1979- Jeep CJ7 FULL RESTORATION HELP

[CJSIT960]

My 1979 CJ7 with a Six has a rusty frame,I have a perfect 1985 CJ7 frame
I am Putting a Chevy 350 in it with the GM Turbo 400 and the quadra trac . Using all Navak adapters. Just trying to get as much information on this.

If anybody have done this with the Chevy 8 cylinder Gen II 2000 motor stock information on where to weld the motor mounts would be great.

, I am using everything from the 1979 it is current running just replacing the frame , We are going to connect the GM Turbo 400 to the Chevy 350 and drop it in the 1979
to get all our measurements for the motor mounts on the 1985 frame so everything line up . Any suggestion would help for the correct location of the motor mounts


any video or picture would be great

thx

 

[Greenwithenvy]

Seems like I always do things the hard way. With that said, I would set everything up with engine, Transmission ., and Transfer Case all together and set it in the frame you are using, as close to firewall as you can and still leave room for your distributor. That way you can also see how much room you have for exhaust and clearance with the power steering. And where the radiator will be upfront and work out your cross member and drive line lengths. I have had good luck with MORE motor mounts. Some times setting everything up even a 1/4" makes a big difference. I'm sure others here can give you more info. Hope this gives you a plce to start. Vance.

 

[Greenwithenvy]

One more quick thought. Take a look at all the CJ builds, they is a lot of good pictures and info. as to what some of the more knowledgeable people have done to their jeeps.

 

[tarry99]

My 1979 CJ7 with a Six has a rusty frame,I have a perfect 1985 CJ7 frame
I am Putting a Chevy 350 in it with the GM Turbo 400 and the quadra trac . Using all Navak adapters. Just trying to get as much information on this.

If anybody have done this with the Chevy 8 cylinder Gen II 2000 motor stock information on where to weld the motor mounts would be great.

As Green mentioned above everything needs to be bolted together and then mocked up in place...............to add to that I never build permanent mounts for the engine and Transmission until near the end of the project as in most swaps the need to make adjustments in location is always present.
Keeping your suspension loaded at ride height is also needed during the process , to keep drive line angles in check.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Fan to radiator clearance is very critical in this mock up also.
Best of luck,
LG

 

[Peanut Butter]

Just a suggest, but while you have everything out, rebuild you QuadraTrac Transfer Case ( QT ). At the very least replace the chain with one from BJ's Off-Road. It is the only USA made chain, all other will not last and could destroy your case. There is plenty of documentation on the web for doing this and it is pretty easy.

 

[Hedgehog]

So you aren't restoring the CJ, you are fixing it up as a Resto-mod. When a vehicle is restored it is being returned to factory spec's or at least has CJ running gear. Yes, it's a seemingly minor distinction, but keeps purists from reminding you that a CJ never came with a SBC 350 or the Transmission you ae planning to use. Remember this, try to keep your combination as short as possible, even though you have a CJ7 , you don't want a super short drive shaft. Also, a SBC 350 is hard on a CJ's frame, its the way a 350 produces power, you might look into reinforcing the frame in the well known spots for cracking. Now, to be honest I don't know if the newer boxed frames are prone to cracking like the earlier frames were.

 

[Torxhead]

So you aren't restoring the CJ, you are fixing it up as a Resto-mod. When a vehicle is restored it is being returned to factory spec's or at least has CJ running gear. Yes, it's a seemingly minor distinction, but keeps purists from reminding you that a CJ never came with a SBC 350 or the Transmission you ae planning to use. Remember this, try to keep your combination as short as possible, even though you have a CJ7 , you don't want a super short drive shaft. Also, a SBC 350 is hard on a CJ's frame, its the way a 350 produces power, you might look into reinforcing the frame in the well known spots for cracking. Now, to be honest I don't know if the newer boxed frames are prone to cracking like the earlier frames were.

