Make Your Cj7 Look Cool Again
On March 1, 2018 I bought a 1984 Jeep CJ-7. Here is my build thread.
Yous tin can also follow me on Instagram for photos and stories.
Hither is the Jeep equally information technology sits right at present…
- 1984 Jeep CJ-7
- 33×12.50×fifteen BFG All Terrain KO2s on 15×eight Pro Comp Wheels
- 2.5-inch BDS Glide Ride Intermission Lift with ane-inch Daystar Body Lift
- AMC 360 V8 with mild cam
- Edelbrock performance intake and 600 double barrel carb
- Hedman long-piping headers with Flowmaster frazzle
- PSC variable ration steering gear box
- iii.73 gears with limited slip rear locker and jumpsuit axles
Why a CJ-7?
pic.twitter.com/65Axq4RbAd
— Jeep (@Jeep) March 15, 2018
Since selling my 1990 Jeep YJ back in 2008, I take been waiting to get another old Jeep.
While newer Jeeps are safer, more than comfortable, and reliable, they also lack the personality of an old Jeep. Since this CJ-7 is not my daily driver car (I work from dwelling), I had the liberty to get something less practical.
I read this in one case regarding old Jeeps:
"I don't own a Jeep to be practical — driving almost any other vehicle makes you realize just how impractical Jeeps are. Simply on a sunny 24-hour interval with the wind in my hair, there isn't whatever vehicle that can put a bigger smile on my face and I'k like a kid again thinking of excuses merely to bulldoze somewhere. Sometimes I break in the garage only to wait at it."
My upkeep for the Jeep was plenty that I could have found something fully, frame-off restored and built up. Merely instead I opted to become something that was roughly one-half my upkeep: something in excellent mechanical condition only that didn't all the same have all the upgrades I wanted and that even so needed a little scrap of wrenching. This way, I could spend the remainder of my upkeep on doing the exact upgrades and mods that I wanted, in gild to not simply relish the process of doing the work myself but as well to end upward with a Jeep that had the exact mods I wanted.
When looking for the CJ, I wanted something in orangish, red, or green that came with a hard height and matching steel doors.
I set an IFTTT recipe to monitor Craigslist and allow me know of whatsoever new listing related to "CJ" within about a 600 mile radius of Kansas City. On Feb 27th I found the Jeep I wanted. Information technology was located in Wichita.
After texting with the owner nosotros landed on a pretty great price, and I drove down at that place on Thursday March 1 with my dad to choice information technology up.
At the time I bought it, it had these mods / upgrades:
- Rebuilt AMC 360 V8 with mild Cam
- Holley Performer intake
- HEI Distributor
- Hedman headers and dual Flowmaster exhaust
- 650 Holley double pumper carb
- New Master Cylinder
- BDS 2.5-inch Glide Ride intermission elevator
- Chevy 904 (or possibly A999) automatic manual (a.k.a. TorqueFlite) with gear ratios of 2.74, 1.54, and i.00 (or mayhap of 2.45, ane.54, and 1.00 if it's the A999).
- B&K ratchet-style Megashifter
- Tabor 9K winch
- Steering box caryatid
- Smittybilt forepart and rear tube bumpers
- Rhinolined tub
- Restored dash with radio slot delete
- 32×11.50×15 BFG Mud Terrains on butt-ugly 6-spoke hot rod wheels
The CJ too has:
- Wide Track AMC 20 rear axle with 2.73 open up gears (i.due east. Code D)
- Dana 30 front axle
- Dana 300 twin stick transfer case
(My dad and I, picking upwards the CJ-7 in Wichita on March 1, 2018)
When nosotros got to Wichita, nosotros found out that the CJ-7 gets a whopping 6 MPG. There was no way we were going to drive it back to Kansas City. And my dad's Lexus didn't have a tow hitch hookup and so we couldn't get a trailer either.
I plant a identify that transports cars betwixt Wichita and Kansas Metropolis and they do routs every solar day. We were able to drib the Jeep off with them that nighttime and past the next morning it was delivered to a lot that was only 5 miles from my house. Price for transport was just $175, though I paid $200 considering I but had cash in $100 bills later on ownership the Jeep, and and then I tipped the guy $25 for allowing us to get onto the transport at the terminal infinitesimal.
