Rebuilding "Cream Puff"

Lookin' good Clint! Where'd you get the wheels? Are they 4-1/2" M38 wheels, or 5" truck?

 

Thanks, Ron. They're actually 16x6. I bought them off KansasJeeper, who bought them off a guy that swore they came from an a1. Says it belonged to his dad who got it at surplus from a fire dept and then kept it for farm use for something like 30yrs. I dunno what they're from.

Here's a frame pic, first coat not quite finished, still needs flipped:

 

Are you measuring the wheels outside edge to outside edge? Or inside to inside? The correct way is inside to inside, if that's 4-1/2" they could very well be A1 wheels. The little 1/8" hole on the flanges means they're either military or pickup wheels, 4-1/2" is military and 5" is truck. If they're A1's, must have been an early one.

The later A1 wheels had little flat areas where the center part dish met the outer rim, same as the CJ5 wheels. The early A1's and M38's had fully curved dishes out to the rim, just like the CJ2A and 3A wheels.

Also, do they have safety beads? That's a sure way to tell military wheels.

 

Can you spot the rookie here?

Looks like I've got a mix. 4 are 5", and my spare and a 6th wheel not pictured are 4-1/2". Not sure how to spot a safety bead. In the night picture above with the row of 4 wheels sitting on the plywood on the ground, the 2nd wheel from left to right is my 4-1/2".

 

Safety bead is the raised portion circled in this photo, around the inside of the rim (ignore the text, old comment...too lazy to erase it). Helps to keep flat/low tires from coming off, I guess. One o' them military things. The 5" rims are most likely truck rims.

 

Man you work fast. Looking great.

 

Thanks.

Ron, looks like I've got two with the safety bead (4-1/2") and four without (5"). I'm putting the 5" on the JEEP and using one of the 4-1/2" as the spare.

 

Welp, this project came to a screeching halt tonight.

I've done a "little" cutting to the floor pans. Not much left of the tub:


Just a "wee bit" of daylight showing through:


Took the F-head apart. Was concerned when I found the water neck cracked in half. Couldn't have held too much coolant that way.


So I confirmed my fears when I removed the head and found that my supposedly "ran good when parked" F-head has a deep fissure completely through #1 & #2 cylinders. What really sucks is that I have to heave this pig into the back of the pickup now to get it to the scrap yard.


So, now I'm not sure where to go with this project. I've got a rolling chassis and an okay looking front clip, but that's about it. I'm thinking at this point that it is going to either be a resto-mod, or it's going to be parts. Flip of the coin as to which. I've got a 4.3L EFI sitting in the driveway and an SM465 in the shed that have both been begging me for a home. Only thing is, I've already basically got that JEEP with my '70. I really wanted something original looking that I could just cruise around, take to the car shows, Midwest Willys Reunion, etc. Kinda bummed.

 

Okay, slept on it. So, correct me if I'm wrong, but just eyeballing the frame it looks as if a 4.3L conversion would interfere with the batt tray on the '63 frame. Not sure what year they switched, but my '70 has the batt up on the firewall. This one is down by the front shock mount on the pass side. I'm thinking that pretty much narrows my choices down to either:

a) another F-head
b) part out
c) can full of gas and a handful of matches

-Or- ...and this would definitely be breaking away from the OE path, but still might be a fun project... A guy in my local Jeep club pulled a complete 2.5L drivetrain out of his '97 TJ in order to do a 4.0L conversion. I think it is EFI. Just wants it out of his garage for $100. Blasphemy to even consider putting it in the '63?

 

..now that piques my intrest...in my book has a deffinate cool factor...origional looks and modern 4 cyl drivetrain....price is hard to pass up too....

 

I'll be pulling my F-134/T90 out this winter or in the spring, but that may be too far off for ya.

Love the idea of a new 4 banger in that... Will you have interference with the newer transmission being too long?

 

http://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/kit_b150gm.htm

....kinda something I've given some thought to.....

 

Dernit. I was hoping you guys would vote for choice "c" above.

Interesting. So I guess I had always figured the TJ 2.5L used either an AMC pattern, or an SBC pattern, but the write-up Sparky was speaking of says 60deg.
http://www.offroaders.com/tech/jeep/transmission-conversion-Swapping_a_SM420_into_a_YJ.htm

I've been saving an old T-150 bell just for such an occasion, but I guess it won't work for this motor, even though the motor was designed in the AMC era? :?

Also forgot about CPS. Didn't even consider the starter hitting. Hmmm...