WaggyGirl's '76 Wagoneer Build LS 5.3/4L80E/NP208 Swap

[WaggyGirl]

Hey guys, I'm Amberleigh aka WaggyGirl, and I am new to the FSJ network forum... and forums in general. But I am not new to Jeeps. I'm an avid off road enthusiast, I've pit crewed for ultra4 and played on many of the trails in Johnson Valley during King of the Hammers. I've been to Moab for Easter Jeep Safari a couple times, pitted for Vegas to Reno, and been on numerous other off road Jeep adventures. But now it is time for me to start my newest Jeep adventure; Building my 1976 Jeep Wagoneer.

And boy do I mean MY Wagoneer. I didn't just decide I wanted this Jeep. This is the vehicle I came home from the hospital in the day I was born. It hasn't ran in 16 years.... I was 12 yrs old the last time this thing ran. We drove to preschool in this Jeep. We visited family in this Jeep. Many of my first memories and photos are in this Jeep. My dad bought this Jeep when he found out they were pregnant with ME. It quit running when I was about 4 yrs old and my dad towed it around to all of our different houses, in all of the different states, and insisted that this would be my Jeep some day. He got it running enough to move it a few times back in 2003 but that's the last time I've seen it run.

I cried when I rolled under this rig for the first time. My father passed away 2 years ago last August. He will never get to see me drive it. But man am I excited to get this beast on the road! Most of my posts this far have been on Instagram and Facebook. I'll be catching up to the current build on my thread for the next few posts, but here's a cap on what this build looks like:

So far I've pulled the original AMC360 V8 motor and swapped in a Chevy LS 5.3. I opted to keep this one an automatic (though I tend to prefer a manual) and swapped the TH400 for the 4L80E transmission and an NP208 transfer case to replace the offset differential and quadra-trac set up along with an Isuzu Dana 44 rear axle. Also removed the factory fuel tank (and aftermarket tank) and will be installing the fuel tank from an Isuzu Rodeo. Planning about a 4-6 inch lift with SOA in the front and shackle flip in the rear, to accommodate the 33 inch BFGs I've got on 15 inch black steel rims. Expecting to have to do a little cutting on the wheel wells but trying to keep the body as close to factory as possible. Gutted the interior and kept the original seats. I also broke down my own stand alone wiring harness for the swap.

I'm sure I've left things out, and I apologize if some of this is clear as mud. Please feel free to ask any questions and give any advice you might have! I've helped work on a couple of LS swaps and other various Jeep projects, but this is my first personal build and my first full size jeep build, so I'm still learning a lot as I go!

Cheers to your offroad adventures,

[tedlovesjeeps71]

Welcome and AWESOME! Please, please keep us posted as you progress and don’t forget pics as you go. Some of old farts don’t do FB and such but we are a bunch of picture whores.

[RamJetFSJ]

Welcome to the forum!

[melford72]

Also removed the factory fuel tank (and aftermarket tank) and will be installing the fuel tank from an Isuzu Rodeo.

Interesting. I'm doing a very similar 5.3 swap into a 70 Wagoneer and have been looking at fuel tanks (s10 blazer). So why a tank from an Isuzu Rodeo? Was it just something you had on hand? Does it mount in the spare tire area?

Thanks and looking forward to following your build.

[fulsizjeep]

Welcome to the madness! I think it is super special that you are building the Wag you came home in as a new born! Kudos for YOU!

[WaggyGirl]

Also removed the factory fuel tank (and aftermarket tank) and will be installing the fuel tank from an Isuzu Rodeo.

Interesting. I'm doing a very similar 5.3 swap into a 70 Wagoneer and have been looking at fuel tanks (s10 blazer). So why a tank from an Isuzu Rodeo? Was it just something you had on hand? Does it mount in the spare tire area?

Thanks and looking forward to following your build.

I bought a cheap 95 rodeo for the Dana 44 rear axle and decided to keep the fuel tank and the battery and a few other things to see if they would work in the build. So yes, I had it on hand, and yes, it will be mounted in the spare tire area. I do have to swap out the sensor though.

Looking forward to checking out your build!

[tedlovesjeeps71]

Are you planning to run the Isuzu 44 in the waggy?

[WaggyGirl]

Are you planning to run the Isuzu 44 in the waggy?

Yes I am

[tedlovesjeeps71]

Are you planning to run the Isuzu 44 in the waggy?

Yes I am

Have you put a tape measure on it yet? I was going to put one under my waggy but it wasn’t quite going to work. IiRC the calipers were the issue at the leaf springs... maybe you have a wider one?

[twisted frame]

Awesome story! That's great to hear your dad moved the Jeep from house to house so you could have it. Sorry he won't be able to see this cool project.

[Stuka]

Welcome to the forum!

For the Isuzu D44, be sure to measure it. There is more than one version, and as Ted mentions above, not all fit.

[will e]

I am looking forward to following this thread. That's a great story and I am excited that you have so much experience and skills that you can share with the community.

[WaggyGirl]

Welcome to the forum!

For the Isuzu D44, be sure to measure it. There is more than one version, and as Ted mentions above, not all fit.

Look at how helpful y'all have been already! So I had yet to measure it, and when I did, it was indeed about 1 1/2" shorter than my leaf springs needed. So I'm pretty sure I'm going to do the inboard rear springs option instead and still use the Isuzu D44 axle. Thanks so much for the heads up!

[fulsizjeep]

I'll toss one in. If the Isuzu axle is 1.5" narrower than the stock D44, good chance you'll need about a one inch spacer on the rear tires to keep the 33" rear tires aligned in the not so large wheel wells.

[Stuka]

Yeah, wheel spacers (which I advise everybody to avoid) would be a requirement. That, or the rear wheels have to have a different offset than the front, which means two spare tires.

[tedlovesjeeps71]

Yeah, it’s a shame it’s so much work to make an Isuzu axle fit. My waggy would benefit hugely from one of the ones I have. 4:10 gears would be a great help instead of the evil 272s.

[Renodemona]

Welcome! I follow on the IG, so hello, enjoy the forums, looking forward to seeing building progress.

[fulsizjeep]

Yeah, wheel spacers (which I advise everybody to avoid) would be a requirement. That, or the rear wheels have to have a different offset than the front, which means two spare tires.

I have run them and also seen nut cases who have different offset wheels front and back. LOL, life is amusing at least.

[Stuka]

Yeah, wheel spacers (which I advise everybody to avoid) would be a requirement. That, or the rear wheels have to have a different offset than the front, which means two spare tires.

I have run them and also seen nut cases who have different offset wheels front and back. LOL, life is amusing at least.

Oh, I know lots of people that use wheel spacers. But then I have also seen them fail several times.

[fulsizjeep]

I seen ujoints fail too.