The adjacent morning time, the Jeep had been transported to Kansas City and was parked in my front driveway…
Build Wishlist / To-Do List
- Smittybilt Rock Sliders (washed)
- 33×12.50 BFT All Terrain TK02 tires (done)
- 15×8 Pro Comp chrome wheels (done)
- Chrome forepart grill (washed)
- Grant steering wheel (done)
- Tachometer (done)
- 1-inch Body Lift (done)
- Replace the manual shifter (done)
- Build a difficult-pinnacle hoist and holder (done)
- Front, folding heart seat with panel to allow for 3 up front (done)
- New axle gears from two.73 to either 3:73 (done)
- Limited-Skid locker in the rear (done)
- New, heavy-duty steering shaft to fix sloppy steering (done)
- New Steering Stabilizer
- Variable Ratio Steering Box (considering highway speeds) (done)
- YJ Family unit Ringlet Bar Upgrade (because kids)
- Add all the rubbers and weather strips to the total steel doors (done)
-
Gas tank upgrade to a 21 gallon (because 6mpg!)After getting a new carb and tune-up, the Jeep now gets 13 MPG. Yay!
Safety Inspection
Monday, March 5, 2018
Took the Jeep to Stomper's Off Route shop. A place that specializes just in Jeeps. When parking information technology, was the only jeep older than a few years. At that place were a whole bunch of black Rubicons in the parking lot, and one orange CJ…
Afterwards a 3-hour inspection at Stomper'due south, this is the list of work needs to exist done to the Jeep:
- Front drive shaft bent (u joints bad as well)
- Rear pinion seal leaking
- Manual leaking from electrical plug
- Front passenger U joints failing
- Modest corporeality of water in oil breather
- Missing and loose valve encompass bolts
- Plugs and wires demand replaced
- Electric fuel pump possible small leak
- Doors very loose and latch and door surrounds
- Carb and Timing need tuned due to meridian change
- Shift linkage not set correctly needs addressed
- Small antifreeze leak from petcock surface area
- Oil Pan bolts loose… non to torque
- Transfer case leak
All in all, it's in very adept shape. Many of the leaks are normal and small-scale.
The work I'll accept Stomper practice is:
- Total melody up (plugs, wires, cap, timing, carb)
- Front drive shaft and U joints
- Front Passager U Joints
- New Fuel Pump
- Checking and tightening all the bolts on the oil pan, valve covers, and around the engine.
Rock Sliders
Wednesday, March 7, 2017
Today the Smittybilt rock sliders were delivered, forth with a new sabbatical for the intake and a clean (and bigger) air filter for the carb.
I started piece of work on installing the sliders, but, alas, they didn't come with any mounting hardware and so I drove to Lowe's to pick up some bolts.
Side note: I thought the Jeep had been frame-off restored. Merely after trying to remove the body mountain bolts on the driver'due south and passengers side, it'south clear that they've never been touched before. There was a ton of rust on the bolts. And the passenger-side, center torso mount is stripped out — the superlative nut is spinning, so I'll have to drill an access bespeak and so I can hold the nut while loosening the bolt.
(About to mount the rider-side rock slider.)
The driver'due south side was much simpler. I was able to loosen the front end two bolts. The third one (closest to the rear tire) is non even there. Then I was able to lift the trunk up using my hydraulic elevator and a 2×4, put the rock slider in place above the centre bushing, and so lower the body back downward and put the ii bolts back on.
Here is the driver-side rock slider in place only the side torso mounts are not nonetheless drilled in.
With the exhaust pipes right under the doors like that, these stone sliders won't really do much more than look cool and serve equally a step to go into the Jeep.
New Carb Filter and Oil Sabbatical
Wednesday, March 7, 2017
Replaced the 10″ carb filter along wit with a new, matte black cap. Also replaced the oil sabbatical, as the old was was fully saturated and blowing oil onto the underside of the hood.
Finished the Rock Sliders
Sunday, March 11, 2017
Using a Dremel, my dad I were able cut out a small department of the body only under the passenger seat in order to access the top of the centre trunk mountain bolt. From there we were able to get the top bolt nut to agree in place in order to loosen the bolt and finally install the rider side rock slider.
New Shift Knobs for the Dana 300 Twin Stick
Monday, March 12, 2017
Picked upwardly these billet aluminum shift knobs for the Dana 300 and so myself or anyone else who is driving, will know how to control the transfer case.
As well got the door rubbers installed. (This is the best upgrade so far! Haha.) The doors no longer rattle like crazy and the Jeep is a bit more temperature controlled (as much as a CJ-vii tin be that is).
Custom Plates
Mar xiv, 2018
Ordered custom license plates that say "BLANC". My gramps had these same custom plates on his sometime trucks in Colorado. Continuing the tradition here in Missouri…
Tuneup
Mar 15, 2018
The Jeep has spent the better role of the past 2 weeks in 3 different shops getting a tuneup (plugs, wires, carb tune), new front drive shaft, new forepart break lines, having the tranny inspected, replacing the carb, and more.
