M38a1, 134f To 225 Dauntless Swap Questions, Help Appreciated

My DJ came with a Samurai wheel. In fact it had 3 different types of wheels and a combination of 14 and 15" rims. That's a postal for you...
But I think he wanted to stay original

So, he's just starting out and we are throwing lots of stuff at him. I'd be confused by it all. Let me offer my experience with an A1 like he has. I have also tried to keep originality. But I also made (and plan for) some changes:

1. 11" drums up front, larger 1" wheel cylinders on the rear 9". But I have a set of 11" drums for the rear on the shelf and they will be installed when I tear apart the Dana 44 to go full floater and powerlock. A dual pot MC is in the future- under the floorboard in original MC position (Wilwood MC route).

2. 215-85-16 8ply radial tires. Big improvement over NDCCs. Fits well with stock A1 rims (4.5" wide). They're tubeless but in almost 3 years have not leaked a bit of air from any of the stock, 60yo wheels. Approximately same height as NDCCs. Improvement in ride, cornering, etc. Simply safer

3. 2 hole steering knuckle ready to go in to improve the steering. At the same time I'll put in Spicer axle shafts, a D25 powerlock and knuckle studs (though those aren't safety things).

4. sooner or later I'll jettison the Ross steering, even though the A1 steering box (V6 box too) is a beefier set up and works pretty well. But it's still marginal and I expect to replace it with a manual Ford reverse rotation box in the future.

Actually, not that long a list: brakes, tires and steering. With the exception of the tires, the mods aren't seen or recognized. These are not expensive improvements and should be considered while you are fixing the rig up.
All the same, even with those improvements and a Warn OD in the future, I don't expect to spend much time at over 50mph. It will always be an old, underpowered jeep. I have other cars to go fast in.

One last thought: if you want to be original with this jeep, then consider using it in the way it was originally conceived- as a slow, torquey 4x4 and for plugging along at maybe 40-45mph. In stock form, it was never designed to go 55-60 except in unusual circumstances. Just because you can get it up to 60 doesn't mean it's meant to be used there.

 

WOW what a difference 2 in. makes. just finished bolting 11 in. drums on my 3b, in place of the 9 in. up front. this baby will slide the wheels now!!!

 

Totally worth it, huh?

 

Just my two cents, when I redone my 64, I found a 66 V 6 chassis. The 66 V 6 had 10 X 2" brakes, and 3:73 gears, I put radial tires equivalent to 750 X 15 tires on it. I can go a little over 60 mph, but don't like pushing my 134 that hard. I can cruise at 55 mph no problem. Like Howard said, on a long hill it slows down going up, I have to make sure that I am going 45 or better when I see a long hill coming, as it can not gain speed pulling up hill. The two lane blacktop roads in small town Michigan are always 55 mph speed limit, so no problem going cruising with the club, but I have to pay attention when we are in the hills.

 

Thanks!

 

I shouldn't have that problem too much, hills are pretty small here on the coast of SC, but I will have to cross over bridges.