So Tom stopped by today..

[Deadman 94 xj]

LOl, we'll see. I like the AMC thing but the chevy thing makes a whole lot of sense in more than one way.

[justin'sbig7]

401's are worth too much to use.

[Deadman 94 xj]

LOL! Livingroom coffee table or some other decorative use. Maybe a glass display.

[jackb1]

Naw, go get a man's engine and put in a 401. Or do the right thing and just put in a chevy to mate up to that transmission you're trying to put in.

I half retract that comment. I thought you were doing an SM transmission.

[Deadman 94 xj]

I half retract that comment. I thought you were doing an SM transmission.

No, I agree. I haven't put a lot of thought into engine upgrades. Everything will be based on what's in it so I'd more than likely stick with AMC and kick myself later on when I find a nice chevy for half the cost.

[ridgerunner97]

Or you could do a Ford smallblock that would bolt right up to the NP435 if you decide to get rid of the 304

[mxg342]

401's are worth too much to use.

Truer words have never been spoken. I got $400 out of a junk one.

The 360 is the better of the AMC motors in my opinion. They don't have the overheating issues of the 401 and they're easy to find.

[Deadman 94 xj]

True. I've got a lot of learning to do. Hopefully the 304 lasts long enough to take it all in lol.

[Super Scout]

I would think a 304 would be plenty of motor. Whatever you do don't take Jons advice.

[Deadman 94 xj]

I would think a 304 would be plenty of motor. Whatever you do don't take Jons advice.

LOL! With proper gearing when it's all said and done, it should be ok. That said, I see a 360 in my future at some point. I don't want to begin thinking about that though.

[2002wranglerX]

Justins 304 had plenty to kill a 60 shaft and a front driveshaft this weekend

[always broke]

Or maybe that was his 350......

My 5 had a 304 with a T18 and 4:10's running on 33's. I was running aussie locked narrow tracs and i thought it was a blast. I rode in both matt and justin 7's on 36's and quite a few others and while they are fun, I thought the short 5 with the narrow tracs was a little more fun because of places it would squeeze and its overall unstabality on the narrow axles. Still was able to cruise around town in it too. Capable for 90% of trails around here without being bored the rest of the time and still streetable. Sure I broke a ujoint every now and then and a few 30 shafts, but I could pick up a complete narrow trac 30 for less than what you pay for pizza. The 304 is plenty of motor, 360 is cooler. The only thing i would add is a TBI setup.

If I was building another 5 (and thats what Id pick to do) it would be a 304 or 360, T18, locked wide tracks with chromo axles on 35's with 4:56's. I think that would be perfect. Add a cage for when it flops over, and some other goodies, steering, rockers etc. I think that would be perfect for around here and a blast to drive.

I really like this rig, I'd just hate to see you go too far with it since its such a beauty.

[2002wranglerX]

I thought just ins had a healthy 304...

[justin'sbig7]

I thought just ins had a healthy 304...

It used to, wish i woulda fuel injected that engine. It would pull the front wheels off the line and spanked an svt stang (with 35" tires to boot!)

I am now running a tbi jasper 350sb bored .030 over

[justin'sbig7]

Is there going to be more triangulation on the top guys? I love the look of it so far.

like this?

[Sycotik Skier]

<---jealous. Awesome work

[ridgerunner97]

Looks great I'm fairly confident Tom will try this thing out sometime this summer, hell maybe in May. We've got a lot of wheelin lined up LOL

[Deadman 94 xj]

Looks great I'm fairly confident Tom will try this thing out sometime this summer, hell maybe in May. We've got a lot of wheelin lined up LOL

Nooooo. There will be no trying it out anytime. It's for piece of mind only.

[Sycotik Skier]

kinda like this one is going to be a mall crawler Tom?

[Deadman 94 xj]

kinda like this one is going to be a mall crawler Tom?

LOL! That's exactly what it's going to be.

[Sycotik Skier]

on tons with a gorgeous roll cage....right

[ridgerunner97]

hahahahahaha

[Deadman 94 xj]

on tons with a gorgeous roll cage....right

...Chrome roll cage!

[Christopher]

Nice work looks great

[Deadman 94 xj]

I really like this rig, I'd just hate to see you go too far with it since its such a beauty.

Hey, I just saw this so I figured I owe ya a reply. I understand where you're coming from and I know you've been around so because of that, I respect your opinion. I agree it's a nice jeep and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little apprehensive about my plans for it. I know I've asked a lot of questions about where I should go with it, and as a result it might seem like my latest decision was made on a whim, but that isn't the case. If you go back and look at my thread, the first post descibes exactly what I'm doing. I just kinda went in a circle and came back to that point.

That said, I've put a ton of thought into what I want to do with it and I don't feel like I owe anyone an explination but I guess I'm here explaining myself lol. I like the jeep too! I don't want to turn it into a buggy or a hack fab job that we see so much of. Sure it's getting big axles but I also just located and installed an origional tach . The axle decison was made by me, because I don't want to break. That's it. No other reason than that. I'm putting money into them that won't go to waist.

Maybe later on I'll regret all of it, like some guys have said, but I doubt it with the way I want to do things.