20Mar

Steering Column’s DONE!

20 Mar 2022 Eric Hansen

After chasing down the missing parts, and chasing my tail on a few things, it’s finally done and ready to go back in.

That steering wheel nut (top) acted like it didn’t want to go on, but after chasing down alternatives for the past few weeks, I finally just threaded it on and used a set of Vise Grips to run it down. It resisted (like I was cross threading it) for a few turns, but then ran down smoothly. When I pulled it back off, there was no damage to the threads. That rusty dust on the locking plate must be the stuff that had built-up and fought me through it all. Glad THAT’S done.

Got the wheel on! I had to ‘customize’ the Grant adapter kit to make it all work, but then again that seems to be the norm (I just hope the horn’s not blaring when I connect up the power – LOL!). Also epoxied the shifter knob on and made a new indicator needle. The indicator housing was missing a small plastic bit that locks it into place, but apparently a 3/4″ sheet rock screws works just fine (and will never be seen, anyway).

I made an indicator needle out of a piece of 3Doodler stock. I drilled a hole through the stock needle piece where its needle extension had broken off, and stuffed the 3Doodler stock into it, then cut to length. Hopefully, it’ll last awhile. It’s translucent so it might even light up with the dash lights… we’ll see, I guess.

19Mar

Dookie gots new shoes!

19 Mar 2022 Eric Hansen

Discount Tire let me know that my new wheels were in, so I picked ’em up this morning and swapped out the old ones. The Jeep’s only about an inch taller (over all), so it still fits in the garage, but the old ones were 26 years old and I wouldn’t be able to trust them at speed on the highway.

Here we go – 35×12.50 SSRs on 15×10 Pro Comp 69 rims.

Happiness is: a truck bed full of new Jeep wheels! Got all 5 this time.

That sure looks a lot more than just 2″ bigger diameter. Definitely a bit skinnier, though.

Fits like a glove. I will need to boost up the front a little, though. Looks like I finally get to use the 2″ Conn-Ferr shackles my old friend Mr. Murphy gave me back in ’96 to replace these stockers.

Definitely a bit skinnier (left vs. right). Gonna take a little getting used to.

I LOVE these new wheels! They look a little different without the ‘Side Biters’ the TSX’s had, though. Also can’t go wrong with the classics. Not to mention being aluminum, they’re almost 30lbs lighter than the old steelies I just pulled off. Still weigh-in around 100lbs each, though.

I am diggin’ this look. Can’t wait to get him running again.

13Mar

A little more progress

13 Mar 2022 Eric Hansen

Despite all the bad news this weekend, I was able to get a few more things done on the steering column. Took it all apart and re-routed the shifter indicator bulb wire, and used the screws I picked up from the hardware store this morning to secure the signal switch (rather than some wood screws I’d found – much better). I was also able to find a good screw to fasten the signal stalk and even mounted up the shifter indicator, and learned that I need a different needle (indicator) since the original was broken off. Unfortunately, the SAE steering wheel nut needs to be ‘the metric one,’ and I’m still missing the tension spring for the locking plate, so I’ll get those ordered to hopefully be here by next weekend.

Almost back together. I’ll need to epoxy the shifter knob on, since it’s loose AF – no biggie, though.

Here are the last bits that need to go in, including the steering wheel and adapter kit. The old indicator needle on the right is too short to be seen, and the one on the left is just the wrong one altogether. Oh well, live and learn.

21Feb

Steering Column’s almost back together!

21 Feb 2022 Eric Hansen

Almost got the steering column back together today. It was missing some key pieces when I picked up the Jeep, so I need to track a few more small parts down, and it should be GTG. I love being able to jam with Dennis Allen at KWFR The Fire on these weekdays off… it’s like he’s right there helping me along playing all the best tunes! Thanks again, Brother!

