1980 J-10 Sportside Conversion

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Greenmachine
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Location: Maryville TN

1980 J-10 Sportside Conversion

Post by Greenmachine »

Well I managed to do some trading and got me a J truck thats pretty much exactly what I wanted to start with. Its a 258 t177 and np208 shortbed with the brow and AC. I need to find a razor grill and swap the bench for the buckets in my parts cherokee.
Things to do....
1.Rebuild carb
2. Hei distributor
3. Window lift bar drivers side
4. Fix rust in drivers floor pan
5. New hoses belts and fluids
6. New brake soft bits and hard bits as needed
7. Tailgate handle linkage repair or replace
8. Tires
9. Fix all the rust and paint (someday)
Image
Last edited by Greenmachine on Sun Jan 17, 2021 3:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1975 Cherokee S factory 360,t-18, 4" hellcreek, slot mags 33" bfg's, performer intake, and Fitech fuel injection.
1980 J10 304, 5 spd, 4" Superlift, 4.88 Gears, 35" Maxxis Big Horns
1961 fc-150 fishing truck (on hold)

Former Air Cav
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jaber
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Re: 1980 J-10

Post by jaber »

Congrats, looks like a nice start. :-bd
Jeff

'46 cj3a
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'51 Willys Parkway Conversion
'74 CJ5
'75 J-20 Wrecker
'75 J-20 Cummins service truck
'77 J-10 p/u
'79 Cherokee
'88 Grand Wagoneer
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serehill
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Re: 1980 J-10

Post by serehill »

Yeah nice rig. Good start, I have an 80 with the same drive train.
1980 Honcho 258 4 speed mostly stock with 4 " lift.

WIP

You know the rude dude from IFSJA


1980 Cherokee wrangled & mangled
MSD complete system
Eddy intake
Holley 650
Comp cam 270H
4" Rusty's
Ramsey 12K winch
208
Built to drive not sit in the garage.


No longer strangled. I didn't build it for anyone else.
If you can't improve it why waste your time?
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Landman_MTX
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Location: west texas

Re: 1980 J-10

Post by Landman_MTX »

Nice rig! Great platform to build on :-bd
1979 Grand Wagoneer, 360, TH400/QT, D44s
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Atla
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Re: 1980 J-10

Post by Atla »

Oooo a/c!

Good find, sounds promising.
~Atla. (I'm just here for the pictures)
1983 J-10
2001 TJ

My Build Thread - http://fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2722

GO OVRIT
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Re: 1980 J-10

Post by GO OVRIT »

I like the grip spurs. They were the tire to have when I was in high school. L78s on white wagon wheels just look right on a J-10.
87 GW
2 75 J-10s waiting for tlc
79 Chief on life support
80 Chief soon to have a 401
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Greenmachine
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Location: Maryville TN

Re: 1980 J-10

Post by Greenmachine »

Yeah grip spurs are cool too bad they are ancient....
1975 Cherokee S factory 360,t-18, 4" hellcreek, slot mags 33" bfg's, performer intake, and Fitech fuel injection.
1980 J10 304, 5 spd, 4" Superlift, 4.88 Gears, 35" Maxxis Big Horns
1961 fc-150 fishing truck (on hold)

Former Air Cav
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Tatsadasayago
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Re: 1980 J-10

Post by Tatsadasayago »

Grip Spurs were THE TIRE in Montana until the swamper came out. Cenex/Farmers Co-op sold them and and most of my jeeps wore them. Great tire back in the day.
1977 Cherokee Chief - The Blair Jeep Project III
A collection of parts flying in close formation

will e
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Re: 1980 J-10

Post by will e »

Great looking truck. Have fun with the build!
81 Waggy 'WILL E' Retired
82 Cherokee WT - SOA/SF/high steer/Alcan springs/agr box/Borgeson steering shaft/AMC 401/performer/holley TA/HEI/BeCool/727/ALTAS (2.0/2.72/5.44)/D60 Snofighter(Yukon Zip,hubs,stubs,4.56)/14 Bolt (FF,BF shave, Discs, ARB,Artec Truss)/MTR 37X12.5/Corbeau XRS Baja & 5 point retractable harness/Hella Aux lights/tuffy console/killer32 sliders/Evil Twin bumpers, rack and roll cage/WARN 8000/TT Fabworks steering brace/dual batts/custom TC skid plate/ARB fridge
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Greenmachine
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Location: Maryville TN

Re: 1980 J-10

Post by Greenmachine »

Image
Lots of patina but very little rot
Image
Fairly straight tailgate.
Image
Not too molested engine bay.

I reaqlly wanted to get it running today as it was supposed to just need a carb rebuild (was told it leaked bad). I rebuilt the carb so thats one thing off my to do list...
Image
Image
Turns out it wasn't getting fire so I swapped in the module from my parts Cherokee. Then it wasn't getting fuel with the pump having a direct hose into a gas can so I replaced the fuel pump. Had to call it a day after that but it's still not pulling fuel out of the tank so I will have to start chasing lines. It needs some timing attention too as it backfired pretty spectacularly shooting the oil fill/vent cap into the hood and then into my face. It also blew the dip stick out. HEI should be here in a day or two and I will address the timing then. Hopefully I can get her running tomorrow....
1975 Cherokee S factory 360,t-18, 4" hellcreek, slot mags 33" bfg's, performer intake, and Fitech fuel injection.
1980 J10 304, 5 spd, 4" Superlift, 4.88 Gears, 35" Maxxis Big Horns
1961 fc-150 fishing truck (on hold)

Former Air Cav
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Tatsadasayago
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Re: 1980 J-10

Post by Tatsadasayago »

You should check the oil for gasoline saturation ASAP!

Having the cap and dipstick pop out after a misfire says your oil is full of gas and you've got a piston ring allowing burning combustion gasses into the crank case. Bad scoobies!
1977 Cherokee Chief - The Blair Jeep Project III
A collection of parts flying in close formation
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Greenmachine
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Location: Maryville TN

Re: 1980 J-10

Post by Greenmachine »

Probably a result of pouring gas down the carb trying to get it to hit. I would say it's a combination of fuel getting in the crankcase and the timing being off. Its not got enough in the oil that you can smell it on the dipstick.
1975 Cherokee S factory 360,t-18, 4" hellcreek, slot mags 33" bfg's, performer intake, and Fitech fuel injection.
1980 J10 304, 5 spd, 4" Superlift, 4.88 Gears, 35" Maxxis Big Horns
1961 fc-150 fishing truck (on hold)

Former Air Cav
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Tatsadasayago
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Re: 1980 J-10

Post by Tatsadasayago »

Greenmachine wrote:Probably a result of pouring gas down the carb trying to get it to hit. I would say it's a combination of fuel getting in the crankcase and the timing being off. Its not got enough in the oil that you can smell it on the dipstick.
Gotcha!
Let us know how it goes.
1977 Cherokee Chief - The Blair Jeep Project III
A collection of parts flying in close formation
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Greenmachine
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Location: Maryville TN

Re: 1980 J-10

Post by Greenmachine »

Well it is now purring like a kitten. I think it idles smoother than my 2006 LJ. Turns out the timing was fine. I thought at first it was the needle sticking as it would run for 20-30 seconds and die and would not start back. I figured it was burning through the float bowl and then fuel starving. It was also just squirting out of one port. Ended up taking it apart about three times and using the old accel pump to clear the venturi ports. Must of had something in it or i wasn't holding my mouth right... Works great now.

On a unrelated note I finished refinishing my slot mags and got my 33's mounted. 75 Cherokee S with 4" Hellcreek and 33's.
Image
1975 Cherokee S factory 360,t-18, 4" hellcreek, slot mags 33" bfg's, performer intake, and Fitech fuel injection.
1980 J10 304, 5 spd, 4" Superlift, 4.88 Gears, 35" Maxxis Big Horns
1961 fc-150 fishing truck (on hold)

Former Air Cav
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Tatsadasayago
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Re: 1980 J-10

Post by Tatsadasayago »

They say women judge each other by their shoes.
I think we Jeeper-Gearheads judge each other's rigs in the same manner.

