Well, I've been on here for several years now and have only contributed miscellaneous advice to others. Well, it's now time to introduce a project of mine that I have been messing with for the last 6 or 7 months, off and on...
Last September I bought a low mile, 2 owner SX/4 Sport that had been sitting for the last almost 7 years. It was bone stock but with a Clifford aluminum valve cover that had been on in for many years before me finding it. It had a 258, A/C, auto, 119, 3.07s, silver paint, black trim, black interior with a split rear seat and dealer installed sunroof that actually didn't leak! Oh yeah, it also had factory fog lights, rear spoiler, and rear window louvers...
Here is where I started messing with it...
First off, I clearanced the fenders and rockers to clear 31s, I trimmed the front fenders under the headlights, around the corners and removed the front valance behind the front bumper. I added expandable coil spacers for about 1" of lift, 2' lift blocks in the rear because the leafs were shot... The transfer case was starting to slip so I used that as an excuse to swap it out for a 208 from an 82 J20 truck. That is my transfer case of choice for Eagles and FSJs and has been for many years. I drove it around for several months like that and enjoyed it. But I can never leave things well enough alone...
I pulled it into the garage after I bought a donor 84 Grand Wagoneer for an engine and transmission... An AMC360 with a 727... I pulled everything from under the Eagle from the front and rear suspension to the engine and transmission...
I have done an SAS to a wagon several years ago that had a 304, 999, and 219 with a D30/AMC20 combo from a Metric Tonne 86 Comanche with 4.10s and set it on 35s... It was big, bad, stable and capable but lost it's every day driver ease of use. It got tons of respect in traffic and on the trail. But it was too big to climb in and out of on a constant basis... I didn't want this one to be that car all over again...
I used old photos and my 20 years worth of Jeep wrenching and parts swapping to pick out the right pieces and parts to build this one... I used the front 6 leaf spring packs from the 84 GW with Warrior CJ shackle and spring hangers with YJ shackles. I made 3/16" plates to laminate the underside of the subframe from the forward most bolt holes under the radiator crossmember all the way to the backside of the transmission crossmember bolt holes. Doing that added a ton of rigidity to the unibody! I wanted to have it as a complete bolton using every factory bolt hole from stem to stern... The upper front shock mounts are 1/4" thick flat steel plates bolted to the shock tower tops using all the existing bolts and studs. I used JKS stud eliminators front and rear for proper shock mounting. I'm using the GW swaybar with XJ bushing brackets and will be using JKS CJ Quicker Disconnects on it for off highway duties... The rear spring I used some of the stock spring pack with 89 S-10 2wd Blazer rear leafs mixed in including an old drag racer trick of making a half leaf for the topside of the springs from the axle forward to help control axlewrap and spring deformation that kills the pack... And unfortunately for now, I had to use 2" lift blocks in the rear to help make things level. I may have the front main leafs dearched at a local spring shop so I can lower the front in order to eliminate them and bring the height down a little more to make me happier for daily use...
For axles I'm using a D44 and AMC20 from an 85 GW with 3.31 gears and a Trac-lock in the rear. I have a flat-top knuckle and forged 1" rise steer arm on the passenger side to be able to make the steering work. I have a stock GW pitman arm on it to maintain a good steering angle. With 33s the gear ratio should be about perfect for now to use on the freeway and all around. I might go as low as 3.73s later to make everything happier... I rebuilt the rear brakes with new wheel cylinders, shoes, and hardware kits. I have brand new rotors, ceramic pads, rebuilt Chevy big bore 3/4t calipers, new brake hoses, rebuilt master cylinder from when I first bought the car, and new front wheel bearings, new longer custom brake hoses front and rear...
Originally I took a V-8 Javelin engine crossmember and butchered it for the motormount portion so I could use that to be able to bolt the engine in, but I forgot about the engine to firewall offset that those bigger cars have versus this smaller platform... So I will be rediong them from scratch so the engine will bolt up. The transmission crossmember will also have to be re-engineered from scratch in order to get the transmission mounted back up as well. I'm planning on being able to reuse the stock t-case skid...
I haven't done anything to the 360 yet as far as performance goodies, but I am putting 3" single exhaust on it while I'm at it...
As soon as I figure out how to get pictures on here, I'll post them... I'm sure you will enjoy them... I should be done with the car in the next week or two... I'm excited!
Topic: My early 81 SX/4... Far from normal... (Read 12410 times)