Well...

OK, so it probably isn't "Pro-Touring" in that sense of it. But it will be my daily driver, and it will get used to go touring--touring the country that is. It will be our long distance travel vehicle too.

And while it won't get lowered, it won't get jacked to the sky either. The most lift it will ever see is a 2" spring kit, which puts it back where earlier Wagoneers sat. When done it will have 16" wheels with 31" tires (either Yokohama Geolander A/T-S, or Michelin LTX A/T 2), so nothing crazy there either.

Due to lack of funds (And a mere doubling of the budget amount spent) the interior and bodywork will be left for next year. I have a set of Thunderbird Turbo Coupe seats that will be recovered and adapted to fit the Wagoneer's tracks. New carpet of course, and a new headliner too. Outside it will get Cherokee W/T flares, and a nice coat of white. The wood-grain will be removed, though I may go with an older pattern that follows the upper, slanted body lines.

We have Jeepage!


When we last saw this insane project, there were birds living in the air intake duct.

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7f42cbe7.jpg

These, I am happy to say, have gone on to become productive members of society. Consequently, the air intake duct has been blocked off with a screen. The birds, Mr. and Mrs. Casawren, did, I'm afraid, file a lawsuit in federal court, alleging that the act of blocking such a prime piece of nest building real-estate was discriminatory and speciesist. Fortunately, Judge Earnest P. Squirrel dismissed the case. Citing Titmouse vs Grizzly Adams, Judge Squirrel reiterated the earlier court's ruling that wildlife does not have the right of Eminent Domain on an unnatural object such as an automobile when said object is surrounded by the natural and proper objects in which the species would normally find its abode. Mr. John Skunk, the attorney for the Casawrens, said the ruling was "a travesty of justice," but that his clients had no intention of appealing.


Many hours of soldering have been accomplished under the hood. At this point, 99% of all the under hood wiring has been accomplished.

So, under the hood looks like this:

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG


The transmission cooler lines have been run. As you may recall, I'm not running a cooler in the radiator. Because of this, I needed to run a thermostat to ensure the transmission fluid comes up to temperature in the winter.

I also wanted to run a separate fan on the transmission cooler, and a temperature gauge to monitor the fluid temperature. To this end I cut a block of aluminum about 5 inches long, drilled a passageway through it, then drilled two holes down into it, one for the fan thermostatic switch, the other for the gauge's sending unit.

In this picture, you can see the thermostat block (the large aluminum block with the round cap), and my aluminum block (for the sending unit and the thermostatic switch).

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

From underneath, you can see how everything was run and bracketed to clear the exhaust. I also wrapped it all in a heat sleeve to ensure the exhaust heat wouldn't damage the hose. Also note, the hose used is transmission cooler hose, not fuel line! Fuel line will last six months to a year before it starts to leak like a sieve. Cooler line will last for years.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

And the cat sleeps...

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/...ps26f4523c.jpg

So now we move to the inside!

I pulled a huge section of harness out from where it ran across the driver's side of the dash, and split it open. I then began to identify the wires that belonged to the cluster, those that belonged to the A/C-heat, and those that belonged to other systems. The ones that I did not need, and which I could pull through and discard, I did.

You can see the big harness running across the top of the steering column in this photo.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...0eKw/item.JPG?

Those which I did not need, but which ran out to under the hood, I marked as such, in case I might need them.

Those which I did not need, but which I could not extricate from the harness, were cut back to a reasonable position, bent over on themselves, and a length of heatshrink was shrunk over the end, just in case they might be live.

This is what I started with.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

When I was done, this is what lay on the ground, just outside the driver's door.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

And this is what I had when I was done.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

And before you think the after photo doesn't look all that much different from the before, note how many little green tags there are on the wires now. Everything is nice and tagged.

For proof, this is what it looks like now. Note how that big, fat harness it gone.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

Now that I can work with!

And so I am about to go out and get to work. Before I do, there is, of course, the obligatory critter photo. This little guy (and I do mean little... about 1/2 inch long!) was hanging out on my BMW. He didn't seem inclined to fix it for me though.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

I guess I forgot to mention the BMW fiasco. Last Saturday I put a new A/C condenser in it. Yes, air conditioning!

Until Sunday.

Sunday, on the way to church, the front crank hub went out on the thing.

I don't know for sure, but this probably cracked the front timing cover.

In other words, it's a minor repair, but one that will require an extraordinary amount of work and money. And time, too. The parts will take a few weeks to gather.

