Jack's Postal Build

[Major Jack]

I have decided to open a thread dedicated to the Alaska Postal. I am discovering many questions members can help me with.

Rear Disc Brakes: Which conversion is the most popular? Why? Should I build my own brake lines or are there kits available? Our brake lines are a rusted mess and I want to be safe. If I built my own lines, wouldn't I need a double flaring tool?

Carburetor: Weber seems popular - MotorCraft 2100 seems really popular. What is a good choice? I hate the snog mess under the hood.

Just got new exhaust and did a distributor upgrade. See my other Postal thread for details on the distributor upgrade. My neighbor says I need to to do a Nutter Bypass - Whatever that is.

I know - "THIS THREAD IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICTURES." I'm worthless when it comes to computers. I still need to get them from camera to computer and then learn how to attach.

Captain Jack

 

[bigwalton]

Can't help on disc brakes, SSBC (if I remember correctly) is popular.

I made the comment on brake lines in the other thread and cheking for the possible issues with RHD. I made my own and yes you need a double flare tool (auto part places will rent them for free) and when you get it PRACTICE with it on small pieces of tube, it takes some time to learn how to get the flares to work right and you don't want to start trying it on your actual lines.

Carb, do the 2100 or Weber and forget the nutter, that's only if you were keeping the Carter carb.

let me know if you need help on the picture attachment, there's a thread on here that explains the two ways to do it, attaching them to your post is the simplest.

https://www.cj-8.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6142

 

[DiveSherpa]

Disk brakes.

Captain! I hope I can help a little.

I will preface that I have not done this yet. I have been reading and preparing for my project and I will just pass along what I have cobbled together thus far. The first option is to find a rear axle that has the setup that you want including the disk brakes and change it all out.

If you don't replace the entire axle and brake assembly, you have a few options for disk brakes; SSBC brakes are "popular" because they are very available and they come as a kit. I believe a few folks on the forum have these. Others can speak more accurately about their experience with them.

The second option I know of is from: The Streetrod Manufacturing Co. Inc.
http://www.tsmmfg.com/jeep.htm
This is the option I have decided on as the parts are more readily accessible from parts stores, and if you want, you can just buy the brackets from them and they tell you want general parts fit this install.

Finally, you can do the junk yard disk setup. I have read about this on pirate 4x4.
If you were to Google "zuki rotor/nissan caliper/easy rear disk setup" you will find it. Aside from having to fab a mounting plate, the Suzuki rotors are solid on the and I prefer to run vented....well, because that's what I want to do with my build.

That's what I know.

Good luck with your build.

KC

 

[Major Jack]

Thanks for the input K.C.

I looked up the Zuki rotor setup. That seems like the most affordable route to go. I ordered a pair of 96 Tracker Vented Rotors off E-bay today. Now, I have to find some 84ish 300ZX Calipers. I also ordered a 77-82 Corvette Master Cylinder with a 1 1/8" bore.


I made a bracket pattern off a post on the Pirates website.

I have decided to take Big Walton's advice and order a 25 ft. roll of tubing and fittings and replace most of the brake lines.

For the carburetor, I ordered a rebuilt Motorcraft 2100.

2 1/2" lift with shocks should be here Monday.

I'm done buying for awhile. I'll be doing a bit of installing.

Just remembered, I have got two door handles off E-bay. Neither match up to the linkage in the front doors or the barn door. I also, need a source for the little plastic sleeves that fit the rods going from the handles and the door latch. Could use a source for the correct door handles for the drives and the barn door.

The latch for the barn door is missing. When vacuuming the inside of the door, I found 2 wedges with teeth. I assume this has something to do with holding the outside door handle in place. If so, how do these work?

 

[bobbysjeep]

Jeff did a door rebuild that shows where the wedges go. Scroll about 3/4 of the way down the page.

https://www.cj-8.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22240&highlight=door&page=66

 

[bigwalton]

Bobby, you need the http:// in there before the www to make the picture links work, it has to be the whole URL. You were really close though!

 

[Major Jack]

Today was spent removing paint. I hit a few rust spots on the drivers side using a grinder with a wire brush. Knocked off the rust and continued past the rust into the paint just to make sure I got it all. After the rust was gone I hit all the areas with loctite Rust Neutralizer. This goes on thin, wait 20 minutes and another thin coat. It turns the area black. You wait 24 hrs. and another thin coat.

I did rust removal on the lower half of the barn door. The area I was really concerned about was the lower half. Turned out I have found a grand total of 4 pin holes. I will be able to just spot weld those closed.

I went to the Gaucho thread and read the door rebuild portion. I have a crack just below the door handle on the barn door. I am forming a backer which will be spot welded into place. I'll weld drill a small at the end of the crack and weld the crack closed.

Thanks Jeff for all the great information you have shared for all to enjoy. Actually, there are a lot of guys that are willing to help guys like me be successful in our builds. Hope you guys don't mind me ask a lot of questions. I do a Search first. If I don't find the answer I need, I turn to you.

Captain Jack

 

[Major Jack]

Haven't gotten a lot done lately. Back has been giving me problems.

Have the MC 2100 and adapter ready to go on.

Corvette master cylinder arrived. The stock was leaking bad. Since I have to replace, decided to upgrade. Vented rotors from a 96 Tracker. Made up a template for the brackets.

