Big Red One - 84 Grand Wagoneer

[tgdoumit]

plans have changed a bit for this project. i gave it to my 15 year old son for his first rig. i will be keeping the 6bt for another project i hope.

after much thought, measuring and many hours of reading, i decided that a 6bt waggy would not be everything i wanted for the 12 valve project.

the boy is quite pleased with my decision as am i. he will have an awesome rig to grow with.

hope you still check in on his very first build from time to time...

+++++ we haven't had any time to work on the waggy in the past few months, we have been getting the other jeeps ready for moab again, wheeled our jeeps and am now home again licking our wounds... we will have news on this jeep before too long!

first off, i should tell you i started a build thread in the diesel section of this board. thats not going to happen now... it is a big part of my plans but i wanted to get more input on the other things i want to do with this jeep. i think that will happen in this part of the forum more readily.

the diesel swap thread will remain and get updated in a more practical way for that swap. this thread will cover the whole project and my growing plans.

i have seen a few incredible builds and restorations here that are very inspiring. thank you for going into such great detail.

here is what i am starting with (many of you know this already):
- 1984 grand wagoneer
- 360 v8, auto transmission, 229 transfer case
- front dana 44 / rear amc 20
- completely stock mechanically
- missing most of the interior

- 1996 dodge 2500 club cab long bed
- 6bt cummins turbo diesel
- nv4500 5 speed, p241 transfer case
- dana 60 and dana 80 axles
- the rest of the truck is mostly parted out now
(we are going to do a different swap)

basic plans call for a complete drivetrain swap. bigger plans will be complete new interior to my liking, whatever that may eventually be. i am pretty sure i will resist compromise and i have some pretty good ideas of what i really want to do.

here's a few pix:

craigslist ad..my buddy bought this jeep and i bought it from him a few weeks later




the donor rig i picked up as salvage. i am the second and fourth owner of this truck. the next door neighbor is the original. i sold it to my brother in law a few years ago and now i have it back..


first project was to get the electrical up before i take it apart... i want to drive it a bit before i break it down.


found a back seat on a scrap rig... its off a 77. i hope it fits


the mighty 6bt... it was running quite nicely when i pulled it into the garage for a little chop shop action.


when it was mine right before i sold it... oh well... it gets to live again

thanks for looking

[tgdoumit]

well, I'm betting its a common problem, someone tried to do a little repair here and on the other side... more like hide and seek. i bet i find something under these bandaids that will keep me busy for a while...



here is an unfocused pic... i figured it was better that way to spare the real horror found in this picture. if you hide it, it will go away (till someone else buys it) heh!

there is also rot in the drivers side foot well. much of the floor is great condition though.

[Stuka]

Yeah common area for rust.

Should be a great project and a stout rig once you are done.

[tgdoumit]

thanks Stuka,
it will be a fun project. all the dodge parts are free thus far from selling everything i didn't need and i should be able to reclaim at least half the money spent on the purchase price of the wagoneer. i feel like i got a screaming deal on both rigs so it's a low risk adventure right now.
definitely going to be a learning experience!

[twisted frame]

Back seat should fit no problem. I've always liked those 70s stock mags but can't run them now with my 5 lug 73 axles. Anyway, I guess you'll be running new wheels with your planned axle upgrade. Sounds like it will be an awesome Wag.

[tgdoumit]

10-4 on those wheels.. i won't be able to use them but someone will be happy when they get them from me someday.

[tgdoumit]

figured id do one door at a time here and try to free up the locking mechanism etc...
starting with the rear drivers side; the actuator goes down but not up and only when the linkage is unhooked. otherwise it won't move at all. i see no sign of any sort of lube... i guess 31 years will make that stuff disappear.
so, i took it all apart and the locking pawl arm is frozen so tight i can't hardly move it by hand. i think i found the problem...
the window is moving pretty slow.... at least it works!

time to reference some how too's here.

[tgdoumit]

well i got the door lock freed up real good but i'm thinking the actuator might be weak and it only goes one way. sort of a bummer....

worked on the window mechanism today too:

popped the metal track off and it is cleaning up real good but the plastic gear tracking is still gunned up.. not too sure what i can use on the plastic parts that would be safe...

[GO OVRIT]

Normally I have a very strict Jeep motors only in a Jeep, but I am a big Cummins fan too. Especially 12 valves. Looks like a cool project.

[tgdoumit]

Normally I have a very strict Jeep motors only in a Jeep, but I am a big Cummins fan too. Especially 12 valves. Looks like a cool project.

its the best of both worlds i hope.
one of my jeeps has a 4.7 stroker in it, that was a fun project. tons of power and fun in my book. its pushing 33's 4.56 through an AW4. great combo in the XJ

[tgdoumit]

made my first order to bj's today. three floor pans and a power window track...
the rear drivers side went together really good. a little noisy at the bottom when almost down but it's working.
the lock on that rear door is now operational but it gets stuck halfway down and it won't go up with the switch. it moves freely otherwise and the spring seems to be in good shape.

[tgdoumit]

forgot,
heres a few pix.


how do you like this previous owner duct tape art? hahahaha!!!!


I'm thinking there might be a problem here.



ill give you three guesses why things aren't working tip-top... thats some kind of cold war chia-pet growing in there

[tgdoumit]

oh yeah... where do i get these little babies?

[tgdoumit]

thought id post up a few more pix to help those who might be interested in de-crudding their switches... i did this same thing in my wife's xj...


the main switch panel looked much better than the door lock as did the switch for the rear drivers side window.


here is the inside of the switches under the copper levers. again not nearly as bad as the first switch.


dremel tool with a tiny wire cup plus electrical cleaner makes it all come out nice


i replaced the dielectric grease


going back together the same way...


you can see the FORD script and on the other end it says "SINGER" i know the xj switches out of the 92 were basically the same except instead of singer they said EATON


remember to clean the pins out back

i also clean out the female counterparts to the pins.

the switches are relatively easy to work on. i do not like the little metal clips that hold them in the switch housing and hold the plug harness in. its a good idea to work over a table incase you drop things that are hard to find.

[tgdoumit]

getting ready to resume work on this guy, thing runs awesome and we should be driving it soon.

if you didn't re read my original post, plans have changed. should be fun!