I'm thinking I'll probably part the thing out. Besides, don't you think BMW M5 seats would just rock in a Jeep? :thumbsup:

And as for the engine, I think I'll pull that and the transmission, and put them aside. They just seem like the perfect swap into a 240/260/280z. :superhack:

And the Jeep goes on...

The last couple of days have been spent with wiring and wiring related items.

The first thing I did was install an accessory fuse panel for items that will be available when the key is in the "on" or "accessory" positions.

The reason I have it as a separate fuse panel is that it gets its power from a high amp relay. The relay trigger runs through a switch located on the center stack. In the "normal" position, the accessories work with the ignition switch as with any vehicle. In the "on" position, the accessories are available without the key being in the ignition.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG


As things have been coming together under the dash, I have been considering how I will run the ducting. Today I constructed a manifold for the defroster ducts. It's made from some exhaust tubing and metal stock, a bit overkill, but it will definitely serve the purpose! I coated it in Rustoleum rubber sealer to keep it from easily sweating with the A/C running.


http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG


http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG


http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

I know it looks a mess now, but the wiring will be made neat before it's buttoned up.

I started wiring the radio, getting the hot wire, the switched wire, and the ground (both to the plug, and to the chassis) done before I had to quit.

No recent critter pics, so I'll leave you with a pic of a pair Dung Beetles. We saw these in Botany Bay Plantation, on Edisto Island, South Carolina.

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/...SC_0423015.jpg

Great update! This thing is going to be even more awesome when finished!

Wiring progresses...

Got the vacuum lines to the A/C-Heat controls figured out, and wired up the power to the system. All fan speeds work as they should, and the various doors all move in proper relation to the mode selected on the controls.

Also got many of the various switches hooked up. Found I need a double pole, double throw, momentary switch for the rear defroster. Did some research and ordered that.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

I wired up the rear window switch. The switch on the center stack (pictured) will work with the key on or off, and triggers relays at the back of the vehicle.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...R1X34/item.JPG

Like so many others have found, my rear key switch is DOA. I decided to use a toggle switch mounted on the body, just to the left of the rear window. The only problem was, how do I make it so someone cannot just come along and roll my rear window down? My first solution was to have it only work with the ignition key in the "on" position, but I felt that would quickly become a real pain. So I came up with a switch that will turn the relays on only when the driver's door lock is in the unlocked position.

Here's the switch. It's part of a flip-floping switch that I unbolted from its solenoid. I made an extended arm from an old A/C-Heat control lever, and attached it to the unit.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

Then I made a bracket to mount the assembly on the door, and used a couple hose clamps mounted on the lock rod to act on the lever.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

Works every time!

And for the critter shot; these are (most likely) the Blue Mud Dauber. Apparently, these little guys hunt down spiders to stung and lay their eggs on. From what I have read, they have a penchant for the Black Widow, though I cannot say if such is really the case.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

Just what they are doing on my little side deck I have no idea. I don't know if they're competing for spiders, doing some sort of mating ritual, or just helping themselves to whatever mold or fungus is growing on the wood.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

Whatever they're doing, they sure have a cool looking paint job! :D

Glad you're moving along on this. The truck's looking good.

Well, between a 4-day migraine and loosing the A/C part I promised someone, I've actually gotten a bit of work done. Not a lot, mind you, but some!

Mostly, I've been wiring. Obviously, this means I don't have a lot of pictures to show, because cutting, soldering, and putting heat shrink on wires can't really be seen. But there is one place I can show where progress has been made.

Here is the back of the instrument cluster! I used some old connectors I had laying around to make it so the whole thing can be disconnected as a unit.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

There has been a lot of "tidying up" of the wires where they run behind the center stack, and some rerouting as well. While doing all this, I was visited by this little guy.

http://blg.nikonsrc.com/image/Ullne5...30eKw/item.JPG

I don't know what he was, but although he is colored to look like a bee, he was not. He tried to feed from the knobs on the CB (who knew they were nutritious?), then fleww away. One cool thing I noticed, but couldn't get a good picture of, was that he folded his legs straight up when flying. It reminded me of some sort of space ship!

That's all for today...

No pics, but...

Fire in the hole!

It runs! Idles smooth. Exhaust sounds nice! Transmission goes into Drive and Reverse. WooHoo!

Still a bit to do though. Just got my A/C fittings in today, so tomorrow I'll be plumbing that. Should have pics again soon.

Congrats Bill. :thumbsup: