Build Thread 1986 CJ7 Rebuild - Chasing my youth

[Masscj7]

Well pending approval, here goes.

Been on the site for awhile now, soaking it all in and been wrenching every night on mine project. Finally got the time to sit down and start a build after doing all the photo upload work.

I had an 82 CJ7 my senior year of high school and through college. Had lots of time wheeling it and hanging with my buddies. At some point, told Dad wanted to put a V8 in it. So great project with my Dad and my good buddy (they gave their consent for pictures lol) and a 304 was transplanted. Was a great project, but eventually sold it after college to grow up.

https://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/phot...or_001&ins=orig_2_gallery_link_below&alb=all#

https://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/photo_popup.php?cp=vbgallery&page=&e=vB_Editor_001&ins=orig&alb=all#

Fast forward 20 years and I decide I'm in a spot to try to find another CJ. One last project with my father and chase some memories and create some new ones.

In December, my best friend says, "hey come check out this storage locker I just bought". I roll on down and go, "oh damn!" Basically a full 86 CJ7 in the middle of a partial resto. Full drive train, two motors. I need to have it, we work out a great deal, wife gives the permission and it's loaded up and brought home to it's new home for surgery.

https://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/photo_popup.php?e=vB_Editor_001#

https://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/photo_popup.php?e=vB_Editor_001#

https://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/photo_popup.php?e=vB_Editor_001#

And we'll see if the pic links work, that'll be the greatest challenge in this whole thing

 

[Masscj7]

Approved! Thanks Pete!

Oh boy, there goes the work productivity and as predicted need to fix the picture links. I'll try some editing on those. Thanks to all that tried to help move this approval along. Excited to get started.

 

[Belizean]

Welcome ! Looking forward to seeing your build and pictures.

 

[Posi]

Looking forward to seeing your progress. Chasing memories, does this mean you will be wheeling your CJ?

 

[Petescj]

I sincerely apologise for the delay.

 

[Masscj7]

Looking forward to seeing your progress. Chasing memories, does this mean you will be wheeling your CJ?

I would like under right conditions. Don't want to be bashing off rocks and trees, but getting off the beaten path and seeing some scenery is in my hopes. Unfortunately this communist state has very Limited public land and most of the land I wheeled in high school has been closed off or built on.

 

[mtnwhlr]

Glad to see you got your build thread up and going I will be watching

 

[Masscj7]

So for whatever reason can’t edit my original posts and I have more success with Tapatalk, I’ll reload original pics.

The object of my chase


My pops and my best friend helping drop in the 304 after a couple years of ownership

The new score in where it was found



Back to its new home to be given proper attention






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[Posi]

I would like under right conditions. Don't want to be bashing off rocks and trees, but getting off the beaten path and seeing some scenery is in my hopes. Unfortunately this communist state has very Limited public land and most of the land I wheeled in high school has been closed off or built on.

I don't like bashing my Jeep off rocks and trees as well. There are few places to wheel public land, your better off joining a club that will have plenty of access to both public and private land to wheel.

 

[Belizean]

Don't want to be bashing off rocks and trees, but getting off the beaten path and seeing some scenery is in my hopes. n.

Those are my future plans also. Go out and view the beautiful sights and natural scenery. Lots on mountains lakes and the forest

 

[Masscj7]

So first to go was hard top and doors. Actually still holding onto top, thought it would go fast on CL, but man, no interest.

This will be a warm/mild weather toy

Out came the terribly fabbed in Volvo seats, should have taken a pic of awful Mickey Moused bracketry, cleaned out all the junk in the Jeep (was a storage locker inside a storage locker) also removed a terribly fabbed roll cage with really bad welds


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[Posi]

Looks like Super Swampers with plenty of tread, any dry rot?
Do the 8 pistons, valve covers, and intake on the shelf go to your 350?
That front loop looks like it could be reused minus the add-ons.

 

[Masscj7]

Haha, cutting right to the chase Posi. Swampers are a little older, but lots of tread and not rot.

Now dilemma was not having any previous history, no idea what or conditions of motors.

Found had an 86-88 305 that looks like what the PO intended to use. Was what was painted and pretty. But talking to motor people waste of time really and would have to tear down to assess.



The less pretty motor was a SBC 350, built on May 11, 1973 in Flint for either a cab over or a C-20 with a whopping 160hp.



So I decided to go with that as a better foundation.


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[Masscj7]

Now room is at a premium in my garage, because the wife’s vehicle is not going to sit outside, especially during our winters As well as my truck is babied and does not sit outside normally either. So I had to get moving on getting rid of unused stuff and tearing down what I had. So the 305 was unloaded on CL for $125 to be put in the credit column and rear down of the 350 began.







And nice surprise a 4 bolt main




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[Masscj7]

So diving deeper into the engine, I find that I had pretty lousy 991 casting heads. Big chambers, low compression and poor flow.


So started searching for new set of heads. Really didn’t want to drop the money on aluminum ones. Kept searching and found a set a 1969 186 Fuelie heads. After a bunch of back and forth to ensure they had hardened seats I scooped them up. Recently rebuilt and even better had 2.02 intakes and 1.60 exhaust. Pretty excited to get these strapped on.

I stripped the chipped and peeling Chevy orange off and went with Dupli Color aluminum. Looking to find a darker magnesium style valve covers


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[Masscj7]

Wtf! It’s The 2nd week of March! This is redic.


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[Belizean]

That top looks pretty nice. I think you will be able to sell that soon enough.

 

[Masscj7]

So next was to find out what Kind of shape my tub was in. Looked great. Of course this was with a healthy coat of bed liner. 3 days later of looking like Breaking Bad, find the tub is full of rot.





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[Masscj7]

So after the tub came off, the break down continued. And about 30 days or so after I rolled it into my garage, she was framed.



Did find some common rot in the rear and in the spring hanger area. Will need to get a new rear cross member



Reduced to just a pile of parts and a frame.




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[Posi]

If you have a welder you could repair your rear crossmember and save $75.
I see the PO plated the other frame body mounts.
Looks to be beefy plates for holding the motor mounts.