Steering Cycle
March 21, 2018
Put on this awesome, custom Grant steering bicycle. It has a 18-carat leather wrap and the Jeep logo in the center cap. You tin can see the whole process on my Instagram slideshow hither.
Tires and Wheels
March 21, 2018
Had iv Wheel Parts put on these 33×12.50×fifteen BFG All Terrain TKO2s with Pro-Comp wheels. 👌
Chrome Front Grill Overlay
March 22, 2018
The chrome grill overlay was a tossup. I honey the look with and without it. But I decided to with information technology equally it matches with the polished wheels and I think it gives the whole jeep a bit more of a clean and classic look. I'm not trying to build a mean rock crawler or mud queen.
Hither'south a few photos of the Jeep with the headlight and parking low-cal housings removed out and the winch wiring pulled out, me grinding a tab off the chrome overlay, and then the forepart end once all finished:
While this should accept been one of the near simple updates of all, it still took a few hours and required the utilise of a grinder. You can come across the Instagram slideshow here.
New Forepart Brake Lines, Intake Gasket, Fuel Filter, Wiring, and Carb
Mar 28, 2018
A few days agone I took the Jeep in for the state rubber inspection and a few things failed…
Virtually notably was a cracked break line at the front passenger side. Yikes! Likewise a failing fuel pump, a few leaking coolant lines, and a leaking intake gasket. Information technology was a no brainer to replace the intake gasket earlier any of that coolant began finding its way inside the engine. (That was the bargain breaker for my old YJ.)
And, while they had the intake removed, they plant some it turns out that ii of the vacuum hoses on the Holley carb were completely plugged, and one of the floater gaskets had fallen downward inside the barrel. Bad news. It as a tossup between rebuilding the carb and but replacing it altogether — I opted for the latter.
The carb tuning that I paid for two weeks ago turned out to be a complete waste material of money. Oh well, that'due south how it goes with a Jeep.
Attempted Installation of a New Shifter
Mar 29, 2018
Today the new Lokar shifter arrived. And it'south awesome. Except for one thing…
I took it over to my mechanic then we could go rid of the horrific B&One thousand Ratchet shifter and supercede it with this new one. Alas, it'due south completely the incorrect size.
I had ordered a 16-inch double bend shift lever, but there was no good place to install it in the Jeep. So I'm returning it and have ordered a 10-inch unmarried bend lever instead.
Shifter Finally Installed, Etc.
Apr 16, 2018
Afterward three weeks at the shop, the new shifter is finally installed! It turned out to be a elementary, $5 role on the manual itself. The TF904 has two types of lever attachments: one for employ with a column shifter ("3 on the Tree") and one for use with a flooring shifter.
The Jeep must have originally had a cavalcade shifter and the previous owner left the wrong lever when converting to a floor shifter. And that's why things were messed up. But now the new Lokar shifter is installed and works great.
Also, the engine temp sensor is working.
And… with the new carb in place the Jeep is getting around 15 MPG!
New Headlights and Parking Lights
Apr 16, 2018
Today I installed new headlights and parking lights. The parking low-cal assemblies were the original ones — they were rusting out and the plastic covers were all fogged. The new ones were simple to put in, are much brighter and clearer.
The headlights were also the stock originals. And driving at dark it was similar having two pocket-sized picayune flashlights pointed toward the road. They barely illuminated annihilation.
I replaced the headlights with an all-new assembly. I put in Hella eastward lawmaking headlights along with higher wattage halogen bulbs. The bulbs connection required a ceramic adapter because the lights tin get hot.
The difference is, no pun intended, like night and mean solar day. The new housings and bulbs give a full spread of light on the road. Much safer.
New Tailgate Cable
April 17, 2018
I replaced the tailgate cables. The left ane was missing, and, oddly, CJ-vii tailgate cables are besides long. Which ways that when the tailgate is open it hangs down at an angle. And then odd.
I found some 16-inch cables for a Ford Ranger and they worked perfectly.
i-inch Body Elevator
May 02, 2018
I took 2 evenings to install the ane-inch Daystar body elevator. This ended up taking virtually eight hours. In office due to a lot of rust in every mount. Likewise, I took my time to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything.
One bolt was snapped in one-half years ago and has rusted down to a nub. Another nut bankrupt gratuitous from its bracket, and so I had to pry information technology out. And then, at offset I thought the new bolts were the wrong size — I didn't know if my CJ'south tub was pre-1980 or if there was a mixup in the lift kit. And then I went to the hardware store to purchase new bolts that would fit the stock nuts, but to observe that in that location were two sizes of bolts in the lift kit and I was using the incorrect size. Oops!
