Back Again...with A 1972 Cj5

Your rockers look after market to. Look much heaver duty than the factory ones and without bridges too..

 

I am new to the 304 so did not notice that. Now that you mention it the other videos i have watched on the 304 did have bridges between rockers. I will have to go through the pile of receipts as this guy kept everything. Might find a rocker receipt. I found a cam receipt and a time slip for 15.68 1/4 mile times. I also spoke to an old guy that remembers doing work on the engine back in the 1980's but couldn't remember what they did.

 

Likely the up graded rockers were part of the new cam shaft kit install with lifters, pushrods, rockers and special valve springs too. So you may not find a specific invoice. Would be nice to know what cam kit was installed if you do find a receipt. Btw jeep restore is looking good. Keep us updated as you can. .

 

Ol Fogie,
I went through the paperwork with the jeep and found the cam card.

 

Interesting cam kit install, Looks like the chosen cam needed an upgrade set of valve springs. Likely was the reason for the upgraded rockers. Outa curiosity after my comment of your engine not having valve rocker bridges, I did a little research and found that some of the early AMC V-8's did not use them. Not sure when the change occurred or exactly why. Your rockers might actually be factory . Some of the guys here with lots of experience on the 304 engine (Donnie, maybe) may can offer more info. The invoice appears to suggest the cam is mostly for improvement of better performance in the mid to upper RPM range. Probably the reason 1/4 mile performance record sheet you have. Also hopefully some of the folks here with cam performance knowledge could help decipher more secrets of the cam invoice. Thanks for posting, very interesting subject I hope to learn more about.

 

IIRC '71 or '72 and earlier had the rockers with the ball pivot (without bridges). The AMC forum confirms that '73 was the changeover year. https://theamcforum.com/forum/1973-amc-360-rocker-arms_topic94386.html

Crane shows ball pivot arms for some applications, but not for AMC. Maybe in the past... or some other supplier.

 

on to some frame repair while i wait for parts.

The previous owner had a plow mounted and had welded on a bunch of braces. Removed them but the frame needed some repairs as a result.



Cut it out and replaced

 

Checked out the two t-18 and they are both 23 tooth input so close ratio. Thats fine as this will be mostly used on the road. Luckily the parts jeeps was also a 304/T-18 so i have the correct driveshafts from that one. I got into the front end and found a detroit truetrac from the 80's. Unfortunately, a bolt head had sheared off and tore up the ring gear so now I am digging into another dana 30 that came with it. Hoping to find the bolt somewhere to fix the true trac but will fix up the open diff for now. Chassis repairs are about finished and waiting on spring bushings and ubolts to hopefully get this back on the axles before the end of October. Goal is to have the engine/chassis/axles/suspension finished by Xmas and then start on the body in the New Year. I dragged this home June 14th and will hopefully have it on the road by the same time next year.

 

Little update. Working on front axle and waiting for parts to get the axles back under the frame

 

A bit more progress



and starting to look like something

 

Question about engine color. I have purchased the Seymour en-66 for engine paint but was wondering if this is the original color for 1972?

 

That's been painted. Also looks like it's been replaced.

49-states Jeeps had metallic blue-green that they used '73 as well, and maybe in '71 and 74? Definitely changes to a solid Teal color for '75.



This is the paint sold as a match today. Color match may be good, but the original was much less shiny and not as deep (less flake, more solid pigment?) Faster or cheaper, with less care? I expect the factory would use as little material as possible for the engine.

Maybe I can find a color code if you want to have some made up. If so, I would choose cheap single-stage acrylic enamel.

California engines were red in '71-72. The above blue for '73.

edit - EN-66 or AM-66 https://www.amazon.com/Seymour-EN-66-Hi-Tech-Engine-Paint/dp/B0088LVC1Y

 

Thanks Tim
I have some EN-66 from Seymour so that is the color I'll go with.

 

Quick update. Engine and trans are back in. Had to use the parts jeeps crossmember to mount the t18 (1975) and currently working on the dana 20. Plan is to get the chassis and drive train done before xmas. I just ordered all the body panels from Classic Enterprises so the body work should start in the New Year.

 

It's Flying back together!
Looks like you'll be wheeling this spring.

 

one more step forward. A pile of Classic Enterprises panels showed up today. Trying to get the running gear all back in and then on to the body.

 

Wow, those look nice! Are they stainless steel?

 

No they are just mild steel but very impressive.

 

That's a dream. Fantastic.

 

A couple of quick thoughts....
Inspect the shift pin hole on the T18. They only have one and will wear till the top of the shifter tower breaks. Inspect the pin as well, as they wear also.

I would pull the dist and run the pump up till you have oil at the rockers. This will eliminate any dry start scenarios.

Now would be a good time to box the frame. If not completely, then around the spring hangers. These areas are prone to cracking. You have strap boxing in the back. I would extend those a few more inches on either side.

Which leads me to my next recommendation. Pull a couple of leaves out of your suspension. My REN II came with the same leaf packs and it rode like a buckboard. I pulled 3 out of the front and 4 out of the rear to at least get the shocks to compress.

Be sure to inspect/reinforce the body area where the clutch cable comes through. If you have a lot of rot, it is possible to push down on the clutch and have the cable pull the body section loose.