'71 CJ-6 225 V6 Build Thread

Been posting all over the place, wanna put all my stuff in one place.

I learned to drive in my grandpa's '53 M38A1 I fixed up and bought and built up an '81 CJ-7 for my first vehicle but it's been years since I've had a running Jeep, built a blazer, had a couple dodges, etc.

Just got this from a buddy of mine, he got it as-is a while back and it's just been sitting.

Link to my pics folder http://s142.photobucket.com/albums/r118/DavidWhymore/1971CJ-6/

Has a brand new 225 V6, rest of it is pretty beat but not unusable or unfixable. It was a farm Jeep (probably pulled balers) and then a hunting Jeep for years. I think it might have actually broken in half at one point.

I don't know what the PO was thinking with the baby blue...regardless of anything else, it will be covered up shortly.

It was sagging in the front passenger about 1.5". I took the leaf spring out, took the leaves apart, beat them til my arm felt like it was gonna fall off, and put it back together. Now it sits just a smidge higher passenger. We'll see how long it lasts.

Good info : http://www.eatonsprings.com/rearching.htm

I'd love a half cab like this, this is one cool Jeep.

http://www.jeepbrokers.com/Jeep_Ads_..._1961_chad.htm

Planning to get some stock style wheels under it soon, don't like white spokes.


To Do:

Fuel filler neck
Pintle/ball combo hitch
Fire Ext
Fuel Filters/lines reroute under body/on engine
Rear Seat from my '81 CJ-7 LOCKING TRUNK LID
D27 = D30
Body mounts/spring loaded
Clutch/header interference
Mirrors from 7
Tuneup = timing check vacuum gauge check
Frame Cracks - box frame
Roll cage
Steering
Lube brake/clutch/diffs/case/trans
Eng/trans covers missing bolts
Wiring
Batt cables
Gauges = get speedo, remove nonfunctioning ones, fill dash holes.
Figure out where engine oil leak is coming from.
Get/install dashpot?
Quiet muffler
Master cyl - bleed/replace?

 

Anyone who has a 225, I could use some pics from under the hood to see what's supposed to be where, mine is a mess, esp. the wiring. I keep the alt unplugged and plug it in when the batt gets low or it will overcharge the batt. R)

 

Okay, dude:

To Do:
Fuel Filter - Run 2 and put the first one where you can get to it easily to replace often.
Rear Seat - Any fold & Tumble CJ or YJ rear seat will fit. I used one from my '95 Wrangler.
D27 - You can put Chevy 1/2-ton caliper brackets & calipers & Ford rotors on for disc brakes. Search www.jpmagazine.com or I'm sure the info is here.
Front Body mounts -
Frame Cracks - I'm sure you know: drill a hole at each end of the crack, chamfer a groove, weld, plate w/ diamond or oval plate over the crack for a long-lasting repair.
Rollbar
PAINT!
Stock wheels - Reverse steelies like off an old Renegade would be cool. Search for DonX and check the wheels on his M38A1 for an idea. They're cool and give a wider stance.
Steering - Don't bother rebuilding the Ross Cam & Lever setup. Saginaw conversion using an Intermediate-type box mount (meaning below the framerail so no grille mods needed) will be a lot better. Advance Adapters has the tie rod ends you need to hook the drag link into the tie rod, or you can look for an older D44 kingpin knuckle w/ the 2 holes on the passenger-side.
Lube brake/clutch/diffs/case/trans
Eng/trans cover missing bolts
Wiring - It's just easier to do a total rewire on these things most of the time. I used a Centech wiring harness on mine, but would recommend a universal (meaning simple and small) streetrod harness that just gives you the basics like tail/brake lights, ignition, etc. Add on the rest as needed.
Batt holdown
Gauges - They're overrated
Engine oil leak - NAPA has a complete gasket set for these engines. It's usually a 2-day special order, but it gets you everything from the head gaskets, oil pan, etc.
Carb rebuild get/install dashpot - I rebuilt my '71 2GC and it still didn't take. Sent it out to jeepcarbs (www.i-5automotive.com) for a full rebuild including new throttle shaft bushings, etc and it was like new again. If you're sticking with the stock carb, this is the way to go. If not, check Trans-Dapt for an adapter to run a junkyard Motorcraft 2bbl off a Ford V-6 or small V-8.
Mufflers - Put 'em inside the framerials if possible. I continuously knocked/bashed the ones on Hatari! that ran under the door sills. I hated it. No need for dual mufflers with that V-6. A good 2-inch into 2-1/4 or 2-1/2 inch single muffler tucked up high and out of the way will do great for that engine.


