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10/26/2013 4:22 pm  #1


My non-IRS project

Since I haven't been working on my 442 and its IRS, I thought I should post up my latest non-IRS project. So, without further ado, here is my  1989 Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

When I started, it had its stock AMC 360, Chrysler 727 transmission, and NP229 transfer case.

Exhibit A:



It's pretty much rust-free, with a few hail induced dings and a rather tweaked hood (it came open at some 35mph )

The Drivetrain Swap
-LY5 5.3 (from a 2008 Silverado)
-4L60E (2008 Silverado)
-NP229  (Original Jeep)

I also decided to install a modified HVAC unit from a 1970s GM product to give me a larger evaporator and dehumidified defroster.

Last edited by ProTouring442 (10/26/2013 4:27 pm)


Check out my latest project, "In the Company of Devils" at www.WilliamKElliott.com
 

10/26/2013 4:23 pm  #2


Re: My non-IRS project

The engine arrives!




Out with the old... (oh, it's for sale too!)




Air Conditioning mock up...




Behind the dash...




In with the new...




Clears the firewall nicely!


Check out my latest project, "In the Company of Devils" at www.WilliamKElliott.com
     Thread Starter
 

10/26/2013 4:30 pm  #3


Re: My non-IRS project

If you look carefully, you can see how I moved the engine forward by drilling new holes in the frame mounts.


And from the top...


Lot's of clearance underneath. The transfer case sits almost exactly where it did originally, though the rear crossmember is now in the rear mounting holes.


The evaporator case is built, a new evaporator has been installed, and it is all bolted on. It's a tight fit, but we have a good 3/4" clearance in the tightest places.




The defrost diaphragm didn't clear the engine inset, so...


I'll make a cover for it of course.

Clears the booster with no problems.


I love how much room is actually behind the dash! Lots of room for ducting, etc.




The heat outlet sits in the right spot too. (I think I need new carpet)


We have front sheet metal!




A friend I found on the garage door... she didn't survive the introduction.


Check out my latest project, "In the Company of Devils" at www.WilliamKElliott.com
     Thread Starter
 

10/26/2013 4:32 pm  #4


Re: My non-IRS project

A bit of looking turned up a mirror head I liked, so I bought a couple off the dreaded Ebay. They are from a '91-'97 Toyota Previa.

At first, I had planned on making a spacer to adapt them. But after some thought and a bit of guessuring, I decided I could install the mirror head on the original base. Of course, if I was wrong, the attempt would lead to the destruction of both pieces, but when has anything like that stopped me?

The result.




I don't think they turned out too badly. The transition between the new and old is a little obvious, but I have an idea to fix that. Of course, I will also be painting the base to match the mirror head.




Since the humidity made even a small job like the conversion of one mirror a way to sweaty endeavor, I decided I should do something inside where it is air conditioned. So I will be sitting down shortly to design the new dash layout.

Here are the gauges I will be using.


They are made by Speehut. They have LED lighting, and are built to order (about a week). You can customize their look too! These have red pointers and white numbers during the day, and red pointers with red numbers at night. The speedometer and tachometer are CAN-BUS, and derive their information from the ECM. The quad gauge is not yet available in CAN-BUS, so it will require individual sending units.

The speedometer.


Tachometer.


Quad gauge with oil pressure, coolant temperature, system voltage, and fuel level. The fuel level gauge can be used with any sending unit that works in any range below 300 ohms. I had them preset mine to work with the Suburban sending unit. All the gauges feature an LED warning light that can be set to your specs.


A slow day, but at least I accomplished something!


Check out my latest project, "In the Company of Devils" at www.WilliamKElliott.com
     Thread Starter
 

10/26/2013 4:33 pm  #5


Re: My non-IRS project

Here is the radiator "module" all put together. I'm using a Lincoln Mark VIII two-speed fan (moves something like 4,500 cfm on high!), along with a triple-pass A/C condenser and a 30,000 gvw transmission cooler.



Here you can see the outer side. The transmission cooler has its own fan, and I will run the oil through a thermostat to ensure the oil reaches operating temperature quickly, even in cold weather.

H

The radiator "module" has been bolted in place. The assembly sits a lot further forward than original!



As you can see, there is not a lot of clearance between the fan and the water pump! You can also see how much further forward it all sits.



