4.0 Head Conversion on 258

Ok.....so it's been quite a ride......as some of you know I blew my 258 while driving on 75 right in front of the Jeep Plant (irony, gotta' love it). Week later drove into Michigan and got me a nice 258 long block, 4.0 Head, & an HEI Distributor from a nice guy over on GreatLakes4x4 forum. Got home with all that stuff, pulled off the head to do the conversion and....and.......found two fried pistons. So.......went back to Ye Ole Great Lakes Forum and found another 258. 55,000 miles. What the heck, dad and I went up and got it. Got home and this engine looks pretty darn good (so far). Got the OLD 258 pulled out of the CJ 2 weekends ago (thank you dad) and put in the "NEW" 258 this weekend. Also got the 4.0 head back from the machine shop (looks brand new!).

Dad did the 4.0 Head conversion. He basically followed a write up/How To HERE. VERY detailed write up, I was impressed. What impressed me more was how GREAT it fit.

The only thing I had to get (besides the actual head) was an exhaust for a 4.0. I reused my intake manifold...I will probably keep it and upgrade my Carter carb.

Anyways, while the engine was "apart", I went ahead and cleaned her up. Sandblasted and repainted a few parts.

As I said before, engine is in!!!! HEI Distributer is in....everything is bolted on.....firing the ol' girl up tomorrow and keeping fingers crossed. Going Monday to get the exhaust lined up and on(damn front pipe did NOT line up to Header, but I knew it wouldn't).

I'm 37 and never took an engine apart.....so this was basically a Father/Son project (thank you dad!).

LOOK how nice the head lined up:





New Exhaust/Header:




HEI Distributer:



OLD Engine(s):



Thanks for readin'!!!