As for the alternator, post a pic of yours. Your voltage regulator is shot. If you have the older external regulator, junk it. If you've got a newer 10SI or 12SI internal, you can just buy a new rectifier and maybe convert it to 1-wire for simpler wiring.

 

That's a good "To-Do" list for every early jeep. You copied out of some magazine didn't you?

 

Thanks for all the input everyone.

NoFly, I might be a newb to this particular old jeep, but I've been around the block a time or two.

Yeah, figure the reg is kerput, or not hooked up right. Been too long, don't remember how it should be. I'm guessing this one is later model with internal reg. Need to get a better pic, this one came out blurry.



See more of the mess, wander around in the other albums to see my other junk here : http://s142.photobucket.com/albums/r118/DavidWhymore/1971CJ-6/

 

Installed a choke cable, took the rollbar off before work early this AM, found big holes where the original must have punched thru the fenderwells:roll R), so I left the reinforcement/cover plates on there. Looks a lot better without that boat anchor on there, but I don't like having nothing. Nothing is probably safer than that thing though.

 

Spent a little time with some rattle cans, a plasma, welder, and a grinder (lowered the passenger seat down even with the driver's)








Gotta do something about that piece of junk "hitch"...now where'd I leave that nice hitch bumper I built for the '7....

Finding "mint green" here and there, wonder if it was a USBP Jeep.

 

Yeah still a mess, but an easier on the eyes mess. R)

Those seats look kinda goofy in there but they sure are comfy. Original lowbacks would look cool, but I don't like the thought of my head getting snapped off if I get rear-ended.

 

Re: '71 CJ-6 225 V6 Build Thread (Carb rebuild issue)

My accel pump check balls were both stuuuuck in lots of gunk even after an overnight soak in a can of carb cleaner. Got them loose but no amount of air, carb cleaner, or picking with a wire would get the accel pump supply passage opened up. It hangs down off the bottom of the bowl and so all the junk settles there. The inlet filter is there but I think there's supposed to be a screen or filter over the accel pump supply opening. Ended up removing a lead plug, drilling out all the junk and threading the float bowl housing for a screw with some loctite to replace the plug. I suspect this is a common problem for old cruddy 2GVs.

For now I'm down to missing one of the springs for the accel pump piston, the smaller lower one. Anyone got a 2GV parts carb?

EDIT: got it all put back togethe minus that spring and tuned, timed it, runs a lot better. Smooth idle, more power, lugs even lower. Still pops and crackles on decel, probably because I don't have a dashpot on it yet and the headers are open and leak real bad at the flanges.

Anyone know where I can get good exh gaskets?

Sorry the pics are fuzzy. Camera phone, too lazy to get the real camera.





The little cones in the venturi were loose, not sure how big a deal it was, tapped around them very gently to tighten them up.

 

Got the tail lights, brake lights, and head lights working closer to right tonight, wiring still needs gone thru pretty much entirely to be really be right but I figured out what's what and got it all hooked up so it works just not all hooked up the best way. headlights don't have a hi/lo switch, etc. but now at least they're wired the same.

Tail light switch was shorted out and it had a switch for the brake lights which is illegal and the brake lights were wired to the tail lights and vice versa.

no running lights in the front yet, no turn signals yet.

I was thinking it would be cool to fix the jeep up close how the BP would have originally had it but I can't find much for info.

 

Trying to find some info on the histo of this Jeep. Pretty sure it was USBP. Any pointers? Everything I've found for info is for newer or older Jeeps, and my serial/VIN has no letters...





This is beat up but says something about a specail sale order.

 

I also added a bunch of pics to the CJ-6 album, rusted out body mounts, hairy wiring, etc.

 

Figured out my VIN with the info on SC Jeep parts site. I thought mine was odd cuz it didn't have any letters but it looks like they don't all necessarily have them.

It's a CJ-6 (duh)
Open body
Universal
LH drive
V6 225

Still like to know more history on CJ-6s in the USBP, some pix owuld be awesome. I might make it look similar to original.

 

Not getting a lot of responses on my build thread, should I go back to posting individual questions in separate threads?

 

That's what I was kinda thinking. Thanks.

 

I saw your post on the special order tag and I think mine is the same. The color under the tag is the same color as mine. I wonder if ours are sister Jeeps? I found mine in Hisparia and it looks to be of the Forrest service or maybe Border Patrol colors.
1971 CJ-6 V-6 and hard top.

 

Is your special order tag still intact? I'd love to see it or know what the numbers are. I bet they are the key to knowing the history on them. Mine is only partially legible. I'm betting Border Patrol, that's what Christian Hazel thought his Hatari was.