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'52 m38a1 v6 sm465

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by redrider88, Sep 2, 2011.

  1. Sep 5, 2011
    redrider88

    redrider88 Member

    Sonoma, ca
    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2011
    Messages:
    67
    With everything sitting on it's mounts, i wanted to focus on getting the engine running again. The first item was to tackle the cooling system. My original plan was just to get a radiator out of a late '60's CJ5 that came with the V6. I had no idea it was going to be so hard to find this piece. With no luck, i gave up on this idea and decided to modify the 4 cyl radiator to fit to the V6. This was out of my league, so i found a radiator shop that could do all the mods i needed (finding a shop was a challenge too!). The core was shot, so we replaced that and i needed the bottom tank turned 180 degrees because the pass side of the lower tank is cut at an angle and there is no tank where i needed the new outlet to be. The white line is the mark where the belt runs so the outlet needs to be on the other side and you can see the lack of tank,

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    After rotating the tank i needed a new outlet to be bent up at 30 degrees and rotated towards the pass side fender 45 degrees. With that work done, i put it in the jeep and it all worked perfect. Because i put the motor as far forward as i could to keep the rear driveline as long as possible, there is only about 1 1/2" between the water pump and the radiator.
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    Here is a pic of the finished outlet.
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    I picked up a 16" fan that moves about 2100 cfm and adjustable fan controller from summit. The fan fit just perfect in the original grill without any cutting and i fabed up mounts to bolt it directly to the steel so i didn't have to mount it to the radiator.
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    With the cooling system now done, i picked up a new fuel pump, ran some fuel line and filter, wired up the ignition, starter, alt, elec fan, oil and water gauges, put on the exhaust manifolds, filled the trans and transfer with oil, then cranked her for a minute and she fired right up!! this was a big moment for me!

    Anyone know what temp i should set the elec fan to turn on and off at? I'm running a 190 degree thermostat?
     
    Last edited: Sep 8, 2011
  2. Sep 6, 2011
    redrider88

    redrider88 Member

    Sonoma, ca
    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2011
    Messages:
    67
    With one big hurdle crossed, motor/trans/transfer, it was time to move on to the next big phase of the project, saginaw steering upgrade. I wanted the original look again, so i wanted kept the original steering wheel/column look. i started by cutting the steering shaft tube to a length that would allow it to just poke through the firewall. It looked like if it went down too low i would have clearance problems with shaft between the box and the column. I built a square plate out of 3/16" steel and welded it about 1/4" from the end of the tube and bolted through existing holes.
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    Next, i made a bronze bushing that pressed into the tube with an id about .004 bigger than the steering shaft.
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    This is what it looks like poking through the firewall.
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    Then i picked up a universal joint from advanced adapters that went from 7/8" round on one side to 3/4" double D. The steering shaft is about .900, so i turned it down to fit .875. The holes are for the set screws in the joint. One goes all the way though, and the other is a blind hole.
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    Here's how it turned out.
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  3. Sep 7, 2011
    Mike C

    Mike C Member

    Austin, TX
    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2007
    Messages:
    743
    Great looking build! I have similar plans in the future for my A1. I really like the way you handled the steering column.
     
  4. Sep 8, 2011
    redrider88

    redrider88 Member

    Sonoma, ca
    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2011
    Messages:
    67
    Thanks Mike! I'll watch for your A1 build on here!
    With the column done, i wanted to move on to mounting the steering box and then figure out what i was gonna do about the shaft between the box and the column. I picked up a power box from a late '70's cherokee. Then i found some great cad drawing from mcruff of the plate to mount the steering box to and built it out of 1/2" steel.
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    Then I got some tie rod ends from herm and picked up a piece of 1" 4130 chrome moly tubing with 1/4" wall and tapped left and right threads in the tubing. I did this part first so i could place the box where it wouldn't have any clearance issues. I mocked it up with aluminum tubing some i didn't mess up the chome moly. That stuff is expensive!
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    Next it was time to attach the box plate to frame. i had a clearance issue with the driver side front spring hanger, so i had to notch the plate so it would fit flat on the frame.
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    Then i needed a little more support, so i added some gusset made out of the same 1/2" plate.
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    Before i welded the plate on, i put some spacers inside the frame so it would not crush down when tightened the bolts.
    [​IMG]
    And now the mounting of the box was done.
    [​IMG]
     
