Engine Swaps: Pre-purchase descisions....

[jeepcar]

Hi. I am a prospective Jeep owner and am currently looking at three diferent trucks. Two of them are Engine Swap trucks, the third is stock. I need your help in choosing between them.

The first is a '92 YJ witht the 4.0 and 5-speed. It comes with hard top, full doors, a cracked after market fender flare, bald tires and UGLY wheels that don't really look like they will stand up. It is lifted, but it looks kinda shady, although the PO has ridden on it for 6+years...There are rust spots on the bod under the door on both sies. The diver's side is worse than the pasanger side. 90k miles on it $2k.


The second is a '89 2.5L 5-speed sith soft top and half doors. It was hit on the front driver's wheel and the tie-rod arm is bent and the front fender is smooshed. Unlifted AR wheels and brand new 31" tires. The rear tailgate is dented and it seems to have let in a LOT of water in the 8+ months that the jeep has been parked. There is no rust onthe thing that I can find other than surface rust on underside and a rusted out front shock. The engine is a 2.5L out of a '94 Grand Cherokee with 45k miles on it. There is an extra breather or vacume hose that comes up along the driver's side firewal and attaches to nothing. The PO says that if you block off the hose the engine runs smoother, but still runs rough as it needs to be timed. This truck: $800-$1000

The last is an '82 CJ-8 in Upstate New York. It is in really good shape for an unrestored old Scrambler as far as I can tell. It has all this stuff:
1982 jeep scrambler LOCATED IN "SARATOGA NY"
Mounts for chevy v8, comes with 305
t-18 tranny
dana 44's plus a spair front dana 44
all axles from scout with 4:11 gears
35" tires
dana 300 transfer case
custom roll bars
full hard top
1/2 hard top
bikini top
full hard doors
half doors
floor is good
MINOR rust on body
never wheeled just brought threw a couple of mud holes in 2 wheel drive because just recently finished puting in the matching 4:11's in the front
frame could use some TLC typical cj 7 and 8 frame
2500 obo

The pictures only show one area of frame rot that I'm sure can be patched up and the bodt rust isn't as bad as on the 'YJ. There are more areas of it, but none as large. The catch here is that the 305 isn't installed. I would have to do that.

A little about me: I am in my thirties and have limited mechanical experience. I maintaine my own motorcycles and have done simple car maintainace. I can not weld. I have no heated indoor facillities to use for more than an afternoon or so. This truck will be a toy and have no daily responsabillities. I am brand new to off-roading, but not dirt biking. I love the looks of the scramblers and know that I want one some day but this will be my first jeep and that truck seems like a little much for Jeeping 101. The 4.0 is the best package, despite the rust, but if I can vacune-cap that line or something on the 2.5L that's like HALF PRICE and for a first jeep that's a toy, half price is anice price. OTOH, if that engine swap is all FUBAR then I'm in for more than the 4.0L to begine with. My budget is $2k.

Some pics of the trucks:

mywebpages.comcast.net/ECDSG/ny-scrambler/jeeps.html

I'd love to hear your thoughts on all of this.

Thanks

Ken

Haverhill MA

[jps4jeep]

Personally, I would like to start with a blank canvas, lots of times when someone is selling a modified jeep, there is something wrong with it. I would perfer to find a good used jeep that is as close to stock as possible, that way you know that it was probably not beat up all that bad. (not that a trail rig gets beat on too bad) I would avoid anything that was in a accident, or has body rust IMHO. I would on the other hand, not turn down a vehicle cause of the frame, lots of people get rid of frames for free! also If you buy a older cj for cheap $$ you can buy a after market, stronger than stock frame for a little over $100 and it is accually easy to swap a frame, at least I think it is easier than replacing floor board and rockers, or switching to a fiberglass body.

Assuming that the motor does not come with the CJ8:
as for putting a 305 into that jeep, I would look 350 rather than a 305, simply put, more aftermarket parts. The 305 is a greta motor, I have had a couple of them, and my current chevy has one, but the 350 is a little more durale IMHO, and is a 4 bolt main instead of two bolt (if is a truck engine)

personally, i would take the CJ8 over the YJ's and make it into a prject if I had to choose between the three, but again, i say look for something that saw a lot of mall parking lots! and start from scratch.

[jps4jeep]

Oh ya, the grand cherokee never came with a 2.5L motor, perhaps a cherokee...

[jeepcar]

Thanks for the reply. Please note that I have added pictures to the post.

jps4jeep said:

Personally, I would like to start with a blank canvas, lots of times when someone is selling a modified jeep, there is something wrong with it. I would perfer to find a good used jeep that is as close to stock as possible, that way you know that it was probably not beat up all that bad. (not that a trail rig gets beat on too bad) I would avoid anything that was in a accident, or has body rust IMHO.

Well, other than the wheel-hit that's what the $800 YJ represents: a fairly stock truck that hasn't been off-roaded a lot (if at all).

