New Jeepster Owner

Hello everyone! I just picked up my brand new jeepster last week. I got it from my brother who has been letting it sit for over 7 years in the same spot on his farm where it ran out of gas. He ended up giving it to me as a birthday present and now its sitting in my garage. After a few days I finally got her to crank and took "The Sweetster" for its maiden voyage down my street last night. Boy do I have some work to do! The body is generally good with no dents to see and with a bunch of surface rust...and on entire underneath! Its not eaten through anywhere and with a wire brush it all comes off....I did end up twisting off both bleeder screws on the front axle trying to get brakes, but at least i was able to get the rear brakes working...just no front. I have no idea whatsoever what I am going to do with it, but I wasn't going to turn the gift down...even though my wife thought different! LOL!

Ok the specs (from what I know):
All Stock drivetrain 41K miles (I am the 3rd owner)
225 with T14 and D20 TC
Ramsey PTO Winch
Mico Parking Brake Switch (No Regular E Brake???)
Dana 44 rearend
Dana 27?? Frontend
"Custom" Camo Paint Job!

 

Nice! Welcome from Louisiana!

 

Welcome from Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Andrew

 

Welcome aboard, looks a little familiar.

 

Thanks!

Now that paint code has to be rare!

 

Welcome, your wife will come to love it, in time, maybe R).

 

Your paint job would blend right into the woods here with the fall colors we currently have.
Welcome from south central Michigan.

 

Welcome from Nova Scotia

 

Welcome from South Carolina!

 

Welcome from the mid-west.

 

I just have a few questions I am looking for advice / opinions on. I have access to a few parts I was thinking about seeing if I could even use on the Jeepster. Best of all these parts are all free!
Here's what I have:
1) 79 CJ7 frame with front (Dana30 3.55) and rear diffs (AMC w/3.55), manual steering, and 3spd with Dana300 TC
2) 304 w/ 4spd & Dana300 still attached from 80 CJ.

I searched around the forum and I know I would like to use the 79's front diff since it has disc brakes, but couldn't find exactly how much modifications I need to do the swap. I know I will need to change out the gears from 3.55 to 3.73 which is what my current ratio is in the front. Also, I have the ross steering in mine and while the manual steering box from the 79 isn't the best swap since it isn't power, but would I need to change out the column in mine to make the intermediate connection to the steering box work?

Also, the 3pd I currently have pops out of 2nd gear and thought about swapping either the 3pd or 4spd from the other ones, but wasn't sure if either will bolt up to the Dana 20 I have or would the 300 be better? Another thing to consider is my Dana20 currently has a PTO attached to it that runs the winch up front which I would like to keep.

Thanks in Advance!!

 

Nice Jeepster! Nothing beats free! Welcome:v6: from FLA

 

You will need to change out the column. Ross uses a totally different shaft end. Also the column comes through the floor at a different angle because of the way the Ross box mounts so you'll need to take that into account.
You could use the 304 in your Jeepster but it's going to be a tight squeeze as well as changing frame engine mounts, rad location etc, etc. Can be done, I've seen at least one other one. Heck, I've seen a few 350, 455 Buicks wedged in so nothing is impossible although the Buicks require less fab work for the engine mounts.Actually none at all . Reminds me I need to get a picture of mine in my snowplow Jeepster.