Zack's 68 J2000 re-build thread

[44BZ]

SWEETNESS! Please youtube some run time on that 327 when you can. Looks great.

I'll do my best. I don't have a camera at home, but I'm sure I know someone who does. I'm prayin that it fires right up without any problems

[44BZ]

It's been awhile...

Haven't had much to document in this thread for the longest time it seems. Today I pulled a 327 out of a 67 wag as a donor for my truck. The Wag has about 80k on it, which is probably accurate because it sat for many years I'm told. The engine was running great only moments before removal; in fact it ran smoother than the engine I started with. Tomorrow I'll start the work to get it freshened up (clean, new gaskets, water pump, timing set, paint).

I've also got all the parts to convert my front drum brakes to discs and new rear brakes to install. My living room is literally filled with boxes of new parts. Here's hoping to a running, driving, and stopping Jtruck by the end of summer

[Yagan]

SWEETNESS! Please youtube some run time on that 327 when you can. Looks great.

x 2. Clear engine bay and sweet donk. Love it. Man I love those old school stickers and valve cover decals they used to stick on em. Love little touches like that. Why'd everything have to crapper as time goes on? Its almost universal with any subject in life.

[44BZ]

My replacement 327 is coming along nicely, sadly I don't have any pics of it. I do have pics of my flywheel, clutch disc, and the housing (not sure what it's called). The clutch disc is starting to come apart at the edges and the housing is full of grass hay and twigs so I'll be replacing those. Rockauto has clutch kits for the 327 w/ manual transmission for about $130 so I'll probably spring for that. The flywheel has some surface rust, which is to be expected I imagine. However, there are some hairline cracks across the surface where the clutch disc would contact. There's also some evidence of hot spots. I'm hoping these are issues that a good machine shop can address??






This is probably the worst spot. They aren't deep, just enough to catch your finger nail...

[Mikel]

Just resurface it. Shouldn't be too deep.

[44BZ]

Just resurface it. Shouldn't be too deep.

Thanks for that bit of reassurance I've been collecting a lot of parts over the past few months and will be photo-documenting various installs as they happen. Today the mailman brought a new shift boot and trim ring, which I'm pretty excited about as I had nothing there before. Not sure if they're exactly OE, but should do the trick nonetheless...



test fit

[Gambler68]

ooh nice, where did you get that?

[44BZ]

ooh nice, where did you get that?

Found them on ebay

here's the trim ring http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=260999034499

The boots aren't listed anymore, but the seller's website is www.performanceoffroadcenter.com Maybe they have more there. I paid under $25 shipped for both

[Tigger4X]

SUBSCRIBED

She's coming along really nicely man! You've been putting up some really good work




And thanks for the links too. I need to replace both boots for my T-18 and Dana 20 here real soon.

Between that and getting the EZ Wire kit installed there wont be any more from going on road "trips"

[44BZ]

Just some small projects to share today. I installed NOS backup lights and wiring. The back end wiring was terrible. Someone before me had spliced in part of a harness for trailer lights it looked like and wiring for the brakes/license lamp/backups was all butchered. I'm not sure how my brake lights were even working. There was also another harness spliced in near the fuel tank, it was grounded at a body mount and had a plug on it. Not sure what that was for. So I cut out all the damaged and unused wiring, reconnected with good wire and connectors, wrapped in wire insulator and I should be good to go. Some pics of the backup lights:



Installed:


I also stripped and painted the rear axle, only because I have a chrome diff cover laying around that I thought I would slap on there. Couldn't bring myself to adding some shiny chrome to a grungy axle Pics tomorrow!

[44BZ]

Got my flywheel back, cleans up nicely



Waiting on the clutch kit now. Engine should be back between the frame rails in no time! I hope...

[44BZ]

Clutch kit came on mother's day weekend and now I'm waiting on new bolts for the flywheel and pressure plate. Found these at American Parts Depot online. Today I dusted off the NOS battery tray I picked up on ebay awhile back and got that installed. The original tray had a decent amount of corrosion, but is still usable. However, the NOS tray seems a bit thicker steel than the original.

[44BZ]

motor is finally in!

It's amazing how quickly one project evolves into another, and that this pattern seems to keep going. I got the motor in today and bolted to the frame. A week ago I decided that I might as well replace the transmission mount because the rubber had all but disintegrated. So I ordered up a new mount, which arrived a couple days ago. Yesterday I dropped the transfer case because it leaks at both ends and I figured it might as well get new seals in it. I'm also looking at installing a parking brake setup for the dana 20 along with a twin stick. So the dana 20 got cleaned of 40 years worth of inches thick grime and is primered. The transmission came out today and I discovered that the crossmember needs some work since it appears somebody wallowed out the holes for the trans bolts, which allows it to slide back and forth. Oh and then the motor went in





I had some setbacks, can't put the clutch in yet because the throwout bearing that came with the kit doesn't fit right. Probably the best news of the day is near confirmation that my driver side Rambler exhaust manifold will clear the clutch linkage.





Man I can't wait to get to the part where it's ready to run and all I have to worry about is routing exhaust

[Gambler68]

CONGRATS!!! and thank you for confirming the Rambler exhaust!! I really want dual pipes on mine, that's great news. I even ground out the emissions bump on the 4 barrel intake intake port (I had a theory it was there to slow the crossover exhaust flow). (it was a cast in large bulge in the drivers rear port that made no sense to me besides slowing the gas intake for some reason..a guess I guess). Looks good.

[hummer010]

I've held my rambler manifold in there, and kind of visualized that it would fit, but it's nice to see that it will work for sure.

I'm such a loooooong way from needing to worry about it anyways