Flywheel teeth issue, can I just turn it?

Hey guys, I just picked up my first Jeep, a 1957 CJ5, for $400 off Craigslist! It was a bit of an impulse buy as I know nothing about these cars but figured it would be a fun project. I got it to roll start but it seems the starter ground down some teeth on the flywheel, but only in a certain section. From what I've read, due to the engine compression, the flywheel always stops at one of a few spots. So is it possible to just take it off and turn it X amount of degrees, therefore fixing my issue?

Also, what's the work involved in getting the flywheel off? Remove TC and driveshafts, then lower transmission? Anything I should be aware of before I attempt it?

I've always owned German and British cars, this is actually my first American model, so I've already had to start scrounging around for my non-Metric tools I've never used before.

 

With the flywheel out replace the ring gear. Pull up the floor, remove drivelines, shifters, crossmember, block up engine and remove trans and transfercase. A transmission jack would be very helpful.

 

I did this recently. I pulled the trans and t-case out and cleaned them up a bit. The ring gear came off by using a punch and hammer. As I was cleaning up the flywheel my wife went to town to get something so I took that opportunity to put the ring gear in the oven (it did not take 20 minutes, more like 10). I flipped and rotated the ring gear - it just dropped on to the flywheel. It was easier than I thought it would be.
Good Luck

 

$400 bucks for that? Crap, that means mine is worth like a dollar.

 

Looks like a fun project. A lot of Jeep for $400.

Just a comment - the front bumper on these Jeeps is structural, and riveted to the frame from the factory. I suggest you buy a replacement bumper and install it. Bolts will be ok.

 

The bumper seems to be in the trunk! Looks like it got ripped off at some point, but looks good otherwise.

 

OK. Full disclosure. I probably didn't need to get the ring gear all that hot because I put the flywheel outside to cool it off. It was about 20 below zero that day.

 

I usually just heat the ring gear carefully and evenly with a weed burner type propane torch and they will just drop on the flywheel. While it's silly not to put a new ring gear on while 95% of the work is just getting access, you can usually get more wear out of an old one by just reversing it so the starter has a new side to work on.