All cleaned up and painted, loaded up with the signal combination switch, ignition switch, and key/lock switch. The surface rust on the shifter stalk came right off, along with the schmootz on the tilt stalk. Just gotta find a shifter knob, signal stalk, hazard switch button, steering wheel nut & spacer, then it should all go back together and will be ready to toss in the Jeep.

Here’s the automatic shifter indicator from the original column, found in a box in the back of the Jeep. The previous owners had broken it off, so it looks like I might need to epoxy it back on, or come up with something else, but it cleaned up really nice (all you could see was dirt in the window. Gotta find a new bulb and clean up the socket for it to work again.

17Jan

Bench Day – Steering Column Rehab

17 Jan 2022 Eric Hansen

Had a ‘Bench Work’ day working on the steering column. It’s actually not as bad as I thought it was going to be. The top bearing plastic cage disintegrated at some point before the Jeep came to me, so the steering wheel was flopping about. The key/lock switch was completely missing, and some of the other parts were in a box where the back seat should’ve been. I ordered everything new that I could and started in on it today. My buddy Dennis Allen at KWFR was rockin’ the jams today, and even hooked me up with Red Barchetta to kick off the 5-O’clock Fast Lane with a shout out. Best DJ EVER! Thanks, Man!

Here we getting started. The steering wheel came right off with a few taps of a rubber mallet… mostly because it was missing the wheel nut, but I’m glad I didn’t have to use a puller. This was the hardest part of the day, because Dennis Allen dropped Red Barchetta that I requested on the 5-O’clock Fast Lane, and it’s hard to get any work done when you’re rockin’ out to one of your favorite tunes and playing the air drums. LOL!

Not too much gunk, as much as everything just being tight with a bunch of dried up dusty/grease grime everywhere. A little PB Blaster and some patience had it apart in no time.

After extracting what was left of the upper bearing, some Purple Power, and some carb cleaner, things are all cleaned up (except the rusty dust on the column itself), and I stopped here for the day since I need a 1/8-1/4″ ID cylinder to drive the inner bearing surface onto the shaft. It’ll be waiting for me next weekend.

Some of the pieces and parts I worked on cleaning up. I’ll have to route the stray wire for the shift indicator’s back light when I install the new signal combo switch – that’ll be fun. I just hope I remember how it all goes back together.

16Jan

Back At It

16 Jan 2022 Eric Hansen

Light day today. Cleaned up the brake pedal assembly and starting in on the steering column.

Got busy on the brake pedal assembly, and remembered I needed a ‘before’ pic. This is bringing me back to the days when the Mach 1 was like this.

Caved in a took it apart (just one bolt and slip the pivot shaft out). Made it a lot easier to get through the inside surfaces of the main bracket without the pedal in the way.

It’s really not as bad as it looks. I hit it with the wire cup brush, anyway. I’ll take it apart tomorrow and see what I can do with it. At least the tilt seems to work (unlike the Mach 1’s column when I first got it).

Quick and dirty coat of Duplicolor Black Engine Enamel. Give it a little bit of time to dry and put it back together.

… And, we’re done. Just gotta get a new brake light switch (maybe… I can’t remember if I left the original one in the Jeep or not). The pedal rubber is actually not too bad, either. I might just get a new one, though.

8Jan

IT’S IN!!

8 Jan 2022 Eric Hansen

Big Shout Out to my pal Harry LaClair for coming over and helping stuff the 304, TF999, and Dana300 into the Jeep! Couldn’t have done it without you! Now the real fun can begin (rebuilding the steering column, installing the fuel injection, headers, exhaust, radiator, power brakes, rebuilding the wiring harness, etc., etc., etc.). Don’t look too closely at the top of the engine… all that old junk is getting replaced with new go-fast goodies.

Just got the engine off the stand, and loaded up the flex plate and cover… torqued to 100 ft lbs.

After about an hour more than I’d anticipated of transmission jack gymnastics, and remembering that the skid plate mounted up further back, the transmission & transfer case are in.

