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The Driveway Jeep...

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BrotherBamc View Drop Down
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    Posted: May/08/2022 at 12:32pm
The Driveway Jeep...
Friend of mine talked me into purchasing a 1977 CJ5 back in November of last year. 304 with a T-150 3 speed and a Dana 20 transfer case. I can't say that. I wanted it, so I bought it. All though, he does feel a little guilty for talking me into buying it. 
It ran, drove, stopped, 4 wheel drive worked, had a newer Best Top on it and a nice newer set of tires. 
That is all about the good things that I could say about it. 
Purchased it and drove it home about 35 miles, parked it in my driveway and basically has been sitting there ever since. Hence the name, The Driveway Jeep. Ouch
It was supposed to be a "fix it and drive it at the same time" type of thing. Didn't work out all that well. 
Of course it had vermin that needed to be kicked out. That was just half of their food storage, the whole jock box was full. And they had gotten into the heater box as well. So that got all cleaned out and a new heater core was installed. The air box under the cowling was hacked for a larger radio in the dash and was leaking like a sieve, so that also had to be replaced along with all the heater air tubes. 







After getting it home and looking deeper into things. It turned into kind of a pos. 
The tie rod and drag link looked like a dogs hind leg. Wondered why it sometimes wouldn't back up straight and would wander while driving. 
It has rust issues on the tub, but only on one side, the drivers side. The passenger side fender is full of bondo and beat to crap. (Need a replacement as I don't think that it can be fixed) The dash is a mess, the front and rear bumpers are homemade. It had a tire carrier on the back and of course they backed into something and took out the back of the Jeep. 
Someone had tried to do a cheap restoration on it and pretty much smeared most of it in bondo. Then shot it in some cheap paint. It had a rear main seal leak for many years, so everything is covered in heavy oil and nasty. I'll do an update later tonight as to where I am now in the progress of 
The Driveway Jeep. 



77 CJ5 360
73 Gremlin 401 4 speed
2006 Dodge Magnum R/T AWD
My Garage
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BrotherBamc View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BrotherBamc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/09/2022 at 12:09am
Long story, short as I can make it version. 
Tried to give it a bath when I got it in the driveway. As I had stated before, it was greasy and slimy. 
Pressure washer decided it had had enough and gave up the ghost after 15 years. Didn't get a lot washed and the original pertronix decided to go the way with the pressure washer when I went to start it. 
Dug around and had enough for a unilite. Ordered a new coil and put together a new/used distributor. 
Got that all put together and seemed to run ok. I did the plugs and wires, oil change, new fuel filter. The basic things you do when you get a used vehicle. Also changed out the belts and noticed that the water pump wasn't in the best of shape. This is where I probably should of left things alone. Yeah, it wobbled a little bit, but was still functioning just fine. I could tell that someone had been into things before with this Jeep, and something told me that I was opening up a can of worms. Worms of someone else's demise. 
Yep, no anti-seize on any of the water pump bolts. I thought to myself that's not bad, I can get that bolt out. I was pissed because I had to pull the timing cover, but I had plenty of bolt to use to get it out. 
That's what I thought anyways. It wasn't coming out unless it came out in pieces. And, that's pretty much what happened. What was sticking out stayed with the cover. Then I was really mad, but I again thought that's ok, there's enough there I can weld a nut on and get the rest out. 
YEAH.. SO I THOUGHT..!! 
I don't know if my little flux welder wasn't hot enough to weld a nut on to that broken stud or what, but I tried more times then I could count trying to get that broken stud out.
Didn't want to try an easy out and trying to drill it out while in the bay wasn't an option either. I wanted to make sure that this was going to be a good motor, so I did a compression test. 2 of the 8 where down in the low 40's.
Out it came...







The saga will continue... 


77 CJ5 360
73 Gremlin 401 4 speed
2006 Dodge Magnum R/T AWD
My Garage
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ollie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/09/2022 at 5:59am
I am on board for this saga...........Wink

Happiness is a new Jeep...Shocked

Does your arm still hurt from when your buddy twisted it to purchase your Driveway Art??

