Building a Road Trip

[Strode]

I'm really sorry to hear that Robert. I'll be thinking about you, & hoping you make a fast and full recovery.

I complain sometimes about the time I'm spending on this Jeep. But it sure beats not being able to work on it.

Hang in there. Post when you can.

[8man]

Ok, it's been 3 months since surgery and while I'm still not "cleared" to do anything I want, I am allowed to do what I feel I can. So I took that to mean that if it doesn't hurt, do it. No really, I'm healing well and the 3 day a week cardio rehab has me in very good shape for a guy my age. With that lead in, I've been working on Road Trip again.

Look what I've been doing this weekend.
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Yes, that is a shiny black frame with the tie rods in place, the Dana 44 bolted on the re-finished springs (loosely - explanation later), new disc brakes on the newly re-built hubs, the new SS brake lines loosely fit in place and a new power steering gear box for a S10 bolted to the frame.

I also read that I could get rid of the rag joint with a mid-90's steering rod from a XJ. Well look what I found for $35
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This is the new steering rod mated to the Road Trip's old steering rod and painted. I know it's a little Prissy, but what the heck.
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I was going to buy some new rear drums, but I had 4 old ones and all of them looked in pretty good shape on the inside. I couldn't see where they had ever been turned. So I took them all to the local NAPA that has been around since, well it used to be a blacksmith shop I think. Anyway, they turned all 4 for $8 each and the good news was that none had ever been turned and only one had the tell tale "whoop, whoop" as they started turning it and it was back round in seconds. So 4 good drums.
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Yes, I painted the outside with brake caliper black. However, I was wondering if/how you paint the inside? NO, not the braking surface, but where the drum hits the axle. I can't decide whether to paint it or just cover it with anti-seize. What would you do?

I started work on the rear brakes, but had to stop and the new E-brake cables have not arrived.

Remember I said the front axle was bolted loosely to the springs, well I wanted to use the old front steering stabilizer from the 79, but it was for the Quadratrac rider's side drop, and I'm going with the 82 driver's side drop, so out with the cutting wheel
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And then I broke out the Lincoln stick welder
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and the shock bolt is now in the right position for the driver's drop. NO that is not body putty, that is just the lighting from the picture, it is really just steel that has been ground smooth. My welding isn't pretty, but so far it holds, so I'm pretty good with a grinder. I'll be painting it next weekend and hopefully installing it.

You guys who have your rigs at home make me envious. Yes I have a decent shop to work on mine, but it is almost 1.5 hours one way to get to it, so I don't get to work on it as much as I'd like. I may have to retire so I can spend more time on the Jeep.

[mdcptman]

Hey Robert! it looks so Good! I know you are glad to be back at it.

[polarfire]

Looking great and I can't wait to see that NOS body put to good use!

[serehill]

Oh Yeah



Get R Dun

[8man]

Well, I finished rehab and Laura will let me work in the garage without supervision. So here is what I did last weekend (actually Sunday since I spent Saturday scrubbing the fuel tank and mat and trying to figure out how to tighten those two bolts inside the frame rail, more on that).


This is the mat I bought from one of our members before cleaning it.

Here is the mat after some serious scrubbing.
Now the tank.

And

Now for the kicker, this is what I enjoyed the most

Why yes, that is a 2006 5.3 L with the 4L60 mated to it sitting on the frame, with the gas tank and brake lines installed.

That gas tank install almost made me question my sanity. Those two inside frame bolts wore me out! I finally tapped the frame on one and got the other lock nut to tighten enough to be functional, so it's good.

As for the engine, it was easy, the Jeep n Pete motor mounts worked as easy and everyone says, once I figured out how to put them back together since I took them apart to paint them and put them together backwards. I only had to do them 2 times, the tank I'm not going to tell you how many times it went in and came back out before it worked.

Now any of you guys who have put a GM motor in a stock Jeep, anyone have a measurement to the bottom of the tranny where it hits the crossmember?

[WHSII]

You go Robert!

Keep it up, enjoy every adventure even though some will throw you a curve ball!

Looking good Sir!

[8man]

Well this weekend was eventful in a couple of ways.

First I learned the NP241C from the 92-94 Suburban doesn't mate up to the '06 4L60E. So after looking on line and talking to a transmission guy I can go to the junk yard and find an adapter to mate them up. Thank you to this forum for that information.

However, I want to use the stock tank and the 241 adds too much length and puts the U-joint into the gas tank. The NP 208 is much shorter and with an adapter from AA it appears I can use the stock rear driveshaft and miss the tank. So I pulled the tranny to put the new 23 spline shaft into it when the adapter gets here.

Thanks to Rick Hill (aka Serehill) as I had told him he could have the 208 as a standby, just in case something went wrong with his T-case. He gave it back to me, so if anybody is in need of a 92-94 NP 241C let me know. I have one to get rid of.

I did have some fun though. I grabbed one of the old bodies and did a test fit with the 5.3 in place.



I think it looks right at home. So I checked for clearances and there is about an inch of clearance on the rider's side...



and about 1.5" on the drivers side.


However, I did notice that the stock exhaust pipe won't work. I hope the muffler man has a fix.



It is within 1/4" of the rail where it was cut off.

It is nice to start assembling things! I'm only a couple of years behind some of the Prissy members, but I'm moving. Heck, I may quit work so I can make better time. Wonder how Laura would feel about that?

[WHSII]

Looking good Robert!

Keep it up. How did it sit compared to original in height of the center line of the engine?

[8man]

The motor is sitting about an inch higher than the notes you gave me. I'm very happy with that. Once I get the T-case issue resolved I'll check the others, but it looks like it should be about right.

[ProTouring442]

Looking good sir! I ended up going full custom on the front half of the exhaust system, but I did hook it into the BJ's 3" exhaust system.

[WHSII]

The motor is sitting about an inch higher than the notes you gave me. I'm very happy with that. Once I get the T-case issue resolved I'll check the others, but it looks like it should be about right.

That's what we wanted to hear!

[SnowShoe]

exhaust manufolds

I'm useing 2002 camaro exhaust manifolds...they tuck in tighter to the block and the flanges don't kick out like the stock truck manifolds...next I'm going to try mounting camaro cats to my manifolds.

[8man]

SnowShoe, please let me know how that works.

[ProTouring442]

I'm useing 2002 camero exhaust manifolds...thay tuck in tighter to the block and the flanges don't kick out like the stock truck manifolds...next I'm going to try mounting camero cats to my manifolds.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!


It's Camaro! C-a-m-a-r-o!

Ok, whew...