1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

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CherokeeJim
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Location: Texas
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by CherokeeJim »

Also on the decals (long side stripes), contact me when you are ready, I have a friend who has a vinyl shop and can make those decals.
'77 Cherokee 6" lift/6.6L/TH475/BW1339/D44s/4.56s/35x12.50x15s/ Detroit rear :fsj:
'82 J10 6.0L/6L80E/Atlas 3.8/SOA with 2" front springs/ 63" springs inboarded/D60F/Spartan Locker/14Bolt/Detroit 4.56s/42s
'71 J4000 on 81 J10 frame/6bt/4500/203-205/D80F D80R/ARB/Spool/5.13s/42s
'79 Cherokee 4dr 6.6L/TH400/BW1339/D44s/3.54s :fsj:
'08 Tundra 5.7L 3" lift/33s

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Jeeptchr
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by Jeeptchr »

Thanks Jim! I appreciate it I'll definitely catch up with you sometime and pick your brain a bit. I'll keep that in mind on the vinyl, I have a vinyl cutter also if I will uncover it in the basement :). ( kinda forgot about it).


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CherokeeJim
Posts: 205
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 5:51 pm
Location: Texas
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by CherokeeJim »

Sounds great, keep me in the loop. Keep pics coming too! :-bd :-bd :fsj: :fsj: :fsj: :fsj: :fsj:
'77 Cherokee 6" lift/6.6L/TH475/BW1339/D44s/4.56s/35x12.50x15s/ Detroit rear :fsj:
'82 J10 6.0L/6L80E/Atlas 3.8/SOA with 2" front springs/ 63" springs inboarded/D60F/Spartan Locker/14Bolt/Detroit 4.56s/42s
'71 J4000 on 81 J10 frame/6bt/4500/203-205/D80F D80R/ARB/Spool/5.13s/42s
'79 Cherokee 4dr 6.6L/TH400/BW1339/D44s/3.54s :fsj:
'08 Tundra 5.7L 3" lift/33s

Topic author
Jeeptchr
Posts: 167
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2013 8:12 pm

Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by Jeeptchr »

So I was working on taking the front clip off and realized that I has suddenly ran out of storage space...it was a maze of walking between parts, tools, tables and the jeep. I was getting afraid of destroying interior parts or glass that I had removed So I took last Sat and installed a loft to hold parts and other misc things that are floating around in the way, boating items, 30 gal pony tank for my compressor, etc. Image
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Much more space now! I can sweep the floor and was able to move the jeep forward so I can start working on dis assembling the tailgate.

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Jeeptchr
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by Jeeptchr »

There is a bunch of disassembly shot of the front clip with bolt lengths and locations in my album (link a few posts above, but here is the obligatory "no front clip" shot :)
Image

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Jeeptchr
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by Jeeptchr »

After building the loft and cleaning on the shop a bit I started spot sandblasting the floorpan to see what I need to replace, I know they are actually in great shape, comparatively to some I've seen. But, they still need a bit of work. This is the thread pondering the passenger side amount to be cut. http://www.fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewtop ... f=7&t=5156
This has got to go...
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Gone!
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This might be a bit of a pain... I'll have to be creative on it.
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Pass side I'm still debating, hopefully will get started this weekend on it.
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I made a road trip Monday after work (2 hrs each way) to get my T-Case pass drop np241c, I figured that would be the hardest part of the driveline puzzle, yet it's the first part I have brought home 8-) gotta find my motor and trans now!

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Jeeptchr
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by Jeeptchr »

I've been busy with other projects so while the wife was busy a couple of evenings this week I got busy cutting the rest of the floorpan out that I decided needed to come out. I had picked up my plasma cutter from the farm last week, I feel that might have something to do with the massive area I cut out of the passenger pan, but I'm glad I cut out the sizing that I did, I feel a lot better about it. next up, putting the new patches in, I'm going to hopefully get the pan door flanges bent today after work, and then I'll off tommorow so I'll start the patch forming process....