  5. Sep 8, 2011
    redrider88

    redrider88 Member

    Sonoma, ca
    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2011
    Messages:
    67
    With everything mounted, it was now obvious that a strait shaft would not work, as it hit the exhaust manifold. So i picked up 2 more u-joints, one is 3/4" x 30 spline that mounts right to the box, and the other is a 3/4" x 3/4" double D joint, to make a 2 piece steering shaft. So i needed a 3/4" heim joint and a mounting tab on the frame.
    [​IMG]

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    Here is what i ended up with. I have about 3/4" clearance on the manifold now.
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    The last piece of this steering puzzle, was a power steering pump. I did a ton or research and found a pump and brackets on ebay off of a 1970 buick skylark with a 350 motor and they work great!!
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    I had one clearance issue between the tie rods and the pass side front spring, as the double tie rod end would hit the spring when the wheel was turned all the way to the left. So i made so 1/4" spacer to go between the spring and the perch and that problem was solved.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 8, 2011
  6. Sep 8, 2011
    '74Renegade

    '74Renegade Active Member

    Fair Oaks, CA
    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2005
    Messages:
    1,275
    Wow, very nice build. :lurk:
     
  7. Sep 9, 2011
    redrider88

    redrider88 Member

    Sonoma, ca
    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2011
    Messages:
    67
    Now with the steering almost finished, I wanted to move on to the disc brake upgrade. I noticed, when i pulled the spindles off, a few of the threads were stripped in the steering knuckle. After some research, it sounded like this was a pretty common problem and a weak link, especially with over sized tires. I decided to upgrade to studs, as they are much stronger. I think i got the mopar part number off of this web site or from vernco.com. The only tricky part of this was the fact that the head of the stud will hit the cast ball of the axle housing. So with some measuring before i removed the knuckle, i figured out i need to machine the back side of the knuckle down by about .080". This would give me enough clearance. I started by drilling and reaming out the existing hole to .376". Then i came back in with a 5/8" end mill and made the seat for the stud head to sit in.
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    After pressing in all the studs, i replaced the knuckle seals, re-packed the king pins, used the original shims, and then installed the caliper mounting brackets. The caliper brackets came from ryan the jeep guy. The reasons went with these is, they were cheaper then what the junk yard wanted for them, and they clock the caliper to a 2 o'clock position so they don't interfere with the plug in the steering knuckle.
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    Next, i cleaned up the old hubs, especially the back side where the new rotors would mate to, picked up some wheel studs with 1/2" longer splines, as they have to go through the rotor now, placed the rotor behind the hub, and pressed the new studs in. The rotors are for a '77 CJ5, 1 1/8" thick. Then i re-packed the wheel bearings and replaced the wheel seals and installed it on the spindle. I got some calipers off a '75 chevy 1/2 ton 4x4 and when i mounted them to the bracket, the rotor and caliper seem to work perfect together. I used brake hoses of the '77 CJ5, they are 15" long and have the right ends on both sides.
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    It's a little hard to see in this picture, but after i got it all put together, i noticed that after the pads wore down about 3/16", the caliper will hit the knuckle on the back side of where the big seal mounts. So with a carbide rotary burr, i clearanced the casting so the caliper would not hit anymore.
    [​IMG]
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  8. Sep 10, 2011
    ojgrsoi

    ojgrsoi Retired 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Weatherford, TX
    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2002
    Messages:
    2,231
    Very nice detail, craftsmanship AND photography. Those photos are excellent.
     
