Been plugging away at this thing a little bit at a time. I've decided to focus on getting the drivetrain in. In order to do so, I need a few things in place. First off, I needed a big hole in the firewall
The firewall was hacked beyond fixing, so no big deal. The front floor also need replacing, but that will wait until the engine is in place.
The other item I need is the grille, radiator, and intercooler assembled and in place. I need these so I can position the engine properly. The radiator and intercooler are out of an Isuzu NPR. They came as a set. The radiator has two steel U channels than run down either side. The intercooler mounts to these channels. I hacked a fair amount of sheetmetal out of the grille so that the intercooler fits right up again it. The Isuzu radiator is much taller than the Willys grille, but this will not be a problem. There is plenty of space side to side in the Cherokee frame, and the bottom of the radiator sits about even with the sway bar.
From the factory, the Willys grille mounts CJ style with a single bolt at the bottom center of the grille. This does not work with the FSJ frame. So I am doing things differently. I am going to make up a couple brackets that will be welded to the radiator channels. These will be outriggers that will sit over the frame rails. I will weld a nut into the top of the frame rail and bolt the grille down much like it is done on any other FSJ. They Willys grille will be bolted to the radiator channels. The front sheet metal will basically hang from the radiator structure.
Pete
'55 Willys Wagon, the original FSJ
Sitting on a '77 Cherokee frame, Dodge D60's
Isuzu 6BD1, NV4500, NP241
