Full Size Jeep Network

I thought I would post a photo of the 1976 Cherokee S that I towed home September of 2012.

I am new here but I joined IFSJA in '01 after inheriting a '76 Waggie that was rusted beyond recognition, I swapped the 401/T400/QT to a '79 Waggie and drove it for a few years out of necessity, bought a '75 for the factory slots and parted it out and then bought a '76 Cherokee with a blown 360 but a fantastic body. Parted out the '79, sold the 401 and stored all the spare parts in the garage with the Cherokee for years with big plans to build it but finally let it go, no money, no tools, no time and eventually filed for divorce. I was honestly sick for two weeks after I sold the Cherokee, I had never felt that way about any vehicle in my life and I have owned a bunch.

After the divorce and while raising my kids I built a baby Jeep to stay occupied and then went full circle and picked up this narrow track '76. Not nearly as nice as my previous '76 but certainly a worthy candidate for a project. It looks better in the photo than standing in the driveway, both rear quarters are body filler, it's a full re-paint but not a good one and it was hailed on at some point. The red was heavily oxidized so a week ago I buffed it with Presta Ultra Cutting Creme and it brought back a nice shine. My plan is to build it as an all around driver, 5.3/4L60E/NP241C replacing the current 360/T400/QT. I will probably hang on to the 360 just in case I get bored with the 258 in the baby Jeep.

I was able to get it started with a remote switch but the harness was fried from a bad amp gauge connection. In December of 2013 I decided to install the replacement harness so I could start it with the key, after a week or so I had everything installed and was able to drive it for the first time around the neighborhood, and let me tell you, it was like I was back in my favorite pair of cowboy boots!

I swapped the Cherokee whitewalls with the Michelin LTX MS 30/9.50's on my daughters truck before I sold it. I rebuilt the MC2100 and it runs decent but I am not happy with decent. I built a junkyard TBI for the baby Jeep and plan on building another for the Cherokee, it's just too cheap to for the gains in driveability and cold starts alone. I have a modified harness now and picked up a complete system for spare parts a few weeks ago. I will have to get a bonded title on this one, I did the same with the baby Jeep and it was pretty painless. I will get it insured, titled and inspected in the next few months and start working on the priorities while trying to source the hard to find parts that I know I will need.

The short list:

Replace dash cluster.
Rebuild or replace steering box.
Alignment.
TH400 fluid and filter.
'97 Blazer fuel tank and pump module.
Junkyard TBI

After the short list:

Weld up the eighteen holes in the roof from the roof rack and deflector.
Door seals.
Ospho the roof and reinstall roof supports.
Work on rear window and wiring.
Lift springs and shocks.
Rebuild the NP241C.

The long term build:

As I said, 5.3/4L60E/NP241C
2"-4" lift springs and shocks
31/10.50's or maybe 32/11.50's
Replace quarters.
Bodywork and paint.
New late model buckets and recover rear seat to match.

That's about it for new, more to follow in time.

Good looking Jeep

Very clean N/T, nice find...

Thanks guys, corny but I was so happy to get it running back in December I asked my daughter to take a video.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/119555707 ... 956060224/

Well, I have a nice update, the Cherokee is officially titled in my name so I can really get started. The title changed hands with the previous owner failing to title it and the original owner signing but not dating anything. I was planning to get a bonded title but said what the heck, I would give it a shot and took all my paperwork to the tax office and they cut me some slack. I didn't want to make any major changes until the title was clear.

I also noticed it's a 78 and not a 76 per the title.

I bought a new battery so I don't have to pull the CJ battery to drive it around the neighborhood and I am working on the TBI conversion, should be an easy install after recently completing the CJ conversion.

Congrats on the title and the Jeep. Good luck with the project.

That's a nice looking Jeep! Looking forward to following your build

Very nice NT Cherk.

Very nice!

wow, love it!

Thanks guys, I am really looking forward to driving it in lieu of the CJ7, the baby Jeep is fun but not even in the same class as an FSJ (daily driver).

I did pull the roof rack and strips and put duct tape over the holes temporarily, it was leaking quite a bit. I plan to weld up the holes permanently and if I need a rack, use a gutter mount. After the holes are filled I will wash down the inside of the roof with Ospho and spray it in all the inaccessible places like the a-pillars. I need to get the roof braces reinstalled, it sounds like I am in a thunderstorm driving down the highway!

