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Intermediate Frankenjeep Build

sterlclan said:
i like em but i would have angled the ends of the horizontal flat bars so it wasn't a square edge.
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The bottom edge is a 2” channel iron at 45*. It’s welded to a 2x5” bent 10 ga. ‘plate’ that’s bolted to the tub.

I can’t draw it using ASCII characters, but I have paper, pen and camera…

IMG_3870.jpeg

Or, did you mean the leading & trailing edges, so it’s less likely to grab onto stuff?

I’m hoping that the tires will prevent that.

Jon B.
 
it looked like it was a flat bar welded at a 90 to the angle .and yes, I was talking tapered edges for both ascetics and function.
 
Well, the tuning got done yesterday. It was in the shop for just over four hours, and ‘kind of’ runs OK. I really should have chosen a different engine for this thing; one with a more common ECM and a cable-operated throttle body. The E40 is sort of a red-headed stepchild in the automotive world.

I may try to find an E40 from a Corvette or GTO to replace this one; one that was in a vehicle with a manual transmission. The Chevy SSR was discussed earlier but that dog won’t hunt, as the fuel system and throttle body are radically different from what mine has.

The lean condition was corrected but the engine is slow to return to idle when the pedal is released. Once it’s at full operating temp, it gets better. At least the SM465 transmission doesn’t like fast shifts, so it should be OK until I can find a reasonably priced ECM.

I did also get the hoop bent for the roll cage behind the windshield, even though they used an exhaust pipe bender. I could have done that three months ago for less money.

Jon B.
 
More fabricobbling…

IMG_3874.jpeg
Yes, it’s straight, rather than following the windshield & dash. It’s stronger when not bent, and I want/need the dash clearance.

IMG_3877.jpeg
Summit Racing provided these four-point harnesses. Retro look/style and affordable.

The main roll bar is awaiting some steel before being fitted to the wheelhouses. The original material was in bad shape, and got cut off.

Jon B.
 
No pics but…

The Jeep made its first road trip yesterday! Mrs. B. and I drove ten miles to have an overpriced adult beverage at the monthly “Small Town Saturday Night” event in a small town (they’re all small out here) nearby.

The heap rolls down the road quite nicely except for a lotta whining from the SM465 when in high gear. It’s only when under power; let off the gas and it’s quiet.

It tracks well, with no noticeable vibration or shakes. No Death Wobble at the speeds I drove (generally under 50). It just might work!

Jon B.
 
May mean nothing.
No personal experience with the SM465.
With the T-18s, it's typically the lower gears that whine some.
It's a truck transmission, and the gear teeth get a less aggressive angle to make them stronger.
In top gear, the cluster is under no load and the transmission is quieter.
Cushioned by the oil film?
Your experience is backwards from what I would expect.
 
X2. should be quiet in high gear. Are you sure the noise is not from the TC or the rear end?
 
Ol Fogie said:
X2. should be quiet in high gear. Are you sure the noise is not from the TC or the rear end?
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I can’t be positive that it’s not the D20 but it’s much quieter in (on the shifter knob) 1st & 2nd gears. If it was the T-case, I’d expect it to stay the same in all gears, but increasing in volume with speed.

The noise is directly between the seats, so I don’t suspect the rear axle. The front hubs are disengaged so it’s unlikely to be the front axle.

I think I’ll just run it for now and see what happens.

Jon B.
 
I was busy today.

The roll cage was hard-tacked in place, then removed for the final welding. All of the hours spent fabricating and bolting things in place, and then taking everything out. Boo!

IMG_3894.jpeg

IMG_3901.jpeg

It takes a come-along and a ratchet strap to squeeze the sides in so the whole cage can come out. My Cat paint job is taking a beating. Oh well, it’ll get worse.

Jon B.
 
Roll cage is painted and installed. Seat mounts, also. Front bumper welded; final fit, cleaning and painting, then it, too can go on.

ECM is again off for more fine/tuning. This time it’s at Garret Tuning, in Ohio.

IMG_3904.jpeg

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The two pieces of channel iron under the bumper are just to keep the wood work stand from burning.

Six 1/2” Grade 8 bolts will hold the bumper to the frame.

Jon B.
 
My ECM is on its way back to me. I’ve spent about $300, and it will be in the exact same configuration as when I boxed it up for shipping.

The initial payment, I’ve since learned, was just for them to hook up a computer and look at the tables. In order for that to happen, another $100 was required for a ‘license’ for my ECM (an oddball that GM used for only a few years while transitioning from Gen III to Gen IV).

Their guy told me that he could try making some changes but it might make things worse. And, he basically wanted a blank check before he did anything. He couldn’t/wouldn’t give an estimate of what it would take.

I told him to box it up and send it back.

:banghead:

Jon B.
 
Jon B. said:
My ECM is on its way back to me. I’ve spent about $300, and it will be in the exact same configuration as when I boxed it up for shipping.

The initial payment, I’ve since learned, was just for them to hook up a computer and look at the tables. In order for that to happen, another $100 was required for a ‘license’ for my ECM (an oddball that GM used for only a few years while transitioning from Gen III to Gen IV).

Their guy told me that he could try making some changes but it might make things worse. And, he basically wanted a blank check before he did anything. He couldn’t/wouldn’t give an estimate of what it would take.

I told him to box it up and send it back.

:banghead:

Jon B.
Click to expand...
:n: That sux
 
I'm paying attention because this is coming soon for me. Aren't there a lot of outfits that supply a basic tune on a GM ECM, for pretty cheap, and can include a Gen 3 ECM?
 
timsresort said:
I'm paying attention because this is coming soon for me. Aren't there a lot of outfits that supply a basic tune on a GM ECM, for pretty cheap, and can include a Gen 3 ECM?
Click to expand...

The answer is “Yes”.

My path of last resort is to do that: buy an ECM from, say, a ‘99 GM pickup, grab the harness from same, change my throttle body (and maybe the entire intake manifold) and have that setup retuned. It’s a boatload of work, a few hundred dollars, and a general PITA.

Jon B.
 
Jon B. said:
The answer is “Yes”.

My path of last resort is to do that: buy an ECM from, say, a ‘99 GM pickup, grab the harness from same, change my throttle body (and maybe the entire intake manifold) and have that setup retuned. It’s a boatload of work, a few hundred dollars, and a general PITA.

Jon B.
Click to expand...
That would work, but I would be concerned about the amount of work to strip out a stock harness. I would also be concerned about making tune changes after the fact, unless you have a buddy with HP tuners or the like. Or how to troubleshoot the thing on your own.
 
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