Jeep JK8 Build

[BigChevyTruckin]

Made some progress on the truck now that the holidays are gone. Got all most of the parts needed to move the trans up to the front.



Installation for the actual trans and motor into the gcm plate is very simple. Simply use the gcm plate as your motor plate, and you are done.

Removed my trans.

Removed my new tekin motor for the axial motor plate to the gcm plate.


Then the trans.


Getting the mount to fit was another story.. I messed with the shock towers each and every way possible, and didn't have any luck finding a way to mount it up. So what I had to do was trim so aluminum off the inside of the front shock towers I got from hot racing. I went with the hot racing shock towers because the panhard mount was separate from the tower itself. On the inside of the front towers, it had a section where the aluminum protruded farther out to allow for the body mounts to slide in. Since I couldn't flip these shock towers like gcm suggests due to some machining to make the panhard mount fit in only one way, I had to trim the extra aluminum off with my Bridgeport because it was contacting the motor on one side and the trans on the other. Once I trimmed the shock towers, they bolted up fine to the gcm mount. But then I had a gap between the frame rails and the shock tower mounting locations when the plate was set in place. To fix this I just made 4 1/8 inch spacers to fill the gap. I didn't take any pictures of this process because usually when I'm trying to brainstorm on how to make something work I just get carried away and get it done. But here is the mount installed!



A few shots of the spacers I made.



I also installed my gcm transfer case, and test fitted the body after removing the rear shock hoops.


I had to remove the shock hoops just to test fit because I didn't want to just cut holes in the bed to fit them. So I decided to start on a bed cage for the shocks which will screw on from the underneath, which will also act as a body mount. I still have a lot left to go on it, but I was happy just to get a start.


Few more poser shots. I'm liking the looks of it.

Flexing on the 1/4 scale funny car.


Few shots of the funny car. A looooong restoration project.

That's all for now!

[nosser]

Both the jeep and the funny car look great!


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[BigChevyTruckin]

Originally Posted by nosser

Both the jeep and the funny car look great!


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Thanks! Im hoping to get back on the funny car soon! It's a rare pacesetter eliminator.

[BigChevyTruckin]

So I've been driving the truck with the forward mounted motor, for a while now, and that mixed with the tekin are probably two favorite things I've done to the truck. It's just seems to crawl up anything. Only issue im having is battery placement. I think soon I'm going to be making some rock sliders and making battery mounts on them, and moving my esc and speed control to under the hood. Hoping to get the body mounted up this weekend. I'll keep everyone posted!


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[scaler44]

I'm excited to see it!!!


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[BigChevyTruckin]

I'll post some pictures up this week. Wanting to get the body mounted permanently soon. Then all I have to do is fenders really.


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[scaler44]

Very cool can't wait!!!


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[BigChevyTruckin]

Wow... forgot about this thread and the truck!

Blew the dust off the truck this week. Winter is coming and I have been wanting to crawl.

Found some time to get the body painted. It's Lily White. A factory color for a Toyota FJ40 (1976). Got the bodylines detailed with black, the top still needs doing. Body was mounted a while back. Very simple. Two screws in the front and two in the back. But anyways... onto some pictures!




I hope to be out on the trails this week!

[rs10man]

done very well, body work is nice and clean. a few mopar guys around too!

[BigChevyTruckin]

Originally Posted by anastyballzach

Very nice jeep. I would love to see some more pics


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I'll get some more soon!

[BigChevyTruckin]

Originally Posted by rs10man

done very well, body work is nice and clean. a few mopar guys around too!

Yessir. Born and raised mopar. (Ignore the username)

[BigChevyTruckin]

Well it's officially a runner. A very dismantled, still apart runner.



In the picture above you can see one of the mounts for the electronics right under the rocker panel. The other side is the same, with the ESC on the left side of the truck, and the receiver on the right.

Had to adjust the links a little, I thought the front axle was a little too far stretched out, so I trimmed those a little shorter, and sleeved them in brake line. Also had to adjust the Panhard bar, and the steering link from servo to knuckle. But not a big deal.

Also had to trim some of the passenger floor to make room for the driveshaft from my transmission to the transfer case. I'll think of something to cover that up.

So far, I'm enjoying it. I may get some more aggressive hubs for the wheels to give the truck a little more stability, and to give it a more aggressive stance. But I'm honestly surprised with how well the truck side hilled.

Obviously a lot to finish up, still have to paint the doors, and install all of the interior along with a few more details. Need to make rocker guards that will tie into my electronics mounts as well.

You get the point. Lots to do. Here are a few pictures taken in the headlight of my bike at 9:00PM lol.



More to come!