This week I picked up a 1414X Wagoneer with a blown Buick motor in it. Wanted to start a build thread for my own reference and to be able to ask questions to those of you that have been through this already. This is going to be my first restoration/engine swap project, so I'll likely have lots of questions along the way as I figure out what I'm doing.
To give readers an idea of where I'm starting, here are a few pics:
[IMG]59270541057__ADE34AA0-E369-4925-9746-75DB5B205462
by Geoff Ledford, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]59270542583__3CD3B6C1-D754-410E-928C-5328460453AA
by Geoff Ledford, on Flickr[/IMG]
59270546832__42CC9252-8609-43DA-8892-DF930206EE9B
by Geoff Ledford, on Flickr
For anyone wondering, the guy I bought this from had just gotten married, so that's why all the beverages in the last photo.
So the idea is to keep it looking as original as possible (especially the interior), but transplant a LM7/4L60E in in place of the blown Dauntless 350. Planning to keep the Dana 20 t-case. It's a little rusted in spots (didn't get to peek under the carpet, so I'm not sure how the floors are) and (according to the PO) the motor is toast, but it's all there. Which means it's perfect for what I want to do to it.
First item of business will be to yank the engine and address the body work. (Rear quarters and engine bay) It came with replacement rear quarter panels in the back that the PO never got around to putting in. Then I'll go through all of the wiring and try to exorcise the gremlins that have plagued my 72 Wag. When I'm done I want to have a reliable daily driver that gets okay mileage and that I'll be proud of.
For those that have been through this, I'd like to use a baffled tank with an in-tank pump. (Was running a poly tank with a RobbMc surge tank on my TBI 360 in my 72 Wag — and that system always seemed like a bandaid workaround to me instead of a seamless system.) I've heard a lot about the Blazer tank conversion on here and the other site. Can anyone direct me to pics of that swap? Wanna get a better idea of what it's gonna take.
I've never done anything quite like this, so I'm feeling a bit over my head — but in my experience pushing boundaries usually makes you better. And as my dad always said, "Everyone's a virgin sometime."
To give readers an idea of where I'm starting, here are a few pics:
[IMG]59270541057__ADE34AA0-E369-4925-9746-75DB5B205462
by Geoff Ledford, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]59270542583__3CD3B6C1-D754-410E-928C-5328460453AA
by Geoff Ledford, on Flickr[/IMG]
59270546832__42CC9252-8609-43DA-8892-DF930206EE9B
by Geoff Ledford, on Flickr
For anyone wondering, the guy I bought this from had just gotten married, so that's why all the beverages in the last photo.
So the idea is to keep it looking as original as possible (especially the interior), but transplant a LM7/4L60E in in place of the blown Dauntless 350. Planning to keep the Dana 20 t-case. It's a little rusted in spots (didn't get to peek under the carpet, so I'm not sure how the floors are) and (according to the PO) the motor is toast, but it's all there. Which means it's perfect for what I want to do to it.
First item of business will be to yank the engine and address the body work. (Rear quarters and engine bay) It came with replacement rear quarter panels in the back that the PO never got around to putting in. Then I'll go through all of the wiring and try to exorcise the gremlins that have plagued my 72 Wag. When I'm done I want to have a reliable daily driver that gets okay mileage and that I'll be proud of.
For those that have been through this, I'd like to use a baffled tank with an in-tank pump. (Was running a poly tank with a RobbMc surge tank on my TBI 360 in my 72 Wag — and that system always seemed like a bandaid workaround to me instead of a seamless system.) I've heard a lot about the Blazer tank conversion on here and the other site. Can anyone direct me to pics of that swap? Wanna get a better idea of what it's gonna take.
I've never done anything quite like this, so I'm feeling a bit over my head — but in my experience pushing boundaries usually makes you better. And as my dad always said, "Everyone's a virgin sometime."
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