I pulled the grille and repaired the minor damage you can see in the photo a while back.

The TBI is laid out on the kitchen table, the harness was neutered and I am wiring in the relays and finalizing connections. I could not find a piece of 6061 locally so I ordered a piece off Fleabay, this adapter will be pretty easy to fab even with hand tools.

The chunk of 6061 arrived earlier this week and I picked up a carburetor and throttle body gasket to layout the adapter. It will be a little while before I work on it though. I have a '97 Blazer tank, fuel pump and pump connector in my RockAuto cart but I have not hit the buy button yet, I need to double check the cash flow this month. Once I have the tank and pump I should be ready to roll with the conversion.

Worked on the Cherokee a bit today, I pulled the MC2100 or 2150 that I rebuilt some time ago that has never run very good. I had bought a NOS MC2100 1.08 for the CJ in order to break-in the cam and before the junkyard TBI conversion was complete. To be honest I forgot I still had it, found it a few weeks ago and decided I would bolt it on and see if it would start and run better, and it does.

But my mind is made up, if I decide to keep the CJ when I pull the 360 for the 5.3 swap it will have a new home.....




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I followed your thread on JF for the CJ. I can't wait to see this when you're done

Thanks!

I ordered the 97 Blazer tank, fuel pump, straps and wiring harness pigtail Tuesday or Wednesday.

I have a Summit 1-5 psi fuel regulator on hand so I can run the MC2100 temporarily and sort out any issues with the fuel tank and pump, I will probably order a Sport Comp fuel gauge to work with the GM sender this weekend.

I tell you what, I have ordered from RockAuto three or four times and I have been happy, fast shipping and good prices. I made it home and was happy to see a box on the porch with a fuel pump inside. I need to find out what type of hose connectors GM used and there is a device on top of the pump that appears to be a vent of some type, I want to have a working tank vent and vapor canister for sure.




I made the throttle body adapter in a few hours with hand tools, I did goof and drill the front throttle body hole to big to tap so I countersunk the bottom of the plate and used the shop press to seat a nut in the hole. It works fine and there is no chance it will fall out either. I have some light clean-up to gasket match the adapter but I will be good to go in no time.




I plan to pull the fuel pump this weekend and make a cover plate, probably siphon the gas and pull the coffin tank too.


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I discovered a problem, the GM Blazer fuel sender operates backwards from commonly available gauges for use with GM senders. The pump sender is 240 full, 30 empty and opposite the Autometer Sport Comp gauge I will use. I was not able to reverse the swing on the float arms so I will have to return it and try the Airtex pump.

The tank and straps arrived today, and I went to Autozone to look at the Airtex E3954M pump before I ordered it, I will be able to reverse the swing to work with an Autometer fuel gauge. Autozone wanted 334.00 with tax so I ordered it from Rock Auto for 145.00 shipped.

I still have not received the Airtex pump, it should be here this week.

I found an alternative to the Dorman quick disconnect fuel line repair kits that cost 14.95 each and I need three. These are available in packs of 2 for 4.95 through many different vendors, I ordered them through Summit along with the Autometer fuel gauge this morning.

I have not had much time to work on the Jeep but I started on the tank a few weeks ago and made a skid that bolts to the bottom of the floor pan to provide a flat surface for the top of the tank. While I was trying to decide how to mount the tank I noticed the rear crossmember was jacked up bad from the bumper hitch that was bolted to the crossmember and the bottom of the bumper. It took a few hours to burn out the rivets and cut the crossmember off the end of the frame rails.

It took a few more hours of heating, bending, twisting, heating and more pounding but I had it reasonably straight, a few more hours of patching holes and where I burned a big hole cutting the end of the frame rail I primed and painted it.










I used two pieces of 1.25" angle iron between the frame rails and attached the factory straps. When I pull it out to install the pump and hoses I will take a few photos of the skid and the cross braces. I went ahead and bolted everything rather than welding in case I need to tweak the location. The tank is tucked up as high as it will go and still allow clearance for the hoses.

I also took the bumper apart and straightened the center section and also the filler panel between the tailgate and bumper.

Nice work on the rear bumper. Love to duals too.