How Many Folks Build Frankenstein Jeeps?

Most people on this site have multiple jeeps, piles of parts, gobs of experience. How often do you all just put together another Jeep?

I have a 71 frame and axles, a tub, soon to be spare T14/D18/Husky overdrive, just picked up a set of 33x14.00 boggers with wheels for $150. I don't have a spare title, but i think I'm well on my way to an offroad jeep anyway...

 

Me too. I've got a "CJ-2A" that will have maybe the hood and grill that were attached to the original title. Nothing else.

 

I feel like a restomod has fewer road signs and pop rivets than a frankenjeep...
Mine is a 60 frame, axles transfercase, hood, grill, and fenders.
Engine is from an 85 full size chevy van.
It has a Mustang radiator
94ish tbi kit from AFI
Clutch and flywheel for an 85 chevy 454 with sm465.
T90 with donor gears and t90j input shaft with more rebuilds than my grandmother's hip.
The bed and tailgate are off a 1970 CJ5
Saginaw box from a later cj5
1979 k10 disk brakes on all 4 corners with thick 79 d30 rotors
Four road signs for the floor and the posts for hat channels.

 

Hahaha I've been spending the past 25 years putting together the one I have! I probably have enough parts to put together most of another drivetrain though, but that's just for insurance, not another jeep. I often think about getting a running/driving jeep just to get that itch scratched.

My jeep started out as a 1957, but the only original parts left are the hood and grill.

 

Mine is maybe a little more original than most . Original engine, tcase, frame, tub, dash, seats. 71 CJ axles, intermediate CJ brakes. J truck transmission. Buick PS and HEI distributor.

 

This is copied and pasted from my notes. I compiled this list as I built mine for future parts reference.


1949 CJ3A Parts List


Oil filter - NAPA 1307

Wix - 51307

Engine - 1987 Volvo 740 B230F

Radiator - 3 ROW 52MM Full Aluminum Radiator For HONDA CIVIC B18C/B16A 32MM...

Rad hoses -

-upper - Volvo 850 upper (engine 1/2), ‘87 Volvo 740 upper (rad 1/2)

-lower - https://www.summitracing.com/parts/DAC-81041 dayco 81041

-connector - https://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-380600 “Coolant Hose Connector, Radiator, Steel, Aluminized, 1.25 in. OD, Straight, Each”

Transmission - early 80’s Volvo M45

Bell housing - late 80’s Volvo 240

Clutch - late 80’s Volvo 240

Clutch cable - Volvo, 11” removed

Transfer case - 1983 Dana 300

Front driveshaft - Volvo 2-pc with Volvo carrier bearing, front joint is Toyota u-joint/flange

Rear driveshaft - front Ford Explorer 1310 double cardan front 1/2, Isuzu Rodeo rear 1/2

Front axle - ‘84 Toyota 4.10 gears, open

Rear axle - ‘01 Isuzu Rodeo Dana 44, 4.10 traclok, left side shortened 7 1/2”

Front shocks - Rugged Trail 51009

Rear Shocks - Rancho 93238

Front sway bar - Jeep Grand Cherokee

Front springs - Jeep Cherokee

Front track bar - Jeep Cherokee, shortened

Brakes - ‘87 Volvo 740 power booster and MC

Steering box - Part # 45225

(‘80 E350 seen in yard)

Pitman arm - ‘ 01 Chevy Astro van

Power steering pump - ‘87 Volvo 740 with relief valve from Volvo 850

Power steering lines -

-at box, ‘75 Chevy pickup

-at pump/rubber, ‘87 Volvo 740

Alternator - ‘87 Volvo 740

Air compressor belt - 44” (~43” optimum)

Alternator belt - 44”

Power steering belt - 40”

Air cleaner - ‘01-‘08 Hyundai (NAPA pro select 22551), ductwork - 940 turbo

Seats/Seat belts- ‘01 Hyundai Accent

Steering wheel - ‘85 Jeep Cherokee, Rodeo tapered hub

Steering column - ‘01 Isuzu Rodeo, DD shaft - 740

Parking brake handle - ‘01 Isuzu Rodeo

Gas cap/neck - ‘01 Isuzu Rodeo

Console latch - ‘87 Volvo 740

Console lid - ‘00 Volvo V70

Transfer case shifters - ‘49 Willys Dana 18

Gas pedal - ‘01 Isuzu Rodeo

Grill turn signal sockets - Auto Zone 85803

Main fuel pump - Delphi (C)FE0071 (Volvo 740)

In-tank fuel screen - Delphi (B)FS0177 (Volvo 740)

 

Yep, guilty as charged.. If it ain't out of the junkyard, I ain't got it.. Hence my handle..

