My new dilemma- comments???

[Grampa]

I found a running 78 Jimmy with no body. Basically its a frame with 12blt rear axle, D44 front, 203 tcase, th350 tranny, SB350 4bbl, 4bolt main. Do I buy it, strip out the goods and dump it into a trooper frame/body, or do I use the existing chev chassis and tube it, and stuff on a trooper tub, chopped up of course.... I'll ditch the th350 and either go 700r4 or sm465 and use the gearbox from the 203 doubled to a 205, but either way I'll be running almost all chev parts, and I think it'll be eisier to drop a chopped up trooper tub on it and tube the shit out of the inside and rear(going to go 3/4 topless).

So wadda you all think. Am I nuts? Do I go with the Jimmy frame? Or go trooper, and deal with chopping off all the IFS and trying to fit the SBC in there? Or fawk the whole deal and keep the IFS and shitty gearing I've learned to love so well???? :flipoff2:

[Two Dogs F..king]

Keep holding out, and get yourself a K30 or atleast a K20 to get the stuff out of. And then put it all in the Trooper.

[Highonda]

I HAVE DANA 44 FRONT AXLE OUT OF AN K20.

IT IS IN GOOD SHAPE.

IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED.

AGUAMAN, HOW IS THAT D60 WORKING FOR YOU?

THANKS
DOUG
:D

[OverThrottle]

I would have to agree with Two Dogs.

I am currently in the process of putting K20 3/4 ton running gear in my trooper. I am using a SB350, full-floating 14 Bolt, SM465 tranny, NP205 transfercase, and the 3/4-ton dana 44 for up front. I am going to to salvage 1/2-ton 63" springs, and probably buy some wagoneer 44044 springs for the front.

The frame on the trooper is fully boxed, and with the skidplates and crossmembers that come with the 4x4 package, the trooper frame is much stiffer then even the 1-ton chevy frames I have worked on.

[OverThrottle]

Here is a writeup about a similiar conversion to what I am doing:

http://www.independent4x.com/generic45.html

[Independent4x]

hey cool.....that truck is pretty neat!

any body know who owns it?


:flipoff2: :laughing: :laughing:

[mepr]

i would also jump on the 3/4ton band wagon. youll break too much stuff whith the 1/2ton stuff. Hold out for 8lug...

[Independent4x]

i'd get the rolling chasis. i'm sure it's cheap....use the motor, trans, case and front D44.

convert the 44 to 8 lug outers...sell the rear 12 bolt, use the rear springs in your swap, buy a FF 14 bolt.

then,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,using the parts swap it all into the trooper frame and cut away however much trooper body you wish and add some tube.

basically i'm saying there are a lot of parts to work w/ there...and a buch to sell to fund the rest of the project.

sounds like a good deal.

that is if it's in the $500 range ;)

[james west]

Originally posted by TrooperRS
hey cool.....that truck is pretty neat!

any body know who owns it?


:flipoff2: :laughing: :laughing:

some jackass on the pirate board probably:flipoff2: :flipoff2: :eek:

[OverThrottle]

Originally posted by TrooperRS
hey cool.....that truck is pretty neat!

any body know who owns it?


:flipoff2: :laughing: :laughing:

Yeah I thought about mentioning that it was yours, but I figured you would chime in before too long.

I might add I have been waiting to see how you decided to do the body and cage, still haven't decided what I want to do with mine in that area. :D

[Grampa]

Thanks for the replies guys. Heres what I've decided to do. I just picked up a 78 Waggy D44 complete with warn hubs, rotors, calipers, steering links, saginaw box, etc for $100. Still seriously considering getting the SBC and th350/203/205 combo, but forget about fullsize axles for now. The main reason I'm doing this is to keep the down-time of my rig to a min, and that way I dont have to worry about swapping uot the rear, doing a disc conversion, etc... I can always sell the front D44 later and go fullsize, and probably will after breaking a few axles, but after doing some thinking, I'm going to wimp out a bit and take the easier(ish) and cheaper(ish) route for now. Chopping and tubing are still a definite though:D

[OverThrottle]

Sounds like a good plan to me. I had Trooper for about 1.5 years where it was mostly stock, slightly lifted (poorly done) and 33" tires. Alsmost all of my trail breakage was related to IFS front end. I think I broke the front axle at least 7-8 times, and only broke the rear once. When the rear did break (driverside axle shaft) it looked like it had been fatiquing and finally broke over time (there was a small amount of rust forming in the crack were it sheared.)

[Syd Walkman]

Hey Grampa

one word........Jeep, JK

So I hear a mini van in your future!!!!!:jeep:

[AirTrooper]

Well, nothing wrong with a 12 bolt chevy that C clip eliminators in back won't cure. 8.875 ring gear is no sloutch... Isuzu 12 bolt is better though... also 8.875 ring gear and disc brakes. Poorer choice of lockers in Zoo.

I'd probably sell the whole thing and get a 3/4 ton 72 convertable Jimmy or Blazer if you just want a great off roader. If you are going full out banzai rock crawling, a stretched CJ is narrower and better suited.

Get an 87 trooper if you want to stick to troopers. Last of the round eye troopers, yet gets 12 bolt rear <dunno about rear discs hope so> Also got 10 bolt in front in place of 8 <or was that 1988?> .

Then get a complete 78 wagoneer D44 setup for front. Put a Detroit locker in rear, and an ox or electrac in front! NIRVANA! <Air blows...>

[Grampa]

I just got a waggy front diff (78), with all the steering and saginaw box, and after pulling my sparkplugs today and seeing that I've got two leaking valve guides(new motor, long story) I've decided to go get the whole blazer, swap in the motor, tranny and 203 gearbox, now I just have to find a 203 to 205 adapter plate:D

[ramv]

Originally posted by AirTrooper
I'd probably sell the whole thing and get a 3/4 ton 72 convertable Jimmy or Blazer if you just want a great off roader.

If this existed it would be swell...... All Blazer/Jimmys are of the half ton variety with 12 bolt rears and 44 fronts up to ~ '78 then slow transformation to 10 bolts.

EXCEPT: (~'94) IFS Turbo diesel Blazers had 9.25" fronts , although still had 10 bolt rears......

K20s have 44s in the front, K30s have 60s. Subs were available in half and 3/4 ton config, and a few rare 3500s (like the one in Twister)

[Independent4x]

what's the status Joel.........coming up w/ any parts?

[Grampa]

Yup, I now have the whole Blazer chassis, found a 205 xfercase, also have the waggy D44 that I got a little while ago. All I need now is a 203 to 205 doubler, some springs, custom driveshafts, a hell of a lot of time, and a ton of odds and ends. One thinng I'm not sure about is whether my 4.55 gearing is too low for the street with the th350 tranny. I'm also not sure yet whether I'm going to go radius arms or leaf springs, and whether my welded 12bolt Zu axle will be able to handle 37"s and a SBC:flipoff2:

So who wants to buy a done up 2.6l? I need to finance this build somehow:p

I'll call ya next week Matt. I need to pick your ultra intelligent American brain again:D :D

I think I'm going to get this thing caged sooner rather than later too...