Early Wagoneer for the Wife

[GoPokes3116]

A buddy of mine got called to haul away this wagoneer from a property a few years ago and I finally talked him into letting me take it off his hands. I have been a GM guy my whole life, but these old wagoneers are my wife's favorite and I have always found them interesting. I know almost nothing about them, other than what I could find with some quick google searches. I could use some help in gathering some more info on this rig as there is no title currently and no paperwork on it that I could find. I know it has the 230 Tornado engine that supposedly runs and thats about it. I have a road trip planned with my brothers in June that I would like to take this on if possible but I am struggling to find parts for the right front wheel hub and brake assembly. You can see in the picture that it has been removed at some point but my buddy has another wagoneer from the late 70s that he thought would swap over, but it is a 6 lug axle so I don't think it will work without swapping out the entire front axle. Any history of these or info in general would be greatly appreciated. As soon as I can get some parts for that hub I will post an update on getting it running and driving.

[devildog80]

Nice score

[tgreese]

Welcome from Boston.

Nice to see one of these earliest Wagoneers brought back. This one looks complete and in good condition for it's age and prior neglect. Likely it's Spruce Tip Green metallic, an excellent color.

Firstly, suggest you get the factory manual for this vehicle. Looks like it's only available in paper, but it's not expensive. https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.ph ... 35&jsn=419

There is also a '62-73 J-series parts manual online here: https://oljeep.com/edge_parts_man.html If you can find your parts by factory part number, that's the best way to ensure you get the right part. Also there are some pictures in this book that may help you.

VIN number look-up is here: https://www.ifsja.org/tech/figures/index.html Kaiser did not follow the GM model of a new model release every year, and the build year is not in the VIN. "1414" is the base Wagoneer, with a sequential serial number following.

A 6-lug axle is '74 or later. These are better axles, but of course won't work with your existing wheels. There are other issues: the '80-up axle swap to a driver's side drop, and won't match your existing transfer case. A '74 or newer rear axle from an automatic Wagoneer is offset, which could be an issue with your existing centered transfer case.

These earliest Wagoneers have a significantly more obsolete drive train than '65 or newer, or better still, '74 or newer. The OHC 230 was nearly universally hated in its day, and Kaiser dropped it domestically in 1965 and switched to AMC commodity engines (a Rambler six and the AMC 327 V8). They use a Borg-Warner automatic transmission, with a single-speed Dana 21 transfer case. Realize a 4WD station wagon with an automatic was a new thing in '62, and the componetnts got significantly better in '65 with the AMC engines. Jeep then went to a nailhead GM TH400 and a Dana 20 2-speed transfer case.

You can pretty easily fix the front axle, I think. This is a Dana 27, and a 27 from this era is not in much demand... realize that the 27 from a CJ uses a different passenger knuckle than the Wagoneer or Jeepster, so don't buy an axle from a CJ if you need the passenger side knuckle. The driver's side knuckle is the same as a CJ, and both knuckles from a pre-74 J-truck will work too.

You can buy the service parts for the axle (seals, bearings, etc.), but your only source for a new knuckle will be from another Jeep.

Watershed years for these Jeeps are 1965 (end of the 230), 1974 (new axles), and 1980 (driver' side drop, switch from the TH400 to the TF727, switch to New Process driver's drop transfer cases).

IMO you have two main issues to confront with this Wagoneer. First, the major components were already dated in 1965, and antiques today. You'll need to decide how to address that, either by bringing them back or a swap. Second, if you decide on a bona fide restoration, parts may be an issue. A modest number of these Jeeps were built, and much of what you'll need is unique to them. Rebuilding the 230 may be challenging. AFAIK there is no source for camshafts, and maybe no source for cam chains. Maybe there is some help on the M715 site. http://www.m715zone.com/vb/forumdisplay ... Discussion

Sorry if this seems negative. There's a lot to cover regarding these earliest Wagoneers and J-trucks. Not a lot of them are still around, and even fewer that have not been converted to more modern components.

Suggest you search here and at IFSJA.org for everything you can find related to the OHC 230. You might also search other keywords like Kaiser or "Dana 21."

https://www.bing.com/search?q=site%3Afs ... om+OHC+230

What's your location?

