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The "It came home in buckets" build - a frame-off on an '81

I was looking through some of my old pics of the '76 CJ7 I did a few years ago and thinking of the ups and downs I had during that build. In case anyone is interested, here is a link to the build thread on JF:

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f8/adamhs-76-cj7-build-after-fact-1216289/

The cool thing is that I sold it to a local guy who drives the heck outta it. I see it about every three weeks on the road and I bet I get a text once a week from friends who see it and take a pic of it.
 
Dropped off the frame at the powdercoater yesterday so now I have about a week and a half to get the axles cleaned up and painted and get the lift ordered. Put a smile on my face when I got a few pics of the engine being built. When I go pick it up, I will be sure to get some more pics of the rest of the goodies this guy has. When I dropped my little 304 off, he had 3 401s built ready to ship out and 2 360s. This guy built the 304 in my CJ7 as well as the 327 in my Vette. He does fantastic work.

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WOW Adam! That thing is looking gorgeous! I'd hate to get it dirty :)
 
This is how it looks this week. :eek:

Body is with the painter. He finished up welding up a couple rust spots and is soda blasting this week. Hope to start painting next week.

Engine is supposed to be done sometime this week. I am in no hurry at the moment. (see next note)

Frame is with the powdercoater. Apparently "we" had a mis-communication and they are a week behind on the frame.

I may ask my engine guy to just keep the engine with him until I get the frame back versus me picking it up and storing it here in the garage.

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Shelf is full of parts. Half cab is in the corner of my finished basement (made for an interesting conversation piece with family over Thanksgiving). Gas tank is on the floor beside my axles. I have the new fuel and brake lines in boxes along with body bushings, windshield seal, door seals, etc.. needed to get body back together. Still have lots to source but I'm moving along. We are supposed to hit low 70s here Friday so I may sneak outta work a little early and do some cleaning on the axles to prep for paint.
 
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engine is home!

Picked up the engine yesterday. Looks great just like the last two he did for me. I'm running an offenhauser intake with a 4 barrel Holly. He said to expect a little more power outta this set-up than I had on the 304 in my CJ7.

The 4 engines in the pic below are others he recently built. They are being shipped all over the US. 1 360, 2 390s, and 1 401. The second pic is my 304 back home in my garage. Frame is still at the powder coaters so for now the new engine sits on an old tire in my garage.

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Fresh Powder

Nothing like some fresh powder right before Christmas! :headbang:

Frame is done and back home. The lift should be here later this week. We are supposed to be in the high 60s low 70s Saturday so my plan is to get the axles cleaned up and painted then I can begin assembly on the rolling chasis. I had planned on getting the axles ready last week but my paying job got in the way. :angry:

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Thanks. Yea, staying Narrow Trac. I'm weird like that. I kept the narrow tracs on my '76 CJ7 and plan to do so on the 8. I know I'm not restoring it back to original but some things I just want to keep. I also plan to keep it non-tilt auto wheel instead of putting a tilt wheel in it (even though I have an automatic tilt column sitting in my garage). I guess I like keeping the things that make it an '81.

Kind-of like the door cards. They aren't perfect but pretty close. They have faded a little and the passenger side has a small tear in it but knowing they are the ones that came from the factory I want to re-use them.
 
AdamH said:
Dropped off the frame at the powdercoater yesterday so now I have about a week and a half to get the axles cleaned up and painted and get the lift ordered. Put a smile on my face when I got a few pics of the engine being built. When I go pick it up, I will be sure to get some more pics of the rest of the goodies this guy has. When I dropped my little 304 off, he had 3 401s built ready to ship out and 2 360s. This guy built the 304 in my CJ7 as well as the 327 in my Vette. He does fantastic work.

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What is the name of the engine builder? Not sure if it is worth shipping my 401 down there, but I do have to visit my Mom at some point in her new digs in NC, so I could drag it down there I suppose and have him ship it back...hmmmmmmm decidsions decisions... actually my step-brother is down in NC as well, so maybe he could grab and hold... hmmm, now the brain is turning! it all depends on the price I suppose, but so far the quality of work looks good and you said it is good, so that has a lot going for it.

My engine guy retired and I don't know of too many great ones around here anymore.

cb
 
Looks like they specialize in AMC motors too !
I had asked a few shops around here to rebuild and AMC 360 and they said "why"?


Sent from my iPhone
 
Yeah I got that same thing with the 304 and a few places I called... they said I shouldn't bother...

I had a race shop rebuild the 304 I have in my CJ5 and they were cool with doing it, but were saddened when I said I didn't want it crazy fast and hopped up... just a little bit and more reliable. Expensive, but never had any issues with it. The downside is they are far away now that I moved.

cb
 
The guy I use is Jerry Tucker Performance AMC located in Archdale, NC (just south of High Point). 336/847-4519

He's done 2 304s now and my Vette 327. Does great work and can go from mild to wild depending on your goals. He specializes in AMX restorations / vintage drag racing. He did a frame-on restoration on a Scrambler about 5 years ago for a buddy.

Interesting story about the Vette engine. He had a '67 back in the day and built some Chevy engine for friends but specializes in AMC. So for every 1 Chevy engine he builds he probably turns out 10 AMCs.
 
AdamH;. He specializes in AMX restorations / vintage drag racing. He did a frame-on restoration on a Scrambler about 5 years ago.[/QUOTE said:
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Sent from my iPhone
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certifiablejeep said:
Yeah I got that same thing with the 304 and a few places I called... they said I shouldn't bother...

I had a race shop rebuild the 304 I have in my CJ5 and they were cool with doing it, but were saddened when I said I didn't want it crazy fast and hopped up... just a little bit and more reliable. Expensive, but never had any issues with it. The downside is they are far away now that I moved.

cb
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I've heard some shops won't do amc motors because the blocks are high in nickel and are hard to machine
 
wramblerguy said:
I've heard some shops won't do amc motors because the blocks are high in nickel and are hard to machine
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And this is why I ended up with Jerry in the first place. On my CJ7, I had a local machine shop do the work and my ex-brother in law built it. He is a diesel mechanic by trade but does engines on the side too. Long story short, that engine gave up the ghost not long after the build. I researched and found Jerry through multiple referrals. Once he tore that 304 apart, he found that the machine work was done wrong and then my ex-bro in law built it like a Chevy engine. Apparently a lot of people make the mistake of thinking AMC engines are built using the same specs as Chevy engines - they are close but not the same. I found out the hard way.
 
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