Been a while since ive built up a new rig, and hence no build threads, however that all changed a few weeks ago when a friend posted up a 1979 DJ5. Better known as a postal jeep. These jeeps typically came in 2wd and so have been overlooked by offroaders for the most part. I've wanted one for a long time which i assume is due to our mail carrier driving one for a while when i was younger.
Whatever the reason for the fascination, it was piqued when i noticed in the fine print that my friend had swapped in a Chevy V8 with a powerglide. The engine was just the 283, but in a jeep this size it scoots like a hotrod. Sadly at the time i did not have the funds to buy the rig, but a few weeks later it was realized a possible trade for my rolling 48 Willys frame/drivetrain could be worked out. After driving to Ephraim, and hours of what was termed "horse trading", the DJ was loaded onto my trailer and taken home.
I enjoyed the next few weeks driving the rig, and started learning about carburetors which is something i have avoided for years. After some time i confidently was able to adjust the carb and had the beast running even better than before. I enjoyed racing around town in my "sleeper", taking cars by surprise and letting the pipes sing at full throttle. They were good days for sure.
But the fun had to come to an end. While driving home from a car show i heard an audible hiss and noticed a tire had a bad split in it. My friend had told me the tires were bad, but i had hoped they would hold out a little longer, although im sure my hot rodding did not help the situation. After further inspection i discovered all 4 tires were beginning to tear open in one form or another, so it was time to track down some tires.
I didnt have money to buy new, so i checked out KSL. Ideally some BFG Radial T/As would have fit my end goal nicely, but there were none to be found and wouldnt have been the best offroad. I ended up tracking down some BFG A/T tires, which gave the rig a more aggressive safari style look im not completely sold on but is growing on me. My good friends at Jacks Tire and Oil in Orem swaped me over, and i was back on the road.
For a short time unfortunately. The next day i experienced something terrifying as i pulled out of my driveway and started down the road, came to an intersection, and the vehicle wouldnt slow down. It was the first time i'd had a throttle stick open on me and was quite unpleasant. I fortunately was able to stop the vehicle by pulling the key out before barreling into traffic. Upon inspection of the motor i realized the throttle return spring was stretched out and not pulling the throttle back closed. Jumping online i was surprised to find that no one sold replacements. I ended up going with some universal springs that work ok, but im still not 100% satisfied with. At least the crisis was over and i could get back to driving around again. During this time i also replaced a very dirty air filter, which pepped up the motor a bit, and started looking online to order a HEI ignition system so i could get away from the points distributor.
Around that time is when i noticed the jeep getting harder to start in the mornings. It would fire up, run a second or 2, and die. After some digging around i assumed it was due to a fuel delivery problem, and replaced the fuel filter. The fuel filter is a see-through style and was hardly filling with gas when using the old filter. With the new filter in place it would quickly fill completely full and i thought i was in the clear yet again, but thats when i noticed the mechanical pump itself was leaking fuel out of the top.
Deciding i was done with mechanical pumps, i ordered up a Morosso pump block off plate, and Edelbrock electric fuel pump. My plan was to swap these items in, but first i wanted to attend a trunk-or-treat event up in Draper. I drove the rig up there on the freeway without issue, and left it idling while unloading some clothes out of the back for the donation drive when i heard a clicking coming from the vehicle. Upon inspection i noticed the oil pressure gauge had dropped to 0 so i quickly parked the rig and enjoyed the event with my postal service themed setup.
Afterwards i started the rig up and pressure was back to normal. I assumed maybe it was a faulty sending unit and started to drive home. About halfway home i noticed that the pressure gauge had dropped to 0 again, and as i started to pull over it jumped back up. It continued to drop to 0 for a second, then back up to 40 every 10 seconds or so. The vehicle was driving fine and i didnt hear any odd sounds so i continued on my way still assuming a faulty sending unit.
