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Hey everyone, I'm in the beginning stages of a frame off rebuild of a 78 Cherokee Chief W/T, this thing has 56K on it and virtually no rust except a little (You Know Where). I have bought almost everything for a complete frame off rebuild/restore, where I stopped is at the axles and drivetrain, it has a 4" lift and 17" wheels and 33.9" tires, 360 thats in perfect shape, TH400 and Quadra Trac with the 2 to 4 wheel conversion, they leak a bit. I'm looking to put in a 401, a transmission with OD and transfer case to fit, I have a Pro Flow 4 for the 360 and new rear gas tank with fuel pump also. I don't want to go LS conversion on this one, going to stick with the new 401, can anyone give me some advice on the 401, fuel system, trany, transfer case and gear ratios (true track in back and e locker in front? It has 3.54 gears and lock outs now). I'm doing this from overseas right now with the help of a friend back home and any input would be helpful!

That looks really nice as is

Nice truck to start with.

Not much expert advice I can relay, but recently rescued a '84 Grand Wagoneer from the desert that sat for 18 years, and it has the 401, 727 auto, and Selectrac 229 TC.

If you can find a D300 TC, to mate up with your OD trans, that would be a better combination. Gets you the 4 wheel drive stick in the floor, but a much more reliable 4x4 system.

The existing carb setup on mine (was brought over from the 360 engine the 401 replaced) is the MC2150 w/altitude compensator, and probably will work ok, but CFM is only about half of what the 401 should have on it for best performance.
I have a 4 bbl OEM intake to put on some day, and considering quadrajet carb.

Have fun with your project, and keep updates coming.

If you are overseas related to a service enlistment, thanks for your service

akguy09 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 14, 2022 9:05 am That looks really nice as is

Yea it's nice to start with and hard to find them in this shape, it was a New Mexico rig a guys mother had inside all the time.

devildog80 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 14, 2022 9:30 am Nice truck to start with.

Not much expert advice I can relay, but recently rescued a '84 Grand Wagoneer from the desert that sat for 18 years, and it has the 401, 727 auto, and Selectrac 229 TC.

If you can find a D300 TC, to mate up with your OD trans, that would be a better combination. Gets you the 4 wheel drive stick in the floor, but a much more reliable 4x4 system.

The existing carb setup on mine (was brought over from the 360 engine the 401 replaced) is the MC2150 w/altitude compensator, and probably will work ok, but CFM is only about half of what the 401 should have on it for best performance.
I have a 4 bbl OEM intake to put on some day, and considering quadrajet carb.

Have fun with your project, and keep updates coming.

If you are overseas related to a service enlistment, thanks for your service

I looked up what you where talking about and thats good Info, the D300 was made by Atlas from what I read and the the post said thee Atlas II is just as good if not better if you don't have a D300 core to work with, I can mate it to a 4L60E up to a 4L80E which is mate-able to the 401, everyone here was right about these rebuilds, figure out the cost then triple it but is sure is fun until the wife finds out what your doing! Thanks for the Info!!

Just thinking.....the D300 powers off the passenger side, and my '84 NP229 powers off the drivers side.

Might need to change the front axle to accommodate the D300 TC?

Remembered reading this somewhere!

devildog80 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 14, 2022 10:27 am Just thinking.....the D300 powers off the passenger side, and my '84 NP229 powers off the drivers side.

Might need to change the front axle to accommodate the D300 TC?

Remembered reading this somewhere!

This one is driven from the passenger side so it should be ok, Thanks!

Oh you are in the clear then.

Onward with the project

What are your usage plans? Daily driver, mild trails, camping rig, rocks, mud, etc. This will help provide advice on the tranny/transfer case combo opinions.

Take a look at grimmjeeper's gear ratio calculator: http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html
It's the best around and actually owned by one of our own members.

Nice looking rig!

It will be my take it out once in a while and go to town or take some trails, I'm not going for the extreme rock climbing or mudding. We get a lot of snow in the winter in Northern MN and there are not a lot of big hills to climb but if I'm in a spot with others I don't want it to be the weak link, In other words I'm not going to beat on it to hard. Nice Ride with a great 4 wheel drive that people say Wow, you don't see them like this anymore!

OH and thanks for the link, this is great info and good to have, putting this together with the knowledge of most of you who have been threw all this makes for a good plan in my eyes....

Some Updates

Slow but sure

Transfer case is being gone threw, AMC 360 the same thing and putting on the Pro Flow 4, going to fit everything with the 360 then change it out later after the AMC 401, 400 HP is finished (several months out). Wife is working on the upholstery in her own time. Body Shop will be picking everything up in a few days to touch up the sand blasting and start the body and paint works

Looking good! I am not an expert but I believe the flexplate is on the wrong side of the engine.

If you are keeping the headers you might consider getting some stage 8 locking fasteners. I've used them in my Mustang for the headers and they prevent the bolts from backing out. I even put a set on the valve covers because I have always had a problem with those backing out as well.

The Flex plate on that side of the motor I though would balance it out more!

I am going to buy the locking fasteners for the headers but i did't know they made them for the covers, I will have to look them up! The 360 is very sound with great compression so it's getting a bunch of goodies and a facelift, I'll use it to put everything together, drive it and tweek things util the 401 is finished up, gives me a good engine for my other Cherokee. Any recommendations on valve covers?

Looking good!

What's with the antenna on the driver's side cowl? The would drive me crazy for one thing, and for another thing I've never seen any with it on the driver's side. And based on the firewall, it's always been left hand drive...weird.

BTW love the colors--we have an '84 2-door Chief that has the black and white livery

Must have been an option or the workers on the right side of the line in the factory went on strike that day because there was no mirror either on the right side. Antenna is going away, digital antenna is going in. Old stock wag mirror bases restored with new 87-91 Jaguar uppers (electric & heated) are going on it, Jag mirrors are the same as the jeep except the bases are different angle.