Build Thread Deerejeep's '81 CJ7 Iowa

[Deerejeep]

Nothing much to report. Been traveling for 3 weeks and I'm almost home. I'll check in with the engine shop and hope they are close to opening up the 360.

Purchased 2 cans of AMC blue spray paint from EBay for the engine and a rebuild manual. Hope to get some work in soon. Hopefully some parts purchases are in the near future and the engine gets rebuil and back home.

 

[Smooth68]

Nice project! I'm fixing to start working on the front 1/3 of the frame as you did. Were removing the fenders/grill fairly straight forward?

 

[Deerejeep]

Nice project! I'm fixing to start working on the front 1/3 of the frame as you did. Were removing the fenders/grill fairly straight forward?

Extremely straight forward. If you can turn a wrench then it's that easy.

 

[Deerejeep]

Well I've got some questions on next steps. Brakes.

http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f49/disc-drum-manual-conversion-questions-19232/#post157061

I'm waiting on the machine shop to open up the 360 so we can discuss how to proceed and what upgrades to do. Stopped in there today and they might get it evaluated next week. So I need to focus to other areas. Check out my questions on brakes.

Also shot the AMC engine paint on the body to test it. Wife vetoed it as a body color. Still don't know what color to paint it.

So little time. So much to do.

 

[Deerejeep]

Tore out the front brake lines, prop valve and MC tonight. Sometimes I make it too hard. Just make the decision to go disc/ disc and power and build to it.

Lines ordered from classic tube.

 

[Deerejeep]

HAPPY 4th to all. Hope your having good weather and riding your Jeep.

I snuck away and well, Looks like I'm going to learn to sandblast. Any advice of what material to shoot? I picked up aluminum oxide. Anyone have this setup?







Dropped and drained the fuel tank this week. I put this in new a year ago so I was we'll aware of the PITA it is. Pulled fuel line. Working my way back to about mid frame with painting. Brake lines came in from classic. Made another contact for body work. I'm running out of room in my garage!

Be safe Jeeples. (Jeep people)

 

[Deerejeep]

Ordered the T-18 to Dana 300 adapter from Advanced Adapters today. So iron duke/ S4/Dana 300 is now AMC360/T-18 /Dana 300 , well it's still a giant puzzle but I now have the pieces.

More work on the HF 40 gal blast cabinet. I'm sealing it all with caulk and doing it all myself. My experience so far is the directions are less than sufficient and it would be good to have another set of hands. Hope to get the connections to the cabinet and junk moved in the garage for some weekend blasting.

Need to stop in machine shop and make sure they are working and stop into a body shop to get a quote too to get a quote.

 

[thiswontbetooexpensive]

More work on the HF 40 gal blast cabinet. I'm sealing it all with caulk and doing it all myself. My experience so far is the directions are less than sufficient and it would be good to have another set of hands. Hope to get the connections to the cabinet and junk moved in the garage for some weekend blasting.

Don't let the seam seals bother you too bad with that cabinet. A Tim Taylor sized shop vac will do the job of removing the dust and it will need all the leaks it can get!

 

[Deerejeep]

Don't let the seam seals bother you too bad with that cabinet. A Tim Taylor sized shop vac will do the job of removing the dust and it will need all the leaks it can get!

my shop vac is a 10 year old small Pos that the filters never been changed. I fully expect it to die quick once the cabinet is functioning. But hey it mostly picks up Cheerios from my wife's Wk.

So good update today. The engine shop finished breaking down my AMC360 and opened it up. No measurements yet but nothing out of the ordinary to this point. Now decisions need to be ,add on upgrades. Oiling upgrade certainly, upgraded cam, intake. What else? So little time so much research to do.




Also stopped by my 4wd shop. Dana 300 rebuild kit is in and he'll get going on it soon. He's also gv,ot a corvette master cylinder that will work for my brake setup. T-18 pics too





Picked up the pieces needed to hookup the compressor to the cabinet from HF. Tested the compressor and looks like I'll be ready to blast this weekend. Oh by the way same 20 piece kit from HF is the same available at sears17.99, 12.99 at HF.

