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BUILD THREAD: Project "Ghetto Fabulous"

158K views 811 replies 92 participants last post by  Jim1611 
#1 · (Edited)
Well, here I go again. This is CJ7 #3 for me and here's the story behind it and the title of the build.

For the past 7 years I have worked in the "Ghetto" and have driven past this one house that had this CJ7 parked along side the house for probably longer than 7 years. I would pass this thing numerous times a day and always check to see if this fellow Jeeper has made any progress on it. It never changed, it sat in the same spot the entire time never to be worked on again....until last week when I drove by again and there was a 4 sale sign on the grill. I called that day and went to take a look at it.

It "is" a 76 frame with an 83 tub, a chevy 350/ muncie 4 speed/ dana 20, stock axles, P/S. P/B with a custom cage and lots of extra parts.The tub has two minor areas with surface rust, solid floors and windshield frame. The chassis/frame looks new and all of the body mounts are solid. The guy asked $700.00 so I jumped on it (I wanted to build a $crambler, but what the hell) :thumbsup:.

So not only did I get a great deal but the guy trailered it to my house and helped me unload it into my garage!! :

The Jeep sat in the desert heat for years, so after vacuuming the desert off of the floorbaords (and the black widows) I was pleasantly surprised to see their like new condition. Nothing more than surface rust that will easily come off with a wire wheel or media blast.

So this turned out to be a "fabulous" find in the "ghetto", hence the build title.

Here's some pics:









The plan is to build a wheeler that will see street use:

#1. dump the stock axles for Currie 9 inch housings front and rear with detroit lockers and discs all around.
#2. dump the stock suspension and lift shackles for a quality 4.5 inch lift.
#3. install tube fenders up front and TJ flares out back to clear 35's.
#4. install Vanco hydraboost brakes and a high pressure P/S system.
#5. strip the body and line the interior and underside. the body will be painted either orange or camo. I already have a token red jeep :laugh:
#6. install rock sliders and bumpers with a tire carrier
#7. install new wiring harness
#8. tear down the motor, trans and xfer case and freshen them up because they sat open in the desert for years, probably got scorpions living in them, or completely replace everything.
#9. custom exhaust

Now here comes the big decision, do I keep the 350/muncie/dana 20 or install my worked 304/th400/dana 20 that I also have from another Jeep and put Fuel Injection on it? I'm an AMC kinda guy and I like to keep my CJ's mostly AMC/Jeep when I can (everyone and their mother can run a chevy, but an AMC takes a little TLC).

This project will take me quite a while cause I'm in no rush, so please bare with me and I'll post updates and lots of photos.

If anyone has any suggestions feel free to let me know.

I may put blacked out rims with some bling bling chrome center caps to keep with the "Ghetto Fabulous" theme. Cause in the Ghetto camoflauge and chrome match.
 
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#789 ·
Not much to report on the 77' other than its running well. I need to fix a leak between the trans/transfer case which means I have to pull the entire exhaust out again to get the transfercase off due to the custom routing of the pipes. I haven't spent much time on it because I've been caught up with my JY TBI Swap on my 79'.

Currently I'm trying to sort out how/why the 79' idles and drives great at minimal throttle but sputters and hesitates badly under load. Research online shows it to be a possible fuel pressure issue. I don't have a data cable yet. I ordered a TBI Fuel fitting with a gauge tap to replace the stock fitting so I can install a mechanical gauge right on the fuel line at the back of the TBI Unit. I am running the 7.4 TBI with the 94-95' 46pph injectors. I'm not sure what my fuel pressure currently is but the injectors I'm using are supposed to be run at 26-32 psi. My fuel spray pattern is sloppy, dribbling out in the center. I also noticed that the idle drops down significantly when my E-fans kick on. My HEI, ECM, E-Fans and Fuel Pump are all wired with their own relays with power coming from a 6 circuit fuse block.

I have also been sidetracked with another Jeep Build....
 

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#790 ·
My buddy wanted to build a Jeep and we found this 79'CJ5 for him for $500. Towed it home and it's currently being torn down to the frame. He got a head start on the tear down because the engine (304) has been sitting in the dirt next to the Jeep for about 8 years and the transmission/transfercase are missing. Luckily I have a 304/150/dana20 for him. He did get a usable hood, grill and front fenders with it. This one is gonna be a TBI Swap also.
 

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#791 ·
I checked the resistance on my CTS today and it was within spec with coolant temps ranging from 80* - 195*. I'm gonna focus on the fuel pump now. I swapped this one in after the original new pump I installed leaked from the body during my 'leak test'. Both pumps are E2000 cross reference numbers. The leaking pump kicked on once and cycled for two seconds to prime the line, even with the leak, when the key was first turned on. The replacement pump (currently installed) cycles repeatedly when I turn the key forward. We'll see what kind of pressure its putting out once my gauge and fitting gets delivered.

I added another ground wire to the system and that seems to have corrected my idle drop when the e-fans kick on.
 
#794 ·
Hello, My name is Craig and I have a Jeep problem......

Meet the new family fun ride!
My CJs are both two seaters and the new Rubi fits my family of five. I'm gonna keep both CJs and give my 99' XJ to my brother. Sadly, I put more miles on the Rubicon today alone than my 77' has on it.

I'm still working on finishing up my TBI Swap on my 79'.

It's gonna be a fun summer!
 