I need to find a pair of rear calipers and hoses from an 84-88 era 300ZX. If anyone happens to be at a U-pull Yard and can get them for me. I sure would appreciate it.

Having NO wrecking yards in Juneau, Alaska is a bummer.

One of my church members came over with one of the Spot Blasters sold by Eastwood. He sand blasted a few of the surface rust spots. It did a nice job. He used silica sand. Coated the spots with Loctite Rust Neutralizer. Turns spot black and prevents further rust. Will have to sand again before primer.

Springs and shocks arrived for 2 1/2" lift.

 

[Major Jack]

Haven't gotten much done lately. Working outside and Alaska weather isn't cooperating.

As I mentioned, I have the MC2100 carb. and Maxima calipers for a diisc brake conversion.

The rear had bad rusty springs and they sag bad. Got Pro Comp 2 1/2" lift springs & shocks with red boots. New 1" lift shackles with red bushings.

None of the above has been installed.

I really need a set of wheels and tires. At this time, just not enough funds for new. I advertised on Craig's List and got a number of responses. All were wrong size. Oh well' I'll keep looking.

I really feel like a dunce. I still haven't mastered posting pictures.

Captain Jack

 

[AK-RWC]

Did you buy the postal that was auctioned by Skagway? I know there are a few other wheelers in Southeast, but not many CJ guys in Juneau (I think I was the only one when I was there). Do you know about www.alaska4x4network.com ?

 

[Major Jack]

This one is from Ketchikan. I only know of one other CJ in Juneau.

 

[bigwalton]

Emailed you on the picture issue Jack, sorry for the trouble.

 

[bigwalton]

Pics for my man Jack

Looks like a really decent starting point. Mine had a lot of the same kind of rust that's pretty easy to deal with. The edges of the rear wheelwells on his look a ton better than mine.

 

[Major Jack]

Thanks Eric for posting these. The dark blotches where the metal has been cleaned is where the rust scale was. I cleaned the area past to make sure I got it all. Then I am using Loctite Rust Neutralizer to kill any particles left and protect till I can get it in primer. Still have a lot to go.

All in all, it's a really solid vehicle. Except for the drivers side floor board, which I have a replacement for. I am thankful frame is solid. The rust over the wheel wells Eric mentioned is just surface rust.

I have mentioned in previous posts all the parts I have to be installed.

Just wish I had a place to get it inside to work on.

A couple items I need is the cover for the air filter and a right front fender flare. The air cleaner cover is rusted pretty bad and the flare is cut in half.

 

[Major Jack]

Because I have to work outside, I have not touched the Postal this winter. This week I got a bit done. My wife thought I was nuts working in 14* weather.

The Corvette master cylinder is on. That was an easy change over. The one I ordered came with a 1 1/2" insert that went between the pedal rod and the plunger in the cylinder. Didn't have to do any modification there. The bolt holes lined up on the vacuum booster and was a direct bolt on. Had to reverse the lines going into the cylinder. Eric was right about practicing double flaring. Took about a dozen tries before I was comfortable making the flare on the Postal tubing. Worked fine.

The next effort was installing the Pro Comp 2 1/2" lift. Other than having to use the plasma cutter on a bolt and installing the front shocks upside down. Everything went well. The lift gets rid of that squatty look makes the old stock tires look really small. I have the 30" BFG's to go on Just need to made a decision on wheels.

I am going to keep the color the Olympic White. I am debating what to do about rims. I want something that will look good with the white. Trying to keep from spending a huge amount of money on rims.

Next project is the MC 2100 install. I feel a bit intimidated with this. There's so many vacuum lines etc. to deal with. Throttle linkage and linkage to the automatic trans.

 

[W.R.Buchanan]

Captain Jack: I i you find another front axle with disc brakes and scalp all of the parts off including the backing plates, it will all just bolt right onto your rear axle. The most you might have to do is redrill the mount pattern for the backing plate, or make a simple four to 5 or 6 hole adapterplate for the backing plates to the housing flanges..

This has been being done for may years on Jeeps.

Even if you had to buy the new backing plates from SSBC you'd still have all of the other parts from the front axles to use. Rotors can be turned and calipers can be rebuilt, for alot less than new or factory rebuilt stuff.

New lines are a must. You can buy line segments from the local auto parts store and cut and bend them to fit, and yes you'll need a double flare tool and a tubing bender which you can buy there also. None of these items are very expensive or hard to use.

If you plan it right you will only have to make one cut and flare on each line segment.

This might help you along.

Randy

 

[Major Jack]

The Corvette master cylinder was in anticipation of a future disc brake conversion. I already have Zuki rotors and Maxima calipers. Got the pattern for bracket. Need to get new lines installed before I convert. This is a summer project.

 

[Major Jack]

The Superwinch hubs came today. Randy was right, they are really nice n heavy duty. Am happy with the purchase.

When I got the Postal, it didn't have a front bumper. The nice policeman pointed out to me in the State Of Alaska, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle without a front bumper. So, I decided to build one. 2"x4"x3/16" tubing. Got it roughed out with clevis hooks and a 2" receiver.

Decided now was a good time to do a winch mount. What's a winch mount without a winch? There was only one winch available in all of Juneau. A Superwinch 10,000 lb. pull, 3/8" cable with a 5.1 hp motor.

When I get everything together, I try and post pictures.

Still trying to figure out an alternator.