 

[Airstrike]

I just did a T-18 swap myself... the bell housing bolted right up to my AMC 304 so I am guessing it should to the 360 as well. Remember to put the Trransfer case on with the shift linkage before installing and make sure you have the long linkage. I swapped from a T-150 so the linkage was alot shorter. Just something to think about.

Also... it is so heavy I recommmend suspending from above the shifter access. I used my roll cage but anything will work. Also you need to lower the crossmember 1" as the T-18 is deeper and longer.

 

[Deerejeep]

I just did a T-18 swap myself... the bell housing bolted right up to my AMC 304 so I am guessing it should to the 360 as well. Remember to put the Trransfer case on with the shift linkage before installing and make sure you have the long linkage. I swapped from a T-150 so the linkage was alot shorter. Just something to think about.

Also... it is so heavy I recommmend suspending from above the shifter access. I used my roll cage but anything will work. Also you need to lower the crossmember 1" as the T-18 is deeper and longer.

I appreciate the advice. Can't wait until I can start installing.


I did get to blasting this weekend. Some picture for y'all

Before: brake poportioning valve bracket


After


Before: engine mounts



After



Cabinet seems to be working well. Made a couple of mistakes: like not cleaning out the shop vac to reclaim some material. But overall seems to be an adequate setup. It seems the aluminum oxide is best at about 90psi.

 

[thiswontbetooexpensive]

Looking good!

 

[Airstrike]

I appreciate the advice. Can't wait until I can start installing.


I did get to blasting this weekend. Some picture for y'all

Before: brake poportioning valve bracket


After


Before: engine mounts



After



Cabinet seems to be working well. Made a couple of mistakes: like not cleaning out the shop vac to reclaim some material. But overall seems to be an adequate setup. It seems the aluminum oxide is best at about 90psi.

Nice work... wish I had thought of that.... probably would have made my life so much easier!!

I notice your T-18 has the reverse gear on the drivers side... that means it Reverese up to the right of 3rd correct?

 

[Deerejeep]

Nice work... wish I had thought of that.... probably would have made my life so much easier!!

I notice your T-18 has the reverse gear on the drivers side... that means it Reverese up to the right of 3rd correct?

Blasting has been fun. But wow the larger mount ( think its passenger side) is huge. Once I get motor mounts and hardware done I'll get going on all the brackets I have from the engine. Airstrike how did you clean up your T-18 , wire wheel? Good eyes on the reverse.. To tell you the truth I don't know. But if it is its a 78 and before T-18 right? I know it came from a CJ5 , it was local and just sitting at a 4wd shop that is going to help me out.

Put about 30 minutes in on the cabinet tonight.

 

[Airstrike]

Blasting has been fun. But wow the larger mount ( think its passenger side) is huge. Once I get motor mounts and hardware done I'll get going on all the brackets I have from the engine. Airstrike how did you clean up your T-18 , wire wheel? Good eyes on the reverse.. To tell you the truth I don't know. But if it is its a 78 and before T-18 right? I know it came from a CJ5 , it was local and just sitting at a 4wd shop that is going to help me out.

Put about 30 minutes in on the cabinet tonight.

Yeah I used a wired wheel on a air-grinder. Probably way too many RPM and I was taking wires to the face alot Safety goggles I also used my dremel tool to get in all the tight spots. Took about 3 solid hours of grinding to get it all clean.

As for the T-18 part I do believe you are correct. Mine as you saw is flat on the driver side so it is from 1979 and up ( came from a 79 CJ5 actually ) and has reverse to the right and down from 4th. Mine is also a T-18A so it has the low 6.23:1 gear ration.

 

[Deerejeep]

Yeah I used a wired wheel on a air-grinder. Probably way too many RPM and I was taking wires to the face alot Safety goggles I also used my dremel tool to get in all the tight spots. Took about 3 solid hours of grinding to get it all clean.

