So I ended up getting real sick and not being able to work in the barn until yesterday. Still busted out the passenger side header. Both sides are bolted in with the gaskets now so that I can finish up the hot side real quick.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps2e288bf9.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps7e2fe790.jpg

Hot side is complete aside from adding in the wastegate. It's 2 1/4" off the headers and 3" to the turbo. Header primaries are 1 5/8".

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps7665a766.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psce26b527.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps9db66f38.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps318602fe.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps2ef97adb.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psa0fd7a1c.jpg

No huge update but I've been working on misc odds and ends. Got a bunch of stuff cleaned up. Moved the lower arms 3/4" forward for caster. Clearanced a bunch of stuff to fit the wheels/tires. Re-machined the hubs to fit the Corvette wheels, etc. Kind of a milestone, it's now a roller.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pswttohstj.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psyzfnfpof.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pshrkzldoo.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psu9cyeakh.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps3jttavup.jpg

I'm always trying to cut costs on this thing. The BBK 80mm throttle body for a hemi = $360 plus a factory TPS and IAC. Screw that, the BBK Ford 80mm tb I've got kicking around the shop is freeeeeee. All I had to do was slot the holes, drill a locator pin hole, and bolt it on. Not bad and saved probably $400.

Marking out the new mounting holes.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psh1id7gcu.jpg

5 minutes with a die grinder.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pssxnhlx8j.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps1vleblp9.jpg

Good to go.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psk4o7jfaz.jpg

Yanked out that hose fitting, tapped the hole to 1/8 NPT and plugged.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pskqjl9y0r.jpg

I am really enjoying this build. Nice work!

That's a great idea! Glad it worked for you!

I love this Jeep. My Dad had a red Chief when I was younger(mid 80's) that was a bit of a rust bucket but would go anywhere at any time. I can't believe how nice this one is, someone must have never driven it in any kind of salt I assume. These things are almost impossible to find, have actually looked in the past and could only find a few. Your rendering looks like it has the chief graphics? I am going to keep an eye on this build for sure:popcorn2:

At first I never viewed this build because of the title. I was thinking Jeep.... Why waste your money. I was wrong! This is an awesome project and one of the most underrated on this site. Keep it up and the updates! Love it.

Nice fix and a great thread.

Great build. Great attitude.

Havent seen any MS-system build here. Been playing with MS for years.

Are you gonna run turbo with stock motor?

It seems like everyone has childhood memories of early Cherokee/Wagoneers, cool to hear yours too. I'm no exception either, my neighbor had a broke down '79 J10 that sat beside the barn and we always played in it. This Cherokee has a unique story as to why it never rusted. It was apparently purchased in Florida and shipped to Italy and used as a Department of Defense vehicle. From there it came back to the US and was parted out. I bought the shell for (I think) $600. Not a bad deal. The rendering has the "S" graphics that everyone calls "Chief" graphics. A chief would have the black "Cherokee Chief" billboards and not the Indian stripe. I'm still on the fence, at this point I'm thinking of just trying to match the new panels to the patina'ed paint and leaving it as-is. We'll see...



I can't blame you at all, lol. Jeep stuff kind of has a reputation for being redneck-ish (not that I'm not, ha). The build isn't for everyone but as long as it turns out how I envision, I'll have a smile plastered across my face the whole time and that's what matters. Thanks for the kind words!



I was all geared up to do the MS3x route and then I ended up getting roped into buying the Holley HP unit. I happen to have a really good Holley resource local to me and the support is what swayed my decision. Since I'm going cable driven tb, I don't need the Dominator and the cost is pretty competitive with the MS3x.

Yep, the plan is to run the turbo on a more or less stock engine. I only want 500 whp and the cheapest way is 8ish psi from a turbo. I was planning on upgrading the cam but it's $750 for the cam alone, then springs, etc. The ridiculous engines can stay in the other Jeep, I don't want to goof with this one. Stock with a little extra will be fine. The other plus side is if something ever goes wrong, any 09+ truck motor will replace it for cheap and I can be back on the road in a couple days.

So, the other Jeep has been stealing all my time. Finally got it running and have been racing and driving it a bit for the past few weeks so now I get to start on the Cherokee again. Used the 700ish whp Jeep to drag the Cherokee outside for pictures and to move it over to the next stall. Kind of interesting to see how much different they are, considering they're basically the same body and used to sit at the same height.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps3ioruyne.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psbatzz4ze.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psearcuzd1.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psndyeka94.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psoqfuem05.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psshywkpgy.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psqz3hadvz.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psxtknamrl.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psenximibc.jpg

Man - I had no idea those things cam in 2 doors!

Chevy frame - Dodge drivetrain - Jeep body - the Mustang TB makes sense!

Love the way it looks - keep on it!

