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This has always been a dream of mine and something I have been working toward since I was about 10...however never in any of my Car Craft/Hot Rod Magazine induced fantasies did I ever build a Jeep. Much less a Wagoneer. But here we are.

I am a new owner of a junker with some seemingly solid bones. Got it at a good price and have started going through it. "Ran" when I got it, transmission slips and it wouldn't idle. Brakes work pretty well! I have to say though, I am really pumped about this. I have boys, so the off-road aspect made this more appealing than your regular ole hot rod.

There is some rust, nothing structural that I can see, mostly just floors and doors. Lots of wasps, ants, and spiders...

Re-building the carburetor, pulling off all the lived in door panels, working through the vacuum lines, 50% are missing. Need to flush the transmission, do a basic tune up, and fix a leaking heater core! And that's just to get it to where I can drive it a little. Got some work to get it on the trails.

I will post some pictures as soon as I can.

I do have a few questions, things I am having a hard time finding/getting a clear answer on. Like will the fuel filler neck/inlet/filler/bezel from a 1980 work for my 74. The PO shoved a radiator cap in there and its broken off in there and all mangled. I can't seem to find one for my year. But can find the above on Team Wagoneer.

Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the madness! Maybe the light is just right to make the Waggy look purple. Is it blue? Looks like the window mechanicals are roached in that door. You should be able to find that stuff on a rig that is being parted out. Want ads available in another section. I imagine you have 360, T400, QuadraTrac unless you got lucky and found a 401. Good luck with the projects!

Thanks! Its a maroon Maco job it looks like. Originally appears to have been gold.

Yep, 360, TH400, QT. Standard setup it seems.

Hope to get it fired up tonight and running right so I can service the transmission then its full steam ahead!

Update:

Finished carb rebuild, replaced battery and went fire it up and fried the solenoid to starter cable. I mean lit it up like a light. Decided I would go ahead and replace the solenoid as well as the wire. Fired right up, had to play with the idle a bit since the linkage is so old and worn.

Very excited. Going to flush the transmission and chase down some vacuum leaks and hopefully we'll be in business!

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Update

So, I decided after talking to a few people that I would swap out the 360. I have it ready for the engine to come out. Now I'm doing tons of cleaning and stripping.

As I began investigating I found that I will need most of a floor.. So I figured I'd change my approach.

Pictures attached, I need to get the engine and transmission out. Would like to sell them. If it's at all possible I want to keep the qt, but I'm not married to that. This is going to be fun!

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Update #2

I am one good days work from pulling the engine. Built an engine stand. Would like to sell the whole combo, but if not, me and the boys will tear it apart and I can show them how it all works.

Finally got the tailgate down, PITA. Popped the trans tunnel access panel and it was like I was excavating an artifact.

I have been planning the build, researching and all that. One thing that I can never get a clear answer one is the leaf springs. This being a 74 I know that means they are different. There doesn't seem to be an off the shelf option for this year. Are there reasonable workarounds or should I go custom?

Here are a few pics. Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Hi,

Great progress you got going there!

On your gas tank filler neck issues: The plastic bezel is a later 70s addition. I believe a 74 would have just had the filler neck mount to the body sheet metal with a gas fill cap that has no body trim or bezel around it. If you need a fill pipe, post in the wanted section. I doubt there are replacement stock units available.

For the 74 year, your front springs mount below the frame, as opposed to the post-mount style of 73 and earlier (in the front,) so you should be able to order whatever lift springs you want without any trouble for the front. For the rear, I think 74 is a post-mount style which means you might need to contact Alcan Spring or Hell Creek Suspension. Alcan makes custom springs for anything and Hell Creek (if they're still in business) was one of the only off-the-shelf solutions for earlier Wagoneer/Cherokee/J-truck lift kits. I have read that Hell Creek makes a high quality spring but I've never owned a set. http://www.hellcreeksuspensions.com/

The fuel fillers on these older models is mostly rubber once you past the flange on the body. I just bought all four rubber, inlet and vent parts, from BJ's. The only part they don't have is the flat rubber gasket that goes outside against the body. I found that at https://stores.partsdude4x4.net/fuel-sy ... red&page=2 Just did a this on my Commando also.

The engine is out!

Gonna keep tearing it down. Next goal is getting the body off!

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2 Years Later:

Been a busy 2 years, see pictures.

Have many questions but a few I just cannot seem to search right. If anyone know or can help.

I got a 2" body lift for this that came with bolts. Those bolts are too fat to fit through the body mount bushings. Are there any safety concerns with getting the thinner bolts that fit? Haven't measured exact but the big one looks 9/16 to the bushing bolts 1/2 or somewhere in there. I just don't want the body to snap off the frame!

With the springs so hard to come by for the 74 I figured I try to get some lift the cheap way.

Which brings me to the ultimate question for these year Wags. Is my only option for rear springs the custom route?

Thanks in advance for any replies!

Dang! Lots of good progress...why all of the cutting though? Is it not as solid as it looks in the pics?

Why would you get thinner bolts and not just drill bigger holes in the bushings? It should be pretty tight around the bolt IIRC. (if I read correctly, not if I remember correctly )

sierrablue wrote: ↑Wed Mar 22, 2023 11:08 am Dang! Lots of good progress...why all of the cutting though? Is it not as solid as it looks in the pics?

Why would you get thinner bolts and not just drill bigger holes in the bushings? It should be pretty tight around the bolt IIRC. (if I read correctly, not if I remember correctly )

The frame is perfect, but the bottom 3 inches or the whole thing need swapping I have found..

I got new body mounts too, the metal sleeve that slides inside the rubber parts is too narrow for the larger bolts. The mounts are stock spec. BJs sells the same lift blocks sans bolts. Figured I would save myself some hassle by finding the kid with the bolts..