Fun stuff!
Posted: May 24th, 2014, 1:04 am
Whenever everything starts to finally catch up with what I want I start to see things. A new car, a new truck, rebuild this, rebuild that... I might as well jump straight into what's going on while I'm still drunk enough to be semi-coherent about it all. I really need some input about all of this and that's why I decided to post tonight.
Project 1
------------
1983 American Eagle: Engine + 4WD
It's mine and I've had it for 6 years now? The past 3 owners didn't survive it and they've had it all apart I don't know how many times and it looks like junk but rolls solid. I'm junking the detonated 258 for a 4.7L as soon as I get my cranks and rods back. I still need to figure out what bearings I need for the rods and mains before I get into the actual building process. Very recently I found a nice little 85 XJ in Lakewood:
Yes, as unusual as it is, this has an automatic, 4WD shifter and 4WD vacuum actuator all on the FLOOR! O_o Weirded me out when I finally realized zomg vacuum shifter! I looked under it an BAM! NP229. Jackpot! (*・ω・)ノ It's a cheap almost instant upgrade to my NP129 but oh wait, Pick-N-Pull is having a half off sale during the weekend so I could get it for $$. DOUBLE JACKPOT! (゙゚'ω゚')
I'm stuck on two things. First, I never expected this to be from anything other than a Grand Wagoneer but it's definitely factory equipment based on that actuator and it isn't pull and move like the one on my Eagle's dash so it's definitely a shift on the fly apparatus. I'm probably going to figure that out later but why is this such a pain in the ass to salvage? It's hard enough that this XJ is perched right where the transmission crossmember would come down so I have no chance in hell of dropping it properly but the front of the 4WD case doesn't have a yolk. It has a rotary cuff that holds the front line in with studs. Oh and the line is pressurized so when you budge it out of place, it spews oil everywhere. Fun. O_o
The transmission shifter was a lot of fun to pull apart just so I could get to the main transfercase bolts but even the vacuum shift control is a pain. Oh and this doesn't want to shift into low gear so I'm probably going to be overhauling this one. I'm thinking of taking a mallet and long punch to those transfer case studs just to jar it free. I don't want to use a flat screwdriver to pry it loose. Any ideas?
Oh and there's something else really interesting. I don't like having 3 clocks in my car. I notice these XJs have an oddball LOW FUEL warning gauge and I think figuring out a way to install one would be pretty ideal considering the fact that my sending unit just flips all over the place. Anyone experienced with wiring one of these in?
Project 2
------------
You're gonna love this. My car has been down for nearly a year and it's the only way I can really hold onto a dime. In its place I've been driving one of grandpa's 72 Ford trucks:
1972 F-250, Ranger, White, Automatic Ford C6, column shifted, Dana 60 3.54, 6000lbs
1972 F-250, Camper Special, White, Manual Borg T-18, floor shifted, Dana 60 3.73, 8000lbs
1972 F-250, Service Truck, Yellow, Manual Borg T-18, floor shifter, Dana 60, 10000lbs
So I've gone from driving an automatic Eagle to an overweight Ford truck with a gearbox. The automatic one blew up the night before Easter. It's had a nasty rod knock for 7 months but because nobody here maintains anything, it finally detonated on my way to work last month. I kind of want to do something about that. I've considered just swapping one of the functioning 390 blocks from one of the other trucks that just sit all the time but it's too much work. Then I found THIS in Nisqually Auto Wrecking the other day:
zomg Ford 300! Or is it a 240? I don't know and I don't care. I'm wondering if there's some way to hot wire this thing to check if it will still start. The battery is still in its cage but the whole truck is perched on the ground. It gets better.
This is a manual COLUMN SHIFTED Ford. I have never seen that in a Ford. Ever. The back end is gutted so I can see the transmission and it's cable shifted through the driver side of the gearbox. I don't know what all is going on inside of it but I think I could use that along with the steering column. I've thought about just dropping in the 4.7L AMC that I've been building into grandpa's pickup but the stock C6 automatic and lack of floor shifter really screws up the aesthetics and causes more work for me that I really don't want to do. I think this steering column might be an easy way out, along with that cute little inline engine. Worst case I'll just end up rebuilding it anyway but that's easy for me just because it's not a V block and I can source some REALLY nice parts for it. It might be worth putting in a front axle too but I have no idea where to start with that. I have a spare Dana 30 IFS that I don't intend to use but I think that would buckle and snap in a heavy Ford.
Project 3?
-------------
After some wandering around looking at a Turbo in a cute little red Saab and daydreaming about a turbo AMC 6, I found this thing sitting next to some Honda:
No, I'm not kidding. That's a 72 Jeepster. This thing was factory NEW when grandpa's fleet of Fords were just rolling off the lot. Lifting the hood felt a little more natural here.
BAM! 360? I guess not. It's a 304! Valve covers in Big Bad Red and everything. I really like how that heater core is snugged up to some external casing like some sort of tumor.
Everything looks good.
That carb and radiator need to get lost though.
The only visible damage is to the right fender and it isn't really noticeable unless you're like me. I was more interested in what was inside than underneath and it has SOME kind of 4spd gearbox and a passenger side 4WD shifter. I can't tell if it's 4H/2H or 4H/4L. No idea what the gearing is either. Anyway it probably has a main seal leak and it's only there because it was offered for bid at $1000. *random fart noise* I wonder if that engine is worth putting in a Ford pickup or my Eagle. I would probably need the crossmember but considering all that work makes my head spin. I'd rather just get the Jeep as another working vehicle.
