Basketcase for cheap. Thoughts?

[Phils67]

While looking on craigslist I came across a basketcase 1977 wagoneer. Come to find out its right down the street from me, literally. I haven't gone to see it in person but have been talking to the guy about it all day via text. Its rusty and rough, but its 700 with the plow or 300 without. Its got just under 22k original miles and he said the engine and tranny are strong. Needs a new blower motor, fuel lines, power steering lines, water pump, transfer is stuck in 4x4, floor behind drivers seat has a hole, body is pretty rough, carb needs work (issue only when starting cold), etc etc. What do you people think? I figure it has to have at least 300 in parts alone I could use if nothing else, or maybe worth trying to save since it is low miles? If the frame is repairable maybe. Could always drop the body on a different chassis. Here is the link. So, think I should go grab it up?

https://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/cto ... 25345.html

[Renodemona]

300 is a pretty good deal for the driveline alone if you have something else to put it in. I'd be VERY surprised if there wasn't a lot of rust everywhere, but I dunno, I got my 2nd FSJ for 300 bucks and didn't run and was full of angry wasps so...DO IT!!!

[XSapper]

For $300, go for it.

[Phils67]

I mean, it DOES have a 360....and I DO have a Comanche with a gutless problematic renix 4 banger that I absolutely hate....

[Phils67]

What side drop was 77, passenger still right? Th400 or TF727? What Tcase was in 77? Do you think I could swap the transfer for a tail shaft maybe on it? Not sure if that is a bolt on deal. I want to keep the MJ 2wd if I went that route

[XSapper]

What side drop was 77, passenger still right? Th400 or TF727? What Tcase was in 77? Do you think I could swap the transfer for a tail shaft maybe on it? Not sure if that is a bolt on deal. I want to keep the MJ 2wd if I went that route

Passenger drop and TH400

[Phils67]

Will a D20 simply bolt up to it? Its a 6 spline input with a texas bolt pattern. Kinda wouldn't mind an auto swap in the Gladiator. Keep the rear and put the 360 on a stand til I find an auto 2wd trans for the MJ. Part out/sell/scrap the rest of it. Are the front inner axle shaft lengths the same as a 78 J20s? Could save a few bucks on my axle build if I just had to buy J20 outers

[Cecil14]

Will a D20 simply bolt up to it? Its a 6 spline input with a texas bolt pattern. Kinda wouldn't mind an auto swap in the Gladiator. Keep the rear and put the 360 on a stand til I find an auto 2wd trans for the MJ. Part out/sell/scrap the rest of it. Are the front inner axle shaft lengths the same as a 78 J20s? Could save a few bucks on my axle build if I just had to buy J20 outers

You can swap tail shafts and bolt a 2wd tail housing onto the TH400. That wag is almost certainly a QT right now, which doesn't swap with anything directly. You'd have to tear the trans down and swap the tail shaft/housing to put anything else on there. If you really want an auto in the Gladiator, go AW4/D300, especially since you've already got the 4.0 and MPFI. You've already got a lot of the wiring/sensors for the trans computer done.

Front inner shafts are the same length for wide track axles (at least for a given year) (J-10, J-20, W/T Chero). Narrow track inners are shorter (N/T Chero and Wag). Outers are the same on everything, at least year to year, from what I know.


aa

[Phils67]

The wiring for the AW4 in my harness was removed and long gone. Wish I left it tucked out of the way but now i know better for the next swap project

[tgreese]

A Wagoneer is narrow track, and the track is quite a lot narrower than your J-truck. Those axles work well under an early CJ with the Dana 18 transfer case; just outboard the front springs and move the rear perches. A '77 will have the Quadratrac transfer case with the TH400. The only way to change transfer cases is to take the TH400 completely apart and swap the tail shaft - it's the very last thing to come out of the case. Engine/trans/transfer case would be of interest here or at IFSJA, esp. if the combo is genuinely low miles. Generally the frames don't rot badly on the pre-1980 Wagons because the gas tank design is different, but if the whole car is rotted, the frame will be too.

That has to be 121,000 miles. No way this Jeep has a true 21,000... that's 500 miles a year. There is no 100K digit on these speedometers, so they just start over. Measure hot idle oil pressure, compression, chain slack to confirm.

[Cecil14]

The wiring for the AW4 in my harness was removed and long gone. Wish I left it tucked out of the way but now i know better for the next swap project

Even then, the AW4 computer is basically standalone, it just needs input from the various sensors (TPS, VSS, and ?). You could pretty easily rerun those couple wires and be way ahead of the TH400. The TH400 is a brute of a transmission, but it's also insanely inefficient. While the AW4 may not be as strong, it would more than make up for that in your application with the fuel savings (even excluding OD).

Just my vote. I'm not a huge fan of the ancient 3 speed autos, the industry left them behind for good reason.


aa

[candymancan]

If all you want is the drive train surr... but lemme tell you ive seen a plow wagoneer in person.. looked okish on the body.. but underneeth i could grab the frame and act like i was superman bending steel...

[Phils67]

If all you want is the drive train surr... but lemme tell you ive seen a plow wagoneer in person.. looked okish on the body.. but underneeth i could grab the frame and act like i was superman bending steel...

My mind is going in 100 directions about it. I need to get over there sometime this weekend and really look at it good. Who knows, there might not be anything good I could use left to it. I don't necessarily NEED the drivetrain. It really boils down to the fact I am just itching for another Jeep

[Phils67]

That has to be 121,000 miles. No way this Jeep has a true 21,000... that's 500 miles a year. There is no 100K digit on these speedometers, so they just start over. Measure hot idle oil pressure, compression, chain slack to confirm.

Thats what I was thinking too. I really don't believe the guy would drop the money on rebuilding the trans 1000mi ago just for the sake of plowing his property with a 42yr old rust bucket either.