I had to modify the hood release bar, raising it to clear the radiator. Here you can see I had to shorten the pull lever. I'll use a Lokar hood release lever to release the hood. It will give me more leverage than the original.



Driver's side latch. You can see how much I raised the cross bar.



Passenger's side.



Marked the front valance so I could cut it to clear the radiator assembly.



Once the valance was cut, it bolted on with no difficulty, as did the grill.



I bought an early style hood, but wanted to use my late style grill. As you know, the hood hits the grill at the corners of the "scoop" section. A little cutting and a little hammer and dolly work, and it fits pretty well. I also think the center section of the hood is more squared off than the early style, making the "scoop" section seem taller and more defined.



The straps in the picture above are to hold the shelter down in wind. My calls them "Jeep Bondage."


Check out my latest project, "In the Company of Devils" at www.WilliamKElliott.com
     Thread Starter
 

10/26/2013 4:35 pm  #6


Re: My non-IRS project

Worked on laying out the dash. The center stack will hold a Stereo/cd player with navigation, a scanner, the A/C controls, and a CB. I need to extend the wires between the chassis and the face of the CB, so I can remotely mount the chassis as it is too long to simply mount.



In front of the driver there will be three gauges, a speedometer and tachometer that will operate of the '08 ecm, and a quad gauge that will use sending units mounted on the engine. The dash pad and vertical sides of the center stack will be covered in black vinyl. The dash fascia will be covered in brushed aluminum.



This is where and how I will mount the airbox. I need an elbow to come out of the box and pull air from in front of the core support. Once I get everything mounted, I'll cover the hole in the inner fender with fiberglass.



I made a heat blanket to protect the bottom of the evaporator case from the heat off the exhaust manifold. The manifold already has a heat shield as well, so the evaporator case should stay reasonably cool.



Modify Harness: I went with a new harness from PSI ( http://www.PSIConversion.com ). It was around the same price as many charge to modify a harness and it gets you all new connectors. Also, the harness has a good 2' of length added to allow you to install the ECM and TCM inside the vehicle.

Cruise Control: Because I am running a Gen IV engine, the GM cruise control cannot be easily adapted (it's in the BCM, and not the ECM as with earlier LS series engines). I went with a system from Spanky's Rod Shop (http://www.spankysrodshop.net/ ) which interrupts the circuit between the gas pedal and ECM to implement its functions. Apparently it can be programmed to work with any cruise control buttons, so I had them program it to work with the factory Jeep/GM column switch.

Fan Controller: Painless #30141, F5 Single 70 Amp Fan PWM Controller. This will soft-start the fan and bring it to 50% power at whatever "on" temperature you set. As the vehicle's temperature rises, the unit increases fan speed. It also bypasses the temperature setting when you turn the A/C on, and allows a settable speed at which it no longer turns on the fan. I will use this feature to run the low speed on my Lincoln Mark VIII fan. The ECM will turn on the high speed feature of the fan if the engine gets to the higher temperature the ECM is set at. This gives me a redundant system to ensure the engine runs nice and cool.

Keyless Entry: I went with a system by AutoLoc ( http://www.autoloc.com ). I chose them because they have a flip-key style remote that works with their system. I'll be modifying a key and maybe the ignition cylinder to use this.

Remote Start: I know, such a sissy sort of thing, right? Well, my wife has MS, and heat, as she says, is the enemy. Being able to remotely start the vehicle and allow the interior to cool down will be great for her and a luxury for me. I went with an Omega/Excalibur unit.

Battery Isolator: I plan on running at least one deep cycle battery besides the normal "starting" battery. This is to go along with all the other "stuff" I have added, along with the inverter I plan on installing. I am using a "smart isolator" by Intellitec.

Battery Charger: I will be mounting a Battery Tender on board.

Stereo/Navigation: Kenwood DNX6140. A double DIN stereo/cd player with iPod control and Garmin GPS.

CB: Galaxy DX949 w/SSB. The unit is too deep to mount how I wanted, so I am extending the wires to the faceplate so I can remote mount the body and install the face in my dash.

Scanner: Uniden BCT15X TrunkTracker III... yeah, I don't know why, I just had to have one.


As for progress...

Over the weekend I tried out the simulated "brushed aluminum" vinyl I purchased. Great stuff! (3M DiNoc). I do need to use the adhesive promoter/primer 3M sells, and so have ordered that. I'll post pics of the finished dash insert once I get the primer and redo it.