Nice Shoes! :P

I love aluminum slots with knobby diggers on em!
1977 Cherokee Chief - The Blair Jeep Project III
A collection of parts flying in close formation
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Greenmachine
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Re: 1980 J-10

Post by Greenmachine »

Image

Rear brakes done..
1975 Cherokee S factory 360,t-18, 4" hellcreek, slot mags 33" bfg's, performer intake, and Fitech fuel injection.
1980 J10 304, 5 spd, 4" Superlift, 4.88 Gears, 35" Maxxis Big Horns
1961 fc-150 fishing truck (on hold)

Former Air Cav
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Topic author
Greenmachine
Posts: 259
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2014 8:59 pm
Location: Maryville TN

Re: 1980 J-10

Post by Greenmachine »

Image
HEI in and running. I need to replace all the rubber lines on the entire truck in the fuel system. They are toast and fuel pump looses prime if it sits a couple days, and fuel leaks at the tank... I went with the $60 HEI off Amazon. It is probably crap but it looks pretty nice. I am surprised it can be made for $60 much less sold. I would have degreased the engine but it was in the single digits today and about a 30mph wind...
1975 Cherokee S factory 360,t-18, 4" hellcreek, slot mags 33" bfg's, performer intake, and Fitech fuel injection.
1980 J10 304, 5 spd, 4" Superlift, 4.88 Gears, 35" Maxxis Big Horns
1961 fc-150 fishing truck (on hold)

Former Air Cav
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Topic author
Greenmachine
Posts: 259
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2014 8:59 pm
Location: Maryville TN

Re: 1980 J-10

Post by Greenmachine »

Well the 258 runs good and smooth and doesn't make any noise but it has some serious blowby.... The more I run it the worse it seems to get. I changed the oil and filter after I got it to run (it had oil in it and I have seen worse). I am now trying to decide what to do.. I really don't want to drop a grand or more on rebuilding. There is a 06 model 4.0 on cragslist right now with bent rods 40k miles was hydrolocked. Head is suppoed to be good for $150... Was contemplating stroker.... I also have a running 360 in my parts chero with a nib cam, intake, timing set, and polished holley 600 on the shelf. I could ebay for the money or put it in the 360 and swap it in... Or I could run it till it dies and then do something...
1975 Cherokee S factory 360,t-18, 4" hellcreek, slot mags 33" bfg's, performer intake, and Fitech fuel injection.
1980 J10 304, 5 spd, 4" Superlift, 4.88 Gears, 35" Maxxis Big Horns
1961 fc-150 fishing truck (on hold)

Former Air Cav
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Topic author
Greenmachine
Posts: 259
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2014 8:59 pm
Location: Maryville TN

Re: 1980 J-10

Post by Greenmachine »

Put on some stock monroe shocks, my other set of slot mags and a set of kenda klever at's. Dropped the nasty tank to replace the hoses and sending unit and vent grommet.

Didn't remeber to take many pictures... Covered in nasty old gas and stinky fumes... Had to keep opening the door to let it air out and it was 19 degrees...
Image
1975 Cherokee S factory 360,t-18, 4" hellcreek, slot mags 33" bfg's, performer intake, and Fitech fuel injection.
1980 J10 304, 5 spd, 4" Superlift, 4.88 Gears, 35" Maxxis Big Horns
1961 fc-150 fishing truck (on hold)

Former Air Cav
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ghcoe
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Re: 1980 J-10

Post by ghcoe »

[quote="Greenmachine"]Well the 258 runs good and smooth and doesn't make any noise but it has some serious blowby.... The more I run it the worse it seems to get. [quote]

I would just run it and keep the oil clean.
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1977 Jeep Cherokee WT
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