Build Thread The '80 FrankenJeep frame off reassembly

[shum8]

Oops - moved all the pics into one folder and screwed up the links - and I can't edit the posts..... Oh well. I'm the knucklehead.

 

[shum8]

Transfer case is done and buttoned up. Transmission is done except for the top. Was gonna throw it back on as is, but I have a problem not takin stuff apart..... This is what it looked like from the top - Not too bad...



Then, this is what I found once I tore it down..... The lug and 1st/2nd fork were worn pretty bad...





Got the new ones installed and she shifts good, at least on the bench. On to getting the engine cleaned up a bit..... Then as soon as the snow clears here, which may be May, I need to pull the springs and axles and get them swapped over. Until then maybe I'll start on the dash...... Or a beer. Or both.... First one then the other.....

 

[shum8]

Ok - Still waiting for the snow to clear..... Soooo, I've been piddling with some of the small stuff, getting em ready to go when their time comes. The snow days have been handy - I've made several trips to school to use the small media blast cabinet we have. So far I've blasted and painted the grille support rods, battery tray, sway bar and mounts, engine, transmission and t'case mounts, all the bracketry on the engine, power steering pump brackets, fan, and the thermostat housing. Once the engine paint came in, I painted the thermostat housing - and yes, AMC Blue is a very Turquoisey blue. Now I understand why so many folks complain the color is a lot more green than they expected - it's virtually impossible to take a picture of it is that the true color shows. The pics are ALWAYS more blue than they should be..... Anyway - Here's a few pick of the progress so far......









Here's the power steering pumb and brackets degreased...





Here's the pulley painted and stuck on a new pump assy..... the shaft had a ton of end play.



Here are the two pulleys from the engine - I had them painted all black, then when the engine paint got here, well, this is what happens when new paints arrives just as you get a week off from work due to snow....... I may hafta paint them back to all black - I'll ned to see what they look like on the finished engine.....



That's pretty much where I am at the moment. C'mon, snow - MELT!!!!

 

[shum8]

Well, I had to paint the PS pump pulley to match.... Too much??

 

[Peanut Butter]

Well, I had to paint the PS pump pulley to match.... Too much??

I like it! Keep going as it looks awesome. :rock:

 

[shum8]

Ok - Since the engine was running fine when I pulled it, I decided not to open it up till I needed to. I am replacing most of the gaskets, but wasn't interested in pulling the heads at this time. Stripped everything off that was in the away, sealed up all the openings very well, and abrasive blasted the block. Now that the block has been cleaned and painted, now the timing chain cover, water pump, intake, and oil pan will come off for the same treatment. Since this is a true "rebuild on the cheap", most of this is cosmetic - except for the gaskets. My long term plan is , once I get the Jeep back on the road, find another rebuildable 304 and go thru it completely - then swap it in here. This one just gets a little prettying up so I can drive the d**m thing.....

Here's the block with it's new coat of paint.....



I have all next week off - I would REALLY like to get the rest of this stuff cleaned up and painted or cleared.......

 

[shum8]

And yeah - I know I painted the spark plugs........ I wanted 'em to feel included.

Actually, I'll be putting new ones in, and these made excellent hole plugs......

 

[shum8]

Pulled the intake and got it cleaned up and cleared.



Gonna pull the timing cover/water pump and oil pan and get them cleaned and painted. Gotta order the gaskets so I can get everything buttoned up.

 

[82Laredo]

That looks awesome man, love the painted pulleys!

 

[shum8]

Made a little more progress today - pulled the water pump off and dropped the oil pan. Tomorrow I'm shootin for pulling the timing chain cover. I'm curious to see what shape the oil pump's in...... Oil pan looked good - no gunk or sludge. For that matter, top of the heads and the galley was gunk and sludge free.........

Coolant passages look like they could use a little cleaning...



Only has one broken bolt - been like that a while.....

 

[shum8]

Got the harmonic balancer cleaned up and painted



Got the oil pan cleaned and painted





Bottom end looks good -



I forgot to post this one - the last casualty of the week off for snow...

 

[Petescj]

Love the painting, looks sharp.

 

[shum8]

Got the body off the frame and stashed it in the trailer. I may just have my wife pull me around in the trailer - would greatly speed up the rebuild!!





And upon a little closer inspection, it looks like the exhaust is stainless..... Do they still do the aluminized tubing?

 

[shum8]

well, replacing seals in the engine is plugging along. Took the timing cover off, water pump off, and oil filter mount. Got em cleaned up and painted,





new oil pump parts, new time my chain set, which had a good bit of slack





The front cover gasket kit came with a new sleeve to repair the grooved surface on the harmonic balancer, and it went on nice and snug - looks nice and new now.





Next step is yanking out the rear axle while waiting on the oil pump mid plate to get here....

 

[shum8]

Don't have a shot of the new timing chain set on yet, but it went on nicely. Here's the front right before I got em on.....



And I know the balancer oil seal in now AMC Blue - I just left the old one in when I painted. It has now been replaced.......

 

[shum8]

No rain this past Saturday - So out came the rear axle. Rolled it up to the end of the driveway, removed the springs, and began the degreasing process. Once I'm happy with the prep, I'll hit it with some brush on Rustoleum, and stick under the "new" frame..... The PO had run new brake lines at each wheel, and the lines from the proportioning valve back looked like recent stuff as well.









These will be torn down, cleaned up, painted, and reassembled....

 

[shum8]

Got the rear spring packs broken down this evening. I'll take em to work and get 'em blasted and painted. And I had to laugh - I've broken this Jeep down to suspension components, and broke my first bolt!! I broke one of the leaf spring center bolts..... It's a rough country spring pack, so if I can't find one easily I'll just make one.....



The Teflon pads were even in great shape. Everyone always bashes the previous owner, but I gotta tell ya - he believed in using anti-seize....... Which I firmly believe helped the bolts come out easy. Didn't even break a single body mount bolt. Now that I've said that, I'll probably break every other one now....

 

[caveman]

Center bolts are available at most any auto parts store. I don't think that I've ever taken a spring pack apart without breaking the bolt. They're a very soft bolt. You can also make one out of a regular bolt. You just need to round off the bolt head.
Keep up the good work.

 

[shum8]

Thanks - it was late when I updated last night, and as soon as I posted that, I hit the Advance Auto website and they have tons. I figured since that was the one bolt I broke, there would only be one source for them.......

 

[shum8]

I have been remiss in my photo taking, and a thread like this is useless without 'em, but once I get going, I hate to stop and take a bunch...... But so far, it's been mostly tear down, so you haven't missed much.

We went out today and took the front axle and springs off the old frame, along with the steering box, brake porportioning Valve, and fairly new braided stainless brake lines. After that, we cut the rotted frame up and stuck it on the curb - scrap metal scroungers got it in 2 hours.



So now, here's the spot the Jeep sat for a good while - all that's left are the axles and new roll bar



I also have the front spring packs painted and reassembled along with the front axle wearing new paint.

Like a buddy of mine says..... Like a cat eatin a grindstone - slow but steady…