I also began running the Engine Management harness. So far, I have only run into one difficulty, the cam sensor connector is different from my engine's. I'll contact PSI as soon as I have checked all the other connectors, but I imagine I will just need to swap out the connector.


Check out my latest project, "In the Company of Devils" at www.WilliamKElliott.com
     Thread Starter
 

10/26/2013 4:37 pm  #7


Re: My non-IRS project

The CB would not fit in the dash, so, to quote Tim Allen, I rewired it.





In keeping with the posting of critters encountered along the way, here is the lovely lady I found nesting atop the garage door.





As you may recall, I had to modify the hood latch mechanism to clear the new radiator placement. I purchased a hood latch lever and cable system from Lokar and installed it. Works like a champ!



I was able to modify the original hood latch lever assembly to use as the bracket for the new lever assembly.



With the new heat-A/C system, there is plenty room up behind the passenger side of the dash. A few brackets, and some careful measuring, and we have a place to mount the ECM, TCM, Engine Management Fuse Panel, Auxiliary Fuse Panel, CB Radio, Remote Start Module, Keyless Entry Module, and... I think that's it... maybe...

I also mounted the passenger side defroster duct (the old style to go with the old style dash pad). I had to modify it a bit, but it works quite well now. I still need to make manifolds to connect the ducts to the Heater Box.







Under the hood, I mounted the Fan Control Module.



And the Auxiliary Battery Control Module





On the roof I got the CB Antenna and Scanner Antenna mounted.





In between migraines and other assorted distractions,  I finished the radio panel. The upper hole is for the head unit w/GPS. The bottom is for the CB radio face. The toggles are for all manner of stuff. I have different labels coming as I don't like the way these look.



As for some of the non-migraine distractions (did I mention I've been getting a lot of migraines lately?), I went to North Carolina and got some welding done on my dad's '59 Impala project.

Rocker panel repair.





Moved the fuel tank braces to allow the tank from a '96 Caprice to be used.



Took my wife to the butterfly house in Durham.





And rearranged the guest bedroom... I'll repaint the pink sooner or later, but for now, at least it's more acceptable.








Check out my latest project, "In the Company of Devils" at www.WilliamKElliott.com
     Thread Starter
 

10/26/2013 4:38 pm  #8


Re: My non-IRS project

Behold! The Infamous 42 gallon Suburban fuel tank. So how do you put 50lbs of manure in a 25lb bag? Well, fist you remove anything that sticks up from the top of the tank. On the Suburban tank there are two vapor vents (for the charcoal canister) and a vent for the fill. The vapor vents were filled with freeze plugs (turned down to 1.22") and installed with JB Marine Weld(fuel resistant). The hole for the fill vent (it was already torn off when I bought the tank-got a deal because it was damaged) was filled with by tapping the hole to 3/8 NPT and screwing in a plug coated with the same JB weld. I then made a new vent next to the original fill by drilling a 1/4 hole and enlarging it with a tapered tap (to make an area for the tap to bite), tapping it 3/8 NPT, and installing a plug.



As others have done, I cut the rear most crossmember off to make room. Sine the tank will block access to the nuts that hold the bumper and trailer hitch, I welded them.



I had to trim the floor brace so I could get the tank as high as possible.



While under the truck, I installed my new air shocks. I drilled a couple holed in the crossmember located just behind the rear axle to hang the tank mounting bolts.



I braced the rear of the frame with an L brace (to hang the tank) and a larger brace attached to the bumper brackets. Here is the L bracket.



A hole was cut in the floor to make easy access for the fuel sender/fuel pump unit.



The tank, once installed doesn't hang all that low... here it is from a normal viewing height, sans trailer hitch.



Here it is as seen from down low. again, sans trailer hitch.



The exhaust passes between the rear shock and fuel tank with little room to spare. Currently there is about 1/4" between the exhaust and each item.



Here is another view. Once done, I'll take it where I can get it up on a lift so I can dimple the pipe and the tank to give about 1/2" between the pipe and the shock, and a good 1" between it and the tank.



Since we were working on the nether regions, the headpipe was next. Using the Silverado manifolds, I welded up a headpipe with crossover. The welds aren't the prettiest, mostly because I was welding stainless with a MIG. Still, I got good penetration, and that's all that matters.







The pipe is in two pieces with a sliding clamp to ease installation. As it runs very close to the transmission pan and servo cover, I wrapped it. This will also help keep heat out of the interior.



