- Joined
- Mar 10, 2005
- Location
- Hooterville (24171)
Well, I've been a slacker... it's been a month since we hit the trails at WindRocks (has taken me this long overcome the "build burnout") on the Moss's re-debut, and it's time for updates & THANK YOU's!
This process started indirectly over the past 21 years of owning the Moss. Various(most) components were simply "tired"... maybe they were tired of me or just worn slap out? After all, it was built with a collection cheap (free = someone else's discards) parts and maintained for 2 decades on what amounts to less $$ than the average teenager spends on fast food during a single year. So, the vision of a Moss v2(022) had been churning for a "while.
Somewhere along the way, I bought axles, transmission/TC, and assorted engine/frame/suspension bits, some new, some used, but none that were tired/WSO.
Destruction began late December, when the 360 came out of the donor and the Moss entered the shop immediately after. Everything between & below the frame rails came off/out, the collection of parts slowly found it's way in and rolled out under it's own power 5 months later. "Only" another month/100's of hours in absolute thrashing to get it "ready" for the Jeepster JAM (mid/late-June).
Specs:
- AMC 360: (reportedly "rebuilt" w/ "RV cam"), Edelbrock Performer, Sniper 4150, DuraSpark2 dizzy/HEI module/E-coil gifted by @lomodyj
- AMC-belled TH-400: 32-spline output, AA adapter to D300 w/ 32-spline input & NWF cable shifters, (clocked it WAY too far up!)
- Waggy D44: 5:13, lunchbox, alloys, SuperJoints
- Ford 9": 5:14, spool, 31-spline OE shafts, backbone trussed/skidded, and Rover control arm for traction bar
- Front suspension got outboarded with RE YJ SOA (reverse eye) 1.5" leaves and the shackles were ditched in favor of LII sliders (NOT reversed) that @snappy gifted me over a decade ago
- Kept the stock rear geometry with reinforced hangers, Alcan SOA (reverse eye) HD leaves, and the infamous "Rover control arm" for anti-wrap.
- New Tatton's Driveline 2.25" x .250 wall shafts (CV in rear) at both ends to account for the slight change in wheelbase (about 106.5"?? from 104")
- Loose, leaking and likely "spawn of the devil" Saginaw steering box was hacked apart with a vengeance *just for the input shaft* in favor of full-hydro steering, using rebuilt Saginaw P-pump, SE ram (2"x8") and an orbital (125 ML / 7.63ci NON-LOAD REACTING OPEN CENTER)
- Brakes were overhauled with new dual-diaphram booster/Vette master/softlines/etc. to Bendix "Big Brakes"(front) and a single Chevy caliper(rear)
- Replaced the "gauge panel" with some 1/8" AL (was polycarbonate) and some updated gauges
- Brand spankin' new 38" Swampers wrestled onto the existing TMI-sourced beadlocks
- The rest of the rebuild involved LOTS of cutting/grinding/reinforcement/painting of the existing crossmember/bumpers/frame/etc./blah-blah-blah
The result is a moderately low COG rig for the tire size, with actual power, that both steers and stops 1000% better. It could be argued that Walden's Ridge might be a little much for a shakedown run and I was a wee bit apprehensive given that 75% of the Jeep changed, but it worked amazingly and I'm HIGHLY pleased with the results! There's still a several things that need a little fine tuning/tweaking/repairs (sheared a tiny outer stub that worked well as a "fuse"), but will get it there! (eventually)
Massive THANK YOU's to everyone that assisted! Including @amcjeepman @Bebop @Jody Treadway @Chris_Keziah @jeepinmatt who answered 1000s of stoopid questions along the way and the Jeepster/Commando gang @R Q @uglyjeepoffroad who battled a January "blizzard" (single digits + multiple precip dumps) to drive 100s of mile/multiple states to spend a weekend thrashing to get the major components mounted, not to mention dismounting 20 y/o Swampers (hard AF) to wrestle the new meats (cold AF) onto the beadlocks!
