dieslcruisrhead
Registered User
- Location
- Park City & Heber City Utah
Hi all,
I'm learning about Dana parts etc now that I've had this Jeepster for 3 years. I love it. I've mostly been a Toyota guy. I had a poor idea and nearly sold it a month ago (you might have seen it on KSL) and luckily the sale didn't go through as I'm ecstatic to keep this Jeepster and build it up, and ideally keep it for ever with luck. I've basically been looking for something 60's / 70s mid wheelbase for some time. I wanted a rare FJ43 land cruiser the but prices are insane. And overall I'm ecstatic with this little badboy.
I can weld and have done engine swaps etc. I'm interested in fairly easy stuff for now then as I have more time I'll do other things later. So I'd like to get a road map (looking for suggestions) and then incrementally make these changes. These are pretty light especially with the top off. So it doesn't need to be too beefy at all...
It will only be lightly wheeled / used for dirt roads but I might take it Moab once or twice, including driving it there and back. Mostly just a fun long term weekend and fun truck etc.. It's had some work done to it in the past and was a daily driver from a woman in AZ for 30-something years. Someone also swapped the front grill to a CJ5 front grill. It's super clean / has no rust other than very mild. It belonged to my neighbor before and looks identical to how it has since 2010 when I first saw it...
Basically, I'm thinking (and looking for suggestions on):
- Mild 2.5" lift, possibly using Old Man Emu springs up front.
- Thinking about a Spring Over in the rear? It's totally flat in the rear so I think that would work well.
[ Supposedly Toyota truck springs work great up front and lift about 2-2.5" or so. Supposedly Durango springs are perfect in the rear, same thing, about 2-2.5" or so ]
- Will likely trim up the rear fenders similar to this awesome video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTc70-1cYQk
- roll bar also similar to video above minus the cross trussing (so family can fit in the back and move back and forth)
- 5 speed manual trans at some point. Not sure which one to use.
- Probably a Dana 300 at some point, or similar.
- 31 or 32" tires
- Dana 30 up front, beefed up. Supposedly '77 to early 80s from a CJ are perfect and bolt in? Then I'd beef up the Dana 30 with some HD parts, at some point.
- I think it might already have a Dana 44 swapped in the rear. I'll snap a pic and send, so you can help me identify it? If it has the stock axle then it will get a Dana 44 for the rear.
- I like the dauntless V6 in it. I put pertronix and a good coil and plus wires in it and is pretty peppy and runs really well. Looking for a beefy alternator for it and I'd like to put an electric fan in, as the only issue. It runs warm when crawling. Fine when on the road.
- Power steering at some point. Sagnaw supposedly?
- Some basic things like sound proofing and some decent AT tires.
- Maybe the Cummins 2.8L repower 4 cyl that they will be selling soon. It will be some time before I can afford on of these but I'd like to plan on it some for time. In the meantime I'll keep the dauntless (possibly forever as I like it)
- Already has some good aftermarket seats from a CJ5.
All ears on your recommendations!!
I'm learning about Dana parts etc now that I've had this Jeepster for 3 years. I love it. I've mostly been a Toyota guy. I had a poor idea and nearly sold it a month ago (you might have seen it on KSL) and luckily the sale didn't go through as I'm ecstatic to keep this Jeepster and build it up, and ideally keep it for ever with luck. I've basically been looking for something 60's / 70s mid wheelbase for some time. I wanted a rare FJ43 land cruiser the but prices are insane. And overall I'm ecstatic with this little badboy.
I can weld and have done engine swaps etc. I'm interested in fairly easy stuff for now then as I have more time I'll do other things later. So I'd like to get a road map (looking for suggestions) and then incrementally make these changes. These are pretty light especially with the top off. So it doesn't need to be too beefy at all...
It will only be lightly wheeled / used for dirt roads but I might take it Moab once or twice, including driving it there and back. Mostly just a fun long term weekend and fun truck etc.. It's had some work done to it in the past and was a daily driver from a woman in AZ for 30-something years. Someone also swapped the front grill to a CJ5 front grill. It's super clean / has no rust other than very mild. It belonged to my neighbor before and looks identical to how it has since 2010 when I first saw it...
Basically, I'm thinking (and looking for suggestions on):
- Mild 2.5" lift, possibly using Old Man Emu springs up front.
- Thinking about a Spring Over in the rear? It's totally flat in the rear so I think that would work well.
[ Supposedly Toyota truck springs work great up front and lift about 2-2.5" or so. Supposedly Durango springs are perfect in the rear, same thing, about 2-2.5" or so ]
- Will likely trim up the rear fenders similar to this awesome video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTc70-1cYQk
- roll bar also similar to video above minus the cross trussing (so family can fit in the back and move back and forth)
- 5 speed manual trans at some point. Not sure which one to use.
- Probably a Dana 300 at some point, or similar.
- 31 or 32" tires
- Dana 30 up front, beefed up. Supposedly '77 to early 80s from a CJ are perfect and bolt in? Then I'd beef up the Dana 30 with some HD parts, at some point.
- I think it might already have a Dana 44 swapped in the rear. I'll snap a pic and send, so you can help me identify it? If it has the stock axle then it will get a Dana 44 for the rear.
- I like the dauntless V6 in it. I put pertronix and a good coil and plus wires in it and is pretty peppy and runs really well. Looking for a beefy alternator for it and I'd like to put an electric fan in, as the only issue. It runs warm when crawling. Fine when on the road.
- Power steering at some point. Sagnaw supposedly?
- Some basic things like sound proofing and some decent AT tires.
- Maybe the Cummins 2.8L repower 4 cyl that they will be selling soon. It will be some time before I can afford on of these but I'd like to plan on it some for time. In the meantime I'll keep the dauntless (possibly forever as I like it)
- Already has some good aftermarket seats from a CJ5.
All ears on your recommendations!!
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