[GoPokes3116]

Thanks for all that information. Eventually, I think I would like to do some swapping just so I can have parts more readily available. Leaving it up to my wife at the moment between trying to make a modern hemi fit and work, high dollar budget, or finding a sbc or something a litte more era appropriate to put in. We plan on this being our family road tripper so I don't want to get stranded trying to find a part that is obsolete. I will reach out to a couple of junkyards near me and see if they have anything I could go get those front axle parts from. I am located in Northern Wyoming near Cody, so the junkyards around a somewhat limited.

[tgreese]

I went to car-part.com and found quite a few axles. None very close though.

axles (1028 x 427).jpg

Any of these would be a suitable donor if you just need the hubs/knuckles/shafts and not the gears. To bolt in the whole axle, you need to match ratios front/rear. Realize that these axles are a cigar-butt for anything except original replacement.

There is some aftermarket demand by the CJ guys for the Wagoneer two-hole right knuckle; somebody may have picked your knuckle for their CJ.

WagoneerRightKnuckle (751 x 704).jpg

Two holes. Any Jeep closed knuckle with two holes will work. The CJ knuckle has one hole.

There's also Montana Overland in Plains MT, but that's quite a ways from you.

Suggest you make a list of what you need and try the WTB forum here and at IFSJA.org, and maybe other Jeep forums (jeepforum.com or?) - shipping an axle has obvious issues, but a knuckle could come from anywhere in the country, I'd think. Maybe eBay or FBMarketplace/Craig'sList? Try searching with the part number.

[tgreese]

Found one NOS here, 930253. Not cheap... https://www.willysjeepparts.com/Steering_Knuckle.htm

[GoPokes3116]

Wow, that is all great info. Thanks for getting all of that. I reached out to the Montana Overland place to see if they will ship parts out and found a whole axle on ebay too. I would like to keep the original motor, anything specific I should keep an eye out for with this motor as a common failure part?

[tgreese]

Mmm. Kinda before my time. I know you could buy these Jeeps for peanuts in the '70s. Mechanic friends/associates said they likely had a worse reputation than they deserved. I hear if you can keep oil in them, they last ok. Suggest you search on M715zone. You could ask generally for info about the 230 here and on IFSJA.

[tgreese]

https://www.bing.com/search?q=site%3AM7 ... 230+engine

Interesting thread here about the Mil version of the 230. Not terribly specific about the differences between your 230 and the later Mil version, but some issues are highlighted by careful reading and prompted what I remember.
http://www.m715zone.com/vb/showthread.p ... 0-failures

This engine is an inline 6 with a cast crank and 4 main bearings, if you grok that. IIRC Kaiser thought they could use the earlier 226 Continental flathead forged crank design and substitute a nitrided cast crank. Cast cranks became the norm for Detroit, and nearly all subsequent inline sixes with a cast crank have 7 main bearings to compensate for the weaker cast crank. This engine makes more power than the 226 and has an inferior crankshaft. The military added a governor to limit engine speed. I'd drive it with that in mind.

I expect the oiling and fuel pump issues apply equally to the Mil and civvy versions.

Note when you read threads on M715zone, a swap in the M715 is much easier than in your Wagoneer. They have a divorced transfer case, and connecting a new engine and transmission only requires a new intermediate driveshaft.

[GoPokes3116]

I will definitely go check those out. I think I have tracked down some parts somewhat local. So the plan is to get those on maybe next weekend and see how if I can get it moving under its own power. Once I get the parts on it I will post another update. Thanks again for all the info.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

[SJTD]

An engine before its time. At least in the U. S.

[sierrablue]

If you're interested, "1" in your VIN means left hand drive, and the "0094" is when it rolled off the assembly line--making it in the first 100 Wagoneers, possibly FSJs at all, off the line. Why it says '65 on the title could be anybody's guess; they were weird about title stuff then. Very cool to see--and was probably built in late '62.

Wish my Panel Delivery (0029) was that solid...

[Srdayflyer]

saw your thread and was boneyarding today and found this catch thats being parted out here south of phoenix,az rust free. all solid they can ship , they want 800.00 for the motor or 1200.00 engine, trans, and xfer case as a package thought id pass this along

desert valley autoparts,dvap.com 800-905-8024 their in casa grand,az

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didnt ask about the axle

[tgreese]

Big cam cover is pretty cool looking. Also a cross-flow design, with intake on one side and exhaust on the other. Another positive characteristic. AFAIK nobody subsequently copied Kaiser's cam design, where cam lobes are shared between cylinders? Kinda think this is a bad idea for some reason. Modern OHC engines have a lobe for every valve, also AFAIK. IMO this engine is a mix of good and bad new ideas. Not enough good to outweigh the bad, at least in the day.

