M38a1 build

Well lets start the thread for this build, given it will be a WHILE till it gets to even drivable.

Here it is in parts in the back of the truck


I catagorized and sorted everything and finally got everything tucked away in the garage.

Today i had my friend come by and we put the frame on some jackstands and put the body on the frame so i could bolt the front clip on and make it sort of whole.




So forst order of business is to get the suspension welded on. As you can tell in the pic the front of the frame has been extended a few inches. I have a set of XJ rear springs that I am going to use front and rear on the rig. The axles will be spring under and I will use the stock axles. I alread have a set of hanging pedals for it, so i will mount my brakes and clutch on the firewall. As of now I am thinking blasphemous things, but I am going to use a Suzuki Samurai drivetrain for this build. I really want to have a 5 speed on this jeep to run around with and the Samurai seems to have the shortest setup. I am not totally sold on the 1.3L sammy motor but it will do for now, i would eventually go with a VW motor probably diesel, but maybe gas, jsut becuase I am kind of liking that swap. But for $$ issues i can get a samurai drivetrain pretty easy. And i cna regear the Tcase real low for rather cheap $$. But that is it for now. The frame had all mounts cut off it for motor mounting so that is why i wont be using the Fhead, plus i do not have a bellhousing and alot of other parts that would allow me to run the stock engine and tranny.
I will run 33 inch tires. Cant wait to get further on with it.

 

Fortunately the wheelbase on both rigs are bout the same, so it should be a nice fit I like the divorce tranny, been wanting to use it in a build for a bit.

 

I think my only real concern is the weight differnce between the sammi tub and the jeep. I am guessing the jeep is heavier, so the engine may be more of a dog. But since the axles are 5.38s it may work out. who knows

 

I havnt researched all the smaller 5 speeds. I know the yota 5 speed is way too long. With the divorce case it will give me some leeway to look at 2wd Tranny choices. With the isntall of samurai i could go with a sidekick 1.6 motor or the VW, but in the cards right i want to buy the samurai and upgrade later, unless i find a smoking deal on something.

 

Got my shackle mounts made last night





I thought i was going to be finished with them, but I decided i am going to brace both open sides and cap them with steel. Next step to get them on the frame.

 

Shackles are tacked on the frame. THE XJ springs are hung and the axles are on top of the springs. Ignore the metal i have sandwiched between the top of the axle housing and the u-bolts. Just for mockup, the ubolts are too long for the thin XJ leaves, i dont have enough threads to tighten them down





I will get the body put back on and get some 33s to put on the wheels and then i can see how it all fits, then take it apart again and weld everything up permentantly. I also ahve my new crossmember for the front grill. Original one was removed. It is jsut a 1x3 square tube with the center drilled and sleeved for the grill mount. Simple and easy. Should leave me lots of room for the steering intermediate shaft when i install the steering gear.

 

Got the body back on to see how the axles centered up. I am happy it is right on the money. I have a 33 i put next to the axle to kind of gauge how it will sit. The rear suspension is sitting with weight on it and it looks like it will sit real nice with 33s on it. Can't wait to get a set of 33s to complete the mockup. After they are on, then once again tear it apart and then weld everything up all happy like.

 

Yes it will.

 

yep.......my yj springs are like night and day compared to the cj lift springs
Jim

 

Pulled the jeep out to see some sunshine today. It is now officially a rolling chassis.





Today I got the saginaw mount made up and mocked up. I just have to sleeve the frame rail, make the spacers for the box to plate, and then weld the plate on.

 

Damn Dan, you're moving right along! Looks good.

 

OK, been a bit slow on the build. I finally got my drivetrain.




It is a 1.6L Suzuki motor, fuel injected.
I got a samurai tranny and tcase and a sidekick 5 speed and tcase, and just a 2wd sidekick tranny.
So it is either use the tranny/tcase
Use Sidekick tranny/case
Or mix the Sidekick 2wd tranny and Samurai Tcase.

Alot to think about and to chew. The motor came with all wiring harness and such. A few little things to get. So now it is to go to the dark side with this project with blasphemous overtones that the Jeep gods may or may not like. I have to say this suzuki motor is to frickin light compared to the Fhead original to the jeep. The fhead took 3 guys breaking their backs to lift, the suzuki motor took two guys to lift and i probably could pick it up myself. So it should have good power to weight in the jeep since the fuel injected version puts out about 96 HP. So this should be fun. I get to learn all bout the wiring of the suzuki, but good thing I am a bit of a sadist and like to play with wiring.