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I also disassembled the back tailgate and found out a neat trick (at least on my cherokee) to move the back glass. by the drivers frame rail there was a plug that had brown wires going to it, and I was able to see them behind the glass in the tailgate going to what looked to be the lift motor, so I took a spare battery and played the game operation, lo and behold the glass moved on one of the +/- combinations! I was able to slide the glass out to where I was able to pop the retaining clips off and take the glass out. I also figured out why the PO said that the key never worked to raise and lower the glass....

switch looks brand new, but the wiring...
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Topic author
Jeeptchr
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by Jeeptchr »

This is a copy of a post over in the Stock FSJ forum that I made.

I started patching the panels in Thursday (day off for spring break, gotta love education) and worked for a couple of hrs this evening. I know the welds look terrible, it's been a long time since I welded with .023 (20yrs) and my Esab 250 that I picked up in the fall. They'll be feathered down with the flapper wheel, I had to keep resisting the urge to just lay a long bead and jump around and spot/stitch intead. I was also using my old helmet a Harbor Freight special, it's been a great farm helmet for corral welding, but the delay and finicky sensors were driving me nuts, my new helmet will be in tomorrow. A Lincoln Viking 3550. I'm looking forward to welding with it!

Progress
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In retrospect
I know the beads laid up rather than out, but I was having an issue with burn thru on the next fine setting up on the esab (probably should have slowed the wire down, but they'll flapper wheel out and I'll reweld anything that I'm not happy with. Haven't decided what to do on the bottom side, I did the thru spot welds to fasten everthing together I have a few more on the driver side to do.

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Jeeptchr
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by Jeeptchr »

It's been a while since I posted an update, been pretty busy with work and spring chores around the house and at the farms. I actually didn't realize it had been almost a month. I'm pretty fortunate half the week I can be home by 4:30 and the wife usually doesn't get home before 7:30 much of the week so I usually have a couple of hrs every couple of nights to work, but weekends are hit and miss for project time.

I had another spot I decided to replace on the drivers side next to the trans hump, the strength beadrolls had some pin holes in it, so I cut the area out and replaced it. I had forgotten how handy the plasma is!
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I got my 360/th400 sold, so now I've got to make some driveline decisions, I've been eyeing 6l80e's but I have a feeling I'll probably just end up with a 4l60 or 80, either of which I think will be great. My larger debate right now is axles.... I stumbled onto a 47xxx mile J20 that was rusted out and the motor/trans had been pulled, I picked it up and have been really toying with swapping the axles, here's the thread for that http://fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... 748#p62748 I've just about decided to put some rear disc's on the 60, swap perches and drop them in. Couple of reasons: lower gearing. 3:53 vs 3:73 not a lot of difference, but with the strength upgrade it sounds like a good reason. Full floater. 8lug is easier to find rims i like. And, why not? :mrgreen: I'm a little concerned about the wider rear axle, but it looks to be pretty minimal especially with the 4" lift that I already have.

Thoughts?

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Jeeptchr
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by Jeeptchr »

Haven't updated progress for a while, I've been busy parting out the J20 I bought on a lark, and cleaning the bottom of the Chief of road grime using oven cleaner (weak) and a spray bottle of Laquer Thinner (works really good on the road grime) and a fine wire brush mounted in a 90degree drill. While I was down at the farms the other weekend I picked up these from my shop there to help with the popping the body off the frame. Image

I had forgotten about them, they will be great for the tub removal and supporting it while I'm finishing the underbody work while the frame is being blasted and powercoated.

