What I've been up to...(Warning: long)

This all started when I got home off my ship back in late January. I had wanted to do Herm's power steering conversion for quite awhile so when I got back I decided to go ahead with the project. The first thing that I knew would be an issue is the lack of accessory bolt holes in Chevy 283 heads. I started searching for different heads, both stock and aftermarket but came up with very little. It had PowerPack heads on it that have very small combustion chambers, 58cc. Nothing I came up with had anything that small, I didn't want to give up compression, or had really big valves that wouldn't clear the small bore of the 283. Ugh. So, let's build a whole new engine... I talked to my engine machinist and he had a 1962 Corvette 327 shortblock in the back room. I bought it from him and we went to work. Needless to say, it spiraled out of control really quick. My engine guy did all the machine work and I did the assembly. The nice thing about early SJ 327's is that they have a forged steel crank from the factory. THe stock rods are pretty anemic, so those were replaced with SCAT Pro Stocks. The engine had hardly used TRW forged 11:1 pistons in it so those were reused. The one thing my cylinder head search taught me, is that it's hardly worth buying old used heads and spending a bunch of money to redo them. So, I bought brand new Dart 180 2.02/1.6 aluminum heads...they even have accessory holes lol. I slid in a Comp Cams 292 Magnum an put full roller rockers up top. An Edelbrock RPM air gap intake sits on it with a Holley 700 double pumper on top. (The pics show my old Edelbrock that I used to fire the engine the first time since I knew it was at least close to dialed in). Here are the engine pics:
283 coming out







While the engine was out, it was a perfect time to install the reverse rotation Ford steering box with Herm's kit. It worked perfectly, but I did have to notch the front cross member to put the box a bit further forward than the instructions indicate. Otherwise, the steering shaft would have hit the motor mount. I was doing some thinking, and after realizing just what I had done with the engine, I figured a brake upgrade would be a good idea. I bought and installed Herm's double reservoir master cylinder and upgraded the rears to 11" brakes, the fronts having been upgraded forever ago. This was also really easy to do since the engine was out..I really don't know how it would be possible with the engine in.
Anyway, while everything was apart, I decided to send the Tcase and OD to Herm to have them gone through...and I ordered the Dana 44 full floater conversion kit.
Anyway, all the parts eventually showed up and I put it all together. Getting the headers to fit was a huge pita, as well as building the steering shaft to retain the original column, and have it fit around the headers and motor mount.
Here's a pic with the engine in:



The weather finally broke and I was able to test drive it. All I can say is holy crap. I knew it was going to have a lot of motor, but I had no idea it was going to be like it is. If you boot the gas, you better mean it..
The power steering is nothing short of amazing. I can drive the Jeep with one finger now and I actually steer it instead of aim it. And having 11" brakes on all 4 corners makes a huge difference too.
There were a few minor leaks and other issues, but most notably was that the OD wouldn't work right. It was popping out of gear and wouldn't downshift. Long story short, the thing went back to Herm 5 times. The one thing I'll say is that Herm is probably one of the most helpful guys on the planet and stands behind his work. We tried all kinds of things...machining this, shimming that, etc, but nothing would make it work right. He finally just built me a whole new back unit for the OD and it now works perfect. We still don't know exactly what was causing the issues before, but something didn't want to play well together.
I was able to put a few hundred miles on the Jeep before I returned back to my ship (where I am right now) and I can't wait to get home and beat on it some more. I'm really tempted to aim it down the local 1/8th mile dragstrip.
So, How does a power steering conversion turn into a total rebuild anyway????
The same time all this was going on, I also bought a 1948 International KB-1 and went to work getting that road worthy again. I just finished the stock engine rebuild before I returned to the ship and it's sitting on the engine stand at home waiting for me, but that whole project needs it's own thread...

Please tell me all this is normal.

 

Yummy Verry nizze very nizze

Nice little mouse motor

 

Looks good! We also have a KB-1.

 

I think it's all perfectly normal. I do same thing,

Mine was fixing exhaust leak, which snowballed I want to stop lol.

Looks good though,

 

A 62 327 was the first sbc I put it my 3B, back in 1973. It was also 11:1 (TRW's) with the 2.02/1.60 Chevy 64 cc heads, solid lifter Crane cam, Hookers and balanced. No problem turning 7k, even in high gear (might add that that was WAY to fast, even with 5.38's), but it left something to be desired off road. Certainly was fun for a relatively young kid. With aluminum heads, 11:1 might work but hope you dialed the quench height in on the nuts. EFI would also help.

I see a few Speedway parts-PS pump/reservoir and alternator bracket. I am still using a similar PS pump, but the alternator bracket had to go with the latest revisions.

Curious how your setup is going to work. In my old age, more and more I lean towards "there is no replacement for displacement". At least if you want something reliable and with stump pulling bottom end torque.

 

The Jeep really doesn't go offroad anymore.. It's just too old and nice to twist it all up and bash it off trees anymore. Since it's on the street most all the time now, I figured might as well build the engine for it. It's bored .030 over to 331, so I'm only giving up 19 cubes to a 350. I shift it at 7K. The 11:1 compression is no issue at all so long as I run 93 octane in it. And yep, you're dead on about the Speedway parts...also got the headers, some of the engine internals, and all the steering linkage parts from there.

 

My black jeep was 11:1 with 64cc double hump heads.With the 64cc chamber your quench/squish area should be good .They are a closed chamber. or semi open chamber head?The pistons looked semi open.

unless you went with a.038, or .040 thick and a big bore gasket and your deck height is tall.You should be good .Ideally, You want your quench area in the .038 to .044 total with the gasket.With (iron 10:1 and 11:1 with aluminum) with a tight squish and closed chamber head will be more forgiving on cheap gas, then a big quench and a open chamber.

Did you deck the block to .000? if not how far down in the hole,was the piston?The 11:1 will only be an issue if it runs hot.

You can always retard the timing a tad also if you have issue. But I am sure you will be totally fine

Great looking jeep.

Once you go V8 you can never go back lol. I already did the small block , thats why I did the 454 this time,

I did a Small block in the big jeep, and big block in the small jeep HEHE..

 

Nice motor.. That has to be interesting to drive..

BTW, what ship you on? Navy??


Bubba

 

Now if you want it to be really interesting, put a Detroit Locker in the backR)

 

Haha... It has a PowrLock in it now so it does lay nice posi marks. I should try to get an onboard video of a 0-60 run when I finally make it back home.

To answer Bubbas question, Merchant Marines. I'm on the freighters on the Great Lakes...I'm sure most everyone has heard of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Currently on board the 806' Hon. James L. Oberstar

 

I run a PowrLoc in the rear also. A much more civilized devise short of a selectable.

 

What has got the *** end of that ship squated down

 

Seen some great pics of ships plowing through storms on the great lakes.. From what I have heard the waves there are extremely aggressive due to the relatively small (as compared to an ocean) expanse of water for the energy to dissipate.. Cool Stuff..

A lot of the guys in my field come from the merchant marine academies (and Navy like myself)

 

Nothing.. That's normal loaded condition. The difference between forward and after drafts is only a couple feet, meaning the bottom of the ship is nearly level. The deck of the ship is built with a lot of shear like that to help with water drainage. It's not quite as drastic as the picture makes it look

 

Cool ship I love the forward wheel house makes it look like a Trawler hehe