57 CJ5 retoration

I acquired a 57 Willys CJ% from my sister a few years back. It has been sitting for maybe..a thousand years. I am in the process of having it restored, but it is not original. The body is being removed from the frame and they will all be sand blasted and painted. I would value any input for this process. A few questions to start...

1) The jeep has a 283 engine. Cost is roughly $1570.00 for overhaul but I would add a pertronix ignition and updated alternator. Is it wise to keep this engine or buy a crate motor?
2) tranny is a T-90A. Tranny, warn overdrive, transfer case being overhauled. Is this an acceptable combo, 283 with T90? Is there an overhaul kit with heavy duty parts to accomodate the 283? (looking at kit from Novak conversions)
3)All other drivetrain components are stock.. and will be overhauled (ie front/rear ends)
4)in need of new steering column...has a chevy one with steering box relocated to the front bumper area..but need new. Any ideas?
5) convert to new brakes with Herms dual reservoir cylinder kit. Also, front discs and larger rear drums or discs? Any kits available?
6) other parts such as seats, shocks, etc..

Any input is greatly appreciated as I have never undertaken this kind of task before with a Jeep (4wd).

I was looking at NOVAK conversions for some parts. Thanks in advance...As soon as I can figure out how to do it I will add a couple of pics of the project so far..
Paul from NC

 

1) Forget the 283. Use this instead: http://www.sdparts.com/catalog/crateengines/GMPerformanceParts350ci290hpEconomyEngine.aspx

I've got the same engine in one of my Jeeps and it's rock solid. I've also seen it for less than Scoggin Dickey's price, so some shopping could knock as much as a couple hundred off their $1890 price. You can reuse most, if not all of the stuff off your 283 on the 350.

2) Novak makes the best rebuild kits for trannies and t-cases. Also check www.hermtheoverdriveguy.com for good drivetrain parts and pieces. T-90 isn't ideal behind a 300hp V8, but you can make it live if you're smart with the throttle.

3) Maybe upgrade the brakes to later model 10- or 11-inch drums. Herm has a kit, or you can use parts off a '70s-up CJ. The front can use drums and knuckles from a '60s J-truck or Wagoneer.

4) I always make my own with parts from Borgeson.

5) I've had really, really poor results with Stainless Steel Brakes. Anything else should be okay.

6) All of 'em. Box the frame from the firewall up to the front bumper for starters.

 

The 283 swap was very popular back before the V6s were widely available. Whether you'll be happy with the T-90 depends on your driving habits.

The 283 is a great engine - what's wrong with the 283 now? Have you checked the compression? What's the oil pressure?

There is no "heavy duty" T-90. The quality of the parts, from supplier to supplier, certainly varies.

What do you mean by "overhaul" and what do you hope to gain?

It's Saginaw steering - search and you'll find lots of old posts.

I'd suggest you get it running and drive it for a while. Hang out here and learn the ropes. You'll then have a better idea of what you want and what is practical and/or realistic.

hth! Tim

<edit> Re the brakes, 4-wheel 11" drums are popular - kits from R&P or Herm probably others. You can convert to disks on the front axle, but you might want to swap to a newer axle (Dana 30) that already has disks. Easy swap, except for the gear change to match the rear axle.

 

Well when I got it I drained the oil as it had been sitting for close to 12 years...the oil was very bad with a large amount of water in it. Also, the water pump is shot and there was rust in the gas tank and thar carb was shot. Some of the plugs had rust on them (inside). The engine will turn over so it is not frozen. The tranny was having problems before it was put to pasture, according to my sister. The clutch also seems to be frozen, or atleast the pedal wont move.
I was just hoping to keep the same engine and make it something I can drive on the road, to work and also some light/meddium off roading. I don't want to make it a souped up engine.
I have been on Herm's page and Novak's conversion and did some searching.

 

Take a walk through the tech pages here. There's some info there on both steering and brakes. Using the search function on these forums will fetch a lot of useful info too - try "saginaw steering", and then whatever else strikes your fancy.

Up to you whether you want to try and bring back the 283 - just because it hasn't run in a while doesn't mean it needs rebuilding, but the water could be a problem. Some (many?) 283s have steel cranks, and you never know what it came from till you run the numbers. Might be a valuable engine - probably not, but worth checking.