Blalp!’s Build/project (‘64 Cj5)

Blalp- are you familiar with this “tie rod flip”?
You’d probably flip your drag link but the process is pretty simple. I had a similar problem and just did the draglink on one of my Jeeps.

 

There's enough meat to the pitman arm just ream from the top, use a flange nut and locktite on the bottom. Goferit is out of business. A 2 hole knuckle for the passenger side would also improve things you could do a complete tie rod, draglink flip.

 

That would be a good improvement and much easier than relocating the steering box mount. It also keeps the shorter pitman arm.

 

After much thought, opted to move the steering box ahead 3”. I made what was the front lower mounting point into the rear lower point. I then added two new front mounts (upper and lower). Next, an inch was cut out of the long tie rod and tapped just over an additional inch. Now the tie rod and drag link are positioned correctly and don’t interfere with each other. After setting the toe, a test drive that became a few hours long was a success!

 

I was excited to get the 4 speed installed and just couldn’t wait until winter.

I got up early one July morning and said “Stay focused on the outcome and get it done!”. Well, that was a mistake. The two bottom holes of the GM NP435 were threaded. I made the quick decision to drill out the threads, as apposed to bolting from inside the bellhousing. OOPS! That was a mistake that cost me the rest of the day.


After a few minutes, I realized studs were needed. Both the hardware store and I didn’t have exactly what I needed, so I had to make them. This was my first attempt at a threading operation on the lathe. It would have gone a lot faster if I had a threading dial. After about an hour I had this.


What the stud looks like in the transmission. The studs were installed in the bellhousing first. Then nutted on a little at a time from side to side until tight.


The crossmember was inspired by Norcal69. This was my take on it after a quick consult with him. The trans mount holes are sleeved. The crossmember to frame bolts are recessed. The drivers side angle is a bit steeper to make room for future uses (PTO winch and/or two into one exhaust)



After a couple weeks, I was finally at a point that I could test drive it. While it’s a hard pull out of 1st, all the synchro gears shift very nicely. The narrow ratio is exactly as I had hoped, and is much better than the T14. While on my test drive I gave the chassis a good undercoating, by leaving a bolt out of the transfercase. Thought it was a blind hole, but I was wrong. Drained what was left of the oil, no metal flakes, refilled, and drove. Seems okay.


The tunnel cover is still in the works. Trying to improve throttle pedal comfort at the same time. Moving the seat back 3” wasn’t quite enough.

 

Slowly and not steadily making headway on the fuel injection. This is based on (and with the help of) Norcal69’s design.


Starting to install home made crank triggers.



Here is the steel portion of the crank sensor bracket.

The O2 sensor bung has been welded and sensor installed in exhaust header.

Next will be fuel lines and fuel pump.

 

A customer asked us to get dispose of this. I saw it and thought “that could become a spare tire carrier”. Nice latching mechanism with an anti-rattle tensioner, and a hold-open pin on the hinge. I may even be able to straighten the basket and incorporate it elsewhere in the Jeep. I’m a bit excited. Just need to figure a way to mount it to the frame and add a trailer hitch.

 

Could be very useful Shaun. That basket would fit nicely on top of a half cab, wink-wink....

 

In an attempt to create a comfortable throttle pedal (without being underneath the brake pedal), I purchased a set of hanging pedals from a CJ7. However, I wasn’t ready to close off the heater plenum. Back to fixing the dual reservoir pedals that were very loose. After seeing Compostwerks’ NOS parts, I decided to experiment. I ordered a NOS (single reservoir) brake pedal arm and pedal cross shaft frame bracket, as well as, a quality reproduction cross shaft. While the single and dual reservoir pedal arms aren’t the same, they can be made to work with the help of a bushing.

The bend is about half an inch different from center to center.

Yes, the bolts I had on hand are a bit too long.

Seen here; The NOS military cross shaft bracket is a half inch narrower than the dual res bracket.

This afternoon I cut down a 5/8” bolt and drilled a 7/16” hole in the middle to make a bushing to adapt the new pedal arm to the dual reservoir.

After months of slowing picking away at this project, we now have a working set of pedals that have almost no play (compared to what was about an inch of play side to side). My shoe should no longer hit both the throttle and brake pedals at the same time.

 

That should be a big improvement Shaun. I remembered the old configuration and it wasn't that user friendly.

 

I’ve found that working 60-70 hours a week with an occasional 80 hour week creates a loss of ambition. I found a small spark of motivation over the last week or so, and pulled my leaky front axle yoke. I had swapped a large front yoke into my V6 Dana 27 during my initial build/assembly. Knowing there was a groove, figured it may weep. It did, and then some. So off came the yoke and on went a ready sleeve…

and new seal…

Then I mixed and matched parts from the original front drive shaft and that of a late CJ front shaft to get a length that looked close enough to finally have 4WD. I tossed that in yesterday, and took the Jeep up to Compostwerks’ place to drop off some battery cable and pick up some OD paint and more vented windshield parts to finish up the barter project. While there we tested the 4WD on some of his trials. Felt like it was working as designed. Dropped him at his shop, and headed the 20 min ride for home. Things sounded a little different but I just assumed it a result of the front hubs being locked and driveshaft spinning. Got home and found the D18 front output was unhappy…

We’re probably done for the season. Now to contemplate what to do with the drivetrain. I have a wide ratio gears for the NP435, an intermediate T18 case, adapter, and mainshaft, T19 out of an international, enough pieces to assemble a D18, D20, D18 with 20 ratio (more on this in a moment), and D20 with D18 ratio, a 44 front and 60-2 out of a Travelall. Was thinking about narrowing them both to CJ narrow track. After a conversation with Fireball, I realized the 60-2 can be made into a centered or offset rear axle. I purchased from member Jon B. a Ramsey PTO winch setup that came out of an intermediate. In order for the bottom mount PTO to work with a transfer case, it needs to have D20 gears (be it set up as a D18 or 20).

As stated above; this project won’t be tackled any time soon, so there is no pressure to plan. I’m certainly open to suggestions from others.

-Blalp

 

Man, you are glutton for punishment...! It makes me tired just reading what you do.

I got my venting w/s installed last night, and it took me the entire summer, plus 20 years. Thanks to you for the assist!

 

Haha, Thanks Pete. I appreciate what you do too!

I’m glad you are able to enjoy your vented windshield.

 

Might just be the seal leaking, or maybe through the splines? Check that first?? If you go the complicated route, I'd choose the T-19 since the first gear is synchronized. I had the T-19 four speed in my 80' Scout back in the day and had no trouble with it. From our friends at Novac; https://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/transmissions/manual/t18-t19/