Build Thread Jimbos spare parts build

[Jimbos76cj]

I decided to start a new thread since my other was already 3 pages deep with not much info

Did a little bit of work this morning. Its a CJ7 frame that already has a little bit of a stretch to it.
Swept the garage floor and cleaned up after my squirrels. then drug the frame in


Mounted up the MORE V-8 mounts



Arm wrestled the Block and Transmission into position.



I tossed the heads on to check for header clearance.


Mounted the Dana 300


Heres a rear shot of it. Sorry for the dark pics but they come from my I-phone and the lighting in the shop is not the best for pitcures.



Just to clarify the block is a spare that I had laying around. Im gonna be using the 360 from the parts waggy. Id like to get the Transmission cross member fabbed up today. It feels kind of a waste of time bolting it all up only to take it back apart but I was also able to get a list of bolts that Im going to need so I can order them from fastenal. The 727 came from a J-10 and I have the socok cross member so Im hoping to modify it to use on the CJ frame.

Back to work!

 

[Petescj]

I said it before and I'll say it again , Ive been waiting for this one.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Got the temporary Cross member fabbed. It just needs to hold the Transmission up while I move the frame around.



Then I called a buddy to come help me drag the parts waggy out of the brush.


He was pretty eager to help me do some work on it so I had him start on the engine compartment while I started to unbolt all the drive train parts to pull the engine, Transmission and Transfer Case .I wanted to take the front clip off in one piece since Im giving to another local forum guy when Im done. Unfortunately they beat us to death so they just got disassembled. I left the core support on so I could place the hood on it to keep the motor covered until Im ready to pull it.



Did get the rear drive shaft out.. Is alittle long but may work out grat depending on how far I stretch it. Plus its already got the Double Cardan joint in it and its beefy. Hopefully the T/C it has in it has 26 spline Double Cardan yokes so I can swap them into my 300.


Did I mention the front axle has a hydro assist set up already?!


My wife fired the lawn and pool guy so I have to take the next week or two off to do handy man stuff and install a PVC fence so progress with be slow for a week or two.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Dropped the Dana 20 today.. almost on my face! Luckily my neck and shoulder broke its fall. Exhaust came off with out a hitch, it was held up with one nut and some coat hangers. got the front drive shaft free. Pretty much the motor is loose except for the power steering lines. Nothing worth pictures today. Will a Double Cardan (CV) yoke from a 208 fit on a Dana 300 ? Any one want to come by the week of the 9th and pull a motor? Should be a good time!

 

[rr41mag]

We have a pool too, I told my wife you take care of the pool and I'll take care of your 65.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Me and the wife have a similar agreement. She takes care of the inside, including the care and up keep of the 5&7y/o and the out side is mine. I'm not sure you from but here it's already pool weather..

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Woo Hoo I liberated the motor from the Waggy today

I set a front half of a tub I have laying in the yard just to see how well the motor and 727 fit. The outside frame headers are making contact with the tub. I dont have any body mounts on it yet but looks like it will barely sneak by with the stock size mounts.


I also rolled the dice last week and ordered some spring perches for my rear from Ballistic... iknow I know.. I read all the negative feed back but they were a lot cheaper and built better then others Ive seen. I ordered them last monday and they arrived today. .Woo hoo.


I was looking forward to maybe a Sticker in the box.. no sir but at least they are here!

I think Im about to have a change of directions with my drive train. I have a questionable 727 that has pepto looking fluid in it and a good Dana 300 . I realy should have the 727 rebuilt even though it did drive onto the trailer and shifted gears good around the yard but the cheapest Ive found it has been $750 for a bench rebuild. The waggy I bought the PO said had either a bad Transmission or clutch and something was wrong with the front end. Well found out today that the clutch is bad.



The Transmission shifts gears fine but I still plan on takingthe cover off and giving it a good once over. The Dana 20 T/C already has the CV style yokes on it so I can use the double cardan shafts that came on it. So if there is nothing wrong with the Transmission and T/C I think Im going to install that instead of the 727/300. The 20 has a issue in the shifter box that is causing it not to move the rod for the front end and looks like it should be an easy fix. Ive got to take a road trip to NJ but hopefully when I get back ill some more time to get work done on her.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Only had an hour to monkey aroung in the shop so instead of clean and organize I decided to tear into the motor a bit. I originally planned on just dropping the motor into the jeep as it but after looking at it today have decided to take it down to a short block and clean it up really good. I had to did out the intake bolts from thier layers of dirt and mud. I dont mean just srape arounf them but actually had to use another intake manifold to locate where the bolts should be.

The good news is nothing is giving me a hard time coming off. The manifold bolts were loose, the fuel pump fell apart, the distributor wires were cracked and fell apart.

The york makes great suction and pressure when turning it by hand so thats a good thing. I already have a gasket set for a 360 in the shop so Im gonna give her a once over and freshen her up.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

I tore into the 360 today figuring that if the inside looked half as dirty as the out side that I would spend a few days cleaning globs of crud and gunk out of the intake valley and oil pan.