Hedge, my '86 was had many cracks, probably from just lots of flexing.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

So has mine, mostly up by the front cross plate under the radiator. Cracks in the corner, on both sides. Added a doubler after welding.
LG

 

[Hedgehog]

I thought that would be the case but wasn't sure. Frame cracking isn't only caused by snappy engine performance, but it is my understanding that the SBC is harder on CJ frames than even it's AMC equivalent the 360. I've seen several with multiple cracks just behind the motor mounts. Not all cracking at the same time, but crack, repair plate, crack, repair plate. To do it really well the plates, fish plates, should be in place before the frame has the opportunity to crack. With the frame stripped it is a relatively easy time to get the job done.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

HH-Were these SBC engine mounts the weld in type that you saw the frame cracks on?
LG

 

[Torxhead]

I did get one that really puzzled me on the passenger side right above the front spring pivot where the frame started to split in half. This happened after I installed high lift springs. A fellow club member had the same crack with high lift springs on his '84.

 

[Hedgehog]

Lumpy - It was very early (like 1985) in my caring about the guts of a CJ so I really don't know. He was the one that told me about 350 cracking frames, since I've noticed that he was right. His cracks were just in front of the fire wall, mostly on the drivers side.

 

[Peanut Butter]

I'm going to play really dumb here, because I do not know anybody with a Jeep that has a V8 of any kind. Do you know or can you find out why this is? Do all engines rotate in the same direction? Could it be that the SBC rotates in a different direction? There is the Transmission Stabilizer Stud. It is located on the drivers side. Could this have something to do with it?

 

[Lumpy Grits]

To prevent frame cracks was the reason that AMC started using that solid bar that was bolted to each side of the engine mounts, under the engine.
LG

 

[Hedgehog]

PB - I have little real understanding, but have been told that with the SBC 350 conversions it's related to the way they make power. It's somehow snappier or quicker than the AMC type engines. Especially the "built" 350's with gobs of instant power. My AMC 360 produces power differently from what my Ford 351 did. It's been said that the AMC V8 is more of a tractor/water pump engine than the SBC 350 which is often a race engine. After living with mine for a while not I tend to agree. The AMC might be turned into a beast with the addition of a cam and fuel injection. Also my 360 is pretty much maxed out at 4200 RPM's so there is no high RPM kick.

Of course all that might be wrong where the real answer is the type of driver that installs a SBC 350. He/she might be more aggressive with the skinny pedal using power where finesse Would be easier on the frame. A year or so now there was a reality show about off roaders racing south to north in Alaska. Most vehicles were essentially stock, the winner had a Franken Jeep (of all kinds of parts and years) that was a beast. It had a SBC 350 in it and the drivers drove the life out of it. The race was in stages, run all day, gather at night, restart in the morning. After about 1/2 the race they were running on 6 or 7 cylinders and it still beat the snot out of everybody else winning by ~3 hours. In my opinion the SBC 350 is simply a different beast.

 

[Peanut Butter]

To prevent frame cracks was the reason that AMC started using that solid bar that was bolted to each side of the engine mounts, under the engine.
LG

That's kind of what I thought. It would prevent the engine torque from twisting the drivetrain, which would prevent frame cracks.

 

[Hedgehog]

I added the bar to my CJ. At the time I figures, "What the heck, it can't hurt." Interestingly enough there seems to be no rhyme nor reason with what got the bar and what didn't. When I first asked Rob at Willys Works about the rod even he thought it was only on I-6's. We went out to his yard and we looked at the mostly intact CJ's he had there. Some had the bar, some didn't. Engines didn't seem to make any difference at all. Before you ask, these were all more or less the same generation CJ's.

 

[CJSIT960]

Just some picture of the start of the project.

The Frame if from a 1985 CJ7

The jeep is a 1979 CJ7 FRAME IS RUSTED -

Thank you for all the information.

 

[007]

...a CJ never came with a SBC 350 or the Transmission you ae planning to use...

All the QuadraTrac Jeeps did come with GM Turbo 400 's with an AMC bellhousing. To use a run-of-the-mill GM Turbo 400 , you'll need to change the tail section to mount to the QuadraTrac , which Novak can assist you with.