Unfortunately once i pulled off the freeway and stopped at a light near my home the engine started to make a loud clicking noise. Looking back i probably should have just stopped there and got my trailer, but seeing as the pressure gauge was still jumping up and down i assumed the engine would be ok to slowly drive the last couple blocks to my home. Unfortunately by the time i got home the engine was making a bit louder of a clack and i feared a spun bearing. Depressed i pulled it into my garage and the next day put it up on jack stands. I then ordered a new high volume oil pump and oil pan gasket in hopes that the noise is not as bad as i thought and the engine is still good enough to cruise around with even if it is a bit clicky. I decided to replace the oil filter while i was at it, and pulled off the casing around the cartridge style filter. After draining out the casing i began cleaning it up and thats when i discovered quite a bit of sludge build up in it, and very interestingly a cigarette butt that i would love to know the story of how it came to be in there. At this point im waiting on a few more parts, but my overall goal is to keep the 283 running, and only add parts that can later be transferred to a 350 block. The cool thing about Chevy/GM parts is many of them interchange over a large year spread, so things like carbs, fuel pumps, headers, etc... are all fair game to put into the motor without dedicating myself too much in building up the small 283. And thats where im at today. My plan is to keep up on this thread as i go through my journey of bridging hot rod and jeeps while learning new things along the way. So far its been a fun experience despite all the setbacks. I also plan on being better at taking more pictures going forward to document the transformation.
With the super easy painting stuff completed thanks to Coy, the vehicle was moved back to my place for that difficult task of reassembly. Originally i had planned to put back on the same parts id taken off, but now they looked old and junkie when paired with the new paint so i decided to get all new lights, reflectors, door sliders, door slide skirts, refurbished front blinkers, hood latches, gas bezel, and stainless hardware for everything.
I then discovered i had lost part of the mirror bracket, which i have just ordered a new one and should have the mirrors buttoned up by next week. Next up will be the rims, and then something will have to be done about the interior that looks awful now compared to the outside.
With the main body painted, Coy moved onto painting the rear and side doors. I even helped mask the side doors.
The goal wasnt to have an immaculate paint job, just something that looked decent and not so ratty. With that in mind after a few hours of painting the vehicle was pulled into the makeshift paint booth and the first coat put down. Unfortunately an o-ring in the gun failed and caused water to enter the paint, which in turn created fish-eyes in the paint. Not satisfied with the look, Coy again sanded the freshly painted vehicle and hit it again with another coat. I think at this point in the project i had at least come by once and helped mask off a few things so that was my generous contribution to my own project.
The weather was a bit finicky for a bit, but finally a weekend opened up that looked like it was going to be just about perfect. Only problem was we had a trail ride that day. Coy opted to stay home to work on the sanding and painting while i led the group on the trail ride. What a guy!
Back to it! Each year BOAR participates in the UVU auto expo. While signing up for the event there was some discussion between my friend Coy and I, which led to wondering if we could get the DJ painted in time for the event. One thing led to another and next thing i know im stripping the DJ down to take it over to his place
Coy had painted his Jeep Willys with some plain old rustoleum paint and it had turned out great so i popped down to Home Depot to pick one out. The colors were pretty limited but i ended up settling on a Royal Blue they had in stock.
I need to get a better pic that does the rig justice, but for now here it is.
Im finally back to driving it around almost daily and having fun so for now the rig will be staying as it is while i focus on other things. Plans that are currently in the works for the future is a new paint job, radiator upgrade, and some other odds and ends. Thanks for following along so far!
With the immediate issues sorted out on the rig, i was anxious to get the thing back out on the road and put it through its paces. Currently the exhaust was mostly removed in anticipation of installing a new one, and the jeep was so loud i had to wear ear protection when starting it up. In keeping with the old school hot rod look, i decided to go with some side dump exhaust pipes. Since the jeep is a bit short in between the wheels(40"), and the shortest side dump exhaust was 50", some fabrication work was definitely going to be in order. I contacted my friend Craig down at Computune in Provo, told him my plans, and setup an appointment. While dropping it off i decided id like to stay and help out as well so i could learn something new, and Craig thankfully allowed it. We spent the entire day cutting, test fitting, welding, etc... to get everything just right. We had quite a few set backs and other issues arise but in the end the system was installed and sounding great.