I pulled the intake and.... Shut the front Door!!!



Couldnt even find a slight bit of sludge build up. the same with the valve covers.



Popped the first head and sure enough very little build up,




the cylindersstill have the honing marks and except for the small bit of carbon build up there is no edge on the wall. I figured maybe this was a really low milage engine but when I pulled the gasket off the head there was a felpro head gasket on it.

I rolled the motor over and dropped the pan and sure enough no sludge in the pan, no build up on the crank or rods and there are all numbered so Im going with its been rebuilt with not alot of miles on it.

I would have taken pictures of the bottom end put hand were too greasy to use the camera. Now if I can get my loaned balancer puller back Ill pop off the timing cover to check wear on the timing chain and maybe Ill see a Crane, or Comp on the end of the cam some place.

Even the block has markings on the passenger side that looks like its been decked.. I figured I was seeing things. I pulled the drivers side head off and it had the same pattern and .002 stamped on the deck surface.. Would that mean my deck has been machined .002? There is also a small tag on the side of the block that seems like a identification tag added. I think I may be in pretty good shape for the motor

 

[Jimbos76cj]

I today I planned on cleaning the pool and mowing but a buddy wanted to work on the jeep today so I pulled the timing cover, degreased every thing, cleaned and taped it all off and threw a coat of Ford gray onto it. I really like the AMC blue but advance was having a 2 for $10 sale on duplicolor engine paint. Grey caught my eye so I went with it.



Heres a pic of that tag i found on the side of the engine.


I also noticed the block is missing the alignment pins. are they a machine shop only part? Im assuming they were removed to deck the block, could they have been not reinstalled because the new thinner deck? I wouldnt thing that it would be that drastic.


They would normally go in the big hole on the bottom most left and right holes.

Oh yeah.. timing gears looked great as expected. I pulled 2 lifters and there are no were marks on them

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Im gonna peice me a tub together. I have a Full CJ tub that has a rotted cowl area and a Solid yj Front half so ive decided im going to piece them together. Never done this before I figured id take a few pics and post em.. hoping either some one can add some insight or provide them with some.

Heres the first thing I did.



I drilled 2 peices of steel to fit snug between the out side seat holes, measured in 2" from the rear hole and mounted the up right. I reinforced the 2.5" flat stock with left over angle and hung it between the uprights. My idea for the frame work is to lay a speed square on the front of it and I can trace a line about 90% across floor. the other 10% Ill use the good ole calibrated eye ball. Im thinking sawzall for the majority of the cutting. Im not sure how well a cut off wheel will do. Im pretty acurate with the sawzal. any pointers or tips? I painted the orange stripe so I would have contrast to the black tub. In hind sight I nver checked how close the bolt holes were on the CJ tub so hopefulle the frame work will transfer right over to it and I can cut the same lines.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Heres a lil up date.. Got the motor cleaned and painted, heads back on, intake manifold half way cleaned. I got the good axles under it and threw the 38''s on it to see how it stands. the rear springs are just loaner YJ springs.. The fronts are waggy front so its stretched 2". I installed the steering box relocation bracket and box only to find I have some interference issues between the steering linkage and the hydraulic ram.. But I should be able to over come it. With the slick rock shackle hangers the front shackles are just a little over 30* but I have room to drill the out board mounts and move them an inch or two forward to try get it around 15-20*



Heres a pic where you can see angle.


Even loading 270lbs of fatty on the front they ddint flatten out any more then thay are in the pic. please dont judge me by my screw drivers for shackle bolts, I havent had time to run to the store for new bolts.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

I stayed home sick from work yesterday and it killed me to lay in bed all day, but I thought I was dying.. today I decided I needed to get moving around some.

I got the motor back together except for the intake and valve covers.. both need to be cleaned/painted.

I started feeling woozy so I pulled up a chair and figured out the brackets and bolts. Hopefully my next day off Ill pull the other block and Transmission and mount the new 360/T-18 and dana 20It suck that i will have to remake another Transmission mount.

Hes a motor pic


I still need to clean and paint the power steering bracket.. it was just there to see how every thing fit together.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Quick update.. I got the new motor in, Transmission bolted up, and steering almost figured out. I have to take the summer off from working on it so Ill be hit an miss with updates.. Will mostly be doing little tasks and stuff that I can do at work. I think Im gonna try to stuff a waggy radiator into the CJ grill.. I have a rotted grill that I can chop up so it should be fun. This is going to be the longest 10 weeks ever.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Ive got a few more weeks until the wife goes back to work and the kids are back in school then its Jeep time.. actually I need to do a motor swap on a Yj then its on to my project.
Not so much work but I decided to do a good mow and clean of the yard today so i threw the half tub, fenders, grill and hood on the CJ.. I think it might be to tall.



Im hoping with the interior, roll cage and rest of the motor parts in it that it will drop it a few inches. If not some 40's might be on order!