Having AMC Fun,
Ollie
1966 American Convertible -- "The Rambler"..SOLD
1974 Postal Jeep -- "Rapid Delivery"...SOLD
1969 Rambler 220 post car--"Road Warrior"
1989 Jeep Comanche Pioneer, 4.0L, auto, 2wd
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AMXRWB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/09/2022 at 8:03am
Normal saga.You see this type of topic on this forum all of the time.Someone else should spend their money to save that car in the junkyard.You made a nice score on that truck.Fix it and enjoy.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NorCalAMX Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/09/2022 at 2:37pm
I think you made at least one other important modification too....... Wink
1968 AMX 390 4Speed
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tufcj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/09/2022 at 2:58pm
Yep.  Tried it with my 77 CJ7 too.   It was my only vehicle and daily driver when I was single.  Most maintenance was just to keep it running so I could get to work.  Shortly after my wife and I got married (she had a car and SUV), so we had a spare vehicle.  I took it off the road for 7 months and did all the repairs and modifications I wanted without interruption.  Rebuilt trans/t-case, rebuilt both axles w/new gears/lockers, brakes, new springs/shocks.  It had about 160K on it at the time.  After I rebuilt it, I bought another car and ended up just using the Jeep for weekend camping.   I feel your pain, it's really difficult to try to drive and rebuild.

Bob
tufcj
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you'll eventually pay for it...
and not have it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hassyfoto Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/19/2022 at 7:19am
Originally posted by AMXRWB AMXRWB wrote:

Normal saga.You see this type of topic on this forum all of the time.Someone else should spend their money to save that car in the junkyard.You made a nice score on that truck.Fix it and enjoy.
Ain't that the truth. The other one, why did you ruin a perfectly good car! (Junkyard car with almost no original parts) 

My Comanche was driven home, but has had a lot of modifications to keep it on the road. The original head, intake & exhaust, fuel system was taken off (AMC) and the Mopar (1992 XJ)system installed. Since I drove the truck everyday, sometimes the upgrades are a much, much better deal. I get a lot of flack at AMC shows about the mods, but the truck drives better, with fewer issues.
Murphy's Law:
Any given mechanical job you decide to solve alone will imminently require a third hand, at its most critical moment

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BrotherBamc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/22/2022 at 10:42pm
Thanks guys.. 
The problem with this is that it sits outside, in the rain. This spring has been cool and wet here in North Central Idaho. 
Rain puts a damper on things getting done and at this time of the year, so does work.
Anyways, took a few pics of what I am working with. 
Here is one modification already done and a few rust spots fixed in the drivers side rocker. The rust had gone through in one spot and a rather large dent had to be pounded out. When I hit it with the body hammer, the 1/2 inch thick bondo cracked. Ouch
Wire wheeled out the old garbage, welded and ground down where the hole was. Used some all metal bondo and short hair fiberglass to fix the mess. Not to concerned about looks right now, so the paint isn't the best. 
But yeah, we have rock sliders now. 

 

77 CJ5 360
73 Gremlin 401 4 speed
2006 Dodge Magnum R/T AWD
My Garage
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BrotherBamc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/22/2022 at 10:56pm
Here's some random pics of what I am having to put back together to try to make it look decent again. 

Has a Flaming River tilt steering column and I put the Grant steering wheel on. It was on my Gremlin for many years. 

Little dusty from the wire wheel making things better. 


Rust bubbles that'll need addressed also. 


That big crack is bondo.  Ouch
And more holes then swiss cheese and that back bumper is going to the scrap pile as well as the front one. 


77 CJ5 360
73 Gremlin 401 4 speed
2006 Dodge Magnum R/T AWD
My Garage
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BrotherBamc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Jul/10/2022 at 8:48am
Finally got my 360 back from the machine shop. After about a 7 month wait. I got the 360 for free in or around 2005. Some college guys were going to put it in a CJ5, but they got the 304 to run, so they didn't need it. All I had to do was go get it in Pullman Washington. When I disassembled it back in January, it was of course covered in grime, so you couldn't see the copper plated rods. I had to have it re-balanced as this was in a Cherokee that had an automatic. Jeep is a 3 speed. The guy who did the balancing said that the rods were way off. Looks to me as if the copper rods are all on one side except for one. I don't really know any history about this motor except for what I stated above. The mains had a different date code then what the valve cover tag states, so I imagine that it was probably rebuilt at one time. I used King bearings that I had for the mains .20 undersized and the rod bearings were .10 undersized. Pistons are .60 oversized stock style and the rings are Hastings. 
Camshaft... 
As many of you know right now, you can't find a cam blank to save your a$$ anywhere. I happened to have a nice stock 401 camshaft that came out of my 401 that I have in my Gremlin. I sent that off to Delta camshafts in Tacoma Wa. They worked their magic on it and now I have a 268 Comp ground camshaft. 
Induction...
Torker intake with a one inch spacer and a Holley Super Sniper Stealth that will be ran with a RobbMc power surge. 
Ignition system is going to be a MSD off road box with Mallory unilite dizzy. 
Exhaust...
Hooker fender well exit headers that have been Cerakoted. 
Still need to order up a new fuel tank and make a new fuel line from tank to engine. 



77 CJ5 360
73 Gremlin 401 4 speed
2006 Dodge Magnum R/T AWD
My Garage
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