Thanks! I'd like to think I'm being rather impartial about where the parts come from, although it pains me not to have an AMC motor. Need to find some import stuff to put on it next. lol

Yeah, the 2 doors are a rare bird. Wagoneers and Grand Wagoneers are 4-doors (aside from a few 2-doors made prior to 1968ish) and they made a slug of those. Cherokees were offered in three styles, narrow trac with 2 or 4 doors, and wide trac as a 2 door only. It took a lot of hunting for me to find a 2 door wide trac body but it just wouldn't be right without the wide fenders. This one is a 1983 Laredo, the highest trim level and last year of production. Not that it matters anymore since I "ruined" it. :D

Man that thing looks great sitting low to the ground. It's so dang cool!

Nice Jeep! 2 as a matter of fact.

I swear I was just thinking the other day that I need to look this thread up to see if I have missed any updates on it. It looks great with that stance...can't wait to see it finished.

Thanks! I saw your build on BangShift a month or two ago, and I was really impressed. I never really followed up on finding a build thread so I'm glad to see one here. When I was looking for a new body to replace the '47 Chevy truck I briefly considered a 66-72 Jeepster Commando before I ended up with the Scout. I'd be happy to answer any questions I can about my Scout or offer advice. Keep up the good work, and I hope to see it at an event someday.

If you're interested, here is the build thread for my original '47 Chevy truck based on a modified S-10 chassis:

http://www.killbillet.com/showthread...vy-AutoX-Truck

My thread on Pro-Touring for the Scout is less of a build thread, and more of an attempt to improve the front suspension. Lately I just haven't had the time or money to get that aspect of the project going again, but I hope that will change soon:

http://www.pro-touring.com/threads/1...light=Scout+II

Tyler

Thanks for the links! I've spent quite a bit of time sifting through some of it, lots of great info there.

It's funny too because I had been considering a Commando very seriously as well. But I ended up with the Cherokee because of how many parts I already had for that body style. In retrospect, the Commando would probably be a better platform from a performance standpoint but I have no regrets going with the Cherokee.

Hope you're able to get back on your project soon, cant' wait to see updates.

Downpipe and exhaust.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psuamc4nff.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psqdpetitp.jpg


Got the floor mount pedals figured out. Had to cut out a lot of floor and firewall. Made it sandwich the new firewall between the pedals and masters. Makes it easier to work on. Sorry the pictures are kind of crummy.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psuxx84ykf.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pspoob1ysk.jpg


Got the rear bumper mounted. It's aluminum and pretty light.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps5csjywdm.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psgnxbtsmw.jpg


Front bumper mounted too. I built the mounts with sliding tubes so that it comes off quick and easy to access the front clip mounting bolts. The whole deal probably weighs under 10 pounds.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psmsbobtn9.jpg


And the intercooler is mounted and piping done. Also had to modify the fuel rail mounting hardware to accept the taller Ford injectors.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psqberopz6.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps0qn43ucr.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pskkd7e3kp.jpg

Damn!!! That's bad-ass!!! Talk about your "dare to be different"??? Looking good, will be following this one!!!

Props on your vision. This is a cool project, those wheels and tires look great.

hands down, the coolest thing i have ever seen

Thanks guys!

The wheels actually worked out pretty well. I honestly only bought them because the price was low enough that I could justify having a second set for track tires in the future. But they actually ended up looking alright on there so it's all good.

Awesome job! I'm trying to figure out your radiator, with your IC mounted the way it is. Where is it going to go?

Thanks! The radiator is going to mount like a normal build, just behind the intercooler. Pretty much where the drywall level is in the pictures (I've reinforced the hood hinges and put the springs on now). I know it doesn't look like it in the pictures but I made the intercooler piping so that there's a ton of room for a radiator and fans. It'll actually sit down in the frame rails a bit so that it doesn't stick too far up and look goofy.

Makes perfect sense. After I typed that up I looked a little harder and was wondering if that was where you were going to put it. Again, nice job and I cannot wait to see it done.

I'm actually waiting on the radiator right now, haha. Should be here this afternoon. The first one I ordered was way too wide. I want the radiator to go between the frame rails so that I can drop it down. More for looks than anything else.

I'm really liking this build--like so many others, I've kind of avoided looking because of the concept suggested in the title, but clearly, I was being a dope. The free flow of ideas in your build is great and (perhaps unfortunately) inspiring. Damn you for using that extra space for a turbo!

I know the thread title makes it sound like the most pointless project ever. Not saying that it isn't though. :confused18: It's too bad I can't update the title to lie to people and tell them it's not an amateur backyard hackjob. lol

I have no real experience with anything except drag cars so I'm just making stuff up as I go. Been reading up a lot on here and a couple other sites. Hopefully I don't come out of it as too much of a failure.

The turbo was a "someday down the road" thought until it came time to build headers. Didn't want to do it twice, lol. That and it was the cheapest route to my power goal of high 400s at the tire. HEMI parts are expensive for no reason.

