Thummer to Thumper Thread - Final Stage

[Billygoat]

Schedule finish date for this project is 5/23/2010 (my 36th birthday) I know some of you are thinking wow 10 months, that is a long time, and other are wow 10 months, you are going to be pushed.

So here is what I am starting with (this is the day I brought it home)


The tag "Thummer" came from my buddy and I having to hitch hike (thumb it) on the first test drive...he said it best, "the engine sputter then the only sound we heard was the price dropping" and another member posted on that thread "it was love at first stall"
and the new tag "Thumper" is a good transition and anyone that has ever ridden in an 8400 gvrw J20 knows it will thump you on the bumps

Right now it is all planning stages, but I figured I will start the thread to:
1. keep me motivated
2. give me a place to track my progress
3. get input on things I am debating
4. since I have learned more from any 1 of my failures than any 5 of my successes, I may as well share so others can learn too.
(I will update the thread title as work begins)

Enough background, time to dive in.
The overall goal is to build a good towing/hauling truck with a few modern niceties, and classic style, off-road use will be limited, probably just hunting and firewood gathering (I don't burn wood now, but plan too) The wife wants to get a camper (read pull behind house), and I want a gooseneck trailer for hauling future projects. I am going extended cab because I need room


Cherokee is around 100lbs and little Miss Diva will probably top out 60-70lbs and since this is my first pickup with them they are use to ridding in a passenger compartment....and extended cab J-Trucks are cool.

So far I have collected several parts - the new heart of the beast = 401


plan is a basic stock rebuild (punch it .030 over), DIY FI, maybe roller rockers ('72 so it has studs) and I would like roller lifters but can not find a truck grind yet, only race cams....opinions - options??

I also have:
power window front doors in a little better shape than mine


power window rear doors with b-pillar and a section off waggy roof


OEM (used) moon roof


80's AC unit



I plan on chopping the rear doors at the little window, and mounting them backward (rear opening suicide style) with no pillar between the front/rear. About a 24" cab extension. Currently I am planning on shortening the bed to 6', I love the 8' for hauling, but I have gone for over 12 years with out a pickup, I can manage a 6' bed, maybe with and extender cage for the tail gate (and I have a 4x8 trailer) I know I am capable of lengthening the frame, but it is more work and the turning radius gets worse (think camp sites). I just have to say that about once a week the thought of making it a convertible pops in my head....

Probably just do a basic rebuild/seal on the 727 and 208; I know they will hold up to the 401, and only have 53k on them. An NV4500 would be killer, but an auto will be better for the wife, and I really like the way it drives currently.

Before the snow flies I need to get the Elliot Hydroboost unit in (been sitting in my garage for a month and a half) replace the front springs and 1 rear, & the gas tank (had the parts for that for over 2 months). If I can repair my current tank then a dual tank set up will most likely happen.
Really thinking about popping the bed off when I do that and knock together a temporary flat bed out of lumber I have so I can start on modding it...I need to keep the truck usable as long as possible.

So that is where I am now, just to forewarn everyone I am genetically programmed to get something useable then not finish it, or do a sloppy finish job (dad and grandpa are the same) so don't be shocked it I end up roll painting it or something (especially when I run out of funds)

I am looking for an engine shop right now, mostly to get prices so I can figure out a budget, and find 1 I trust to work on an AMC. Sill searching for a few more salvage yard parts, like a 60/40 bench and delay wiper switch. And figuring out how to get the engine in/out of my basement since I plan to do most of the work over the winter.

[krek]

Cool project, I'll be watching! (mark me down as "10 months, you'd better get busy").

[Charlie_B]

Originally Posted by krek

(mark me down as "10 months, you'd better get busy").

+1 more

Originally Posted by Billygoat

don't be shocked it I end up roll painting it or something

haha... My golden eagle slaying thread will be up sometime soon with the rusto paint job...

[HD_JEEP]

Sounds To cool.

I'll keep an eye out for progress, please lots of pics

LOTS OF PiCS

[revorg]

Sound like it should be real nice..........10? month from now your gona be busy

[jaber]

I'll be watching to see how those doors turnout.

[bigun]

subscribed

[vintagetrks]

Sounds like you've got a good plan. Can't wait to watch it progress. Keep those pics comming.

[KyooMac]

10 mos! Let's see where you're at in 7 mos.

[chuckchili]

Ten months? You could do all that stuff three times in 10 months! J/K- Here's the best of luck to you and I'll be watching for progress reports.

[Billygoat]

So I changed the title of the main thread to reflct that I have started.
Saturday I pulled it in the garage to replace the front springs. Some of you may remember I post pics of the front after I bought it - no clue how I missed this when I was looking at it before I bought it - yeah they are bad.


So here is the existing spring and the new BJ's spring, they are both stock ride height.


I traded several e-mails with Ryan @ BJ's before I ordered the new springs from them, I want to keep load capacity, ride quality is secondary concern. So I took the bottom leaf of my stock packs and added it to the BJ's pack - press and couple c-clamps made quick work of putting in a longer center pin and adding the leaf.