You can see how close it runs to the pan. There is good clearance for driveshaft movement too.



I had to cut the original floor heat shield for clearance, so the wrap will really help.



Here it runs down past the transmission. There is a shield that also protects the transmission from the heat.



Passenger side clearance. Good distance between the exhaust and the starter.



And that's all for now... sorry, no critter pictures today. We do have a couple of cool spiders just outside our bedroom window, but I haven't taken any good shots of them.


Check out my latest project, "In the Company of Devils" at www.WilliamKElliott.com
     Thread Starter
 

10/26/2013 4:40 pm  #9


Re: My non-IRS project

For your entertainment, here are a few pics of my Father's 1959 Impala project. Last week I went to visit my folks in Youngsville, NC, and helped him get a little work done on it.

Here is the L99 (LS3 for an auto), backed by a 6L80E transmission. Man is that trans BIG!  :o



It was a tight fit, but dad managed to get it in the car without having to use aftermarket accessory brackets. Cheaper, and looks better I think.



The reason I went was to help get the exhaust fitted. Between the non-original style engine and the funky shaped frame, we had to do a bit of fitting to get the passenger's side head pipe to fit around the starter and exit where the frame is bent for the most clearance (the exhaust has to pass from inside the rails to the outside of them, just behind the lower control arm mount). The lower control arm mount hangs down here, making it a tight fit, but we managed.



The driver's side was a lot easier! The discoloration you see is from the heat. The pipe is stainless, so no rust. The welds aren't as pretty as I would like, but welding stainless with a MIG isn't the best solution if you want that oh-so-pretty "roll of dimes" look. In fact, welding stainless with a MIG is a royal pain in the butt!  :shock: 



We made little stub pipes (they didn't cut into the actual exhaust pipe) to attach Corvette exhaust hangers with. These do a great job of supporting the exhaust and eliminating vibration and noise while allowing the exhaust to expand and contract linearly.



We added a second hanger of the same type just behind the rear axle.



Another job we worked on while I was there was the adapting of late model Suburban power seat tracks to a set of '62-65 Chevy bucket seats (only the bottoms are shown here).



While I haven't been around, dad has been working on other projects. One of them is the adapting of a '68-'72 Olds Cutlass A/C-heater system (similar to the system I am adapting to my Wagoneer). Here are the modification he made to the firewall.



He's also modified the dash where the original radio went so that he can now mount the center A/C outlet from a '69 Camaro.



And here is the old gal herself, mounted on a rotisserie. The dark primer is epoxy while the lighter stuff is polyester (essentially sprayable body filler) awaiting blocking.



Finally, I'll leave you with a few shots I took when my dad and I went to an old salvage yard in Virginia we used to frequent. There were a lot fewer cars (he's crushed thousands due to the ravages of time), but it was still so cool to go back after a good 12 or 15 years!












Check out my latest project, "In the Company of Devils" at www.WilliamKElliott.com
     Thread Starter
 

10/26/2013 4:41 pm  #10


Re: My non-IRS project

Ok, it's only a small thing, but it is still real, actual progress on my Jeep!  :D

I had only a short bit of time today to work on the Jeep, and rather than get everything out and crawl under the dash for wiring, I decided to get my steering wheel together.

The wheel is a recent Ebay purchase. It's not a very expensive steering wheel. Though a real wood wheel, the spokes were a bit scratched up, so I got it at a good price.

But being me, I didn't want it to look like an aftermarket wheel. It had to look like it could have come from Jeep. So...

I rummaged through some boxes in the garage attic and came up with an old Oldsmobile sport wheel horn button. I disassembled the button, discarding everything but the portion that connects the button to the actual electrical portion of the horn button (to be purchased later), and the lower escutcheon. I sanded and painted the lower escutcheon silver, then trimmed the center portion of a Jeep Cherokee horn button to fit.

After gluing these together, and while waiting for the glue to set, I sanded the steering wheel's spokes and taped off the wooden part so the spokes could be painted. In the end, I think it turned out quite nicely. The whole thing will attach to a '68-pre airbag GM sport wheel 6-screw hub, and will use the corresponding horn button (electrical portion) and so should be quite reliable.



Made a place to hold the Chevy airbox. I cut a 4" hole in the bottom of the airbox, and made a tube to connect behind the front fascia.