Been working on a lot of small details and wiring. I hate wiring. Starting from scratch, hope everything works the way I planned! The 5" gauges in the dash were a huge deal but worth it I think. Many hours in that one.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps4vgentdg.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps8jbigkqk.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pszkxwfm4l.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps4pbixa7x.jpg

Modified shifter handle and knob off of my buddy's old Dart. Lots of good memories in that car. I carved the other gears and reverse into it, fast & furious shifter now.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psyudmmjxy.jpg

Almost finished under the dash.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psfapwbmi3.jpg

This is the piece that's needed to get the speedometer to work since the TR6060 has no vss output. It's a GM VSS buffer, part number 25071437. The purple/yellow 2-pin connector goes to a magnetic pickup, I'm using a Rostra 250-4165, not sure if I'm going to pick up from a wheel or the driveshaft. Black wire is ground, pink is 12 volt switched power, and green is to the Autometer speedometer. Excuse the small wiring mess, I haven't cleaned up that portion yet.
25071437
25071437
25071437
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps25m4mbhq.jpg

A few wires have made it through the firewall.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pss2phm4v5.jpg

Wow, amazing build.
You've got everything down, handling, power and style.
I'd love to hear that bad boy, the exhaust is very cool. Do you have more detailed shots of it? <aybe a little info on how you made it?

Thanks

Thank you! I can't wait to hear the exhaust either, I hope it sounds decent but have no idea what to expect. It's made out of stainless flat stock that I bent up and welded, kind of like furnace duct work. In essence it makes a transition from a round tube to a rectangle, then makes a turn and out the side. When I get home later in the week I'll take some more pictures for you and it'll make a lot more sense.


Got a little more done here and there. Radiator and fan are mounted, wiring is pretty much finished up except the lights. Doors have been rebuilt with new weatherstrip and such. Most of the holes I cut in the floor have been patched. And the stereo works! It's got CDT 5 1/4s in the door and a ID8V.3 8" sub in a ported box behind the driver's seat driven by a vintage Alphasonik amp. Next on the list is fuel system and brakes.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psbk7qpati.jpg

1 gallon surge tank up front.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psys3fwrfy.jpg

Fuse block behind the passenger seat. You can also see the main power shutoff, I made the arm an old wrench. Going to have a push/pull cable going out the back of the truck for the outside shutoff.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psdn6sueir.jpg

The Holley stuff under the passenger seat.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psvbqxqofa.jpg

Front air dam cut and installed.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psu37uhf1s.jpg

Next minor issue. I had a tailgate off of my '77 Wagoneer that I was planning to use. Firecracker red instead of Sebring red but whatever. Beat up like the rest of the truck, would've looked ok. Got it mounted and lined up, went to install the latches and no luck. They changed in 1979, I thought two out of three bolt holes lined up but they don't. So on to plan B. Had a later model tailgate with some truly terrible paint so I stripped it down and bombed it with Sebring red. No filler, the dings and waves will match the rest of the truck. I actually kind of enjoy paint and bodywork on this truck since the intent is to NOT be perfect.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps5zyajqex.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pstk11gdpn.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps4nt5q4e6.jpg

I want to ride in this thing when it's done. :D

Me too! :thumbsup: I don't think I've ever denied anyone a ride in one of the hotrods either.

Ditto

Just a bunch of little things I've been working on. Got the front fenders glued to the structure and painted, tailgate lined up, etc. Decided to go with an electric tailgate window instead of a manual crank and I'm re-engineering the control system because I don't like how the factory did it. The manual window is cooler because of the chrome crank on the outside of the tailgate but I'm planning on camping in this thing so I need to be able to open/close the window from inside. Next on the list is finishing the wiring for the lights/window, retrofitting power mirrors, etc. Then the motor comes out to lock out and degree the cam, address the oil pan design, etc.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psit4nbnmy.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psa3ew3l9h.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pslvgnhnzu.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pssbv5ccm5.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps1ahox6gd.jpg

Tinkering with more stuff. The dash area is more or less done aside from a speaker hole blockoff plate.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps3k3yxroh.jpg

Door panels are on and cut for the speakers. Also adapted a power window switch from a F150. Better than paying $200 for used Grand Wagoneer switches off ebay. The switch is a snap-in panel mount so it worked perfect in the ABS panel. I think I'm getting too fancy, not only door panels but power mirrors! lol
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psryui4ajj.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psmfytzhln.jpg

I hated how the factory did the power rear window. No limit switches and full power running through the switches with no relays. Then the double whammy of both front and rear switches being spliced together (if one is up and the other is down, direct short). My other gripe is that the switches are on the dash and the outside of the tailgate. No way to put the window up if you're camping inside unless you want to crawl through the roll cage to the dash. So I gutted everything except the dash switch. Second switch is now in the cargo area. Relays for up/down. And a thermal reset circuit breaker. That wasn't so hard was it, Jeep?
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pszvitwfks.jpg

Windshield is in. I hate farming stuff out but this was some of the best money I spent. Took all day and three different guys but it's in and they stuck to their quote. Got to give it to Safelite, they got the job done.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pss3ecge9v.jpg

And the tailgate window in the up position. Once the roof rack is on, the interior will be all sealed up.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psnfgxugan.jpg