Converting a postal to 4 wheel drive

I have a friend with a '71 postal Jeep that he would like to convert it to 4 wheel drive. He is running a '74 232 ci straight six in it now. No other changes have been made. What would it entail to do this? I figured a D27 in the front and a change in the tranny and added transfer case, but don't know which ones. Also new drive shafts, I would assume. Is this a viable thing to do? Thanks for the input.

 

I would find a tranny/ model 300 TC combo that would bolt directly to engine and a model 30 front. Very doable in thousands of configurations. Most likely would be cheaper to sell the postal and buy a 4wd jeep in the long run.

JB

 

It would be pretty cool to have 4WD on a RHD postal Jeep. They stand out from the crowd, so to speak. I have a 56 DJ3A (nonpostal) that was converted way back in the 60s to 4WD using MB running gear.

 

Mike,

Have you got a link to the site, if they have one?

Thanks.

 

I've got a four wheeler collection going back to around 1996. got every issue of the jeep for cheap series or whatever it was. Yes, Jimmy Nyland (the best writer four wheeler has) did the series. Started easy (seats, turn signals, etc) then went winch and four wheel drive, used a chrysler/jeep 904 auto trans and dana 300. Rear driveshaft is really short. As I recall, you have to do some serious work to the engine cradle mount to make room for the front axle. If you can get the parts for super cheap or have them laying around it might be worth it, otehrwise as already mentioned it would be a lot easier to buy a 4wd jeep. I'm really busy at home right now but could probably scan and email the article on the 4wd. If you wanted all of them might be awhile before I got to it. really good series though.

 

Well I'm going against the grain here. I have literally seen dozens of postal Jeeps converted to 4wd. There was a company in Clearwater Florida that bought postal Jeeps by the dozens and converted them to 4wd. They used 4 cylinders and dana 20 units. What you ended up with was an intermediate 4wd jeep with a 4 cylinder, even drove one once many years ago, they drove just like any other jeep. if you could find the whole drivetrain out of a jeep it should be fairly easy. Might look around the company may still be in business.

 

The biggest thing was the engine crossmember mods as I recall.

Pro- The author did say it was really cool driving old trails and getting to see them from the right side!

Cons--the postals I have seen are non removable hardtops and non folding w/s? Good for the cold I guess.

 

I remember them changing it over to left hand drive at some point in the series. a shame none of the mags do stuff like that anymore.

 

If anyone is interested, I know where there is a nice postal Jeep for $500.00 (complete)

 

I have scanned the articles for the transfer and front axle. They are big files and I don't know h squat about making them smaller. I can email them in several emails to all interested. Maybe we can add them to the board somewhere?

 

There was another project called Dirt Clod IIRC. I have most of that series. I've often thought that would be a good series to make available for the board also. I think it was a '68 with a V6 that they swapped in power steering, added a rear gas tank, etc. Many of the things members here are doing.

 

I have most of the dirt clod series. Rollcage, custom dash panel, seats, front and rear bumpers, dual batteries. That was a good series also.