Build Thread 1983 CJ7 "Project Upgrade"

[jeep jeep]

so ive had this CJ7 for 2 years now only driven it once but i just received the parts ive been waiting for to do my next stage so hopefully i will get it running this weekend, ya right

now for some story on it. Hope you all like pictures

Here it is as i bought it. i got a good deal since it was owned by my older brothers best freind.





Some engine pics ( a hint a whats to come)





i bought the jeep in march of 2009 and in september i bought some new meats :drool:






And almost to were it is now




Almost...

 

[jeep jeep]

Since then i have done some small stuff to it. I made a center consule out of an ammo can, wit hmy own home made braket





And i also replaced my old rusty hood latches with some new ones that came with my CJ2a project.

I am really dissapointed in the since they have fadded and lost all there colour/shine. Dam ruggid ridge .

Before




After




I also repainted my front bumper. dont ask why i was boared





more to come next week

 

[jeep jeep]

So now to the next step, and to were the real work begins. In this stage i am doing a 4.0 Ho head swap, but for now i will be keeping it carberated until later when i will go fuel injection.

First i went down to pick-n-pull and got my self a head/valve cover from a 92 cherokee, then a exhuast manifold from a 93 cherokee.



Then i took my old valve cover, intake/ehuast manifolds, and AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l head off.









Just a few days ago i recieved my head centering washers from clifford preformance and i am now waiting for my head.ehuast gaskets. Then i will complete the head swap.

 

[jeep jeep]

So now reassembly begins. Took me about a month ti get my gaskets from morris but it was worth the wait.

First i cleaned and a painted the 4.0 HO head. I went with Duplicor high heat paint in cast iron. Turned out great :drool:





Then i cleaned up my valve cover. still need to buy some paint for it.




Earlier today i installed the Head/gasket on the AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l . Went pretty good only snag was that i didnt need those centering washers i bought.

 

[Sasquach]

Good job Jeep Jeep! Keep it going.

 

[jeep jeep]

thanks sasquach

so now its almost done. got the head in first on Thursday, then Friday i took the rad out so i could tighten the bolt on the flex fan (100x better than tightening them with it in) then i painted the valve cover. Today i installed almost all of it, the valve cover, intake/exhaust manifold, rad, and re hooked up all the wiring/ linkages/ hoses. Tomorow im going to pick n pull to get a thermo housing and a temperature sensor, maybe some other goodies since its a 50% off everything.

The biggest pain was installing the intake/exhaust manifolds, the bottom bolts are not easy to get even with my boney fingers. and to make it worse bolt number 3 fell in my exhaust pipe\, now its stuck down there until i redo it.

pictures









and now i can say my 42.L High output jeep has a Hemi (at least a hemi orange paint job)

 

[jeep jeep]

So a small update. spent all of sunday finishing it up. took a trip to pico n pull to get a t-stat and housing, anda few other thing ended up geting some speakers for the cherokee aswell (score).


Spent 3 hours trying to get my dam thermostat housing to stop leaking only to find out i cracked it, and of course i painted over the mark to return it. So luckly i found my AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l one and it fit. cleaned up both gasket surfaces and re aplied gasket and bolted it up filled the rad and it leaks dam pumbing. repeat the process and guess what it leaks from the same spot.

So i gave up on that for now its out in the rain leaking away right now. But yesterday i started it up, dam is it loud with no ehaust haha, my neighbors officially hate (as if they didnt already). All i nall i didnt blow it up so im happen now i just need to junk the carter bbd cuz theres no vac lines on it, thanks PO.

 

[jeep jeep]

another update, i fixed that dam leak. she now holds water, and runs, but leakes fuel i hate my carter bbd

 

[JAG811]

Looks like it's coming along really well

 

[jeep jeep]

Sooo, its been a while since ive updated this. I have since installed a MC2100 carb on it, built a "custom" aircleaner for it


In the begining of july my xj's front break went (metal on metal kinda deal) so i fixed those, the next morning jump in it to go to work, crank it and it doesnt start turns just nothing. so jump in the rents car next day cherokee runs day after nothing. so i said screw this went to the insurance place and transfered it to the cj

Ive taken the jeep on 2 wheeling trips now. Th first trip went great as long as i was in 4low for the hills. Then last weekend our local jeep club had an event with jeeps from all over the province. i drove up to the campsite fine. the next day we got wheel as im leaving up the hill out of the campsite (4x4 access only) i hear a loud bang and the jeep wont go anywhere. back in down the hill get off the trail and have a guy look under as i shift the tcase. looks like a cotter pin broke.

so i jump in a 2011 jk for the day

that night (friday) we fix it. so the next day i dont feel the jeep is ready for the trail were running so i get in another jeep again for the day. so that night (saturday) i go to head home early for work and the jeep just couldnt make it up the hill out of the campsite with out dieing, i hate to say this but a jk pulled me out.

more carb work for me


oh and it seems my jeep is camera shy. of all the pictures takn on both trips, not one picture of it