Here’s a nice view of the firewall, with the heat shield that came with 258 I-6 Jeeps. That would prove to be a minor PITA and have us scratching our heads for another 45 minutes before whipping out the body saw and cutting it loose. After than, the engine slipped right into position.

BOOM! It’s in! Just had to crank down a few bolts to keep it in-place. I’ll worry about the rest of them next time.

Looks a little dinky in there compared to the extra long and tall 258 I-6, but this is a hefty hunk o’ junk in its own right. It’s a bit deceiving with the grille missing and the fenders opened up… it’s about to get a lot more crowded.

Thank You SO much, Harry LaClair. Had a blast shootin’ the sh!t just as much as getting it all done. The Beatles were right: we really do get by with a little help from our friends.

All the old stuff will be coming out in favor of a bunch of new go-gast goodies. I’ve got some new chrome Edelbrock Signature Series valve covers to replace these and keep the bling alive along with the ceramic coated stainless headers and Edelbrock Pro-Flow multi-port fuel injection. Also a set of Accel cut-to-fit wires for a little splash of yellow, too. I can’t wait!

With the fenders closed up and the grille up in there, it’s already starting to look a little more normal.

30Dec

PAINT!!

30 Dec 2021 Eric Hansen

So, after cleaning all of the bolts I soaked overnight in Simple Green, the engine is painted. Well… Okay… everything except the top end, which all of those components (intake manifold, valve covers, distributor, et al) are getting replaced. My focus was to get this sucker in the Jeep, and work on the rest later. Tomorrow, get the engine mounts cleaned up & painted, then stuff it in.

Got the new water pump and oil pan on – it’s ready for paint!

Duplicolor Cast Iron, sticking with the gray scale theme of my Jeep.

I’m loving this color! Only one tiny little run on the oil pan, but it’ll be on the bottom, and… it’s an engine, after all. Like, who really cares if it’s perfect, right?!

I thought about pulling the timing cover and painting it Cast Aluminum, but then I saw some other AMC engines painted all one color and decided that would be good enough. I’ve got lots of new chrome goodies for it, anyway.

29Dec

Last push before paint

29 Dec 2021 Eric Hansen

Pulled the water pump – eewww… nasty. Also popped the oil pump cap off and cleaned out what I could behind it. The aftermarket mechanical oil pressure sending unit is now in the bin as well – gotta find the right fitting to put a proper electric oil pressure sender back on. Also got the rest of the main body of the block cleaned up with a conical wire brush… that little die grinder really blows through the air in the compressor – seems like it ran non-stop once I started using it. Also dropped all of the bolts for the oil pan and water pump in a jar of Simple Green to soak. Hopefully, that’ll clean them up.

Tomorrow, install the new water pump and oil pan, tape off a few things, and paint this sucker.

Yeesh! That’s the crud that was hiding in the water pump, and not very inspiring. It didn’t seem to go any further into the block, so hopefully just running some anti-freeze flush when I get it running will clean out any leftovers.

The die grinder and conical wire wheel made quick work of the icky water pump residue. That shiny spot was about the only bad spot that corroded. Fortunately, it’s in a spot with lots of material behind it, so no blow-thru to be expected.

Almost done with the wire brush. Getting close!

Taped off the oil pump, and hit this side with the wire brush one last time. Ready for paint!

One last shot after finishing up with the wire brush. Ready for paint! Keeping my Jeep in gray scale, I’d actually thought of painting it black, but changed my mind to go with Duplicolor Cast Iron, since I’ll paint the pulleys and accessories gloss black, and have a bunch of chrome goodies to go with it all.

28Dec

Almost ready for the engine to go in

28 Dec 2021 Eric Hansen

Got most of the gunk off the engine today. Just need to figure out how to pull the timing cover tomorrow to finish up and paint the block. After that, it’s ready to go in.

The blog of Mister 4×4

Here we go again with yet another blog.