Transplant Questions

[gbarrett]

Since I was unable to hook up with Kimbrough to get his eginge and tranny, I must look for options. I have 2 GW's. Mine, the red one, is pretty much complete. My wifes, a soone-to-be white one, requires engine and tranny rebuild/replacement. We live on the end of the world and we are closer to Cuba than Tampa. Parts are very diffulcult to get.

With all of that said, here are some thoughts and questions:
Since my enging and tranny are in decent shape, I am thinking of pulling them from mine to put into hers so that hers remains almost stock. (I have to keep in mind that I am out of town from time to time and if someone else has to look under the hood, they won't be totally confused.)

If I pursue this route, I'll need something for my truck. I've checked into the cost of getting the AMC 360 rebuild and the cost of the 727 rebuild. I'll be pushing nearly $2000 for the whole thing. Yes, that is a bit out of my budget.

I am very familar with F*rd products and I know that they also make a xfercase with a driver-side drop. As I have done several odd transplants with F*rd gear, this seems to be an easy / reasonably priced swap (using a 351w)

I have a couple of buddies that build swampbuggies and they have offered to find and build a Ch*vy 350/th400 combo - the problem is that the xfer case for that setup is passenger's side drop, but they have some dana 44's with passenger's side drop and have suggested we swap that as well.

Any thoughts or suggestions are GREATLY appreciated. I'll have to make one of these options happen in the next 30 days.

Sorry for such a long post - I wanted to post motive so you know where I'm coming from.

Thanks,

Greg

[porkchop]

I say go with 350/TH400 setup. It is more widely used and easier to find parts for. You can practically go to Wally world and find performance parts :D . Also with the passenger side drop you have more options of swapping t-cases if the need ever came up. Remember this is just my opinion.

[joe]

I dunno Greg, $2k for a fresh 360 and fresh trans doesn't sound too bad to me.
By the time you buy a used Ford 351(yuk) which you may have to rebuild also very shortly, used Ford trans(rebuild too?) and/or adapters, new custom drive shafts, transfer case(?), radiator or at least relocating or reworking the old one to line up the in/out ports, new exhaust or modifiying the 360 exhaust routing in the eng bay to fit the 351, reworking motor/trans mounts, smog legalities/compliance blah blah...

You might save a few bucks going non-jeep stuff but I would get out a nice sharp pencil and be realistic with what the true costs are for all the mods you'll have to make, cost of parts and if any the of the used stuff will need to be rebuilt too. I personally think either way you go...stock rebuild/Ford/Chev stuff you'll be looking at a couple of grand anyway. At least with rebuilding what you have it'll be way easier and the eng and trans will be "brand new" and not some used worn out Ford stuff.
If you really just can't pull off 2 grand I would forget trying to put Ford/Chev stuff in your Wag and look for a wrecked donor Wag that you could buy complete and swap parts directly from and possibly sell off what parts you have left. Just my two pennies worth...