Jeeps during the AMC years.........

[RudeJeepin]

Man what I'd give for a Hornet SC now!

Me too. I've gone as far as an internet search, had to put phone down.
Maybe someday around retirement time I'll look into it again. I'd probably get a plain Hornet then make it into an SC, just so I wouldn't feel so bad about molesting it. I'm kinda spoiled with modern comforts and would add some of those to it.

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[Rusty PW]

Man what I'd give for a Hornet SC now!

Wish I still had some of the cars that I owned. And wish I bought the cars I had a chance too.

I have a 2011 Nissan Nismo. I'm taking that to the grave with me.

 

[Freems]

of particular interest to me, of course as one of my AMCs (the 82 Eagle SX4) has a 4.0 Jeep engine in it (from a 1994 ZJ) as I wanted to do something a bit different, but keep it AMC design.

https://www.slashgear.com/1806711/jeep-models-made-during-amc-years/

Here you go, it will be a nice drive for you, bring a trailer for sure…82 Eagle SX4

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Here you go, it will be a nice drive for you, bring a trailer for sure…82 Eagle SX4

This is my current SX4 that I bought back in about 2007 from a field in California and had shipped here. It was really trashed inside, abused, busted springs, rear diff about ready to fall out, 156,000 miles on it then.

I restored with dozens of NOS (new old stock) parts and put a 1994 ZJ 4.0 in it including PCM, PDC, cruise and more.

The Chapin Award is "Best of Show" in that class - 70-88 non-stock. Highest points of any car in that class for that year.

I'm not sure I could do it all over again. I was younger, better health. I did the whole car myself save for spraying the final red and clear-coat as I didn't want my shop all red. I did the final prep, primer and blocking on my trailer in the shop and hauled it to a shop to be sprayed. Otherwise, engine, transmission, differentials, suspension, all wiring, converting the AMC cruise switch to work with the MOPAR/JEEP PCM-based cruise and so on, I did myself.

Originally looked like -

 

[ourjeeps]

We respect our AMC Jeep Butterscotch Gold '74 CJ-5 which we alternately call "the farm tractor" or "the death machine" with ~52K original miles. We've owned it since 1999 - initially as our 1st RV towed, hence added some Warn full floating manual hubs in rear for flat towing, but the hubs didn't hold up well with the V-8 wheeling in Death Valley, and Warn no longer sells the axle/hub kits...

So.. it's evolved into a classic crawler - indoor stored, the original PPG paint is still in great shape, with zero rust, the tub has been Line-X'ed in brown, so the CJ could be easily hosed out after trail rides, without concern. The shop that did the Line-X job, said at the time, NO more Jeep interiors for them - too much work compared to a simple truck bed --- LoL!!!

This CJ-5 has evolved into a reasonably capable crawler for its year, but it is still a short wheelbase Jeep with leaf-springs, and an odd, sub-optimal mix of AMC/Jeep OEM hardware and design features, largely c-channel frame, narrow leaf springs (added a w/2.5" lift), inboard mounted shocks, original AMC-304 V-8, manual drum brakes, power steering with a huge military style chest-crusher steering wheel, upgraded transmission to Borg Warner T-18A with 6.23 granny gear, 4.27 gears, Dana 44 w/Detroit locker in rear, Dana 30 w/Track-Lok LSD up front, period correct Warn 8274 winch, upgraded the OEM folding low-back bucket seats to Best Top high back seats, added custom roll cage, 3-point harnesses, and in the process gave up the rear seat for internal cargo rack safely cages the spare tire. 33x12.50xR15 MT tires.

We have restored classic 60's Fords, but we let this one stray bit from strict OEM guidelines. After all - It's a JEEP. In the dash photo below, note the classic Just Empty Every Pocket decal...

Enjoy those modern Gladiators folks!!!

 

[Billyj7175]

I still have my 83 J10. My great uncle bought it new in 1983. My dad inherited it in 1990 and passed it on to me in 1992. Lots of memories to be had in this old truck.

 

[Lost1wing]

This guy was traded for a paint job. My son picked this up as payment for getting it's twin running a few years ago. It needed a lot of work and eventually was traded for a paint job on a J-20.

 

[johnchabin]

The 1976 CJ5 we drove in high school. That’s my Uncle George playing around in the driver’s seat. He was a great guy.

Unfortunately, both are gone now.

 

[Dog Dad]

Nice!

