SB Chevy into my Cherokee

[Bob Barry]

Yeah, Heresy; I don't care. A rebuilt Chevy 350 installed in a $100 used Blazer will be headed toward my yard. I can probably sell enough parts to recoup the investment. It would bolt right up to my Chevy-cased TH400. So I'm doing it.

The question then becomes: how awkward is this to pull off? Are the water-outlets pointing in the wrong directions? It's not going to have A/C, but it will have PS, and I already have an SP2P intake to make it a 4-bbl (will also give me a chance to mount a QJ). What about the mounts? I'm figuring I can adapt the Chevy frame-brackets to the Jeep frame-pedestals, and the exhaust I'll have to redo anyway (the stock system wouldn't work with my NP205).

It will save me the cost and time of re-casing my TH400 (which wouldn't be less than $140 in parts). Wiring will be a snap (one-wire HEI).

So, aside from the water and the engine-mounts, it won't be any more work than my 360. And since the ultimate goal is to drop in my Olds 455, it will get me familiar with bolting non-stock stuff into my truck.

So, I want to hear from you Chevy-powered FSJ's. What did it take, and what difficulties did you encounter? I don't care about price of parts/maintaining originality/superiority of AMC's design (which I do believe, in fact; it's just hard to pass up an essentially-free newly-rebuilt motor, which will undoubtedly be better than my 100,000 mile beast).

[FSJeeper]

I have done this swap many times over the years, piece of cake.

If you want to go budget, here we go:

1. Radiator shop can easily move your outlets. Last one I had done was $50 but that was years ago.

2. Power steering hoses will bolt up, just make sure you have the flared type hose fittings and not the o-ring type the later Chevy's and Jeeps used to fit your 77.

3.You can actually use the stock AMC motor mounts to mount the Chevy. It is not optimum, but works. Or, you can relocate the stock AMC mounts fairly easy. Adapting the Chevy mounts will be much harder. I have a friend running a SBC in a FSJ for years using stock location AMC V-8 mounts. no problems. The mounts line up, it is just engine position is not optimum.

I see only benefits and money savings in your plan.

AA SBC adapter motor mounts are $125 if you want to perfectly locate your SBC. I have tem and recommend them.

[Bob Barry]

Originally posted by FSJeeper:
I have done this swap many times over the years, piece of cake.

If you want to go budget, here we go:

1. Radiator shop can easily move your outlets. Last one I had done was $50 but that was years ago.

2. Power steering hoses will bolt up, just make sure you have the flared type hose fittings and not the o-ring type the later Chevy's and Jeeps used to fit your 77.

3.You can actually use the stock AMC motor mounts to mount the Chevy. It is not optimum, but works. Or, you can relocate the stock AMC mounts fairly easy. Adapting the Chevy mounts will be much harder. I have a friend running a SBC in a FSJ for years using stock location AMC V-8 mounts. no problems. The mounts line up, it is just engine position is not optimum.

I see only benefits and money savings in your plan.

AA SBC adapter motor mounts are $125 if you want to perfectly locate your SBC. I have tem and recommend them.For $125, I may go for those mounts eventually. Then again, I'm doing a completely-custom crossmember (actually, I'll probably just adapt the Blazer one), so I can locate the engine wherever I want. I was thinking perhaps of sliding the mount back a bit by using 1/4" plate bolted to the stock motor mount pedestal.

When you say the position is less-than-ideal, what exactly do you mean? Is it offset, or too far forward, or too far back?

Come to think of it, this might just be the first step toward a 6.5L turbodiesel swap... :D

[FSJeeper]

If my elderly memory serves me, the Chevy engine is centered and has good placement, it is just too high.

If you go GM diesel the SBC adapter mount work perfect also.

[Bob Barry]

Hey, thanks grandpa! ;)

Now, when you say "uses the original AMC mounts", from the bottom-up it goes:

* Frame
* Factory V-8 mounting tower
* AMC Rubber motor-mount
then...
what, Chevy block bracket? Does it have a place to drill two holes to fit the AMC mount? It's been a while since I pulled a Chevy motor (done a few in my day, though).

[FSJeeper]

AMC factory V-8 mounts then drill holes in your Chevy sandwhich type motormount which I am sure that Blazer has with the one bog bolt that goes through the mount to hold them together. You keep the Chevy motor mount on the SBC and use the stock Chevy motor mount with holes drilled to fit the AMC mount. PITA to get the bolts in but the trick is to put the bolts through the frame mount, grease the nuts to hold onto an open end wrench, and carefully line them up and bolt them in.