I would on the other hand, not turn down a vehicle cause of the frame, lots of people get rid of frames for free! also If you buy a older cj for cheap $$ you can buy a after market, stronger than stock frame for a little over $100 and it is accually easy to swap a frame, at least I think it is easier than replacing floor board and rockers, or switching to a fiberglass body.

I assume that the $100 is a typo! I have never seen any one giving away a cj-8 frame! None of the frames in question are falling apartt hough, and the two YJs are in GREAT shape. Just those spots on the blue truck's sides..

Assuming that the motor does not come with the CJ8:
as for putting a 305 into that jeep, I would look 350 rather than a 305, simply put, more aftermarket parts. The 305 is a greta motor, I have had a couple of them, and my current chevy has one, but the 350 is a little more durale IMHO, and is a 4 bolt main instead of two bolt (if is a truck engine)

The 305 does come with the truck. Wiring harnesses and adaptors I don't know about.

personally, i would take the CJ8 over the YJ's and make it into a prject if I had to choose between the three, but again, i say look for something that saw a lot of mall parking lots! and start from scratch.

In this case those are two diferent trucks! The CJ-8 is not a street truck, the black truck is. I'm not sure that I am in for a "project" right now. I have taken my Dakota on some dirt roads and that's about the extent of my "Wheeling" so far. Seems fun, but I don't know for sure just yet. I am an avid motorcyclist (on and off road) and am not sure that I can afford the time or money for another motorized hobby just yet. The buy-in price of the Scrambler puts me over budget. Then I ahve to get it home and get it running. More $$$. BUT a complete rig like that can go for as much as $7k or more!

I wish that I had a better fealing about the 2.5 engine swap. That would clearly be the way to go.....

But I love the look of the Scrambler.

And the Blue truck is more "complete".

These things are like women: how can you choose just one?

Ken

[jeepcar]

I went doan and looked at the "89 some more today. I still don't know what exactly I am looking at so I took a bunch of pictures:

mywebpages.comcast.net/ECDSG/ny-scrambler/89_Wrangler.html

[dsgray16]

Are you planing on completely rebuilding that 2.5L YJ? I have never seen a jeep as rusted as that one is, at least not one that wasnt at a junk yard...

[jeepgod]

the 89' looks like a "rot box" further more the engine "swap" that was done seems to have some issues.i would probabally skip it. if you are looking for something stock to get you into wheeling i would go for the 94'
But if it were me i would buy that cj8, i saw that for sale on another forum, and i seriously thought about it. i even talked to the owner. the "cool" factor is very high
"Real Jeeps Have Round Headlights" ;D

[jeepcar]

You all think that the black truck looks rusty? Surface rust yea, but no holes in the frame or body, like BOTH the other trucks have. I guess you guys expect a lot for $1000! I really really like that Scrambler but it might be too much "project" for me at this stage in my Jeeping carear. Besides, I'd be like a guy who never shot a gun before buying a full-comp custom 911. Waste. I want something htat I can take into the woods NOW and smash up. To mee that's the BLack truck. Of course, the Scrambler is the COOLEST.... and the blue YJ is the most finished, except for the wheels and tires and rot.

I hate this.

ken

[jeepgod]

mechanically (engine issues)the 89 could be a nightmare, plus are you sure about the damage from the accident? that is why i said the 92.
i would try to avoid anything that would make it more difficult for me to get out sooner rather than later.
just my .02
do what makes you happy, not what a bunch of guys (or gals) say to do!

[jps4jeep]

I would look at that body and frame again on that 89, the steering, fairly cheap fix with junk yard arts, but it appears that it was once white, which means it was a color change, possibaly a theft recovery or in accident... make me second guess, as for the fender, that would not deter me, in fact I would use it as a buy point, get the vehicle cheaper cause the fender is mashed. The frame on the 89 looks rear rough, especially near the rear portion of the frame where YJ's always rot out.

I am still saying the blue CJ8 in the very first pic. But replace the shackles, they look real tired!



As for the frame I ment $1000, and yes people give frames away, I have given awaya YJ frame that I had as a project, and I know some one who has a 84 cj frame for sale, $100 (no typo)

[dsgray16]

"I want something htat I can take into the woods NOW and smash up. "

I understand, BUT at the same time you dont want to get out on a trail in the middle of nowhere and have the wheels fall off.

exaduration... just my 2 cents. I say do it right the first time.

[jeepcar]

dsgray16 said:

"I want something htat I can take into the woods NOW and smash up. "

I understand, BUT at the same time you dont want to get out on a trail in the middle of nowhere and have the wheels fall off.

exaduration... just my 2 cents. I say do it right the first time.

So..which one do you like?
Never mind, CJ-8 same as every boby else I'm sure....

ken

[dsgray16]

i would keep looking, dont rush into it, but yeah the cj8 would be my choise

[1BadTJ]

If I was you I would take my time and find the Jeep that really serves my purpose. If you are going to go out and beat on it......... it prolly wont last very long.

So get into it for as little as possible, knowing that you are going to have to dump more money into it very soon, if you want to continue to beat on it.

just my $2/100 th.

On second thought
Just get the Scrambler...... its too freakin cool!