With the trans sorted out i was able to work on something a little bit easier, installing an oil pressure and voltage gauge. I figured it was time for a gauge upgrade to something that at least was back-lit after my near engine death experience that kicked off this whole mess. My brother had some gauges he graciously donated to the cause that were in great shape. The oil pressure sending unit is a bit large and wouldnt fit into the factory manifold spot. I also wanted to install an oil pressure safety switch that kills power to the fuel pump should the oil pressure drop below 5psi. WIth these two issues in mind i used a 2" brass pipe extension with a T fitting and an L fitting. This would allow me to install both sensors at the necessary offsets. Although it isnt pretty, its functional and was cheap to make.
With the sensors installed, all i had to do was run the necessary wiring to the dash and validate everything was working as expected. During the install i also discovered the amperage meter had the power for all the electrical systems running through it. While that may have been ok back in 1972, it was a bit worrisome to me and i plan to change it in the future.
With the mount sorted out, i decided i better do something about the leaking trans since it had been leaving basketball sized puddles under the DJ. The trans had leaks coming from the pan seal, selector shaft, kickdown shaft, speedometer output, and rear output seal. Im sure there are others as well, but figured i would take care of the worst ones first. I also used it as a chance to replace my transmission filter, and of course paint the pan orange. I also replaced the pan bolts with studs. Unfortunately i didnt get many pictures during this time since my hands were always covered in transmission fluid, but i did get a picture of the selector shaft and the two clamps that took me hours to remove and reinstall due to the way they have to be put in. It definitely was not one of my favorite parts of the job.
Now that the engine had been tested and seemed ok, it was time to button everything back up. I wasnt happy with the transmission situation i discovered earlier, and the cross-member that was in there would need some major work to make it not crooked and off-center, so i decided to make a new one. I had a transmission mount for a YJ i had planned to use on another build, but that is so far away that it was re-purposed for the DJ. You can see the old cross member, and exhaust system in the following pics.
You can see the slant on the cross-member, and the bailing wire exhaust. I hadn't planned on dealing with the exhaust just yet, but the new cross-member made it a necessity. Step 1 was supporting the trans and removing the cross-member. Notice the leaking trans pan, speedometer gear output, rear output seal, and general condition. I then bolted up the new plate to the trans, modified and test fitted the DOM cross member, then burned everything in with the welder. After everything had a chance to cool down, i painted the cross member and mounting brackets, and once dry i installed the cross member.
Unfortunately while the trans was being bolted down, i heard a pop noise and realized part of the trans side mount had broken. Since it was a small piece and there is still alot of thread engagement left, i decided to run with it for now and keep an eye on it. In the event it gets worse, i will replace the tail housing section with a new one.
One step of replacing the oil pump i wasnt looking forward to was priming the oil system. This requires removing the distributor and using a special tool and drill you spin the pump manually. This ensures the oil system is full, your oil pump is functional, and there are no air pockets. The drawback is you have to ensure the distributor is put back exactly how it was, along with the rotor system or you are stuck using the top dead center method which i had no interest in. I carefully marked everything and removed it.
Then i used the special oil pump priming tool and a drill to prime the system.
After which i put the distributor back in and lined it up with markings i had made prior to removal. At this point my attention changed to the fuel system. With the block out plate in place, i spent some time wiring in the fuel pump and pressure regulator. The pump is a bit noisier than id like, but it was fairly cheap so i guess its expected. I modified the firewall a little so the regulator would clear, then plumbed in the feed line, return line, and vent line. Interestingly the vehicle was previously connected to the vent line, which forced the pump to pull through the roll-over valve and honestly im not sure how it worked at all(which is becoming a theme with this rig).
Even after all this work i still was unsure if the motor was wrecked from its low pressure experience weeks before, so i was a bit anxious to fire it up. I rigged the fuel pump to the battery and turned the key.
Success! I was surprised when the rig fired right up and oil pressure looked great. After letting it run for 10-15 mins the pressure dropped down a bit but still seemed acceptable.
