83 Cherokee education through restoration

[Florida83FSJCherokee]

Not wanting to hijack your awesome thread, but wanted to show you what mine looks like right now thanks for all the great info and help

Bwwhaler,

Im affraid that under those seals will be hiding more rust than it appears you have, but you should be able to repaire layers at each corner and not have to completly disect them. The Dip rail is something that I cant produce with my availible tools or resourses. However, that being said, its held on by spot welds down the outer edge of the window seal gasket lip. It was probably the easiest thing about this whole replacement so far. Just drill the welds out and pop off the dip rail. You should be able to source decent replacment sections from any junker. Even if the majority of the donor is shot there will be some good sections to rob from. Only negative is the winshield will need to be out in order to access the area.

Let me know if you try to attempt it and Ill see if I have any of the sections left over. Im still a couple weeks away from getting back to work on the jeep due to work and some side projects im doing but I bet even after I replace this last corner there will be a good bit left over. If not I can make them.



On that note, bought a sheet metal break the other week and Kevin and myself worked out the A-pillar repair kits. If anyone needs sections reproduced let me know and I bet we can work out a deal or trade.

48" finger break with a seperate set of half round dies! Did my first "job" for fellow member "guitarsail" so Im officially a fab shop.



Thanks for the support and I will be back at it soon. I have a WAY! COOL! thing coming down the line for the body seperation and its extended storage while off the frame, but I gotta finish the last corner first.

Thanks again and enjoy the last days of Summer (in florida summer last untill october/november)

JP

[jaber]

That is one of the big tools I dont have access to anymore. Its amazing how much I used it...

Congrats...

[Florida83FSJCherokee]

Well... Hello to all of you guys...


I am affraid I have made a liar out of myself, I think the last time this restoration had anything new to report was in September. Wow, i cant believe its been 3.5 months since I was able to work on the Jeep.

My little plan to make some "stuff" , sell it, and then use the money to fund the resto worked a little to well. I have been running ragged since September trying to keep up with my normal full time business, and the new side business that Doghouse Forge has become.

If life had its way nothing would change and the jeep would keep getting pushed behind a growing list of orders and business. So...an intervention was needed. A little grease, grime, and metal must be reintroduced.

This weekend I started my new system. Still chugging away with orders and farriery but time for the Jeep was scheduled as well.

First on the list was to finish pulling the power train. The current 258 I-6 is a great little motor and it runs like a top. With the HEI and Carb upgrades I had installed it was actually pretty peppy as well. The T-5 was nice since the 5th gear is good for fuel usage but with my planned usasge this setup wasnt going to cut the mustard.

The removal was pretty straight forward. If you have never done one before I would recommend the glorious "you tube" for some good ol' backyard DIY guys approaches to the process, or if you happen to be lucky enough to have your shop located 5 minutes from the largest collection of salvaged FSJ parts in the south east you can just call Rocky and bribe him with coffee and donuts. On a serious note, thanks to rocky...he brought the engine crane and guided me through the unknown snags in the process. I owe you a big one!

Since this is a 4 wheel drive vehicle you do need to make sure you remove the transfer case before pulluing the motor and tranny out. Its possible to remove it as one unit but not ideal.

Basic steps are:
:Drop drive shafts
:Use a jack to support T-case and undo the bolts connecting it of the rear of the trans
:Push back the T-case and lower down the jack slowly (the t_case and tranny both will have a bunch of little accessory attachments. Brake line retainers, fuel line retainers, the tach, and possibly even a exhaust mount attachment so give a good look before you get half way out and hung up)

The rest is your standard engine tranny removal. With this applicatin I needed to drop the transmission support cross member to allow clearance, but other than that the crane did the hard work.


Heres some pics from todays work

Transfer case removal,




Jeeps on its dollys and rolling around nicely at this point. makes for easier work for projects like this:






With the Jeep mobile I was able to relocate it towards the front of the shop. This will allow me to roll it outside or closer to the main door during body work and sanding projects. Im quite frankly over the dust so everything that generates alot of it has been relocated near the main door. Once the body is off, the frame needs to be able to make it outside for cleaning/pressure washing/ sand blasting etc... so this move needed to happen anyway.

The free space has been nice. I scored these old metal desk for $25 each and promptly dropped double that in castors for the feet. :thumbup::lol: Its was really easy and has been very functional. When bigger projects arrise you can push the two desk together for one large work platform. The castors lock so its very stable.





