the spirit of the eagle build

[max98059]

hey everyone. so i got carnuck's spirit that he had for sale, and i am going to build a sx4 clone out of it. so i started the tear down last week. i found very lil rust in the whole car. i am taking out the rear plastic side parts and going to sell them. i am also stripping all the tar and carpet. i know i will be putting in lizardskin and roll on bed liner. i have also pulled the rear dif out and i have an 8.25 diff going in, also i will be pulling the trans out tomorrow for the new aw4. after that will be the 242 tcase. i am up in the air abt the front end i want good gas mileage so i am thinking i will go with a vacuum front dif but i would use a cable on the dif. our i will use the none vacuum front dif i have. i am also thinking abt a two inch spacer lift in the front with custom upercontrol arms. i have pics so far but i dont know how to post them on here

[Jurjen]

I don't think that a vacuum front diff will bring you much in MPG's.
The vacuum system is a bit complicated too.
I would stay with a vacuum operated T/C, just two lines from the vacuum switch and has the advantage of being "Switch on the Fly" too.

[carnuck]

Vacuum axle switched to cable shift is the way to go.

[max98059]

yea i am thinking the vacuum axle with a nice strong cable would be the best think for mpg and would be less work on the tcase when not in 4wheeel drive

[max98059]

the back of the car after a good scraping.


the little bit of rust i found.


the rust after wire wheel and treat meant. with this great stuff i found at my napa


the rust treatment.


my old axle and the new 8.25


the dash. anyone want the old am radio and bezel. i am going to be putting in a double din screen in its place for the rear view camera and for the soon to be new member of the family.

[Pat]

Looks pretty solid, Just surface rust.

[max98059]

umm its a lil more than surface rust in the back. there is a few lil pin holes back there. but other than that its in great shape. the rust treatment works great thou. i have used it on my 79 mustang and was able to save a lot of puts that i thought where scrap metal.

[rohnk]

The new axle seems a bit beefier. What have you got planned up front? Adding some horspower?

[max98059]

i am thinking about a 4.6 stroker. but that axle is out of my jeep cherokee

[vangremlin]

Didn't I read on the Nest somewhere that a Spirit to SX/4 conversion is very difficult because of the size difference in the transmission tunnels, and that the Spirit tunnel isn't large enough to accomodate the transfer case? 

[max98059]

you are right vangremlin but i have an eagle wagon parts car for the new dog house i also think u could make a jeep cherokee dog house work but that would be more work

[captspillane]

You likely read it in my project thread, "Perkiomen Project Pics" on page 2 and 3. I'm also converting a Spirit into an Eagle. Another member here on the nest has already completed a conversion. It's actually pretty easy because its just a matter of cutting a donor Eagle floor pan in the right spot to line up perfectly with the old Spirit floor. There is several pictures posted, including a picture of his floor already welded in. You don't need to disturb the subframe.

http://forums.amceaglesden.com/index.php?topic=36839.0

modified to fix link

[max98059]

the man thing that different is the cross brace also i want the tunnel to unbolt so i can work on the trans easy. but i do have an 82 Donner wagon for parts. also i was thinking abt the jeep cherokee seat tracks cuz they r off set for the tunnel

[carnuck]

Probably need to make a channel that goes where the tunnel sits for strength so the floor doesn't spread apart.

[max98059]

hey stop stealing my thoughts man i am going to make a grove along with a set of bars that go across. by the way that pesky lil trans is out and laying on the ground.