  9. Sep 10, 2011
    Mike C

    Mike C Member

    Austin, TX
    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2007
    Messages:
    743
    Awesome. I was seriously contemplating same setup but wound up buying a D30. Have it apart now for gears. I really wanted a TrueTrac for the front and the 30 seemed the easiest way to make that happen. Carry on with the great work!
     
  10. Oct 4, 2011
    redrider88

    redrider88 Member

    Sonoma, ca
    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2011
    Messages:
    67
    Sorry guys. Deer season is open in CA right now, so i have't had much time to get on here and add some updates.
    My next step was to move on to the pedal/power brake booster/hydraulic clutch set-up. For this i am adding swinging pedals that came out of a YJ. I'm not sure of the year, but i think most of them will work. I figured the easiest way would be to use the booster and master cylinder out of the YJ as well so it would bolt to the pedal assy. like it was designed. I pretty much let the pedals determine where the whole setup was going to go and just double checked that i had enough clearance under the hood. Here's where it ended up.
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    The pedals seem to be in a pretty good spot, but i won't know for sure till i get a chance to hook everything up. The firewall is too weak to support the pedal pressure, so it looks like i need to strengthen the it with a plate. I had to remove the glove box to fit the pedals in, but i am planning to modify it so it will fit again.
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    I picked up a wilwood 3/4" master cylinder from summit, and again working backwards from the pedals, figured out where it needed to be mounted.
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    Now we are caught up to current time and from here on out i'm sure progress will slow a little bit. My goal is to get the jeep driving in the next 6 weeks and see what issues i'm gonna have with any of these modifications and then during winter, strip the whole thing back down and paint and finish all the details. We won't have any updates for the next 3 weeks as we drew an elk hunt in northern new mexico and all my time is going into getting ready for that.
     
  11. Oct 4, 2011
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    8,360
    Jeep looks great
    Where about?
     
  12. Oct 4, 2011
    redrider88

    redrider88 Member

    Sonoma, ca
    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2011
    Messages:
    67
    Thanks patrick! We are going to unit 51. North of Espanola. the plan is to hunt the carson NF west of vallecitos. you know much about the area?
     
  13. Oct 4, 2011
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
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    Little bit. I'm about 20 minutes from Espanola. You going to be over by El Rito I reckon? North to Tres Piedras..West to Tierra Amarilla..
    I don't know all of that area; most of my time is spent in unit 6 in the Jemez..
     
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2011
  14. Oct 4, 2011
    redrider88

    redrider88 Member

    Sonoma, ca
    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2011
    Messages:
    67
    That's the area! i don't know too much about the area, but it sounds like the elk numbers are pretty good! We'll be stopping at walmart in espanola for some last minute supplies next tuesday and we're staying till the 19th or 20th. Do you have a shop or anything we could check out if we get some extra time at the end of the hunt?
     
  15. Oct 4, 2011
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
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    8,360
    No, not really. I work at a small shop here in Los Alamos, but nothing to see really. Are you camping up there?
     
  16. Oct 5, 2011
    redrider88

    redrider88 Member

    Sonoma, ca
    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2011
    Messages:
    67
    Ya. We got one of those canvas outfitter tents with the wood stove in it. It's not really "roughing it" pretty luxirious! Looks like they are calling for snow coming up in a couple days.
     
  17. Oct 5, 2011
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
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    8,360
    High mountain snow. Won't be much and won't last long.
    Sorry about hijacking your build thread..;)
     
  18. Oct 5, 2011
    Hawkes

    Hawkes Member

    Nova scotia
    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2003
    Messages:
    490
    Is the caliper on the wrong side? I see the bleeder is on the bottom.
     
  19. Oct 5, 2011
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
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    Good eye. Yep, the bleeder needs to be on top.
     
  20. Oct 7, 2011
    redrider88

    redrider88 Member

    Sonoma, ca
    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2011
    Messages:
    67
    Thanks Hawkes! I knew starting this thread was a good idea. You guys can catch all my mistakes and set me strait!!:beer:
     
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