The Dixie Run circa 2004 at Tellico
The majority of pics from the shakedown...
This process started indirectly over the past 21 years of owning the Moss. Various(most) components were simply "tired"... maybe they were tired of me or just worn slap out? After all, it was built with a collection cheap (free = someone else's discards) parts and maintained for 2 decades on what amounts to less $$ than the average teenager spends on fast food during a single year. So, the vision of a Moss v2(022) had been churning for a "while.
Somewhere along the way, I bought axles, transmission/TC, and assorted engine/frame/suspension bits, some new, some used, but none that were tired/WSO.
Destruction began late December, when the 360 came out of the donor and the Moss entered the shop immediately after. Everything between & below the frame rails came off/out, the collection of parts slowly found it's way in and rolled out under it's own power 5 months later. "Only" another month/100's of hours in absolute thrashing to get it "ready" for the Jeepster JAM (mid/late-June).
Specs:
- AMC 360: (reportedly "rebuilt" w/ "RV cam"), Edelbrock Performer, Sniper 4150, DuraSpark2 dizzy/HEI module/E-coil gifted by @lomodyj
- AMC-belled TH-400: 32-spline output, AA adapter to D300 w/ 32-spline input & NWF cable shifters, (clocked it WAY too far up!)
- Waggy D44: 5:13, lunchbox, alloys, SuperJoints
- Ford 9": 5:14, spool, 31-spline OE shafts, backbone trussed/skidded, and Rover control arm for traction bar
- Front suspension got outboarded with RE YJ SOA (reverse eye) 1.5" leaves and the shackles were ditched in favor of LII sliders (NOT reversed) that @snappy gifted me over a decade ago
- Kept the stock rear geometry with reinforced hangers, Alcan SOA (reverse eye) HD leaves, and the infamous "Rover control arm" for anti-wrap.
- New Tatton's Driveline 2.25" x .250 wall shafts (CV in rear) at both ends to account for the slight change in wheelbase (about 106.5"?? from 104")
- Loose, leaking and likely "spawn of the devil" Saginaw steering box was hacked apart with a vengeance *just for the input shaft* in favor of full-hydro steering, using rebuilt Saginaw P-pump, SE ram (2"x8") and an orbital (125 ML / 7.63ci NON-LOAD REACTING OPEN CENTER)
- Brakes were overhauled with new dual-diaphram booster/Vette master/softlines/etc. to Bendix "Big Brakes"(front) and a single Chevy caliper(rear)
- Replaced the "gauge panel" with some 1/8" AL (was polycarbonate) and some updated gauges
- Brand spankin' new 38" Swampers wrestled onto the existing TMI-sourced beadlocks
- The rest of the rebuild involved LOTS of cutting/grinding/reinforcement/painting of the existing crossmember/bumpers/frame/etc./blah-blah-blah
The result is a moderately low COG rig for the tire size, with actual power, that both steers and stops 1000% better. It could be argued that Walden's Ridge might be a little much for a shakedown run and I was a wee bit apprehensive given that 75% of the Jeep changed, but it worked amazingly and I'm HIGHLY pleased with the results! There's still a several things that need a little fine tuning/tweaking/repairs (sheared a tiny outer stub that worked well as a "fuse"), but will get it there! (eventually)
Massive THANK YOU's to everyone that assisted! Including @amcjeepman @Bebop @Jody Treadway @Chris_Keziah @jeepinmatt who answered 1000s of stoopid questions along the way and the Jeepster/Commando gang @R Q @uglyjeepoffroad who battled a January "blizzard" (single digits + multiple precip dumps) to drive 100s of mile/multiple states to spend a weekend thrashing to get the major components mounted, not to mention dismounting 20 y/o Swampers (hard AF) to wrestle the new meats (cold AF) onto the beadlocks!
The Dixie Run circa 2004 at Tellico
The majority of pics from the shakedown...
, but here's a couple of my favs...