Yes there is the word "love" Forged and a horseshoe heart...Its almost that time of year fellas, and my buddies give these to there wives...I just bank the favors for a rainy day...


Ok, back to the heavy lifting








And now...where to put it... LOL

Free pallet wood makes a great engine stand, but it creaked so i ratchet strapped it!!!:headscrat.

[Florida83FSJCherokee]

The new update starts in the post before this one...


Where do we go from here:


Next on the list is to finish the drivers cab corner replacement, and then get the body lifted and onto the dolly. Once thats done I am going to tear apart the running gear and strip the frame. Im currently looking at the rancho 2.5"lift with rockys front shackle reversal for a total of 4.5 inches. That should put me right about where is sits currently.

At the moment there are literally 4 different spring packs under the truck so someone made an effort to fix the eneveness before my time. i figure best to start with new springs at this point...It needs new shocks and the brake lines are getting replaced as well. Im also putting new bushings and probably replacing the steering shaft as it appears mine is slightly bent...


Im not sure which product to go with but I think Im going to follow Stode82's lead and do the positrac locks in the diffs

My dad used to work for Central Florida Gas and he called in a favor for me in reguards to the frame being stripped. Since the pipeline repair and maintainence crews run sand blasters on there trucks my old boss (yes my dad used to make me work as a back hoe spotter during the summers in florida) is going to come to the shop and blast the frame for me when i am ready. They have some pretty heavy duty rigs with diesel air comp trailers and big boy sand blasters beacuse of striping the giant meter stations, so it will be a fairly boring job for him, but worth a mint to myself.




The powertrain plan is currently as follows but I have a few snag/variable factors that keep me awake at night.

If anyone has any feedback on this line up please chime in. Just remember Im trying to stay simple, manual everything, no computer, and as minimal electronics as possible.


Blueprint Engines - 383 Stroker - roller cam/roller rocker - 420HP / 410Trq
Muncie - Sm465 - 4 speed - 6.55:1 - 3.58:1 - 1.70:1 - 1:1 essintially a 3 speed with granny 1st gear
New Process - NP208 - 2.68:1 low range ratio -
Dana 44 front/AMC 20 rear axles - 3.31 gearing


The Engine is overkill, but I dont care. Everytime I say the words "383 Stroker" I get a Great Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley Moogley eating grin...and like it or not there is value to that. :3gears:

The tranny and transfer combo need an adapter, but they are everywhere down here, and cheap! The over all length is very close to to current. Without the fifth gear housing the SM465 and adapter fit the void left over nicely. This combo also keeps my clutch linkage mechanical. I realize that hydraulic is considered better but since the jeep is currently mechanical linkage, having to change out and fit a different pedal assembly, run lines, and add the cylinder assembly just scares me...

With the combined Low range ratios the Jeeps "crawl" ratio hits right at 60:1 with my current gearing. I have no intention to trying to scale walls but i do want to be able to feel confident on the trails when im using it for off road fun. I reallize 60:1 isnt the most ideal but its tuff, and a good blend for my usage of mixed road and off road. If im honest... this thing will get putted around town, Ill light it up every now and then on a backroad, and it will get trailerd to the mountains a couple/three times a year for trail riding events. I would like to one day run it across alaska as well but we wont get into that dream yet...

So drive shaft work could be needed but I have a very good friend that runs a drive shaft business 3 minutes from the shop so thats nice. :thumbup:







A couple other combos floatin around in my head are

383 sbc - NV4500 - ? T-case - (every way I run this I get a better/smoother trans, but would need a different drop front axle to pair wih the available t-cases (pre 79 J-trucks axle is only fit availible), hydraulic change over, and body floor cutting and modifiying to fit it. All for 5th gear that Im probably never going to use)(Im sure someone will point out that the NV and NP units bolt up...so why not keep the NP208??? the only spline count that works is the one out of a gasoline(no diesel) 2500 dodge truck from the late 90's...Good luck finding that combo and bring your checkbook when you do)(cost of switching the shafts is ridiculous and out of budget)

383 sbc - NV435 - NP205 -this ones tempting...drill and tap two holes on the trans tabs and, all though a ford trans, it bolts right up to the SBC bell housing. The NP205 is driver drop so the axles stay the same but its got a whimpy low gear at around 1.92:1...it is a cast iron housing but im never gonna slam this thing in the rocks so that kinda washes...hydraulic switchover is needed but no adapters and basicly the same length as the current set up.