 

[AmosMoses]

My friend had a 90-something YJ he bought shortly after we graduated. It was a Sahara 4 cylinder with 33" super swampers. I cringed everytime he asked me to go with him somewhere in it. It was just torture to ride in. Iam assuming the older jeeps are much worse.

I think alot of the forum members here who complain about the pentastar or road feel/steering and suspension, never got to experience older jeeps. They have come a long way.

 

[MoparToYou]

I drove my restored CJ5 for 130 miles on the interstate last fall. It has no power steering and no power brakes, and those were the most immediately noticeable differences. I did not drive the speed limit of 80 mph. Sixty mph was pushing it for this old gal. I was actually quite surprised because it did not wander, did not have bump steer, and did not feel vague or floaty. Leaf springs provide a brutal ride, but they do feel solid and predictable. Keep in mind this is a mint condition completely restored CJ5 with all new parts, not one that is badly worn out after 50 years with no maintenance. See post #6 in this thread. It was sooooo loud though. Oh my god that thing is loud. Bare metal floorboards, not a hint of sound deadening material anywhere, and a noisy flappy soft top. It took me a day to feel like I could hear normally again.

 

[Lost1wing]

I drove my restored CJ5 for 130 miles on the interstate last fall. It has no power steering and no power brakes, and those were the most immediately noticeable differences. I did not drive the speed limit of 80 mph. Sixty mph was pushing it for this old gal. I was actually quite surprised because it did not wander, did not have bump steer, and did not feel vague or floaty. Leaf springs provide a brutal ride, but they do feel solid and predictable. Keep in mind this is a mint condition completely restored CJ5 with all new parts, not one that is badly worn out after 50 years with no maintenance. See post #6 in this thread. It was sooooo loud though. Oh my god that thing is loud. Bare metal floorboards, not a hint of sound deadening material anywhere, and a noisy flappy soft top. It took me a day to feel like I could hear normally again.

I was going to do the same with my CJ-5 ( Dauntless V6). I was pricing the big ticket items back in 2008. I came up with $15k. I found the same Jeep with a topper on Ebay motors, fully restored. $20k invested but priced at $12k buy it now. It sold for $10k. I've been waiting for another deal like that, while my CJ sits in the corner in pieces.

 

[Jteakus]

As someone who grew up driving a soft top CJ I giggle to myself when I read a complaint from a new JT owner about how loud it is,

 

[AustinLonghorn]

I restored with dozens of NOS (new old stock) parts and put a 1994 ZJ 4.0 in it including PCM, PDC, cruise and more.

Pretty amazing restoration - in terms of the modules you pulled from the ZJ, they're still programmed with the VIN, etc., from the donor?

WJ is definitively from the PCI bus era, but how about the ZJ? With a WJ electronics transplant, you'd bring over one module and you'd eventually get stuck bringing over ALL of the modules from the donor...

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Pretty amazing restoration - in terms of the modules you pulled from the ZJ, they're still programmed with the VIN, etc., from the donor?

WJ is definitively from the PCI bus era, but how about the ZJ? With a WJ electronics transplant, you'd bring over one module and you'd eventually get stuck bringing over ALL of the modules from the donor...

ZJ was OBD I era. There were two modules - PCM and TCM. Since I have a T5 I didn't need the TCM, and even if I did, it would not have mattered. They don't care about VIN and so on.

My AC, cruise, voltage regulation for the Jeep alternator and a few other things all run through the PCM - and PDC. I have the transmission controller in a tub somewhere but have no use for it.
The Jeep cruise - embedded in the PCM, required very different inputs for control - set, resume, and so on. So I built a circuit with a relay and a couple of diodes to modify my AMC turn signal stalk mounted cruise switch signals to operate the Jeep's cruise system.
The nice thing is that when the PCM detects a radical RPM increase related to road speed, it cuts cruise, but I also put a switch on my clutch to be really sure. Pressing the clutch sends a NSS signal to the PCM stating it's in neutral, cutting the cruise as well. Plus, it starts so easy I wanted to be sure I remembered to push the clutch before trying to start it........

I used a Dakota sensor (VSS) at the speedo cable output from the transfer case. It allowed me to send the VSS signal to the PCM as well as operate my stock speedometer cable.

I put a Jeep electric fuel pump inside the stock tank without any modes to the tank itself. I used some wiring and connectors from the ZJ to make a wiring harness for the sending unit which also handles the in-tank pump.
So the PCM and PDC also handle the fuel system exactly as in a Jeep.

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