Uhhh, I'm not a grandpa yet.

[waggin'ear]

I did not do the swap on my 74, but I will try to get you some pics of the ghetto setup as soon as I can. I don't have a digital cam and it's raining so it might not be till next week.

[Bob Barry]

Originally posted by FSJeeper:
Uhhh, I'm not a grandpa yet.Just Kidding!!! Playing off your "elderly memory" comment. smile.gif

Thanks for the advice; I can see what you mean about keeping the stock mount.

And Adam, I would appreciate those pics when you can.

[Lindel]

It's a good swap, better performance, better mileage. LOTS of engine parts.

BTW, I AM a Grandpa!! smile.gif

[The BEAST]

When i did mine I made the frame mounts out of 1/4 steel plat hung the eng bolted to the trans and set it level then welded the plates to the frame total cost 10$ use the p/s pump from your amc its a chevy just use chevy bracket

[gsmikie]

mr barry i did the chev thing i used the chevy mounts i just welded them to the jeep perches as for your trans shoot ill do it for free you know the drill get your kit and come see me........

[gsmikie]

and as for the a/c thing go to napa and look in the 4 seasons a/c book and you can get a manifold for the chev compressor with slip on fittings so all you do is cut the ends off your hoses and slip them on the new manifold

[Bob Barry]

Originally posted by gsmikie:
mr barry i did the chev thing i used the chevy mounts i just welded them to the jeep perches as for your trans shoot ill do it for free you know the drill get your kit and come see me........The TH400 book from HP is coming tomorrow, and the tranny-shop is just down the street. smile.gif

I will have to do the TH400 in my Cutlass; I will certainly be calling on you for advice then. Main question I'll have is whether there is another approach for determining the proper band apply-pin, besides the special tool you hook up to a torque-wrench and determine which step the piston can be compressed to. Also, which seal requires a special driver?

Eventually I'll have to re-case this tranny to mate to my Olds motor. Putting a Chevy motor into my Cherokee with the existing tranny intact will keep from extending this project longer than it needs to be.

Also thanks for the A/C advice. I may adapt the York to the Chevy motor for OBA, but I don't think I'll be using A/C anytime soon.

[gsmikie]

the front and second clutch packs need lip seal protectors you can do them with feeler blades but go real slow and make sure you lube the inside seals real well with a non petrolium lub ky works real well i have never had to deal with the band pin in most cases that is when you change the pin metric vs std stuff mid 70's i found a set of lip seal protectors on the net the other day $78.00 i think they were going for http://www.atec-trans-tool.com/

[gsmikie]

http://www.atec-trans-tool.com/product-detail.asp?gid=7&cid=9&sid=90&sku=T%2D0124

[Mikel]

Bob,
Why not go for the 455 from the start? smile.gif
Mikel

[Bob Barry]

Originally posted by Mikel:
Bob,
Why not go for the 455 from the start? smile.gif
MikelYou got a spare 455 you're willing to let go, cheap??? smile.gif

Because my only assembled 455 is currently powering my Cutlass. Once I build its original 455, then my Cherokee will get the 455 in my Cutlass, with a few mods... smile.gif

[Mikel]

I do have an extra 72 Toronado engine with GA heads... smile.gif

[Bob Barry]

Extra as in "get it out of my storage shed!" extra? Or as in "$500" extra?

What about the motor for your M715?

[The Anti-Chrysler]

No TBI, Bob? Why don't you set it up for an eventual swap to a nice EFI engine sometime in the future?? I'm going to hopefully use a '96 to '99 Vortec 350 when my 360 goes south,like I have in my Bravada.

[Bob Barry]

I'm not settled on anything definite yet. Now that Mikel has mentioned a 455... well, the options remain open!

FI would be cool, but a Q-jet would be second-place cool. A 455 with a Q-jet, however; well, that would be mondo-cool. :D

As for your Vortec; that is one sweet setup you've got in your Bravada! Gonna work on that over the winter?

[talntar]

I will have to do the TH400 in my Cutlass hey bob,i got an elecrtic kikdown th400 in the basement i might be willing to get rid of.has sat a few years,but worked fine when pulled.
ya want to be real diffrent?got a predator down there as well.big $$$

[Bob Barry]

BOP-pattern bellhousing? Might be interested.

[talntar]

came from behind a olds. so i think so.am i right.
and put a predator on the 455 through the hood with big Great Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley Moogley scoup

[The Anti-Chrysler]

Originally posted by Bob Barry:
I'm not settled on anything definite yet. Now that Mikel has mentioned a 455... well, the options remain open!