SO thats what i got for now... Im fighting daily with whether or not to go with blue exterior and the nutmeg interior or keep the vintage metallic red with the nutmeg...another day for that decesion... Im thinking the vintage red at this point...with the same scallop design as it had before but with a color relating to the nutmeg...

Any advice or insight into the above listed powertrain rambling would be appreciated.


:thumbup:
JP


If you wanna see what the "Doghouse" has been doing latly to keep me from the Jeep this link should fill you in.... http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/show ... p?t=200204

[cma]

well, so you are in process...thought you gave up

[chevelleguy]

Lots of work you have done, and more to come. When you renovate your suspension, you will want to get rid of those 'custom' lift shackles in the front. They make your caster angle less the desirable and will account for some sketchy steering. Just go back with some stock or HD replacements. Great job so far.

[Florida83FSJCherokee]

well, so you are in process...thought you gave up

Yes Markus, LOL, Im still here... I just got super slammed busy with my second business project. It was supposed to be a hobby to pay for the jeeps stuff but now I dont have time for the jeep suff because the "hobby" is milking me for all my extra minutes... Im making the jeep a priority again, doing something to it each week, maybe smaller projects some weeks but something none the less.

Good to hear from you buddy!

Lots of work you have done, and more to come. When you renovate your suspension, you will want to get rid of those 'custom' lift shackles in the front. They make your caster angle less the desirable and will account for some sketchy steering. Just go back with some stock or HD replacements. Great job so far.

I agree with the sketchy hangers...The PO made those and Im suprised they havent twisted aready... Im planning the 2.5" rancho spring lift and gonna do Rockys front shackle reversal for another two inches. His kit would replace the hangers currently holding the nose up, and the combined lift should put me right back where its sitting now.

Thanks

JP

[bwwhaler]

I'm glad to see you post something too, I still haven't tackled my pillar yet, and there has been a shortage of donor vehicles in my area for about 6 months now. Still looking for one to get that drip rail from. Sounds like your business is doing well, I am glad to hear somebody is doing good in this economy.

[cma]

JP, we are sitting in the same boat... , began last year a new job (with more money), and at the ende i have less time to work at the Jeep
But with beginning 2014 i was sitting at one evening here and forged new plans > at the end i saw the only way to force the project is to split in daily / weekly working units. so if i am not on tour (i am strategy purchaser), i go in the garage or groundfloor and do something what i can finalize. These are small steps, but it flows . Better then doing nothing. For bigger steps i take the weekend or the one or other day as a break.

So keep us updated! (Are you at Facebook?)

Markus

well, so you are in process...thought you gave up

Yes Markus, LOL, Im still here... I just got super slammed busy with my second business project. It was supposed to be a hobby to pay for the jeeps stuff but now I dont have time for the jeep suff because the "hobby" is milking me for all my extra minutes... Im making the jeep a priority again, doing something to it each week, maybe smaller projects some weeks but something none the less.

Good to hear from you buddy!

Lots of work you have done, and more to come. When you renovate your suspension, you will want to get rid of those 'custom' lift shackles in the front. They make your caster angle less the desirable and will account for some sketchy steering. Just go back with some stock or HD replacements. Great job so far.

I agree with the sketchy hangers...The PO made those and Im suprised they havent twisted aready... Im planning the 2.5" rancho spring lift and gonna do Rockys front shackle reversal for another two inches. His kit would replace the hangers currently holding the nose up, and the combined lift should put me right back where its sitting now.

Thanks

JP

[jlmealer]

Beautiful work. I am impressed with the amount of detail shown with your build. I have a 1973 Wagoneer with many 1983 parts, including the frame, engine/transmission, et al. At least the frame is heavier duty in the '83, but I want the '73 appeal (as if there's much difference!). Thanks for sharing.
JL Mealer

jeepwagoneerquadratraclocationtrimpcs.jpg

[BCRAWLER]

Just doing the bodywork on my 81 and would like to use your paint scheme as inspiration. Thinking of using blue instead of red and may change up areas of colors. Went to check on scheme but Photobucket has you hostage. Luckly your 3rd picture is my screen saver on my work computer. Paint is a few month off as need to re- roof and ever growing honeydo list.