I just thought I would put some pics up of the Jeep I tow around Indiana. These are from Harlan, KY

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/%7Edmbooth/sb2007/springbreak2007016.jpg (http://web.ics.purdue.edu/%7Edmbooth/sb2007/springbreak2007016.jpg)
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http://web.ics.purdue.edu/%7Edmbooth/sb2007/springbreak2007184.jpg (http://web.ics.purdue.edu/%7Edmbooth/sb2007/springbreak2007184.jpg)
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http://web.ics.purdue.edu/%7Edmbooth/sb2007/springbreak2007051.jpg (http://web.ics.purdue.edu/%7Edmbooth/sb2007/springbreak2007051.jpg)
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http://web.ics.purdue.edu/%7Edmbooth/sb2007/springbreak2007093.jpg (http://web.ics.purdue.edu/%7Edmbooth/sb2007/springbreak2007093.jpg)
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Very cool..

cool deal! what all do you have done to it?

Ohh, lets see...

It started out as a stock 1980 CJ-7 that I got for free from a family friend that was moving to Florida and didn't want to **** with driving it down there. From then on I did the following:

Rebuilt the T-176 Transmission
Put a much better condition 258 block in it including:
'97 4.0 HO head
'97 Header
'87 Aluminum Intake
Webber Carb

As far as the suspension goes I pretty much got rid of everything that was stock.

The springs are from JCwhitney but flex like crazy and have a double military wrap so they are tough as hell. I had to outboard the front spring hangers 2" on each side to accommodate for the wider axle that was being swapped in.

The front axle is a Dana 44 from a late 70's truck with 5.13 gears, right now it is open, but a locker is coming soon.

The rear axle is a Ford 9" with a Yukon spool and 5.13s as well. For the rear I just welded on new spring perches to match the narrower frame.

I had a guy in town make me new driveshafts for the beast. The rear is a standard driveshaft, but the front is a Neapco PTO Ag shaft with about a foot of travel. My roommate who dropped the entire weight of his rig on his driveshaft on a rock and it didn't even blink.

As for the steering, the stock stuff was barely safe for the street, so that needed to go. I ended up using a Wagoneer pitman arm and 1 ton tie rod ends to make the linkage. The tubing is 1 3/4" x .25" DOM which is heavy as all get out. The passenger side knuckle was machined, drilled, and tapped to accept a high-steer arm to keep my drag-link angle acceptable with a foot of lift.

Oh yeah, I also added a small cage.

Other than that, it is pretty much stock... ;)

I use to have the same set up that you have. was a blast, finally had to retire it. 600 plus chevy hp and rust from NY did the frame in.

I use to have the same set up that you have. was a blast, finally had to retire it. 600 plus chevy hp and rust from NY did the frame in.

I can believe it with that much HP and the "awesome strength" of a stock CJ frame. My roommates jeep (Blue one on boggers in the second pic down) is sporting a 400+ HP 502. He completely stripped and plated the frame before he did his build which was a wise decision. Right now he is working on acquiring some 42" TSLs for it and with Dana 60s front and rear, an Atlas 5:1 T-case, and currently 39.5x18.5 Super Swamper Boggers that frame sees a retarded amount of stress.

sounds like a good fun toy!
sounds like its built the same way as i did mine, made from parts from jsut about anythign that had 4 wheeles lol

Hey 86cucv, just a thought from my own experience, that 9" rear is bullet proof but you will need to truss that housing after moving in the spring purches. I have bent two housings from doing this to mine and i only moved mine in 2" per side. I run a 1972 ford f-100 frame and the wider 9" from the 1979 f-150. Running the older frame is what i started off with but has worked great since the narrow frame puts more leverage on the rear axle and has only 2 1/4" wide leaf springs for better flex. The last time i ramped it i got a 1048 score and the front axle isnt moving yet. I am looking into new radius arms from cage off road to get the front axle to travel better. Also use an axle from a 4x4 and not a 2x4, all 2x4's have 28 spline axles and 4x4's all have 31 spline axles. The only exception is the older mustangs, torino's, galaxies, etc. that had "drag pack" options. Another thing to watch is some of the older trucks ran a 9 3/8 rear, only way to tell them from the 9" is when looking at them straight on at the ribbing on the 3rd member. The 9" ribs are all horizontal, the 9 3/8 has a rib on the top right that does a 1/4 turn down. The 9 3/8 rear has a much stronger ring and pinion and is a clutch driven posi. but you cant find parts for it and it usually comes with an oddball 4.20-1 gear ratio. Dont know of you needed this info but figured i would mention it to a fellow wheeler. The Jeep looks great.

That's cabin #3 at Putney trail head. I think I stayed there the weekend after you did (around 4/1).

Small world.

woodchuck2,

Thanks for the info, I am planning on trussing the axle soon, to prevent a bent housing. The axle is from a 79 f-150 4WD with the big bearings and 31 spline shafts. I am planning on upgrading to a nodular 3rd member in the future.

Vanguard,

Yeah, we had cabins 2 and 3 for a week straight (March 12 - 17). The place is really nice for the price! Hell, we had satellite and everything. Down at the campground office they even have wireless internet (I'm a network engineer, I notice these things :)). I'd recommend that place to anyone going down to Harlan, KY.

Very nice Jeep. I have a 81 CJ7 myself and love it. It's not quite as built as yours, but it is fun anyway.