Note this is a manual transmission truck, with a clutch master cylinder. I believe the OP has an automatic transmission version - even more historically significant, if correct.

[will e]

Welcome to the madness!
Keeping the original engine directly contradicts your desire to take it on road trips and being able to find parts.

I'd keep it simple.

The earlier wag frames were not as stout as the later ones so no need to pump up to crazy horse power levels.
I'd swap in a classic SBC, TH350/400 or possible an OD transmission. A simple two speed transfer case. Swap out the axles for something 'newer' like dana 44's which have parts available everywhere. I'd even just toss on a carb and HEI and call it good.
You mentioned your a GM guy all your life so use that to your advantage.

[tgreese]

Interesting to look at the OP's pictures a bit more closely.

Untitled picture (426 x 307) (852 x 614).jpg

This Wagoneer appears to be the earliest automatic type, with the Borg-Warner automatic and a one-speed Dana 21 transfer case. The other transmission for the 230 Wagoneer was only the T-90 AFAIK. This Jeep has a shifter on the column, and I believe there was no column shift T-90 in 4WD. Not very clear, but I can't see a clutch pedal here. I can see a pedal beyond the brake pedal, but I believe that's the parking brake.

Most telling here (I think) is the lack of the usual Dana20 shifter in the floor on the passenger side. Instead there is a smaller shifter on the driver's side of the hump. ALso, I believe these Jeeps had a dash-mounted indicator light for 4WD, which I believe you can see on the bottom edge of the dash.

To me this is a really interesting Wagoneer, and I think its best fate would be as a restoration in someone's Jeep collection. If it's really the 94th example, that's super early, ca 1962. The OP states there was no title or other paper with this Jeep, thus nothing to contradict this early origin.

I could be totally mistaken here, but that's what it looks like to me.

JMO - as Will points out, this Jeep is a long way from the end point the owner described for his wife and him. The body shell remains the same for these Jeeps up until the end in 1990ish. You'd have a lot more to work with starting with a '74 or newer - superior axles, power disc brakes, modern power steering, modern automatic transmission, vastly better parts availability, a few popular aftermarket accessories (versus nonexistant for this wagon), air conditioning likely, stronger frames, way higher production with many more examples available, and already fully highway capable.

I'd suggest you make it run and drive, drive it around for fun, then sell it off to someone who wants it for what it is. The drivetrain combo has historic cachet, and it's a very early example.

[SJTD]

Cam lobe shared between cylinders? How's that work? Adjacent pistons move together on same stroke?

[tgreese]

Cam only has six lobes. Not shared between cylinders - instead uses the same lobe for intake and exhaust on the same cylinder. Sorry - my error. The lobes are very wide, to support two rocker arms.

No personal experience with the engine - just what I can tell by looking at the drawings and pictures. Wikipedia confirms - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Tornado_engine Some pictures here - https://bangshift.com/forum/forum/bangs ... -j10-truck - or check the pictures in the '62-73 parts book on the Tom Collins site.

Some pictures here too http://www.m715zone.com/vb/showthread.p ... ures/page2

[SJTD]

Ah, limited on what you could do with timing then. Seems they were more interested in production cost then optimizing output.

But maybe it did optimize output for its application.

[tgreese]

One of the threads on the Bangshift forum confirms what I read from Dick Datson, that it's basically a Continental 226 with a new head design. Funny - Willys similarly "updated" the 134 cid L-head engine in 1949 with a new F-head cylinder head which moved the intake valves overhead. Another automotive oddity. I wonder if there is any cultural connection within Jeep - other than Kaiser and WIllys being similarly understaffed and underfunded. The L134 was great when introduced for lightweight WIllys cars in 1926, and played a major role in winning the WWII Jeep contract for Willys. The F134 continued through 1971 in the CJ.

Apparently the 230 retained the long stroke and small bore of its 226 predecessor, and had other limiting design deficiencies.