The Driveway Jeep...

Just need to make up some paper and tape valve covers, and it'll be ready for final paint. I hope that I have enough paint. Amark seems to be out of the caravelle blue engine paint and has been for quite some time. 

Heads are a set of 502's with some new stainless-steel valves. 

Got some new wheels for this yesterday and I've finally decided how far I am going to go with this. It does have some rust issues in the back of the tub. The only way to really fix those issues is to remove the tub from the frame. And with no room really in the driveway to do that, I am going to do what I can to fix it and just drive it. The motor and transmission/transfer case are ready to be put back in. I have new heavy duty driveshafts that I had made, about sh!t myself when the guy told me the price for those..!! 750 bucks for new drivelines..!! 

Replace the tie rod and drag link with 3/4-ton rods and flip kit it. Fix the dumb stuff to it that has been done to it in the past and just drive it. 

Most of the mechanical stuff is in pretty good shape. It just needs some lube a good cleaning and there is surface rust everywhere. New tank and skid plate is ready to go in along with new sending unit. Fuel lines will get a good blow out today and start putting the tank back in. The tailgate area is going to be cut out and replaced with good metal. There is damage from rust to one of the body mounts in the back on the driver's side and when I tear into the tailgate area, I am going to have to address that part. Not sure how yet, but it'll need to be rebuilt and replaced somehow. And hopefully the tub won't need to come off to be addressed. 

New bumpers are also in order. The back bumper is already off and in the scrap pile and I am not sure how much cutting it is going to take to get the front one off yet, but it looks like it might be a pita to get off without damaging the frame. Guess I will see when that time comes. Going to drain the front and rear axles today and get them refilled with new gear oil and new gaskets. Someone has also been through the front at one time. Whoever did it used a crap ton of blue silicone. 

Someone went through this poor Jeep quite a few years ago and did a horrible job. I have found turkey sh!t welds throughout that I have had to grind down and try to make look better and re-weld a few spots. I still have screw holes in the floorboards that need to be welded up and the dash needs to come out so I can address the butchered wiring. It looks bad, but I don't really see too much messed up with it. The under-hood wiring is going to be needed to be gone through also.

I was hoping to get this all wrapped up by this fall. Well, it's fall already, and I am nowhere near getting this back on the trails yet. Looking at early springtime now for its first drive. 

Holley sniper super stealth. I will break the motor in with a Edelbrock 650 and then add the sniper once the camshaft has been broke in. It's been primed and I have about 70 pounds of oil pressure cold. 

Some are baby steps and others are leaps !!

Having AMC Fun,

Ollie

If anyone has done a "flip kit" to the tie rod and drag link. The most expensive part of the kit was the reamer to ream out the holes. It was over a hundred bucks. The 3 little bushings that come with the kit are basically for stock tie rods and drag links. There was no way in he!! that those 3/4-ton ends were going to fit in the reamed-out holes with those bushings. 

I still had to ream out the bushings to get the ends to fit properly and have enough threads to get the castle nut to attach and to be able to tighten everything down properly. 

So, save yourself some time and efforts and just ream out the holes and forget about the little bushings that come with the kit. Unless you are using stock stuff then you'll be fine.