Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives Hunting jeep conversion.

I know there are a few jeep guys around the Campfire so I have a few questions to ask <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> I have a 47 CJ 2A that has the original 134 4 cylinder engine in it. Pulled the engine out and pulled it apart and found that it was in desperate need of a rebuild and was already bored .060 over. So called around and found it would cost me atleast 1000 bucks for machine work and the parts(putting it together myself).



So my next thought is to go with a conversion to a SB chevy, chevy V6 or Buick V6. I would really like to have the buick motor but they don't seem to be very easy to come by. So my next pick is probably the SB simply because there are so many of them out there and parts are easier to come by. What kind of problems have you guys run into when doing a conversion like this. I know I need to adapters to the tranny(T18) as well as new motor mounts and the steering will have to be redone. But what other problems am I going to run into. Anyone know what buick cars the 225 and 231 buick motors came in? Any info would be greatly appreciated as I am hoping to get it put back together for hunting season <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> Any other needed information would be great to know before I dive in head first.

No jeep guys around here huh? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

That was sapposed to have been T90 tranny not t18. If any one caught that.

I'm a jeep fan (97 4cyl. TJ ) . Your 2A is good foundation to do any mod. you like . I have not worked with one and have no experiance with engine swops . Advance Adaptors and Novack has that kind of info . Look for their advertizing in the back of a 4 Wheeler magazine . An engine tranny swop sounds more practical to me . A Chevy 4.3 liter v6 and a 4 speed granny geared truck tranny with a transfer case adapter would be a great off road performer . 1st gear, 4Low would give you low speed rock crawling and pulling power .

I too have a Jeep addiction 7 have built several from the ground up. I am currently building a CJ-7 into my personal version of the "Ultimate CJ-7". I used a T18a in one of my previous CJ-7's, this time I chose to use a NP435 from a Ford 1 ton because the low gear was even better than the T18a.

My main concern on reading your post would be the strength of the frame. There are alot of problems with stress cracks on old frames. Going to a V8 is a major increase on the stress that your frame was never designed to handle. If you want to do it right I would suggest that you buy a new frame from Matkins to accept your chosen engine & driveline then mount your body on top. Check out the adapters at Novak as well. Thier prices are cheaper than Advanced Adapters, customer service was great too, I would deal with them again for sure.
Feel free to stop by my Jeep'n homepage to check on the progress of my "Ultimate Jeep Project" as well as to see the photos of some of my past Jeeps & local scenery.

You might already know about "jeepsunlimited.com".There cherokee section ,which I use,is frequented by some die hard jeepers.They have a forum for you aswell.Usually pretty sound advice.

I second the 4.3L chevy. Personally I'm a Buick fan but it'll cost more to do a Buick in any flavor.

Well due to the expense in a conversion I have decided to stick with the old 134 as I am only looking for a rig to hunt in.

I am still interested in a doing a jeep conversion when the right jeep comes around. I have decided against the small block for frame reasons mainly. And I want to do a little better then 12 miles to the gallon in the hills. So the decision will be between the buick and chevy V6. I am guessing it will probably be the Chevy, simply because there are a lot more of them out there and they may be easier to find. But I am definetly going to keep my eye open for a buick motor. Thanks for all the info on this.

just finished a 97 for a friend. bought a wrecked blazer with the vortec motor. 4.3. installed everything from the t-case to the fan. left it as a complete unit and bought the motor mounts. made the crossmember.
slicker than snot. it does scoot right well...............
woofer

RC82, I had a 1946 Willys CJ2A, which had the old "four banger" in it, until it finally froze up and I had to rebuild.

I bought a Bucik V6 engine from a junk yard, from a 1963 Buick Special, which had been wrecked from the rear. The engine fitted very well, although there were certain modifications that had to be made. A special spacer block between flywheel housing and transmission was attained from Whitney (I think, as this was back about 1968), and a special adapter bypass for the oil filter, so I could attach the oil filter up on the firewall. I used aircraft high pressure oil hoses, for the run.

There were some other mods, but for all practical purposes, not a lot had to be done with that installation.

I was not trying to hot rod the thing, for I, as you, used it strictly for hunting in country with old, rough roads. I had little trouble with it, and owned it from 1966, until 1997, when I sold it to the son of a friend in Los Angeles, before my wife and I moved up here to Idaho.

If you could find a good Buick V6 engine from an older Buick Special, it might be worth your time to recondition it and use it. Some of these off-road outfits have parts and adapters, etc.

By the way, when going from the old 4 cylinder engine, which worked on 6 volt, I changed EVERYTHING electrical, wiring and ALL, to 12 volt. If you go with a V6, make sure you upgrade everything to 12 Volt.

Those old CJ2As will climb a telephone pole.

Good luck. L.W.

Hey I have a rebuild Buick motor seating in a jeep frame trans front-end rear end transfer case new brakes drivelines the whole thing $1500. and it�s yours. The motor has a high rise, headers,

joecool544- INTERESTED, PM sent your way! Thanks

Leanwolf,

The first thing I did when I got this jeep was convert it over to 12V. Being that it needed a battery and starter and I had a GM alternator sitting around there was no better time to get it switched over. Thanks for your input!

Sent you another PM Joecool...