The Perfect Storm-1979 Jeep Cherokee Golden Eagle-Vortec Swap

[DustinLangston]

It's weird not having anything to update on. The Jeep is out of my hands for a while. I have dropped it off at paint and it will be there for the next month. I do swing by every once in a while and check on it but there's not much to report so far. They're stripping the decals off and welding mirror holes etc up. So nothing really to show off yet.
I did get one piece of devastating news. I have a local company trying to recreate the graphics package and they came back to me with a price of $2700. I had budgeted $1000 for decals/graphics. So they are running some new numbers for me and we will see where we end up. I told them if they go through the leg work with mine, they could potentially sell the designs to Phoenix Graphics, or Austin Jeeps. Because there is literally NO ONE recreating the Golden Eagle Cherokee graphics at this time. I'll let everyone know what happens.

[CosmicRhino]

It's weird not having anything to update on. The Jeep is out of my hands for a while. I have dropped it off at paint and it will be there for the next month. I do swing by every once in a while and check on it but there's not much to report so far. They're stripping the decals off and welding mirror holes etc up. So nothing really to show off yet.
I did get one piece of devastating news. I have a local company trying to recreate the graphics package and they came back to me with a price of $2700. I had budgeted $1000 for decals/graphics. So they are running some new numbers for me and we will see where we end up. I told them if they go through the leg work with mine, they could potentially sell the designs to Phoenix Graphics, or Austin Jeeps. Because there is literally NO ONE recreating the Golden Eagle Cherokee graphics at this time. I'll let everyone know what happens.

Don't these work fine for Cherokees too?
http://www.goldeneagledecals.com

[DustinLangston]

It's weird not having anything to update on. The Jeep is out of my hands for a while. I have dropped it off at paint and it will be there for the next month. I do swing by every once in a while and check on it but there's not much to report so far. They're stripping the decals off and welding mirror holes etc up. So nothing really to show off yet.
I did get one piece of devastating news. I have a local company trying to recreate the graphics package and they came back to me with a price of $2700. I had budgeted $1000 for decals/graphics. So they are running some new numbers for me and we will see where we end up. I told them if they go through the leg work with mine, they could potentially sell the designs to Phoenix Graphics, or Austin Jeeps. Because there is literally NO ONE recreating the Golden Eagle Cherokee graphics at this time. I'll let everyone know what happens.

Don't these work fine for Cherokees too?
http://www.goldeneagledecals.com

Yes, but that is only a very small part of the graphics. Austin Jeeps sells a kit for the Cherokee/J10 trucks that include the eagle, the tailgate "golden eagle", and the lower side gold stripe that says golden eagle on it. Those decals cost $375. That leaves the upper side tri color stripes, the tailgate tri color stripes, and the hood tri color stripes and the four fender dual color pin stripes and installation.

[DustinLangston]

If you want a set made CosmicRhino we might be able to get a deal on them.

[CosmicRhino]

It's certainly enticing, but I don't see myself repainting and applying fresh decals for many years. Besides that I really kind of like the weathered patina worn down look, with all the fresh parts and power on the inside

[GaJeep94YJ]

I have a 79 and in the middle of the same swap. After fighting with making my own mounts I have up and ordered the novak ones like you have done.

It seems to have pushed the engine WAY too far to the passenger side. So much so that it is into the heater box...a lot.

Did you swap the perches to the other side? It looks like the driver's side has a cut out for the steering shaft.

I just can't figure out why mine is so far off
Passenger side

IMG_20160216_200616.jpg

IMG_20160216_200632.jpg

IMG_20160216_200603.jpg

Driver's side

IMG_20160216_200552.jpg

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[DustinLangston]

I have a 79 and in the middle of the same swap. After fighting with making my own mounts I have up and ordered the novak ones like you have done.

It seems to have pushed the engine WAY too far to the passenger side. So much so that it is into the heater box...a lot.

Did you swap the perches to the other side? It looks like the driver's side has a cut out for the steering shaft.