I also can quit searching craigslist for my motor and trans, I drove 4 hrs to Columbus NE to pick up a wrecked 04 Suburban 5.3/4l60e with 121xxx miles, the owner was a former racer and works as a parts manager for a Peterbuilt shop, he had detailed maint records for it since he bought it with 80k on it. Well worth the drive to get it. he had sold the interior and misc parts off of it, it was a bit weird to take it for a test drive to check the trans sitting on a igloo cooler!
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now I've got to get the motor/trans pulled, test fitted and mounts made, so I can pop the body and strip the frame for the blast/powercoat. I'm starting to get ADD in the shop, way too many directions to go. I guess it's time to put a whiteboard up to keep myself on track.

AwesomeJ10
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by AwesomeJ10 »

very nice! :fsj:
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husker77
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Location: Glenvil, Nebraska

Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by husker77 »

Where you at that Columbus is 4 hours away? It is about 2 from me. My Cherokee is the same paint scheme.

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Jeeptchr
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by Jeeptchr »

Thanks Blake!, as the pieces/parts and thoughts in my head quit orbiting over the next couple of months and come to rest we'll see what I end up with :) As a side note, I met you a couple of years ago on the UA, I was the owner of JonesMudFest in Lockwood Mo where you guys camped on the 4th. I didn't get much a chance to chat with ya, but I really dug the honcho.

Husker, I'm located just outside of St. Joe. Where are you at? Nice, I think I might change the color, but I'll keep the paint scheme pretty original. how is your rig progressing?
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husker77
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Location: Glenvil, Nebraska

Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by husker77 »

I live south and west of Columbus, it is a small town outside of Hastings Ne. If I ever get mine done(or even started) it is going to be a different color.

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Jeeptchr
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by Jeeptchr »

I know the general area, but have never made it out that way, I used to go to Nebraska City and Omaha quite a bit, but never that far west.

Are you still thinking about doing the J truck cab swap?
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husker77
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by husker77 »

Jeeptchr wrote: Are you still thinking about doing the J truck cab swap?

I don't know, would really like to keep it a cherokee. My wife wants to get a vintage camper to redo and I want to pull it with the Cherokee. Right now I am so busy working 2 jobs and my kids' stuff that all I really do is dd it. I have a what looks like a real good body found for it just need to scrape up the coin to get it.

Road Trip
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by Road Trip »

Nice find on the 5.3 and tranny. Nice start on the body too.
Robert

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Jeeptchr
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by Jeeptchr »

Husker, I was looking for an airstream to restore until last year when my wife told me her folks had an rv that had 36k miles on it, I thought why not help them out and postpone an airstream remodel for a while by using theirs in trade for fixing some small things on it.... 3 months later I was driving a 86 nuway p30 camper that I decided to fully remodel on the inside! Kinda like this project, once I dug into it I wasn't going to cut corners with what I had... Don't regret it, it's pretty cool but I would have rather done a vintage camper trailer.

That would be awesome to pull the camper with, I definitely understand the time ( 2 jobs here myself) and coin! I keep telling myself, just one piece at a time.


Thanks road trip! I've been studying the burb, and there are actually a few parts off of it I'm going to be able to use, besides,just the engine and trans. Looks like without too much work I can swap the hydro boost over, and I'm still figuring what else... On the body, I at the little detail welding stuff so I can coat the interior with chassis saver, and then I'm going to apply lizard skin sound dampener to the interior non visible surfaces. Still haven't decided what to coat the bottom of the tub with.
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husker77
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Location: Glenvil, Nebraska

Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by husker77 »

My second job is in a body shop/used car dealer, he has a 50's traveleze I am hoping to get. It is around 20', which I figure is about the limit for a cherokee, at least without to much headache. I told her it isn't going to be used till the cherokee is nice enough to be the tow vehicle, so I am holding it ransom basically.

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Jeeptchr
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Re: 1978 Cherokee Chief Restore/Build.

Post by Jeeptchr »

that would be awesome those are cool old campers, easier to work on than an airstream also. over on pirate there is a user called "roosterbooster" you should read some of his build threads, he's a big aluminum camper guy and is very detailed his builds are pretty neat! Lol :) good plan.
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