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#796 ·
83vert said:
Congrats that's awesome, I've been thinking about getting one myself.
Thanks! My kids love it!

I installed my fuel pressure gauge and extended fuel line fitting combo on the TBI along with a Spectre 1" TBI spacer. Tested for leaks and confirmed a steady fuel pressure of 30psi. These particular injectors call for 26-32 psi. Most other TBI injectors run about 12psi.

With 30 psi of fuel pressure I still have a poor spray pattern. I'm hoping it's something as simple as dirty or clogged injectors that is causing it to fall on its face under load.
 
#797 ·
After taking a long break from my CJ's, I finally got the 79' running good with the DIY TBI Swap. It was idling great but I was having issues with the engine loading up under part or full throttle while in gear. I finally got a data cable and watched on the Winaldl Dash as the RPM's numbers flashed from a steady 750 to 1600+ then right back to 750, without any noticeable effect on the actual engine idle. I looked at my after market tach and realized it was not moving. I had the tach signal wire from the HEI to the ECM spliced with the Tachometer lead but never put two and two together. I called Howell today and after a minute of describing my problem, Troy said to the Tach was probably back feeding the ECM causing the issue under load. I pulled the aftermarket tach out of the system and took it for a spin, good as new!!!!! Now to catch up with the rest of you TBI guys on this data logging stuff.
 
#798 ·
My tach is doing that too, but it is maybe once every three seconds under load, so it has little effect. One day, I'll run a dedicated, shielded wire straight to the ECM from the dizzy.
 
#800 ·
motiv8ya said:
I remember reading some of your TBI related posts talking about square wave signals and stuff, apparently that is what was involved with this issue. Is that why Howell uses an inline tach filter in their harness? Your Jeep is looking good, did you find a replacement axle yet?
That square wave talk was more for the VSS, but it certainly applies to the tach as well.

No axle yet. I can get my old axle working, but it doesn't look that great. I will certainly carry a spare set of shafts into the rubicon with me
 
#801 ·
It's been a while but I'm back at it on my 79'! Out with the JY TBI Swap and in with the Fitech #30003 Kit.

I got all of the TBI stuff pulled out yesterday and installed the Fitech Throttle Body. It bolts down exactly like a carb. I moved the studs on the linkage for my throttle cable and transmission kickdown over to the new unit and swapped the new O2 sensor into the exhaust. All thats left to do is splice 4 wires, clean the wire looms back up and make some new fuel lines. Its a completely different experience than the JY TBI Swap.

My parts shelf is too full so I'll have a JY TBI kit, (2) Howell AMC 401 chips, a Howell AMC 304 chip, Edlebrock 1406 carb, MSD Box and Mallory Unilite Distributor for sale shortly. I want to get my CJ's back on the road, they've been hiding in the garage for too long!!!
 
#802 ·
I picked up two female -6an to 3/8 hardline compression fittings and converted my existing steel fuel line connections at the throttle body. I primed the lines, checked for leaks, did the initial startup procedure on the handheld and turned the key.....it fired right up!

Starts easy, idles smooth, much less work than a TBI Swap and it cut down on the amount of wiring under the hood and dash.

Now I just have to put some miles on it!
 
#804 ·
I'll be upgrading the shackles front and rear on the 79'. The current ones are bowed and the center spacers rub on the extra leaf wrapped over the ends. I'll be ordering some Crabtree 1/2" Lift Shackles to replace these.

Other upgrades/projects for the 79' are:

Headlight upgrade (not sure on LEDS or other options yet)

Replace the brake proportion valve

Replace the torque arm and transmount

Replace seatbelts front and rear.

New exhaust with a Flowmaster (I'll have the same setup from my 77' made for the 79').

The 77' needs:

A new gasket between the trans/transfercase

A rear bumper/tire carrier combo

Metalcloak rocker rails

A headlight upgrade.
 
#806 ·
Fast forward 8 years + 1 day later, my nephew came into town and finally got his ride in the Jeep that he helped bolt the suspension onto.
 

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#810 ·
It’s been over 3 years since my last post.....................I still have both CJ’s. Sadly the 77’ doesn’t get driven and sits in the garage. It still has only 43 miles on it. I started a rear bumper/tire carrier for it but that project sits unfinished on my welding table right alongside the 77’, I need access to a tubing bender to complete it.

The 79’ came off the road in 2019 in favor of my kid’s car going on my insurance since she started driving. The FITech system was worth the upgrade.

My JKUR is my daily driver and that’s the only Jeep I’ve messed with in a while, I almost traded it for a JT but they don’t make 2021’s in the same color orange that I have. I don’t like the ‘Nacho’ color so I have to wait until the Punk’n color gets released.
 
#811 ·
“Other upgrades/projects for the 79' are:
Headlight upgrade (not sure on LEDS or other options yet)
Replace the brake proportion valve
Replace the torque arm and transmount
Replace seatbelts front and rear.
New exhaust with a Flowmaster (I'll have the same setup from my 77' made for the 79').
The 77' needs:
A new gasket between the trans/transfercase
A rear bumper/tire carrier combo
Metalcloak rocker rails
A headlight upgrade.”

The 79’ got everything checked off it’s list but I eventually switched back from LEDs to the stock headlights. It just needs a really good cleaning now.

The 77’ got it’s LEDs also but still needs the other three tasks to be completed.......add new tires to that list as well.
 
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