As for the T-18 part I do believe you are correct. Mine as you saw is flat on the driver side so it is from 1979 and up ( came from a 79 CJ5 actually ) and has reverse to the right and down from 4th. Mine is also a T-18A so it has the low 6.23:1 gear ration.

Appreciate the info. I'll probably do my T-18 with a wire wheel on the drill and the Dremel. Prime and paint it up with some of my AMC blue. Did you paint the bellhousing too our just clean?

Stopped into the shop today. Block has checked out fine. Heads are in the hot wash some we'll see.

Finished up the motor mounts tonight. Started breaking into my other brackets too. Darn, need to to soak many of the brackets. The grease does not want to come off easy in the cabinet. Decided to quit once I blew the breaker. Really need to get a better light for the cabinet instead of using my work lights.

Worklight/shop vac/fan/radio/compressor works for about 45min. Then shuts it down.

 

[Petescj]

Yeah I used a wired wheel on a air-grinder. Probably way too many RPM and I was taking wires to the face alot Safety goggles I also used my dremel tool to get in all the tight spots. Took about 3 solid hours of grinding to get it all clean.

As for the T-18 part I do believe you are correct. Mine as you saw is flat on the driver side so it is from 1979 and up ( came from a 79 CJ5 actually ) and has reverse to the right and down from 4th. Mine is also a T-18A so it has the low 6.23:1 gear ration.

Helpful tips for sure. I can hardly wait to get to use them when I tear down my Limited . You do some really nice work.

Appreciate the info. I'll probably do my T-18 with a wire wheel on the drill and the Dremel. Prime and paint it up with some of my AMC blue. Did you paint the bellhousing too our just clean?

Stopped into the shop today. Block has checked out fine. Heads are in the hot wash some we'll see.

Finished up the motor mounts tonight. Started breaking into my other brackets too. Darn, need to to soak many of the brackets. The grease does not want to come off easy in the cabinet. Decided to quit once I blew the breaker. Really need to get a better light for the cabinet instead of using my work lights.

Worklight/shop vac/fan/radio/compressor works for about 45min. Then shuts it down.

That blasting cabinet is looking like its paying dividends from the beginning. Thanks for showing the pics. Yet another thing on the wish list.

 

[Airstrike]

Appreciate the info. I'll probably do my T-18 with a wire wheel on the drill and the Dremel. Prime and paint it up with some of my AMC blue. Did you paint the bellhousing too our just clean?

Stopped into the shop today. Block has checked out fine. Heads are in the hot wash some we'll see.

Finished up the motor mounts tonight. Started breaking into my other brackets too. Darn, need to to soak many of the brackets. The grease does not want to come off easy in the cabinet. Decided to quit once I blew the breaker. Really need to get a better light for the cabinet instead of using my work lights.

Worklight/shop vac/fan/radio/compressor works for about 45min. Then shuts it down.

Yeah I painted my bellhousing... primed it and used a metallic silver, but just on the outside. I just didn't see the point in painting inside the bellhousing. I still cleaned it to about 90% but didnt' go nuts on it.

Thanks for the compliments Pete... in the end it is just time and personal therapy to me

 

[Deerejeep]

Yeah I painted my bellhousing... primed it and used a metallic silver, but just on the outside. I just didn't see the point in painting inside the bellhousing. I still cleaned it to about 90% but didnt' go nuts on it.

Thanks for the compliments Pete... in the end it is just time and personal therapy to me

Appreciate it. I'll take all the help I can get. I've started to prime and paint a bit this evening. I just hit the piece with air after the cabinet, then brake cleaner , rubbed it down with paper towel and hit it with primer. I'm not sure It is the best, but that's what I have. If there is a better method advise. Just trying to put in an hour or so each night. I think 90% should be my goal with clean up. Too much perfectionist costs too much time and money.

 

[Deerejeep]

Before:


After sandblasting:


Couple coats of primer and coats of rustoleum.



Lots of sandblasting and painting going on here, plus bunch of scrubbing grease away. Got a quote on the engine rebuild. Generally comments on my question thread are that it is high. I'm going to move forward with the shop there will be some changes. Working on a paint quote too. Full speed ahead.