 

Sounds like I'm in good company then! My 2a is certainly a hodgepodge of parts. I purchased the Jeep in my first post for the tub, which will replace the tub on my 71 RenI. The original RenI tub was completely rusted out. I replaced all the rust with panels from Classic Enterprises, but this green tub is mint. I've tried selling the repaired tub, but no interest. I spotted those cheap boggers on Craigslist and thought they might help me move the tub, frame, and axles easier. However, now I'm thinking a new Jeep with all my leftover parts is in order.

 

My non original parts..

- hand me down glass body
- SM-420
- Dana 20 case with 18 guts
- D44 converted to flanged with a bunch of stuff I bought from guys here.. 4.27 gears from something jeep - ish
- D27 with blazer disc brakes, 4.27 gears from some other jeep
- crossover steering a la tubing and a welder with a 80's ford van steering box mounted behind the cross member.
- pedals and clutch master from a 59 ford dumptruck.
- moved master to firewall with above pedals.
- steering shaft from XJ
- steering column from 80's ford truck
- steering pump from a Buick Apollo
- front crossmember from 59 Willys Wagon
- trans crossmemeber is home fabbed with a hurricane engine mount for a t case snubber.
- home fabbed gas tank skid (rear mounted tank from some random jeep)
- home fabbed cage and nerfs
- A smattering of random power plant parts

Now if I could only find the time and money to finish it..

 

My tailgate, windshield hinges, grill is original, as is my vin tag. Uhhhhh....that's about it. Just grab a good title and vin plate, boom, start building!

 

3 piles of parts, 1 jeep, 4 now. Ron

 

I don't think anyone on here can match Ryan's Willys. But the only stock parts remaining on my 3B are the frame, windshield frame (both modified) and the D18 output shafts. I too have it well documented as to part numbers and what was done. That is currently a 30kb Word document with several moderately large separate appendices that I will not attempt to paste hereBut I don't consider it a Frankenstein build. Restomod, perhaps. Poop eating grin maker-always.

 

Yea the 3b is a conglomerate of junk mashed together to work in terrible harmony.

 

I'm still collecting parts for this project. Last weekend I brought home a pair of axles from a 70s Commando. This Jeep was converted to 2wd at some point and the rear axle is 4.56 geared. So I needed a front axle. This Commando was factory automatic and has 3.73 gears, which I'm told would have been special order. So I got a drum brake Dana 30 with Lock o Matic hubs and the rear 44 with a power lock in it, both with 3.73 gears. The plan is to get those swapped in this week along with some hand me down lift springs.

 

The brakes alone on my Jeep are from at least 5 different vehicles.
Assembled in my garage by a very amateur mechanic.

 

Mine will be comprised of parts from all over: a 5.3 LS from an ‘05 GMC, an SM465 from a ‘91 Chevy truck, a D20 from either my ‘72 or my ‘74 donor-mobile, axles from a rolling frame I bought a while back, a tub from a ‘74 donor from Colorado, etc.

Oh, yeah; the frame came from member @C-dubb here, in Kansas. Parts from Tennessee, Colorado, Wisconsin, Kansas…

Jon B.

 

I’d throw mine on the list: ‘75 tub, later front clip, late ‘80s 4.0 running in Howell style fuel injection in front of a Ford NP435, 1/2 ton Chevy style front disk brakes, and a pile of “nothing is sacred” type fabrication.

 

CHUG is a collection of parts from as far as I know 28 different jeeps from 1946 to 1972 all civilian.

When dad bought it in 1962 it was a 48 CJ-2A put onto a 56 or 57 CJ5 frame with the Original axles but CJ5 suspension. At some point a 1958-59 DJ-3A engine was swapped in Dad may have done it he also put the 3A windshield on it. It now has a tub made mostly from replacement panels and scratch built floor etc. The transmission case may be original as is I think the front axle.

But all of this has been done to the jeep carrying one title from new that used the original engine number for the title.