Rich's 83 Eagle Wagon Project

[recomer]

Well, it’s time to get started on the Eagle project here so figured I’d outline my plans and will start it moving along.

As most of you that have read my intro post, I acquired my 1983 Eagle Wagon via a raffle in Sept 2010. The Lions club that raffled it off had it gone through before and while it was given a clean bill of health (new brakes, shocks and possibly other parts) but when I started looking closer it needed some help.

As I planned on letting my daughter take the car to Montana with her, I needed to get it inspected. First thing was to replace the windshield. One corner of it was cracked and was hidden from view by an AAA sticker.  Shopping around, got quotes from 700+ to 250 for a new windshield. (One place even told me I’d have to procure a used windshield as they had no source for them. I ended up taking the $250.00 quote from the local safe-lite glass shop and after a couple hours, I was good to go.

Next, took it to my mechanic for inspection and sure enough it had some issues. 4wd didn’t engage (he replaced all the vacuum hoses for that), radiator fins were mostly missing and it was leaking around the filler neck (he had it re-cored) and then the typical belts, hoses, etc.  $1100.00 later, the Eagle had a new lease on life.

Over the next year, not much was done to it as my daughter had it in Montana. We had to replace the alternator and battery on the way out and on the way back, belts, battery (again) and battery cables (along with a lost gas cap)

Now, its back in Virginia with me, it’s time to get into cleaning it up and making this car last a long time.
Plans are as follows:

Body:

1. Touch up surface rust spots and clean up small dents/dings various places about the car. Going to preserve as much of the original paint as possible.

(COMPLETED) 2. Locate cross rails for luggage rack. (it looks naked up there without them)

(COMPLETED) 3. Clean up grill and possibly paint as its faded pretty bad. (Original grill was cracked and this one’s a replacement I located on a 81 SX4 in the junkyard recently) - Slight change of plans. Located a grill off an 81 Spirit and replaced it with that one. I like the look better.

4. Replace driver’s side mirror with one that the cable actually controls.

5. Repair inop rear wiper.

6. Clean up OEM fog light housings.

(COMPLETED) 7. Replace wheels with finned aluminum ones from early (84) Jeep Cherokee. (I have these, just in the process of cleaning them up). UPDATE 3/28/15 - Replaced Cherokee wheels with OEM Eagle Aluminum wheels.

(COMPLETED) 8. New tires.  Going to a 215/70-15 which is slightly shorter than the 205/75s on there now but slightly taller than the original 195/75 that was originally on the car

Electrical

(COMPLETED) 1. Track down reason only half the speakers inside work.

2. Repair rear window defogger.

3. Fix tachometer

4. Console gauges need looked at. (clock, oil pressure, ammeter and vacuum gauges work sometimes, don’t work others)

Engine

(COMPLETED) 1. TFI ignition upgrade. Used Accel 140207 Coil.

2. Valve cover replacement.

3. Carburetor Upgrade.

(COMPLETED) 4. Cleanup/Paint air cleaner housing. Replaced with Air Cleaner from Nest/Den member.

(COMPLETED) 5. Replace missing air hose for air filter. (Square accordion looking hose out of air cleaner)

6. Replace most if not all hoses (vacuum and water) in engine compartment.

(COMPLETED) 7. Replace alternator after two NAPA Rebuilds failed in 2 years. New Alternator is PowerMaster 12SI, 100 Amp, PN 7294

Transmission

1. (COMPLETED) Rebuild. Wasn't on original plan but when it broke it got added.

Interior

1. Clean, clean and more cleaning. All original but needs a good thorough cleaning.

2. Fix passenger side sun visor from dropping down every bump.

3. Repair/Replace front seat belts. OEM ones the plastic is cracking on the latches.

(COMPLETED) 4. Replace Shifter Bezel

(COMPLETED) 5. Locate and Replace Emergency Flasher knob.

Long term:

1. Replace all suspension rubber bushings and components. Below are part numbers of parts I've been acquiring:
Front Suspension
Part:                                              QTY: Part Number
Outer Tie Rod Ends                    2    ES2106RL  (MOOG)
Inner Tie Rod Ends                     2    ES2107RL  (MOOG)
Upper Ball Joint                          2    K3082  (MOOG)
Lower Ball Joint                           2    K3153   (MOOG)
Lower Control Arm Bushings    2    K3113  (MOOG)
Upper Control Arm Bushings    2    K3096   (MOOG)
Control Arm Bumper                  2    K3180   (MOOG)
Sway Bar Endlinks                  2    K3124  (MOOG)
Sway Bar Frame Bushings          1    K3110  (MOOG)
Strut Rod Bushings                     1    K3090  (MOOG)
Inner Tie Rod Ends                     2    ES2107RL  (MOOG)
Adjusting Sleeves                       2    ES2032S  (MOOG)
Idler Arm                                      1         K3109 (MOOG) - Still need to order
Pitman Arm                                  1        K3055 (MOOG) - Still need to order

Rear Suspension:
Will fill in as I get parts

2. New Springs

3. Replace shocks with higher quality gas shocks. (ones on there now appear to be low dollar cheapies)

4. New exhaust. (current one is ok, but want to replace it completely.

(COMPLETED) 5. Replace CV Axles. Used Tough One Brand (Made by GSP) from Advanced Auto. PN NCV82001

I think that’s it for now. If anyone can think of any typical Eagle trouble spots I should add to this list, please let me know. Over next few days will post before photos of everything mentioned here for comparison once repaired/replaced/etc. Wish me luck.