Press also makes shackle bushings easy.


Here is the scary part, when I took the existing pack apart the mail leaf on the driver side broke not much steel was holding it.


Here is the truck with the driver side spring replaced and the passenger side still stock - the dirver side is a full 2" higher with the new pack - and these are 0 lift packs.


After I installed the pass side with everything just finger tight, and the anti-sway bar removed, I went behind my shed to flex the spings a bit

(this is the most extream offroading I have done since I got the truck)

Back into the shop for the antisway bar, along with the springs I ordered a new set of bushings for the bar

end link has the new bushings in it, and you can see how I got the funny top bolt thing out - I added the part it was missing.

6-1/2 hours start to finish - DONE!


Think I can get the wife to clean up the shop????


NOPE - I had too.


Took it for a cruise to see the FIL, about 25 miles each way, I think I feel the little bumps more, or maybe I just noticed them because I was paying attention, large bumps are way less jarring, so that is great, I will be interested in getting it loaded up to see how it handles.

Just FYI after the cruise, I messured truck came down about 1" from the fresh installed height, and the driver side is around 1/2" higher than the pass. So a little Jeep lean, but not bad.

[brubakes]

I just found this thread. I'm liking the build. What headlamps are those and can you get another closer picture of them?

[dajeeps]

sounds like you have it planed out very well.is that a 131''wheel base?
i'm currently running into a problem on the crossmember under the bed.
good luck on the build.

[Billygoat]

Headlamps are CJ buckets and trim rings behind the stock muscle grill fascias that I trimed top and bottom. I had a tread when I did them, but I doubt the pic links are still good.

I think it is a 119" - what ever 81 J20's are (guessing the 119" becuase that is what BJ's has listed in the parking brake cable seelction)
**EDIT**
Ok I am an idiot, the 119" is the short box - mine in 131" (I messured it)
**

[Billygoat]

Finally got around to putting the HB in that I pickup up months ago.

Elliott HB unit, his buddy's adapter, parts store hoses and assorted bolt,clamps - and a filter.


Before


After


(FYI the box in the lower right of the picture in the Audivox cruise control actuator/controler)

The hardware was easy, the plumbing was a little of a pain, I had a line from the proportioning valve to the rear with a seaping flare (I replace the all the lines when I got the truck) and the rear MC to the PPV lines was to short (never did the curls) so I replace those and got the HB lines on. I had to use the sawzall and cut the steel lines flush with the ends and put a 6pt socket on them to get them loose. I considered adding a second return to the pump, looked unter the hood and decided the T is just fine, maybe go double return on the 401.
Then bleeding both systems was just time comsuming.
Here is a trick, I think everyone know what speed bleeders are, well I am too cheap to buy them for every vehical, so I threaded 1 into a 5/16 hose (actuall had to thread it in) then attatch that to the regular bleeder with a hose clamp.


Put a hose on it to a collection bottle, crack the bleeder and pump.
Works slick...however it does not fit on the rear, since the springs are in the way.

I'll say that the HB worked as I expected (I have driven trucks with factory HB units before), an unloaded J20 with stock tires and healty brake system is pretty good at stopping, now it is excellent.
I expect the system to really shine when I get the truck loaded down.

Sunday I went to the river


They ramp is filled it pretty good and I can not back the truck it far enough to float the boat off the trailer. Last few weeks I muscled it off, this week I could jerk the truck to a stop A LOT faster and harder and was able to scoot the boat off...score 1 for HB

[brubakes]

Originally Posted by Billygoat

end link has the new bushings in it, and you can see how I got the funny top bolt thing out - I added the part it was missing.

Do you have the part numbers and the source where you got the bushing?

[Billygoat]

Originally Posted by brubakes

Do you have the part numbers and the source where you got the bushing?

http://www.bjsoffroad.com/cartgenie/...st.asp?scat=48

[Billygoat]

Got rained out on the river Sunday, and that also ruled out other work I need to do outside, so...

(sorry some of this pics are dark, it was getting dark and camera is not the best, but it was free)

I grabbed the "blue wrench" and cut the box bolts, the comealong and some chains and


Truck had enough gas is the carb to move it out of the way


PARTIAL NUDITY


Box fits on my biger trailer like it was made for it




Here is a good shot of how my rear spring was broken


I got a used spring from a member to replace it for now (I have a line on a set of NOS from another member I probably will get)


Figured I should address my lack of rear bump stops now too (BJ's is great 1 stop shopping)


The tank nuts came off, I think the PO dropped the tank when they patched it, there patch and mine did not hold


I have a used tank to put in, going to try to patch this one for a dual tank set up.

Working on my temporary flat bed now to get the thing driveable again.

[Knuck]

Glad to see Mater's spring is bein put to good use.

[Carleysjeep]

Originally Posted by Billygoat

... it was getting dark and camera is not the best, but it was free...

Spoken like a true FSJ owner!