refresh the Eagle

[el-camino]

hi all
6 years i own now my Eagle, i had never a big problem, only small work and a little paint job in the last years.
but now it´s time for a bigger work. 
last week i start the business


first i will only change the clutch, but i think this job takes a longer time


the flywheel are realy bad, but a new one is ordered and on the way 

also new seals for the NP and the engine


and a lot of parts are ordered, all bushings front and rear, balljoints, bearings, and much more


otherwise is the Canadian Lady in a good condition, no rust holes everywhere.

the rear leafs are 34 years old, its time for add a leaf, front coils are new from moog

when the technical stuff is ready, i think around 8-10 weeks, we do also a new paint job, this time the complete car with engine bay and so on.
the green Eagle is history

[eaglefreek]

Wow! What color do you have planned or are you going to surprise us?

[vangremlin]

Yeah, I'm interested to see what color you're going to paint it.  It will have to be pretty cool to top the green paint job!

[el-camino]

höhö, the new color ? surprise surprise, in a few month you will see the color
cleaning up the leafs


a lot of Eagle parts 



the rear axle are read, new drums coming next friday


the leafs springs with new bushings and a Suburban add-a-leaf


next week i install the rear axle back in car and pull out the front axle for overhaul

and tomorrow is christmas  and delivery
an Eagle need Eagle wheels !

[el-camino]

done 
the rear axle is back in place
the add-a-leaf lift the car nearly 2"


the rims fits great, i need only other tires with "rubber"


just now are 50series tires on the rims, i think i go up to 65series


tomorrow i will start to remove the front axle 

[Nightpath]

Dear god get more of a tire on those rims...they looks horrible lol. Eagle was meant to have big beefy aggressive tires yo!

[el-camino]

the new tires comes next monday, 215/60-17 Bridgestone
this size its the same size as a 195/80-15 or a 215/75
i need no monster tires, the Eagle is not a Monstertruck
and agressive ? no way, the Eagle is a fine and smooth car ;-)
aggressive, yes, but therefore i have other stuff

[johnbendik]

Nightpath, remember that some of us got our Eagles to be bad-*ss all-wheel drive street machines (as opposed to raised off-road machines, which are another kind of cool).

For the street. a lower aspect ratio lets you run a wider width (and get a bigger contact patch) while keeping the overall diameter the same (so that gearing and speedometers work normally). http://forums.amceaglesden.com/index.php?topic=42205.0

Different strokes for different folks, as we used to say in my misspent youth...

JB

[el-camino]

yap, the right size tires are tested

215/60-17 , i think it´s ok for me 

[el-camino]

ok, just this weekend is here in Sweden the world biggest US-Car show with over 20.000 cars, but i have no time, the Eagle show must go on 
the rear end look great back in place


now have the car his own shoes on the rear, and the party begins  with the front end


springs, arms and all the other stuff must out


after this i remove today the front axle and all the rest


this car is great ! no bolts or screws are damaged, not all was easy to open it, but it works

next week we remove all the rust and prepare the fenders for welding an paint the engine compartment

[rollguy]

You are taking on a lot of work, but it is going to be awesome when it is finished!

[el-camino]

a lot of small parts must be cleaned an painted


new bushings and balljoints are mounted


some new parts arrived


also front and rear shocks


next week i will kill the one and only rust on the car: front fenders

[eaglefreek]

Wow, that's some rust. Is the suspension parts the same color that you'll be painting the car?

[el-camino]

oooh no, only the front fenders, thats all with rust.
here we have donkey power in the engine room


the original saggy chainsaw


blown away the rust and the next step is welding new edges


rust free and protected engine bay


also the wheel houses


the new stuff in place


i think its good for a daily driver


this guy feels good now


many new parts back in place


and i wonder why, the National 3942 Oil Seal dont fit on my 81 knuckles front, the seals are to big in diameter

[el-camino]

the next step
steering column out of a 92 XJ with tilt, the lower steering shaft is out of a 96 ZJ


the front end is nearly ready with new bushings, ball-joints, Moog springs, KYB shocks and much more


the new flywheel and clutch are in place


tomorrow i will install the tranny and the rest, the transfer case have new oil seals