In the end, I gained 1.5" of total trunk lift with the 1" kit. That shows you lot just how bad of shape the stock bushings were in! There'due south now plenty of clearance for the tires under the fenders, and it has a bit more aggressive expect.
At present I have to make up one's mind what to practice with the Flowmaster exhaust… It looks awkward the way it's exposed with the body lifted upwardly an additional ane.5 inches. Not sure if I'll piece of work to tuck the mufflers upward so they expect the style they did earlier, or get rid of the Flowmasters all together and have new pipes run to the dorsum.
Fun times! It's getting in that location, and building it is more than one-half the fun.
Steering: New Variable Ratio Gear Box and Hard disk drive Steering Shaft
May 7, 2018
Today, my dad and I put in a new steering gear box. This took some time, but was a not bad project and I'yard glad we did information technology (though the change in steering "tightness" is not every bit dramatic as I was expecting).
I went with a variable ratio gear box from PSC and the
Once everything was installed, we had to hoist up the front tires and bleed the new steering system. It only took almost 50 cycles of going lock to lock to get all the air out.
Once we had it bled, went for a test bulldoze and my alignment is all wacky… The steering wheel is a full ane/4 turn to the right: the top points at three o'clock when I'm driving straight. But Other than that, the new box and shaft are honestly non as dramatic of a steering improvement as I was expecting. It is definitely tighter, merely doesn't feel like the massive improvement that I've read about — in the cease, it however drives like an old CJ.
Front end Sway Bar Disconnects
June 25, 2018
This evening I installed new Sway Bar Disconnects.
A few notes on the install…
-
You you definitely need a pickle fork for this job. Makes it way easier to get the upper bushings out.
-
I went with the simple disconnects from Warrior. There are some really prissy ones from JKS, merely they either (a) require welding or (b) the lower mountain "bar" hangs down half dozen inches when disconnected. Not good. Considering the CJ only sees trails a few times per year, I went with the most simple solution.
Re-Geared and Rebuilt Axles with Locker
May 2018
Later much deliberation on differential ratios, the Jeep finally got a new rear stop:
- One-Piece rear axles
- Limited slip rear locker
- 3.73 gears (in front end and rear, of course)
When rebuilt, the AMC 20 Broad Track is arguably as stiff as a Dana 44. So long equally I'm re-gearing it, I might as well rebuild the residue of it too… (haha. That's what they all say, right?)
I was originally wanting to get an ARB locker in the rear, but the cost was simply too much for me to justify considering how infrequently (and how not-aggressively) I go off-roading. So I went with an Auburn Pro express slip instead.
Every bit for the gear ratio, I was undecided for a long fourth dimension. Here'south some basic math regarding "best practices" when re-gearing your differentials…
The original diff gear ratio was ii.73 and the stock tires were 235/75/xv (or 29 inches tall). With my current tire size of 33, the "back to stock" diff gear ratio should be iii.x:1 (because new tire tiptop divided by sometime tire height multiplied by gear ratio equals ideal new unequal gear ratio). And so: 33/29 * ii.73 = 3.ten:one
Then you crash-land it up to the nearest common ratio — in this instance, iii.54:1 — and that was the all-time starting point for new gear ratios in my Jeep. Simply… since it rarely sees highway, it would be advantageous to go the everyman gears possible without completely sacrificing it's daily drivability.
Thus I wanted to re-gear the diffs to at least 3.73 if not 4.x.
I was torn between the two and ended up going with 3.73 gears. I tin certainly feel the departure compared to the ii.73 stock ratio, but after driving the 3.73s I feel as if I would accept been better off going with four.10 gears. Oh well!
Colorado
July 2018
Took the Jeep to Colorado for the month of July. It was fantastic.
Up Next…
Every bit of March 2019, here'southward what'southward on the docket once the atmospheric condition warms up. In no particular order…
- Do a necktie-rod flip with a flat pitman arm
- Re-paint mufflers blackness to match the underbody
- Re-pigment the hard top
- Re-paint the axles and leaf springs
- Install a 190° thermostat (the engine runs cold, and I call back it has a 165° thermostat in in that location now)
- Install a steering stabilizer (the current i has started leaking)
- Flip the tailgate hinges (long story)
- Continue looking for a YJ-style family roll cage
I update this folio from time to time. You tin can follow me on Instagram for more than photos and stories about the CJ-seven.
Source: https://shawnblanc.net/cj7/
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