Modified the airbox to close off the original air intake and instead use the new 4" intake tube.  By the way, the welds are Silicon Bronze. Nice stuff to work with! Not for anything structural of course, but great for working with sheet metal.



A test fit with the lid.



Finished, except for the last flex joint and clamps.



I forgot to take photos of the build process, but here's the battery box (built out of the bed frame mentioned in the other thread).



I also made a bar to hold 3 Maxi Fuse holders and 4 Bosch style relays.



Lastly, I mounted a set of Cadillac 4-note horns (A, C, D, and F) in the old pie plate positions. They're not actually louder than the factory horns, but their tone really gets your attention!





No critters this time, though I wish I'd taken one of the Carolina Wolf Spider I found in the kitchen sink a few weeks ago!  :shock:  Egad that thing was huge!


Check out my latest project, "In the Company of Devils" at www.WilliamKElliott.com
     Thread Starter
 

10/29/2013 8:01 am  #11


Re: My non-IRS project

Wow, you've been busy!
What engine came out of your dad's '59 Impala?  I'm restoring a '59 El Camino and putting the Jag IRS in it.  I'm keeping the original 348, only because it is an oddity of an engine.  I know it would be cheaper to do an LS but to each our own.  I've figured out a way to do an LS style ignition and fuel injection on my 348, so it is a way for me to be unique.

Good luck with your projects!  I see a lot of ambition, time and talent have come together for some fun projects.

Here are a couple of sites which might help (not sure how much you need) out:
LS Engines and Swaps - http://ls1tech.com/forums/index.php
58 - 64'ish Full Size Chevys - http://www.348-409.com/forum/index.php?s=

BTW, I Googled Carolina Wolf Spider, that MoFo looks damn near like a bleeping tarantula!  I'd be afraid to hit it with a shoe, it might take it from me!  Wasp and hornet spray works well for spiders as well. 

 

10/29/2013 3:43 pm  #12


Re: My non-IRS project

303Radar wrote:

Wow, you've been busy!
What engine came out of your dad's '59 Impala?  I'm restoring a '59 El Camino and putting the Jag IRS in it.  I'm keeping the original 348, only because it is an oddity of an engine.  I know it would be cheaper to do an LS but to each our own.  I've figured out a way to do an LS style ignition and fuel injection on my 348, so it is a way for me to be unique.

Good luck with your projects!  I see a lot of ambition, time and talent have come together for some fun projects.

Here are a couple of sites which might help (not sure how much you need) out:
LS Engines and Swaps - http://ls1tech.com/forums/index.php
58 - 64'ish Full Size Chevys - http://www.348-409.com/forum/index.php?s=

BTW, I Googled Carolina Wolf Spider, that MoFo looks damn near like a bleeping tarantula!  I'd be afraid to hit it with a shoe, it might take it from me!  Wasp and hornet spray works well for spiders as well. 

It was originally a 283 3-speed car. We still have both if you know anyone who mighht be interested.

The wolf spider didn't really bother me. They're big, but they rarely bite, even when harrassed. I just scooped him up into a jar and deposited him outside so he could go hunt.

And the 348? Cool engine! Years ago I had a '61 Impala 2dht with a 409 I bored and stroked to 482. Torque monster deluxe! If I ever build a hot rod, it will be powered by a 348 or 409 with lots of carburetors and compression!

Thanks for the links!
Bill


Check out my latest project, "In the Company of Devils" at www.WilliamKElliott.com
     Thread Starter
 

11/03/2013 8:11 pm  #13


Re: My non-IRS project

When I am not working on the Jeep, I am a writer. This year I am participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), during which participants attempt to write at least 50,000 words. November is NaNoWriMo, and while I haven't gotten off to a great start, I have gotten started! I have my story, and my way points, so even though I've only managed 1,600 words so far, I am confident I will get pretty close at least to my 50,000 word goal.

Here's a little sneak preview of the book...


Check out my latest project, "In the Company of Devils" at www.WilliamKElliott.com
     Thread Starter
 

11/09/2013 7:23 pm  #14


Re: My non-IRS project

Well - DONE!  Looking forward to the next 50K words - and pics!
Hehehehe.   JEEP = Just Empty Every Pocket!
Again - nice work- I am so envious. 
Cheers - Jim


UNDERCONSTRUCTION! Highly Modified C3 Corvette
         Dual Wishbone IRS w Subframe + Custom Uprights
 

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