"Gaucho" CJ stepside pickup build

[xjandyj]

4.0 aw4 out of an xj...cheap,plentiful,bulletproof...that thing is a keeper and your son will/should have it forever...make him do it with you ........down the line when his life levels out he can go big etc if he wants to..but a cherokee would be easy to find and get it done....

[jscherb]

Originally Posted by xjandyj

4.0 aw4 out of an xj...cheap,plentiful,bulletproof...that thing is a keeper and your son will/should have it forever...make him do it with you ........down the line when his life levels out he can go big etc if he wants to..but a cherokee would be easy to find and get it done....

Yes, he would definitely have to put some "sweat equity" into the project .

[ReconRabbit]

My 2c. The stock CJ axles are plentiful and can be had for little to nothing. I would just hunt down a set with the gears you want and be done with it. I'm sure someone on here probably even has a line on a set already for you!

Heck, how about a whole drivetrain.
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f126/2004-rubicon-motor-trans-tcase-f-r-d44-axles-1044500/

[cheapjeeps85]

that is a sweet rig

[XJAbuzer]

Originally Posted by nzirbel

Heck, how about a whole drivetrain.
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f126/2004-rubicon-motor-trans-tcase-f-r-d44-axles-1044500/

That is the route I would take if I had the cash.

[jbjorgen]

and with a 4.0, the 2.73's wouldn't be great but they wouldn't be terrible either, again, for my expected usage. 2.73's with my 258 were really bad, but the 4.0 has something like 50 more horsepower than the 258; ideally I'd have 3.54's or at worst 3.07's, but we could probably live with the 2.73's with a 4.0 and 31" max tires.

I have to disagree. The 31's with 2.73 will be nearly undriveable uphill or if you've got anything in the bed. I have terrible memories of my '94 YJ with 31's and 3.07 gears before I changed to 4.10's.

[Pathkiller]

Originally Posted by jbjorgen

I have to disagree. The 31's with 2.73 will be nearly undriveable uphill or if you've got anything in the bed. I have terrible memories of my '94 YJ with 31's and 3.07 gears before I changed to 4.10's.

Beg to differ. My Scrambler has a 4.6L stroker and had 2.73 gears with 33" tires up until this weekend when I swapped to 3.31's. It has plenty of power and no problem using 5th gear.

[-JD-]

Jeff, you might want to take a look at these guys Jeff Daniel’s Jeeps if you are considering a YJ frame swap. They seem to do a lot of scrambler restorations and might be willing to work out an extended YJ frame swap.

[jscherb]

Originally Posted by -JD-

Jeff, you might want to take a look at these guys Jeff Daniel’s Jeeps if you are considering a YJ frame swap. They seem to do a lot of scrambler restorations and might be willing to work out an extended YJ frame swap.

Thanks, but just trading someone my lengthened CJ-8 frame for a YJ frame wouldn't help.

The appeal of a YJ frame is not the frame itself, it is the idea of getting a complete running package - frame, engine, transmission, transfer case, axles, brake, fuel, cooling and electrical systems, etc., etc... it's a simple matter to lengthen the YJ frame and put the Gaucho body parts on it. Pretty much the same as a tub swap job. The thought is it would be less work than trying to source and assemble all the individual parts to go on the current frame. (Could also say the same about a donor CJ-7, but that would be even harder and more expensive to find in the condition I'd want).

[jeepwhore]

Originally Posted by jbjorgen

I have to disagree. The 31's with 2.73 will be nearly undriveable uphill or if you've got anything in the bed. I have terrible memories of my '94 YJ with 31's and 3.07 gears before I changed to 4.10's.

Easy explanation there....square headlights! Too each their own. I used to do several 400-500 mile trips a year in my CJ with a stock 4.2L. Each time after about an hour on the highway it seemed to get comfortable and used to the idea of highway cruising and consistently got 20+ mpg.....with 33" tires mind you. Even on long gentle-moderate grades it would hold 65mph without issue. Of course, a 8-10% grade of any length quickly killed momentum but I have yet to see a Jeep that doesn't fall on its face in that situation.

It definietly wan't the best set up in town but it was by no means a dog. The only place I found the gear and tire combo undesirable was when trying to use 4HI offroad in the mud or where finesse was required for obstacles. In both cases it was impossible to use 4HI but as stated, those aren't scenarios the gaucho is likely to encounter (nor do I forsee it being a workhorse with alot of payload to haul). I doubt the gaucho weighs much more than a cherokee and a 4.0L pushes those around no problem.

Jst my .02

[havoc64]

Hey there,

I've been following this build since joining JeepForum. I'd say keep the CJ frame. It's cool, and it's what the Goucho had. As for the Drive Train, I'd also look for a 4.0 out of a TJ and mate that with a NV3550 with the Dana 300. You could flip the Dana 300 and put some other axles under her, maybe some Dana44's but you want to keep cost down.

With the TJ Mill, Tranny and Dana 300 you and the Young man have options down the road for upgrades.

You could then order some new Dana60's or 44's with CJ clips and go big.

As for the gearing, my old CJ had the 258, stock gears and the Model20 Rear. It did fine, once I got the crap of a carb off and put on an HEI and Motorcraft carb. I could tool on down the highway in 5th and not downshift except on steep grades.

Color is a hard choice..I agree with the other poster with the Yellow, Inca Gold would be very cool too. Or let the Son pick the color. AMC had a color in the late 60's that was on my '69 Javelin SST, Metallic Green, that would look real nice on a goucho.

Love the goucho! Ever think of making a TJ to J10 Conversion? That'd be a nice project..

Keep up the great work, your an artist!

mike

[jscherb]

Originally Posted by havoc64

...
Love the goucho! Ever think of making a TJ to J10 Conversion? That'd be a nice project..

Keep up the great work, your an artist!

mike

Thanks, Mike.

I don't know exactly what you mean by a "TJ to J10" conversion, but I assume you've seen the Retro Wrangler pickup I did before the Gaucho, some J10's had stepside beds like the Retro...

[jbjorgen]

Originally Posted by Pathkiller

Beg to differ. My Scrambler has a 4.6L stroker and had 2.73 gears with 33" tires up until this weekend when I swapped to 3.31's. It has plenty of power and no problem using 5th gear.

4.6L stroker != TJ or YJ 4.0.

I had no problem on flat roads either. The problem came when I'd get passed by all the trucks when driving through the mountains. Many times I couldn't get it higher than 35 mph which is kinda dangerous in a 65mph zone. Put a trailer behind it or a load in the bed and it was extremely sluggish. I'm not saying it won't be drivable, but it will not be a pleasure to drive, and a vehicle built like that deserves to be a pleasure to drive.

[havoc64]

Yea I saw your red truck, love those flat rear fenders...I was talking about the old J10's with the cool Jeep Grill..



But as far as I am concerned, I'd love one of your gouchos even more...

you get from me!

MIKE

[jscherb]

Originally Posted by havoc64

Yea I saw your red truck, love those flat rear fenders...I was talking about the old J10's with the cool Jeep Grill..



But as far as I am concerned, I'd love one of your gouchos even more...

you get from me!

MIKE

You could always make me an offer for the Gaucho if you really want it, maybe I'd sell it to you .

As for the J10 grille, I've given a little thought to making a J-10 style front clip (fenders, hood and grill) for the TJ like Chrysler just did for the JK with the Nukizer concept... hmmm....