FI would be cool, but a Q-jet would be second-place cool. A 455 with a Q-jet, however; well, that would be mondo-cool. :D

As for your Vortec; that is one sweet setup you've got in your Bravada! Gonna work on that over the winter?Yep, hopefully I'll get some good work done on it this winter. The Bravada has to be completed sometime this lifetime!! I'm going for some "back work" in the next few weeks, so maybe I'll be in better shape afterwards. Next week, I'm giving the J-10 a frame off overhaul. New frame and sheetmetal, and then to the body shop for paint. And then I scored another J-10 last night. But that's a whole other story. :D

[talntar]

heres a pic

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/talntar/trans1.jpg

[Bob Barry]

Originally posted by The Anti-Chrysler:
[Next week, I'm giving the J-10 a frame off overhaul. New frame and sheetmetal, and then to the body shop for paint. And then I scored another J-10 last night. But that's a whole other story. :D Check me if I'm wrong here, but doesn't a new frame and new sheetmetal more or less mean you're making ANOTHER truck??? :D

You are the J-truck Magnate of CT, aren't you? Or is that "Magnet".

And Walter; if that tranny is from behind an Olds, it should work; let me compare the bellhousing to what I've got. How much would you want for that?

[The Anti-Chrysler]

Quite the interesting bolt pattern. The front looks like a bat cave or something. LOL

[The Anti-Chrysler]

Originally posted by Bob Barry:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by The Anti-Chrysler:
[Next week, I'm giving the J-10 a frame off overhaul. New frame and sheetmetal, and then to the body shop for paint. And then I scored another J-10 last night. But that's a whole other story. :D Check me if I'm wrong here, but doesn't a new frame and new sheetmetal more or less mean you're making ANOTHER truck??? :D

You are the J-truck Magnate of CT, aren't you? Or is that "Magnet".

And Walter; if that tranny is from behind an Olds, it should work; let me compare the bellhousing to what I've got. How much would you want for that?</font>[/QUOTE]Trust me Bob, I'd give them all a home if I could!! :D On my '82, I'm more like making a "new" truck. Throwing out all the old metal and frame - they're pretty shot. And the one I just scored has an amazingly clean bed. That was a gray area with my old bed until I found this one...

[talntar]

make me an offer.i know where the rebuilt olds 350 is sitting as well,but my old land lord wont let me take it out of the basement.ba$turd! :mad:
this all came out of a buik regal some one had put together. :rolleyes:

[Bob Barry]

If this worked out, the plan would be to do a whirlwind tour of CT, pick up the engine from Mikel and the tranny from Walter (and see his new house), then haul back to RI and get cracking on putting the stuff all together.

BTW, this would also allow me to use my rebuilt Olds 403, which, come to think of it, I should probably be using anyway. That thing screamed. I just don't want to re-case my TH400 once for an AMC, and then again for an Olds.

[The Anti-Chrysler]

Originally posted by Bob Barry:
If this worked out, the plan would be to do a whirlwind tour of CT, pick up the engine from Mikel and the tranny from Walter (and see his new house), then haul back to RI and get cracking on putting the stuff all together.

BTW, this would also allow me to use my rebuilt Olds 403, which, come to think of it, I should probably be using anyway. That thing screamed. I just don't want to re-case my TH400 once for an AMC, and then again for an Olds.Does that whirlwind tour include a stop in Harwinton to pick up a Cherokee body??? :D

[talntar]

FI would be cool, but a Q-jet would be second-place cool. A 455 with a Q-jet, however; well, that would be mondo-cool.
put this on it :D
http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/talntar/predator.jpg
:eek:

[The Anti-Chrysler]

Ooh la la!

[talntar]

Originally posted by The Anti-Chrysler:
Ooh la la!se3e something you like? :D tongue.gif

[The Anti-Chrysler]

Just a little Tim Allen grunt for the carb setup... thumbs up!

[Bob Barry]

Of course, that carb only has two settings:

* Rough high idle
* Neck-snapping Wide-open throttle!

&lt;JK!&gt; I've never actually run one of those before, nor seen one run. The early versions were completely unstreetable, whereas the later ones did add some concessions to part-throttle driveability.

[ October 09, 2003, 02:33 PM: Message edited by: Bob Barry ]

[talntar]

i sent this to the factory in jersy to be rebuilt and hve the idle circut put in.ran it on my monte for a while but had a hard time tuning it in with out the manual.got it to run well everwhere except wot.still pulled real well even on an sp2p intake.that was probly my biggest problem