Better yet was i didnt hear any clicking or knocking from the engine so fingers crossed i dodged a bullet on that one. Wont know for certain until i start driving it heavily again but it was definitely the encouragement i needed at this point in the project
Jumping back slightly, during my time waiting on parts i decided to work on the mechanical fuel pump delete. When i had initially dropped the oil pan i found what looked like slightly ovaled BB's, that at first i thought were bearings of some kind. I checked the block as best i could and couldnt figure it out, so i chalked it up as another oddity along with the cigarette in the oil filter canister. The mystery was solved though when i pulled out the mechanical pump and was unsure exactly what i was seeing. There was some sort of fibrous substance clogging up the pump area. Upon further inspection it appears at some point someone filled the housing with sound deadening beads, which had the plastic BB's at their center and a type of insulation surrouding it. Over time they had decomposed and the BB's for the most part made their way down into the pan. I cleaned out the housing, pulled the pump actuator rod, and installed the delete plate.
While waiting on parts for the pump fiasco, i also went ahead and ordered new motor mounts since the ones on there were shot. Seemed like a straightforward deal, got the mounts, bolted them on, and all seemed fine until i went to bolt the motor in and it wouldnt line up. It appeared the block was shifted to one side and the sleeve for the bolt was narrower than the mount. Frustrated i pulled the mounts off to investigate and discovered the ones i got, which were for a chevy 283, werent as tall as the ones that were on the engine before.
Spent some time digging around on the internet looking at motor mount pics and discovered the mounts i needed were not the 1962 283 C10 mounts, but had been changed at some point to 1970 Camaro "Big Block" style. Got those swapped in, and with some effort they were lined up and bolted into place. Finally i was able to remove the crane/chain holding the motor up for weeks.
It was also during this time that i noticed the transmission mount was shot. Got a new one installed and realized the holes wouldnt line up without pulling the trans over(out of where it should be). Guess that explains why it failed. The crossmember appears to be modified from another vehicle and is also not up to snuff so for now i bolted the trans down and plan to replace the crossmember and mount with aftermarket stuff.
The adventure continues, sadly. I ended up getting a new pump and pickup screen locally, which took 2 days and is another story, but when i went to install the screen it just wasnt working out. After an hour of fighting it i managed to get it installed but it was a little beat up and had me nervous. I considered running it anyway, but then reading online they say you should braze or tig weld the pump to the screen. I figured id give brazing a try even though id never done it before, bought some rod, and according to people online my MAPP gas torch should be able to handle the job. Long story short it didnt work and i ended up burning up the pump, literally. Defeated i ordered a new pump and screen online, got a clamp attachment that bolts on so i dont have to braze/tig the pickup tube to the pump, and ordered the pickup tube install tool. Everything showed up a few days later, and just my luck the pump was faulty. The bolt hold was drilled too close to the pickup passage and if i used it, would have leaked oil out. I messaged Melling(pump maker) on facebook, and they gave me a number to call. To my surprise a gentleman with the last name of Melling is who the number reached which i thought was neat. He agreed i shouldnt run the pump and paid for a return box to their plant so it could be inspected and other pumps checked from that same time period. They also sent me a new pump which arrived a few days later.
Once the new pump showed up, i went to use my pump install tool, only to discover it was too small. Back to the internet and ordered up a larger one, which showed up days later. It sort of worked, at least well enough i was able to get the pump in without too much fuss and finally after weeks of work i was able to install the pump into the engine.
During all this time i finished up cleaning and painting the oil pan and filter canister. The paint turned out pretty good, although i have noticed it hasnt held up well to even small hits without chipping despite me following the instructions for the paint. The worst of it was on the pan bolts since they came with sharp star washers, but the pan and canister are now installed
Couple more progress pics, or lack thereof. Got the engine lifted up and supported so i could undo the motor mount cross bar and get it out of the way. Dropped the oil pan, which i think never has been done due to the amount of crap in the bottom and on the outside of it, and pulled the old pump. Put the new pump in went to test fit the pan and found the pump is too tall. Pretty frustrated since the parts checker said it would fit, and people in the reviews did as well. Dropped that pump off in the mail to send it back to amazon and am just going to buy the part locally at the store so i can compare. Also spent 2 hours last night scrubbing the bulk of the nasty oil buildup off the outside of the oil pan in hopes that i can paint it. Still got some more work there but its coming along. Hoping to make some more progress over the weekend.