I just can't figure out why mine is so far off
Passenger side

IMG_20160216_200616.jpg

IMG_20160216_200632.jpg

IMG_20160216_200603.jpg

Driver's side

IMG_20160216_200552.jpg

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Yours are on correctly. I have come across this same problem you're having before. Even though the motor mounts are in a fixed position there is still some adjustability there. If you hook your engine hoist up to it again, take off the nuts that hold your motor mounts in (or back them all the way off the bolt) and lift the motor. Not all the way out of the mounts, but enough that it takes the weight off the mounts. Then have someone push the engine towards the drivers side of the vehicle as hard as possible while you lower the engine back down onto the mounts. You can easily gain an inch or more by doing this.

[DustinLangston]

While I'm here I guess I'll give an update. Sadly not a lot to report. The Jeep has been running and driving for weeks now. But it has been in paint and body which is progressing SLOWLY. So again, sorry but not too much to report. I did finish pulling the interior out of it the other weekend and gave it all to the upholsterer. Chose all of the materials and colors. It will look great. We're going with the Laredo/Honcho style interior with a few twists that you guys will just have to wait to see. Probably have pics and update in a few weeks.

[GaJeep94YJ]

Do you have any pics of the clearance between the heater box? What about the suspension? I have maybe an inch between the crank pulley and the sway bar. Not to mention the differential is pretty close to the oil pan

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[DustinLangston]

Speaking of heater boxes I do have an update. I decided to pull the Cherokee out of paint for a weekend to replace the ignition tumbler, and fix the shifter linkage to make moving it at the body shop a little easier. Well while I was working on it I noticed it was dripping from the heater box. Before putting the new motor in I had removed the box and cleaned/inspected everything. It was in great shape so I used it. I should have just played it safe and replaced the heater core anyways because it was leaking. I wonder if the LS just puts out more fluid pressure. Not sure. But the reason for this post is to let everyone know that if you do an LS swap you are still able to access all the bolts to remove the heater box to change a heater core. There has been a lot of questions about how close the LS motors sit to the heater box. But there is still enough clearance to remove it all without having to touch the motor.

[GaJeep94YJ]

Ouch. I busted my box while putting the engine in one time. The core still looks good but the box had several holes in it.

Where did you get a new core from?

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[DustinLangston]

I just got it from O'Reily Auto Parts. It was definitely not just like the original but after doing some research it sounds like no one is making an exact OEM heater core replacement. I had to fab up some brackets to keep the new heater core in place, but it was only like an extra 30 minutes.

[DustinLangston]

So I don't know if this will work, if not I will upload it to youtube later. But I recently picked up the Jeep from my paint and body guy. He has had it for 5 weeks and accomplished almost nothing. He is just too busy. I've been working feverishly trying to find another good paint and body guy. I practically have been conducting interviews and reviewing portfolios. But I found one. He lives about an hour away so I put the Cherokee on a trailer and took it down. He has painted several FSJ's and that was ultimately the deciding factor to go with him. I was told I'd have it back in less than two weeks. We will see. But while I had it home for a few days I took my frustration out on the stock tires. Enjoy!
https://www.facebook.com/dustin.langsto ... 607306296/

[DustinLangston]

I don't know why I haven't been posting pics of the Jeep running. It's bee running for over a month, and man does it run and sound great!
Here's a video of the first start I ever did.
https://www.facebook.com/dustin.langsto ... 442337390/

Later I will post a video of how the custom exhaust sounds after it was put on.

[GaJeep94YJ]

Awesome!

I have the fuel filler hose left to figure out, but I started mine last night too!

https://youtu.be/kNqKumRgM1Y

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[DustinLangston]

Very cool GAJeep. Is that a 5.3? I thought they put those engine covers only on the 4.8.
Did you do a custom tank? If so get a universal fill hose from your local auto parts store. If it is the stock tank you can get the originals from BJ's or TeamGrandWagoneer.

[GaJeep94YJ]

5.3L. Did almost the same swap as you. We spoke back on page 2.

I using the 97 blazer tank where the spare tires used to sit

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[DustinLangston]

Gotcha, I remember now.
It sounds great! Did you use the original radiator? Or did you find one that would work?
You will probably be best off using a universal fill hose.

[GaJeep94YJ]

I'm using the stock now just to see how it works

Lower radiator hose from a 2000 gmc Yukon with some running.

Upper is dayco 71288

If that doesn't work speed way has a conversion for $179 that has been used successfully many times

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[DustinLangston]

Are you running mechanical fan?