G503 Project

I acquired this MB frame/GPW tub back in August of 2022 and it's been moved to a few different places for safekeeping until I wanted to fool with it. These are the current plans/parts I have.

On November 4, 2022, I bought a 455 Buick and stored it in the shop. I wanted a car 4 speed but finding what I wanted and buying the adapter to fit it was $$$, then I thought about an automatic but I don't like slush boxes so that thought was quickly dismissed. I'll be picking up an SM465/T221 tomorrow from Texas. I wanted an SM420 and if I find one I'll (try to) use it instead of an SM465.

I have a set of 47" leaf springs from two different GM trucks and spring hangers to use them.

I was going to use the old axles from the 3b since they were rebuilt only a few years ago and the D30 has chromo axles/locker and the D44 has a spool. The problem is the 3" wide leaf spring probably won't clear the D30 housing since 2.5" YJ springs just barely fit. I'm likely going to have to source a set of axles for this project now. I'm thinking Waggy D44 or GM D44 and narrow it for the front and as for the rear I am undecided right now.

The tub is more or less about as rough as the 3b was when I got it. Maybe worse.





The frame is MB and still has the machine gun mount in the back.

 

Find on an old K5 to build it off of.

 

I picked up the SM465 and T221 from Texas. 365 miles and 14 hours 19 minutes total trip time. Like all good trips, it started with 4 hours of sleep. 45.031 gallons of gas used and overall fuel economy was 19.2 mpg. Not too bad!

The transfercase seems to be mechanically sound besides a few leaks. The SM465 looks to be in good shape too but I wasn't worried about it. I have 2 other SM465s lying around already. Now to find some axles!

 

I bought a pair of D44s and I traded a manual Saginaw box for a steering column and steering gear.

The D44s are under this ol' 392 powered IH. I'll have to pull them later.



In this mess, I found a gem....



a tilt/telescoping column! The steering gear I pulled from a '94 Toyota 4runner.



Now I just have to figure out how to adapt the Buick V8 to SM465 and buy a flywheel for said engine, then we'll be getting somewhere.

 

I think the 465 will bolt right up to a BOP bellhousing. GM is GM. But you are asking an awful lot from that 80 year old frame.

 

I found this at the junkyard. L67 Buick 3800. I'm seriously considering using this engine. It turned by hand and the oil looked fine. I'll see if I can spin it over and go from there. ODO showed 199k. Assuming all goes as planned, I'll have my D44s pulled from the Cornbinder by tomorrow afternoon.

 

The sideways motors are a little tougher because they don't have motor mount provisions on the side of the block and the have the small 60 degree 2.8l V6 belhousing.

 

Party pooper. It would be better to find a 3.8 from a rear wheel drive source.

 

I’m going to look again but I thought I saw engine mounts on the side of the block. Even if there aren’t it’s not a big deal. I bought the engine. Threw my jump box at the car, messed with a few wires, stabbed the ignition cylinder with a screwdriver and it started right up. I held it against the rev limiter a few times and it held together so it should be fine. Well worth $150 to me

 

A member here stuffed one of those in his jeep. I forget who it was.... but I remember his air intake was on the back near the firewall.

 

http://www.earlycj5.com/xf_cj5/index.php?threads/112759/page-5

 

The first year or two of transverse mounts still had the motor mount bolt holes on the sides. They are pretty snappy engines.

 

Axles have 3.54 gears. This works well for me since I want it to be more of road worthy Jeep for now. I plan to run around a 33" tire.

It took just over an hour to pull the axles without cutting anything (besides one brake hose) and the wobbly stack of wheels was super sketchy.



I appreciate the Buick engine information, guys! I might have the 3.8 pulled sometime next week. I have to pull the wiring harness first and the fine folks at the yard said they'd pull the engine afterwards. I'll try to get the frame in the shop next week or so and see what condition it's in overall. I planned to just chop both frame ends and go straight out with some 2x3 square tubing like the 3b. I'll outboard the spring hangers and if the D44 C's have to be turned I'll knock that out too. Long road ahead of me for sure. The body will get the bare minimum in patchwork because I loathe sheet metal work. I haven't decided how to run the cage but it might end up similar to the 3b but who knows? Plans constantly change!

 

Got the harness pulled this afternoon. I intend to integrate as much of the harness into the Jeep as possible like the headlights, blinkers, etc.



The engine should be ready to come out now. I did most of the work so the guy shouldn't have to fight too much to pull it.

 

I ended up helping the guy pull the engine this afternoon. I remembered seeing some bell housings in a connex a few weeks ago so I walked up to the door and there were two of them sitting on the shelf. Bellhousing and clutch fork for $20. The bellhousing will have to be bored out to fit the SM465 bearing retainer but there's plenty of meat on it. I have a decent pile of stuff that will be getting the steam cleaner treatment now.