TJ-7 Build Thread - 6.0L/4L60e swap & narrowed tub

256881 Views 398 Replies 141 Participants Last post by kdub0013, Sep 25, 2014

wallysheata

Discussion Starter · Aug 9, 2009

10

A few months back i picked up a 97 TJ from a local board member that had a ton of great parts, but was in need of some serious TLC. After much thought, i decided the best route to go was to sell off some more of my left over jeep parts, and just dive in and start the 6.0L swap now, so it will be ready for EJS 2010, if it's done earlier great, but i'm going to continue to live my life and work on the jeep on the side.

Since the body was pretty beat, the hood trashed, and the grill non usable, i decided to go with a CJ-7 grill to match the CJ-7 tailgate, and since you can't cleanly adapt a CJ hood to a TJ, i went with a cambell high clearance fiberglass hood for a TJ and figured i could massage that with the help of Steve to fit the CJ-7 Grill. I've also wantd to narrow a tub for quite some time to keep it out of the rocks, so i'll be narrowing this one roughly 8"

So here's what i started with, a 97 TJ 4.0L/Ford T-18/StaK 3spd 5.44/3.0, with a 4" lift, triangulated front uppers, double triangulated rear, 89 HP 60 front with 35 spline outters, 14 bolt rear, both spooled w/4.10 gears turning 40x13.5-17 Maxxis Creepy Crawlers (comp compound) wrapped over H2's which will be getting some Stauns. Steering is Rockstomper double ended ram & orbital with PSC pump & resevoir.

Friday, parts starting showing up thanks to YJGirl & Jeepwheelin02 :hail: got my 6.0L, 4L60E, Cambell hood, and badbuggy hooked me up with the CJ-7 Grill

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wallysheata

Discussion Starter · #2 · Aug 9, 2009

6

Today, i got started around noon after finding out my wife has finally graduated college, by passing her chemistry exam this morning :drunk2: Cheers Carrie :thumbsup: Time to tear into her

How she looks at the end of Day 1, with a pile of parts to show for it. Tomorrow i've gotta drop the belly pan, remove the shifter on the T-18, and the entire driveline is ready to lift out. At that point, i will then start in on removing the body & tearing down the dash so i can start on the narrowing of the tub.

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02dmax

· #3 · Aug 9, 2009

Looks like it'll be a killer project. I like the look of the camo on a TJ.

513

· #4 · Aug 9, 2009

Wicked, I liked it before but can't wait to see what you have in store for it. Keep us updated :smokin:

UCTJ

· #5 · Aug 9, 2009

That was Camo TJs jeep right? Looks like you got another good project on your hands.

wallysheata

Discussion Starter · #6 · Aug 9, 2009

UCTJ said:
That was Camo TJs jeep right? Looks like you got another good project on your hands.

Correct, that was Nate Blehms Jeep, aka CamoTJ :smokin: I've wheeled with natey a few times and always loved the way that thing worked, when i saw it up for sale, i just had to have it :grinpimp: Going to head out in a few and start working on getting the body off so i can just pull the driveline in one piece and not have to drop the susp at all. Pics to come this evening.

wallysheata

Discussion Starter · #7 · Aug 9, 2009

5

Quick update, got the fenders, cage & tub off. The sun is out and it's supposed to get up near 100* so i think i'm going to go float the river and have some beer to cool off till this afternoon :smokin: and then off to a family BBQ so it'll be tomorrow evening before i have a chance to work on it again. Driveline is totally disconnected so i just need to hook up the cherry picker and pull it when i have an extra hand to help :thumbsup:

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Blase

· #8 · Aug 10, 2009

Sounds like a really cool project!! Just curious but why put forth the time to narrow that beat up tube? You could pick one up in better shape and end up with a much nicer ride. You are correct that thing needed so serious TLC IMHO. Looking forward to this project.

rajincajingt

· #9 · Aug 10, 2009

looks good man,

i'd like to see where you go from here

the freeak

· #10 · Aug 10, 2009

VERY cool...

What are those wheels off of?

Looks very H2-esqe, but I've never seen them before.

Chris

Barrows

· #11 · Aug 10, 2009

They are h2 rims ...read the first post..don't just look at the pretty pics....;-P

95yj

· #12 · Aug 10, 2009

That was my question too. Did he weld up the holes in the H2, or got some before they were machined? They look really cool.

wallysheata

Discussion Starter · #13 · Aug 10, 2009

95yj said:
That was my question too. Did he weld up the holes in the H2, or got some before they were machined? They look really cool.

Those are 2008 H2's, they changed em slightly, i used to run the older style H2's on my blue YJ, and ended up thrashing hubs, so i got these cheap enough, picked up some 2" wheel spacers for the front to protect the hub, and the wifey said i could get some Stauns for X-mass or B-day

Going to try and yank the motor/tranny/tcase tonight after mountain biking. Everything is unbolted, just need to hook up a chain to the block, and pull her, hope to have some pics for ya if it's not too dark before bed tonight.

tweba99

· #14 · Aug 11, 2009

Good luck with the project. I like the new 2008 H2 wheels also....

wallysheata

Discussion Starter · #15 · Aug 12, 2009

7

Driveline pulled!!!

Working HARD

Lift off

Our supervisor

Almost there

Just for you Natey :flipoff2: Good bye to the old powerplant

Time to start the tear down process and split em all apart

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got4-lo

· #16 · Aug 13, 2009

kinda random but did you pick that up from a kid in the littleton/denver area?

wallysheata

Discussion Starter · #17 · Aug 13, 2009

5

got4-lo said:
kinda random but did you pick that up from a kid in the littleton/denver area?

Yup, that's Nate Blehm's old Rig, i've known Nate for about 5 years now and have wheeled with him a few times, so am very familar with how the rig works, that's one of the reason's i jumped on it when i saw it up for sale :smokin: here's some pics of the last time i wheeled with Natey on Upper Helderado

This thing is stable & flexy

Jeepngirl posing for Natey cause i know you boys like chicks and rigs :flipoff2:

My old YJ for old times sake

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Dook

· #18 · Aug 13, 2009

wallysheata said:
Jeepngirl posing for Natey cause i know you boys like chicks and rigs :flipoff2:

don't know who she is, but she is gorgeous

GiS

· #19 · Aug 14, 2009

Awesome Wally, I will be watching, let me know if you need anything!!

-Joey

wallysheata

Discussion Starter · #20 · Aug 19, 2009

6

Made some progress this afternoon, since i don't have a torch, i started cutting all the old brackets off with my trusty 4-1/2" Dewalt Angle Grinder, and a couple packages of harbor frieght cut off wheels, it actuall went fairly smooth, i cut into the welds, then took out a steel wedge and sledge hamer and was able to break most off them off with out too much trouble. I started running low on cut off wheels, so rather than leave to get more, i tore into the dash and gutted it. Hope to wrap up tomorrow with the bracket removal, so i can start cleaning the frame up with my mr. flapper wheel that trailbuilt introduced me to last year building the CJ-5 :flipoff2: Here's todays progress.

Pass side all cut off, you can see all the brackets still on the drivers side

Went on to get most of the pass side except the front motor mount, factory upper control arm, track bar and orbital mount

Tub Gutted for the most part, still need to hit the substructure with the angle grinder to cut out some more.

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