swap tail gates really quick" was my thought for today. Well, I'm sure everybody has encountered the different challenges that arise when you swap body parts from different year vehicles.

The 1968 jeep tail gate hinges are bolted on from underneath.
The 1979 hinges are bolted from the top of the floor. Then i noticed the 68 hinges are threaded and the 79 hinges bolt through the hinge into the floor. So i tapped the 79 hinges and found the appropriate bolts to mount them. Turns our, the mount holes are exactly opposite from one year to another.

I swapped the left hinge, but the right hinge was broken, so i used the bottom of the old hinge as a template to make new holes on the 79 hinge. This "quick swap" took me all day. I kept leaving tools in the back of the Jeep. I couldn't find them, because the Jeep was up in the air on the lift.

Now I've got to decide if i want to wire up the power back window or transfer the manual window crank and regulator.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

With all this great work you are doing I'll bet you'd appreciate just hitting a switch to lower that back window when you are driving it.

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

I agree, power window.....why not......

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

I decided to keep the power window in the tail gate. So i started preparing to swap in the glass from the blue gate. The guy I got the white Jeep from had new tail gate hardware. I replaced the glass sidetracks and as i was putting the glass in, the left track bracket broke off. So i replaced that too.

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

The bulb for the license plate is blown. I couldn't find an LED replacement online, so i made my own.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

Keep plugging away at it. Nice idea for the light too.....

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

x2 ^

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

I mean it works, but you should have text me. I have a box with all sorts of LEDs

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

What's really funny is that after i finished making the license plate light and bracket, i was looking through my box of electrical connectors and i found a license plate light from a Jeep i owned probably 15 years ago.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

That's typical with anything. You find what you need after you've completed a task.

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

So i got the power window regulator wired up. It was a lot easier to figure our than i thought it would be.

Unfortunately, i have to remove the tailgate again to swap out the left hinge. It turns out the hinges are different designs entirely, because of the way they mount and because the weather stripping is on the tailgate on the blue Jeep and on the tailgate opening on the white Jeep. The blue hinges are flat and the white hinges are bent up on the white. So the tailgate hangs up on the left side. I have to pry up with a screwdriver to get the gate open.

And finally, I've been working on the body work. I got the driver's door sanded down and smoothed out. It's coming along.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

Looking good, it will be painted in no time......

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

Great job on getting the electric window working and the tailgate almost all squared away. You have a lot to be proud of with this project, thanks for taking us along for the ride!

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

So I've started working on the roof rack design. I started with a 1 1/2 inch angle iron (bed frame railing), but it wasn't tall enough. I have to consider the height to mount the wiper motor above the windshield.

I found a 6' section of 4 inch tall i-beam at work. The end was mangled, but i only needed 4 feet. I cut the i-beam into 6 inch sections to support the factory roof rack. In order to get the aluminium rack to the edge of the i-beam, i put each one in the bench vise and beat them down one inch. My original plan was to cut off the inside top section of the beam, but then i thought i could drill a hole or two into the inner flange and use it to secure cargo straps, if i ever use the rack.

- Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

The factory nut inserts have seen better days, so i picked up some new inserts from summit racing. I forgot that i had repaired the roof around a few of the inserts and i ended up doing more damage than good. Fortunately, the holes are easily accessible, just above the rear passenger seat, so I'll use bolts and large fender washers to secure the roof rack there.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

More design changes to the roof rack. The factory aluminum bars were starting to be more trouble than they're worth. So I went with one inch square tubing. There's a slight radius to the roof from front to back, so I've got to shorten the center 2 support beams about 1/2 inch. But it's starting to come together.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

I found a set of fog lights with bright amber halos that'll work as turn signals like i had originally intended. There's no white halo for the daytime running lights, but I'll figure something out later.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

I made a lot of progress on the roof rack. I pie cut the ends and cut about 1/2 inch off the center mounts. The driver's side is welded already. I bought enough square tubing to put a cross brace between the picture cross braces, but I'm thinking 4 bars should be plenty. They're about 2 feet apart. I imagine anything smaller would probably just be put inside instead of on top.

I mounted the new fog lights and was tinkering with the idea of dressing up the grille. Watching iron resurrection on tv, they had a black Nova and the grille had 2 shiny bars in the grille and i believe a little trim ring around the headlight. I thought I'd steal that idea for the turn signal detail instead of just being a plain black egg crate grille. The picture is just a quick attempt to see what it would look like before committing to sanding and repainting everything. I like it because it's different. I'll see if i can find some silver pinstripe tape instead of masking and painting everything.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

More great progress and job well done! the grill idea looks good too and it's unique because you created it with inspiration from another build, that is a big part of what makes this hobby we all love so great. I'm really enjoying this build and your updates, keep up the great work.

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

That roof rack is turning out pretty cool!

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

More great looking progress

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

I finished welding up the roof rack, except the front cross bar. That'll be determined when i figure out the wiper motor configuration.

I ordered 2 rolls of 1/4 pinstripe tape. One silver, one chrome. I striped the left side (passenger side in the pictures) in chrome and the right side in silver. I even taped the third grille bar to see what it looks like. I didn't like the third bar.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

I got up early and hit the junkyard Looking for opposed wiper arms to try something different when I came across a 1993 Mercedes 400e with a mono wiper setup. $46.00 later, here we are. It's got a cam on the arm that pushes out to reach the corners of the windshield. I bench tested it and it works great. Now to get it mounted and wired up.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

I made done brackets to mount the wiper regulator to the front cross brace of the roof rack. Found out i can only fit a 13 inch wiper blade, but it works. In super stoked about it. Now to make it permanent.

- Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

While I'm waiting for more metal for the wiper regulator, I decided to figure out my third brake light design. I originality wanted to make a spoiler to deflect air down to keep the back window clean. I couldn't come up with a design that didn't look ridiculous,so i figured less is more. Keep it simple.

I notched a section of 1 1/2 inch angle (bed frame railing) to fit under the last roof rack cross brace. I drilled 10 holes to mount red eagle eye LED lights, each with 3 chips, so they're really bright.

I entertained the idea of putting amber LEDs on the ends to make the turn signals more visible, but I think it'll be too much.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

That is stealthy, I love all the creativity and fab work you are doing on this project. Each update brings you a little closer to being on the road with a unique vehicle!

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

It's coming together and looking good.

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

Well i finished the roof rack and the air shield to cover the wiper regulator. Now i have to remove it to weld the bottoms off the crossbars and paint it with epoxy paint. Now i can start the bodywork for the roof.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

I removed the roof rack to finish welding the underside and the corners i couldn't reach. I sanded it and painted it with epoxy gloss black paint.

I used lens tint to camouflage the third brake light LEDs. They're really really bright, so I'm also helping people behind me not go blind when i hit the brakes.

-Josh

Re: Jeep Trailblazer SS
 

A+ on fab and creativity for the wiper and 3rd brake light... Oh yea, the roof rack is sweet too!