1947 Cj2A AMC 304 Engine Swap

[RMBillings]

I need some help from the experts on this forum to see how hard it would be to put a Jeep AMC 304 engine into my CJ2a . I have the entire drivetrain out of a stock CJ7 to include the AMC 304 engine and stock Transmission Transfer Case . I would either like to bolt the AMC 304 up to the current CJ2a Transmission or just put the entire CJ7 drivetrain into the CJ2a . I have been doing a bunch of searches but all the engine swaps seem to be around either a 4.3 chevy, Dauntless Buick 225 V6 for a small block chevy. Can anyone help me out with engine mount information and adapters.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[duffer]

I don't think anyone makes an AMC to T-90 adapter-at least none that I know of. So the best option would appear to be to use the entire CJ7 drivetrain. I assume this includes the T-150 -not the best for low gear ratio but reasonably beefy-much more so than the T-90 .

You will also need to swap in the centered rear axle and no doubt a gear swap will be required. Axle width should be close but you still may want 1" spacers on the front to get a better track match.

Downside of this will be more rear driveshaft angle, poor 2:1 low range in the Dana 20 , and the Overdrive option goes out the window. And probably more work than just stuffing a 4.3 or sbc in it. Probably more expensive too when the axle gear swap is included.

 

[duffer]

OK, brain fart, senior moment, or both.

Just swap the Dana 30 in also, along with the Saginaw steering. Gear problem gone and much better axle to boot. Go for it. Probably still want to do something with the springs. If it's going to see a lot of trail time-Holbrooks.

 

[JR74CJ5]

Remember the AMC 304 was put in starting with intermediate CJ5 's. They stretched the engine compartment to fit it.

With some good planning, electric fan possibly, etc, you can probably "fit" it, but as stated your driveline angles are going to be ...

Swapping in a Dauntless Buick 225 V6 , may be another option, and using your other CJ drivetrain parts... those little odd fires were torque powerful engines. I've seen a few of them do real good...

It's all possible, but that AMC 304 may be a beast of a project.

 

[JR74CJ5]

Here's some info on the changes AMC did when beginning the AMC 304 jeeps:

http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f102/cj5-1972-1975-a-12408/

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Gonna be real 'tite' try'n to shoe-horn any '8' into that engine bay.
Look at a V-6
LG

 

[Saddle Tramp]

I stuffed a 350 out of a 1977 short box Chevy into a 47 CJ2a I owned years ago and on balance it was just a bad idea all around; if given the option again I would take a pass. Not just because I now know that SBC and CJs are a bad combo (MY OPINION; all accolades to the SBC given but keep them in the hot rods.) A guy owed me some money and he talked me into take the motor for my jeep instead of the cash.

The first thing that happened after the swap was I blew the T-90 and shortly after being back on the road again the stock rear end went out, finished off by the stock frontend a few months after that. Now with fresh drivetrain parts I figured I was good but then I started having problems steering. Turns out the weight of the V8 caused the frame to crack/break allowing the front to move up and pinching the steering shaft; nothing that a little plate steel and a welder couldn’t fix but a lesson for the learning none the less; however I did drive it like I stole it in thise days. I’m not sure of the dimension differences between the SBC and the AMC V8 if any but at least the AMC has the distributor in front as timing the Chevy once in the 2A was next to impossible. Some research on engine weight might be in order too.

As far as mixing and matching between the 2A and the 7 drivetrains the T-150 is only ¼” longer than the T-90 so no biggy there and the Spicer 18 and Dana 20 transfer cases are the same case and interchangeable between transmissions depending upon hole size and retainers. The 3 “ that the front of the CJ was stretched starting in the 1972 model year was for the AMC I6 as I believe the AMC V8 is shorter. Jeep had sold the tooling for the Dauntless Buick 225 V6 back to GM as GM needed to be able to offer a more economical vehicle. As I remember gas was only 30 some cents a gallon back then but people felt it was creeping too high. Go figure.

Now a AMC V8 in an intermediate and up CJ, I’m all in.

 

[Petescj]

I stuffed a 350 out of a 1977 short box Chevy into a 47 CJ2a I owned years ago and on balance it was just a bad idea all around; if given the option again I would take a pass. Not just because I now know that SBC and CJs are a bad combo (MY OPINION; all accolades to the SBC given but keep them in the hot rods.) A guy owed me some money and he talked me into take the motor for my jeep instead of the cash.

The first thing that happened after the swap was I blew the T-90 and shortly after being back on the road again the stock rear end went out, finished off by the stock frontend a few months after that. Now with fresh drivetrain parts I figured I was good but then I started having problems steering. Turns out the weight of the V8 caused the frame to crack/break allowing the front to move up and pinching the steering shaft; nothing that a little plate steel and a welder couldn’t fix but a lesson for the learning none the less; however I did drive it like I stole it in thise days. I’m not sure of the dimension differences between the SBC and the AMC V8 if any but at least the AMC has the distributor in front as timing the Chevy once in the 2A was next to impossible. Some research on engine weight might be in order too.

As far as mixing and matching between the 2A and the 7 drivetrains the T-150 is only ¼” longer than the T-90 so no biggy there and the Spicer 18 and Dana 20 transfer cases are the same case and interchangeable between transmissions depending upon hole size and retainers. The 3 “ that the front of the CJ was stretched starting in the 1972 model year was for the AMC I6 as I believe the AMC V8 is shorter. Jeep had sold the tooling for the Dauntless Buick 225 V6 back to GM as GM needed to be able to offer a more economical vehicle. As I remember gas was only 30 some cents a gallon back then but people felt it was creeping too high. Go figure.

Now a AMC V8 in an intermediate and up CJ, I’m all in.

Every word of this Xs two only mine was a 49 with a Ford 302.

 

[johnnyreb]

well in my youth my father raced off road. One of his friends had a cj 2/3 witha 428 cobrajet in his, so anything is possible. I would consider maybe a 9 in ford for the rear to handle the torque or at least a Dana 44 maybe dana's front and rear. Add some waggy springs on the front and move the axle forward. In fact Dad's jeep as can be since in my avatar was a ford 300 ci 6 cyl with T-90 and stock rear end. That 6 with the stock 5:38 gears and welded spiders was a torque monster. He also swapped in a saginaw box out of a chevelle for power steering.
So anything is possible. I like the idea of the AMC 304 over the sbc.