Full Size Jeep Network

The time to get back on the beast and finish it is approaching.

I had a thought the other day (boy do these get me in trouble), and did a bit of searching.

This is never going to be a serious off road vehicle. It's more of a driver, light off road, trails and fields at worst. So...

How bout a frame swap? Specifically, how about a 4th Gen Ford Explorer frame?

They seem to be pretty rugged, would offer great handling as well as competent off roading capability. Certainly it would be a mudder or a rock crawler, but that's not the sort of thing I'm ever going to do.

I found a photo of a Wagoneer with what looks to be a 3rd Gen Explorer frame, and it seems to work well.

In proper AMC form, it will be a crazy mishmash of parts (GM engine and transmission, Ford frame and suspension, etc).

This is the Waggoneer with the frame swap.

No one has any thoughts?

I say do what makes you happy. Just don’t wear rose colored glasses. Don’t bite off more than you fully believe you can finish. Be real about cost, time and abilities. I see a lot of labor intensive projects that turn into decades and never get finished. Also keep in mind what is quick and easy for one person may not be for you, or the opposite may be true for you. Just be real and do a project that makes you happy.

That picher looks pretty good. Wouldn't know it wasn't stock. Are you sure?

If you were to use a modern Ferd frame why use a GM motor? Would save a lot of trouble to go with the whole Ferd setup. I

'm all for doing what you want but....

SJTD wrote: ↑Sun Feb 27, 2022 10:39 am That picher looks pretty good. Wouldn't know it wasn't stock. Are you sure?

If you were to use a modern Ferd frame why use a GM motor? Would save a lot of trouble to go with the whole Ferd setup. I

'm all for doing what you want but....

100% sure.

https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cc ... r-edition/

The engine is installed and running, etc, so it would actually make a lot of work to go with the Ford engine. By going with the LY5 already installed, all the work will be mechanical (driveshafts, exhaust, etc), while if I went with a Ford engine, it would mean unwiring the GM ECM/TCM, etc, then buying all the Ford stuff and wiring it in.

For more info on the current set up, see: https://www.fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewto ... =12&t=1850

So mechanical vs electrical. I guess it would be easier to swap the motor.