[eagleman]

Sounds like a nice fun winter project to me. Intrested in what you find with only half of the speakers working. Mine has the same problem.Good luck with your projects.

[shaggimo]

Does the car have an aftermarket radio by chance? Reason I ask, the eagles used a common ground source which worked fine for the factory radio, raises hob with newer units though, I ran into this on my jeep too.

[GRONK]

I second that on the common ground radios.  If aftermarket, just run new speaker wire/etc.  Probably a good tome to upgrade speakers too.

On another note:  Did somebody say carb and TFI upgrade???   I will keep the package deal through the end of the year (at least)  Everything is costing more and I'm expecting my costs to go up even more in early Spring.

[recomer]

Does the car have an aftermarket radio by chance? Reason I ask, the eagles used a common ground source which worked fine for the factory radio, raises hob with newer units though, I ran into this on my jeep too.

OEM Radio still installed. All speakers worked when I first got the car, just started acting up while driving back from Montana in Oct.

[shaggimo]

ah, gotcha, still could be just a ground issue.

[recomer]

I second that on the common ground radios.  If aftermarket, just run new speaker wire/etc.  Probably a good tome to upgrade speakers too.

On another note:  Did somebody say carb and TFI upgrade???   I will keep the package deal through the end of the year (at least)  Everything is costing more and I'm expecting my costs to go up even more in early Spring.

Yes GRONK, I've been reading everything I can here (and other sites) about the TFI and Carb upgrades.  Your set up has peaked my interest and I'm working the numbers on my end before I leap. I think I have a question or two for you concerning the Carb set up and will get those to you shortly.

[GRONK]

No rush friend.  I have 3500 cores in stock and the only package that might go up in $$$ is the brand ne 2150 kit.  I have plenty of the ones I build and in my opinion, they are my best ones.

[recomer]

Posting some pics here of the before:

Rust on the tailgate



Stuck Tach



Inside



Engine



Door Rust



Air Cleaner Rust



THere are a few small surface rust spots elsewhere but you get the ideal.

Rich

[recomer]

Not much to update on this. Got my new tires on order today. Ended up going with the 205/75's vice 215/70's. Everything I found in the 215 size was plain old street tires. I wanted something a little more agressive. Ended up finding a place that has the Kelly Safari Trex tires for a great price and shipping was good too. Once I get them, I'll take them on base to the hobby shop and get them mounted (Im retired Navy and the hobby shop makes for a great place to work on cars with lifts and all the tools one can want). Mounting and balancing there will be about half the cost of taking it anywhere else. Soon as I get them in and on, will post pic.

Also, I scored at the local pick & pull a set of factory caps for the Jeep wheels I got. Lucked out when I looked in the back of a Commanche truck and saw all 4 of the center caps there. $12.00 and a little cleaning and was good to go.

[shanebo]

Ive never seen one with that interior color...I like it.

[recomer]

I second that on the common ground radios.  If aftermarket, just run new speaker wire/etc.  Probably a good tome to upgrade speakers too.

On another note:  Did somebody say carb and TFI upgrade???   I will keep the package deal through the end of the year (at least)  Everything is costing more and I'm expecting my costs to go up even more in early Spring.

Gronk (or any others that want to chime in on this),

Question concerning the TFI upgrades. Reading what I have concerning the size of the distributor cap and the possibility of arcing inside the smaller OEM cap, which is one of the reasons for using the bigger caps, would there be any benifits gained without replacing the coil and only adding the cap adapter, cap, rotor with 8MM wires? Or are the gains only seen with coil replacement also?

Thanks,

Rich

[GRONK]

Yes, there are still benefits to just replacing the cap/rotor and adding the adapter.  Can I ask why you wouldn't replace the coil too though?  It's better all around that way, but the "lite" version will cure the arching issues.

[recomer]

Yes, there are still benefits to just replacing the cap/rotor and adding the adapter.  Can I ask why you wouldn't replace the coil too though?  It's better all around that way, but the "lite" version will cure the arching issues.

No specific reason not wanting to replace the coil but my being a long time electronic and computer tech, I tend to dig deeper into things and want to know the whys of everything I'm adding/replacing/upgrading.

I appreciate the reply.

Rich

[recomer]

Had an idea this weekend inspired by a thread here on the Eagles Nest concerning the rear hatch weather stripping. For some reason the weather stripping on my hatch just didnt match any pictures I've seen. here's a cross section:



It was glued on under the lip around the hatch opening and just didnt look factory. So based on the pictures I've seen, I headed to pick & pull yesterday. Checked out quite a few rear hatch weather strips from various vehicle. Ones from Cherokees and Grand Cherokees seemed like the part that would clip around the lip was too big. Then I ran across the weather stripping from a early 90's Dodge Caravan. Looked like a better fit. Only cost me $5.00 so worth giving it a try.

The Cavavan weather stripping looks like this on the cross section:



Ripped out the old, replaced with the new (used) and ended up trimming about a foot or two off when I finished. Had to trim around the liftgate hatch plate:



But fits well. Well after doing this, closing the tailgate was a little hard. Guessing it is a little thicker than whats needed. I did get it closed and its sealed very well. Hoping it'll squash the weather stripping down a little with the tailgate closed. Will update more on that later.

While I was there, I pulled the rear wiper motor to get some part numbers off it and start figuring out why it doesnt work. Also, noticed something I hadnt seen before. Some paint missing on the side of the hatch that appears to show this isnt the orginal hatch. See next pic:



Guess as time goes on, I'll find out more history on this car.