What do you guys think are the best solutions going on here? I have a lot to do either way but no idea what deserves my attention first.
Project 1
------------
1983 American Eagle: Engine + 4WD
It's mine and I've had it for 6 years now? The past 3 owners didn't survive it and they've had it all apart I don't know how many times and it looks like junk but rolls solid. I'm junking the detonated 258 for a 4.7L as soon as I get my cranks and rods back. I still need to figure out what bearings I need for the rods and mains before I get into the actual building process. Very recently I found a nice little 85 XJ in Lakewood:
Yes, as unusual as it is, this has an automatic, 4WD shifter and 4WD vacuum actuator all on the FLOOR! O_o Weirded me out when I finally realized zomg vacuum shifter! I looked under it an BAM! NP229. Jackpot! (*・ω・)ノ It's a cheap almost instant upgrade to my NP129 but oh wait, Pick-N-Pull is having a half off sale during the weekend so I could get it for $$. DOUBLE JACKPOT! (゙゚'ω゚')
I'm stuck on two things. First, I never expected this to be from anything other than a Grand Wagoneer but it's definitely factory equipment based on that actuator and it isn't pull and move like the one on my Eagle's dash so it's definitely a shift on the fly apparatus. I'm probably going to figure that out later but why is this such a pain in the ass to salvage? It's hard enough that this XJ is perched right where the transmission crossmember would come down so I have no chance in hell of dropping it properly but the front of the 4WD case doesn't have a yolk. It has a rotary cuff that holds the front line in with studs. Oh and the line is pressurized so when you budge it out of place, it spews oil everywhere. Fun. O_o
The transmission shifter was a lot of fun to pull apart just so I could get to the main transfercase bolts but even the vacuum shift control is a pain. Oh and this doesn't want to shift into low gear so I'm probably going to be overhauling this one. I'm thinking of taking a mallet and long punch to those transfer case studs just to jar it free. I don't want to use a flat screwdriver to pry it loose. Any ideas?
Oh and there's something else really interesting. I don't like having 3 clocks in my car. I notice these XJs have an oddball LOW FUEL warning gauge and I think figuring out a way to install one would be pretty ideal considering the fact that my sending unit just flips all over the place. Anyone experienced with wiring one of these in?
Project 2
------------
You're gonna love this. My car has been down for nearly a year and it's the only way I can really hold onto a dime. In its place I've been driving one of grandpa's 72 Ford trucks:
1972 F-250, Ranger, White, Automatic Ford C6, column shifted, Dana 60 3.54, 6000lbs
1972 F-250, Camper Special, White, Manual Borg T-18, floor shifted, Dana 60 3.73, 8000lbs
1972 F-250, Service Truck, Yellow, Manual Borg T-18, floor shifter, Dana 60, 10000lbs
So I've gone from driving an automatic Eagle to an overweight Ford truck with a gearbox. The automatic one blew up the night before Easter. It's had a nasty rod knock for 7 months but because nobody here maintains anything, it finally detonated on my way to work last month. I kind of want to do something about that. I've considered just swapping one of the functioning 390 blocks from one of the other trucks that just sit all the time but it's too much work. Then I found THIS in Nisqually Auto Wrecking the other day:
zomg Ford 300! Or is it a 240? I don't know and I don't care. I'm wondering if there's some way to hot wire this thing to check if it will still start. The battery is still in its cage but the whole truck is perched on the ground. It gets better.
This is a manual COLUMN SHIFTED Ford. I have never seen that in a Ford. Ever. The back end is gutted so I can see the transmission and it's cable shifted through the driver side of the gearbox. I don't know what all is going on inside of it but I think I could use that along with the steering column. I've thought about just dropping in the 4.7L AMC that I've been building into grandpa's pickup but the stock C6 automatic and lack of floor shifter really screws up the aesthetics and causes more work for me that I really don't want to do. I think this steering column might be an easy way out, along with that cute little inline engine. Worst case I'll just end up rebuilding it anyway but that's easy for me just because it's not a V block and I can source some REALLY nice parts for it. It might be worth putting in a front axle too but I have no idea where to start with that. I have a spare Dana 30 IFS that I don't intend to use but I think that would buckle and snap in a heavy Ford.
Project 3?
-------------
After some wandering around looking at a Turbo in a cute little red Saab and daydreaming about a turbo AMC 6, I found this thing sitting next to some Honda:
No, I'm not kidding. That's a 72 Jeepster. This thing was factory NEW when grandpa's fleet of Fords were just rolling off the lot. Lifting the hood felt a little more natural here.
BAM! 360? I guess not. It's a 304! Valve covers in Big Bad Red and everything. I really like how that heater core is snugged up to some external casing like some sort of tumor.
Everything looks good.
That carb and radiator need to get lost though.
The only visible damage is to the right fender and it isn't really noticeable unless you're like me. I was more interested in what was inside than underneath and it has SOME kind of 4spd gearbox and a passenger side 4WD shifter. I can't tell if it's 4H/2H or 4H/4L. No idea what the gearing is either. Anyway it probably has a main seal leak and it's only there because it was offered for bid at $1000. *random fart noise* I wonder if that engine is worth putting in a Ford pickup or my Eagle. I would probably need the crossmember but considering all that work makes my head spin. I'd rather just get the Jeep as another working vehicle.
What do you guys think are the best solutions going on here? I have a lot to do either way but no idea what deserves my attention first.