Yet ANOTHER New Guy...

[cmcolfax]

... but not a "true" Chevy guy.

I am actually more of a Jeep guy. I have been in to Jeeps for about 10 years and wheeling / wrenching as a hobby for about 5.

I have had several including a 1986 CJ-7 with a AMC 258 and a 1984 CJ-7 with an AMC 304.

I am a relocted NY'er and am Firefighter / EMT in Henrico County (Richmond Area), VA.

Currently, I've got a 1994 XJ (Cherokee) that is my Daily Driver.
She's been mildly modded, running +/- 4" of lift and turning 32" Bridgestone Dueler MT's with a stock 4.0L straight six and AX15 5-speed that's got 142K on the clock (and the original clutch!).

My project is a 1986 CJ-7 (although not much "1986 CJ-7" remains).
This one has been re-built frame up. Fiberglass tub and fenders. Etc, etc, etc...

Annnnnnnddddddd...

(the reason I am here...)

Power!

Pre-86 305 SB / TH350 / NP205 (passenger side drop).

One of these days I need to crawl under there and clean off the casting #'s so y'all can help me figure out where it come from originally. I was told the whole drive train came from the same vehicle, supposedly an early 80's 1/2 Ton 4wd Pickup.

I was also told the motor had been "rebuilt" but have a little difficulty believing that unless it was a total low budget re-build. Many of the exterior parts are obviously new, but there are plenty that just look "old". It does have an Edelbrock Performer intake and an Edelbrock/Holley 4bbl as well as all Mallory ignition parts.

I bought this Jeep from a lawyer in NY who was having someone else build it for him to "look cool and go fast to take to the beach to meet girls".
I guess no one ever told him that "Jeep CJ-7" and "go fast" were not meant to be used in the same sentence. It was never finished because the lawyer lost interest (I think he met a girl who liked European imports... ).

Anyway, I am in the process of "re-re-building" the CJ in to what I want, a dependable, capable weekend wheeler which can still see a reasonable amount of street miles that BOTH myself and my 5'4", 105lb fiance' can drive.

I have a good working SM465 with a bellhousing and the NP205 adapter that I was going to swap in because both of us really want a manual; but after driving a friend's rig with a VERY similar setup (TBI 350 / SM465 / NP205) I realized there is no way she will ever be able to drive that un-synchronized 1st gear and dump truck heavy clutch around town!

After days of research (I am a firefighter... I've got free time!) I figured out a tranny / t-case combo that will bolt awn, be reasonably easy to drive, easy to get parts for and should be relatively easy to find.

I am going to be looking for an 88 or newer NV3500 / NP241 combo to swap in.
Preferably an 89-91 since I need the Passender Side drop on the t-case.
I understand PS drop NP241's were only used in the SFA trucks and once IFS came around GM switched to Driver's Side drop.
I also understand that there was a change in the spline count on the input shaft (from 27 to 32) but am not sure exaclt which vehicles had which and why.
In a perfect world I would find a t-case out of an 89 since they had the mechanical speedo connection instead of the computer controlled VSS.

I will be re-doing the exhaust, replacing the long, fenderwell exit headers and glasspacks with in-frame headers (shorty's if I have the $) and regular mufflers (prolly Flowmaster 40's) tucked up between the framerails.

Both the drivetrain and exhaust projects are being planned for this winter as well as generally learning more about the idiosyncracies of SBC motors!

I'll prolly lurk more than anything in the Tech or For Sale forums and will prolly ask A LOT of questions...

When I found y'all the little light in my head went off!

Thanks!

Chuck